판타지 세상에서 작가로 살아가는 법

두부두부
 – STORY –

Reincarnated in a fantasy world. All of the novels worth

reading here appear to be SAT English problems. So I began
writing my own fantasy novels as a hobby to augment my
previous job.

However, the novel I wrote had an odd ripple effect. That’s

fantastic as well.

– GENRE –

Action Adult Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Romance

School Life
I have a lot to say, but I’ll start with the most important point. I used to be a writer. A
fantasy novelist who was not well-known but still had a large fan base.

Of course not now that I’ve been reincarnated.

I had no idea why I had been reincarnated out of nowhere, but the memory of my
death was clear.

My heart suddenly throbbed as usual while I was writing a novel, and I soon found
myself unable to breathe.

I believe it was a heart attack. Since I lived on my own and was independent, no one
could help me.

Well, it wasn’t a shame or anything.

In the first place, my family was involved in a car accident shortly after I began
university, leaving me alone. In a way, it was a lonely death.

What bothered me was the fact that I couldn’t finish the work I was working on. My
death would be known, but I only felt sorry for the readers.

So, as soon as I realized I had been reincarnated, I began to consider writing a new
work based on my previous life’s memories to alleviate my boredom.

Until I realized that this was a world that was frequently referred to as ‘fantasy.’

“…what should I do?”

All I had to do now was fold and live.

Fortunately, I was born into a noble family in a world set in the Middle Ages.

Although it was a manor in the quiet countryside, it had everything and the cost was
hundreds of times less than being born as a commoner.
Commoners were commoners because they are low-class citizens who dared not
stand up to nobles.

Furthermore, I was born as the youngest, rather than the eldest, son in the family,
and I was living a leisurely life free of power struggles.

“Well…”

And then I returned, and time has passed, and I am now 16 years old.

I was reading a thick book on the finned bed.

Reading was one of my previous hobbies, so I naturally accepted it here.

The issue is…

“Fuck. What exactly does this mean?”

Each book was a compilation of literary works. Or should I say it was a collection of
poems written by poets?

Even popular romance novels were difficult to comprehend due to their highly
expressive and unreadable content.

To put it bluntly, it was like an SAT English test filled with meaningless words. The
legendary English test, which even foreigners who speak English as their first
language cannot pass.

“Damn it. That is why it is only read by nobles.”

I became enraged and threw the book away. My head hurt because I had to solve
problems with each sentence I read.

Just right in my head! It would be great if you could just write it down so I can
imagine it. What’s more amusing is that reading was a basic culture among the
aristocrats.

It’s almost as if…

– Have you read this work? What are your thoughts on this part?
– I believe it is about this and that. How about Count?

-I hold a different opinion. I mean…

Read the book and then have a 100-minute discussion about it.

When I asked my parents about it, they explained that it was a test of how deep the
culture was. I’m completely speechless.

Above all, I heard that nobles were adamant in their assertions, and that fights
frequently erupted when opposing viewpoints were not met.

Hearing this, I reminded myself that it was also a bountiful year and I was delighted.

“Isn’t my past life a fantasy to these people?”

I muttered to myself as I looked down at the battlefield.

Monsters, elves, dwarves, beasts, demons, and so on could also be found here. There
were various races.

The racial characteristics were also distinct from what I was used to, but there were
some similarities.

Whether elves evolved naturally, dwarves were agile, or beasts resembled animals.

The ‘Demons,’ on the other hand, were a little different, and they were rejected and
despised by the people of this world as ‘the cursed ones.’

The demons were descendants of the ‘devil’ who brought this world to the brink of
ruin in the distant past.

If you look at this cut, you might think it’s a silly story, but the problem stemmed
from the demons’ distinct racial characteristics.

Maybe it’s because they inherited the devil’s blood, and if they didn’t overcome their
‘desire,’ they completely become a ‘devil.’

If they become a devil, it is nothing more than a monster that destroys things at
random.
People who are closely related to demons all met tragic ends as a result of these
racial characteristics, and the demons also cursed their own fate and wished to live
as ‘humans.’

Even if they claimed to be a high priest or do not transform into a demon, they had
strong inherent power and were in the process of establishing their own country,
having a large and small impact on those around them.

“Hmm…”

I think I’ll come up with something amusing.

There are gods in this world and priests who borrow God’s power. So, what if we
could properly connect the fundamentally opposed demons and priests?

I believe it was more enjoyable than I anticipated.

‘What gets deeply embedded in a person’s mind is a tragedy.’

A love that was impossible to realize. A love story between a priest and a demon
would draw a lot of attention.

And it would be magnificent back-to-back. For example, you could become a demon
to protect someone you care about, or even to stop the other person by giving up
your body.

In my previous life, my readers referred to me as a professor at Satan University…

“Oh, it’s quite a thing.”

I needed a book that was easy to read because I only read books like the English test
for the SAT.

But in this day and age, I’d rather write it down myself than have such a book.

There was nothing I could do, so I jumped out of bed and went in search of one.

‘Ah. If I write this incorrectly once, I must rewrite it.’

Because of the times, neither a proper ballpoint pen nor a pencil was invented.
As a result, I was forced to use ink and pen, but fortunately, the paper is well
developed.

After all of the preparations were completed, I pondered how to write the
introduction.

The language was not an issue. If I typed Korean in my head, it was automatically
translated into this world’s language, and the grammar was the same as in Korean.

“First and foremost, the background is simple…”

It felt a little strange writing a fantasy novel in a fantasy world.

Since I’m bored, I am using it as a hobby; If it goes well, it’s good; if it doesn’t, no
need to worry.

Because my family was wealthy enough, there was no need to make a living as
writers.

“Okay. I’ll do it.”

With a light heart, I played with the pen.

Despite the fact that this was a fantasy world, I felt as if I were writing a regular
fantasy novel for the reincarnated me.

‘I’m not going to comment on this.’

I decided not to think about whether or not to show it to my family in the near
future.

“Even if the setting is the same, I’ll have to turn the entire story into fiction.”

Because, after all, this was a work of fiction. Well, well.

***

‘Demons’ are the devil’s descendants. This is an unchangeable truth, and they had
been cursed.
Even the devil’s horns, red eyes as bright as blood, and black mana with a hint of
ominousness.

Each one resembles a devil, and if they lose their reason, they would transform into a
true devil, which is why people avoided them.

As a result, even if they formed a country, other countries refused to recognize it, and
if it hadn’t been for ridiculous power, they would have dealt with it sooner.

Even the demons had silently accepted this heinous discrimination, but they were
striving to live as humans.

However, when these efforts were futile, when there was a lull, the demonized
demons caused damage, so their hopes were naive.

Until a book appeared in the world.

– A novelist who established a new paradigm. What is his name?

– A hero epic that will be remembered for a long time. It does, however, contain
tragedy and sorrow.

– Powerful expression and readability that can be imagined in the head. An easy-to-
read book for people of all ages.

Xenon’s biography.

It was an unannounced novel that was published one day.

I thought it was just a literary novel at first, but after a rumor that a nobleman read it
all day and night, it spread.

The overall plot revolved around the Great Devil who brought the world to the brink
of ruin in the past, a group attempting to resurrect the demon, and a hero who stops
it.

On the surface, it appeared to be a typical hero’s epic, but the fact that it had a strong
connection to the ‘Demons’ drew attention.

– A book about the sad fate and loneliness of demons.

– As a half-human, half-demon creature, it expresses the hopes of demons who live
alone and are rejected by both sides.

– Following the sin of ‘Sakran,’ which touched many readers’ hearts. He sacrificed
himself as a human, not a demon.

Following the one demon’s sacrifice, the only story in the newspaper was about that.
It was so moving that even people who didn’t usually cry said they did after reading
this part.

Above all, this was a story that made even those who despised demons cry out in
sorrow and regret.

– Injustice and discrimination against demons. Is it genuinely moving?

– Those who wish to live as humans rather than demons. We turned them into
demons.

What’s more surprising was that people’s attitudes toward demons had shifted
dramatically.

Most people initially treated demons as devils, but that changed after Xenon’s
biography was published.

From a ticking time bomb with no idea when it would detonate to a despondent race
yearning to be human.

They are not demons, but rather beings who have been doomed since birth.

Because of this incredible transformation, the country of demons, ‘Helium,’

expressed its appreciation for the Xenon’s biography.

– I’m not sure who it is, but please accept my heartfelt gratitude. This person
understands the demons’ tragic fate better than anyone else.

– Sincerity is defined as the desire to serve someone while overcoming their desires.
All demons learned moderation from this single sentence.

The King of Helium, known throughout the world as the ‘Demon King,’ also
expressed his gratitude to the author of the book.
As the story progressed, the writer who was breaking millions of people’s hearts was
now…

“This… is what’s happening.”

Reading the newspaper made me sick.

“I still have some time left to finish…?”

How should I proceed?

My impression of seeing the newspaper could be described in one word.

Even if something was wrong, it’s been wrong for a long time.

I was just writing a book for killing time, and the world was already in chaos. In this
world, science was not well established, and there was no radio, let alone a
smartphone, so only newspapers informed the world of news.

However, the theme of the book I wrote had made headlines in this newspaper. I
couldn’t help but be bewildered.

“Hahahaha! As expected, my eyes weren’t wrong! Good Job! Our youngest son”

While I was reading the newspaper with a stupid look on my face, I heard a loud
laugh in front of me.

I took my gaze away from the newspaper and raised my head in a dazed frenzy.

Red hair that had grown like a mane and a well-kept beard. Golden eyes gleamed like
a raptor.

Hawk Ducker Michelle was the name of this middle-aged man who exuded
masculinity like a veteran warrior.

He was my father.

“Yes indeed. I have already told you. Isaac excels as a scholar rather than a knight.”

A beautiful woman clapped Hawk’s thick arms and made a fuss next to me.

Long indigo blue hair down to the waist and doll-like facial features. Her eyes were
unusually purple.

Everyone would have noticed at this point, but the woman who only appeared to be
in her early 30s was my mother, Anna Ducker Michele.
“My Isaac is great too. Everyone says they are looking for you.”

My mother smiled gracefully as she congratulated me with a happy expression on

her face.

‘I’m sorry, Mother. That doesn’t help me at all.’

The words above rose up my throat, but I barely suppressed them. Because I didn’t
want to ruin this peaceful atmosphere for nothing.

I just laughed awkwardly like an idiot.

“…Can’t you keep it anonymous?”

But shouldn’t there be a last line of defense? In a timid tone, I inquired of my parents.

It was possible because my parents assisted me in publishing my novel anonymously.

I’m telling you right now that I don’t want to get caught up in a noisy environment.
Even the newspapers are making a big deal about it right now, but I have no idea
what’s going on outside.

“Okay. If you want, I’ll do it, but your identity will be revealed sooner or later.”

“Why?”

“Even if your father is a nobleman, he’s just a baron, and with the imperial family
looking for you, how long do you think it will go on?”

“Ah.”

My father’s explanation made sense to me. My father was a Baron, the lowest among
the five ranks, no matter how noble he was.

Furthermore, my father was a common knight who rose to aristocracy through a

couple of serious achievements, making it difficult to say that he was a proper
aristocrat.

So, if you’re determined to find me from above, it means I’m helpless.

“But, don’t worry too much. I understand your worries. Your father will put an end to
this as soon as he can.”

My father softly smiled and patted my head, as if he had read my worried mind. The
calluses felt rough and hard to the touch, but my mind was at ease.

“Mom will also investigate the situation as thoroughly as possible at the tea party.
Mom wants Isaac to have a good life.”

“Mother…”

How warm was this warmth? With an emotional expression, I looked at my parents.

The reason why I was able to recognize them as parents were because of this warm
warmth.

Then my mother smiled and said to me in a gentle voice.

“So Isaac. Can mother ask this one thing?”

“What is it?”

“When is the next episode coming out?”

“……”

“Your mother is waiting for Lily and Jin to get together.”

It drained all of my enthusiasm.

I lowered my head, wistfully looking at her smiling face.

Her emotions were touching, but there was something I couldn’t bring myself to tell
my mother.

‘Jin is the final boss, Mother.’

There were supporting actors who rode a love line among the characters in Xenon’s
biography. These were ‘Lily’ and ‘Jin’ mentioned by my mother.
For reference, Jin was a demon, and Lily was a priest who was also revered as the
next saint.

Looking at it alone, it may appear to be a passionate love line, but in my previous life,
I was called a professor at Satan University.

In the final act, Jin will accept the remnants to completely destroy the Great Evil and
establish himself as the story’s final boss.

The main character, whose mental state has been shaken, is defeated, but the fact
that he desperately seeks Lily through his will is an added bonus.

‘…it’s really fucked up.’

It was okay for my family to read my novel. However, when I hear it from their
mouth, my heart trembles.

Should I change it to a happy ending now? That’s what I thought, but I can’t do that
because I have a lot of double-track and bait that I had done so far, making it
impossible.

I have time left until the ending anyway, so my life will be stuck until then.

“Honey, don’t put too much pressure on Isaac because he’s going to enter the
academy soon. What if the story goes awry?”

“Oh, writer Isaac? I’m sorry if did something wrong…”

“Oh, come on!”

In the end, when I shouted out of shame, my parents burst into laughter that
matched their personality. On the other hand, my face was reddening in real-time.

“I’m sorry, dear. Anyway, are you going to enter the academy with literature rather
than martial arts?”

My father stopped laughing and asked me. I calmed my excitement and thought of
the academy I would attend in the future.

The Academy, or ‘Halo Academy’, was the best educational institution in the country.
As the best educational institution, it boasts a huge curriculum, just like the
universities of my previous life.

It was divided into two categories: martial arts, which emphasized strength, and
literature, which emphasized intelligence.

‘Why would I go into martial arts?’

Because monsters existed in this world, there were monsters like tigers, lions,
elephants, and other ‘like’ monsters. And, like the main characters in other novels, I
have no talent for raw strength.

In the past, my father trained me harshly to become a knight like him, but he gave up
because I was so mischievous.

“Yes. I prefer literature to martial arts.”

“Hmm… I see what you mean. Instead, daily physical training is essential. Okay?”

“Of course.”

I did physical training on a regular basis. Because physical exercise improved not
only physical strength but also patience.

Previously, I was able to concentrate on writing for 3 hours after only 30 minutes in
front of the computer. As a result, I was able to publish one book per month.

However, because I wrote with a pen tip now, calluses were deeply etched, but I
didn’t have to be concerned.

“Do you intend to continue writing after you go to the academy?”

This time, my mother asked me a question. She looked worried that I might enter the
academy and focus on my studies.

As a child, it was natural for me to focus on my studies, but my mother, on the other
hand, was more concerned about my novel.

It was a bit absurd, but considering the ripple effect of my novel, it was
understandable.
“Well… I have to write. It’s not like I don’t have a break. Instead, I think one book
every month or two would be better, even if it’s short.”

“It’s a shame. But focus on your studies. You have your siblings there, so call them if
you need to.”

“Yes.”

Halo Academy was a must-attend for nobles, and so had my siblings.

However, not only as a student but as a teaching assistant. A teaching assistant was a
position that only a few outstanding students could hold.

In addition to that, they could be said to be among the talents that many knights are
already paying attention to.

“By the way, it’s amazing. Your brother and sister are all knights, but you’re a writer.”

“It must be like me. I was also quite good at writing when I was young.”

“Then shall we have another child? I wonder what will happen this time?”

“Oh, my gosh. Isaac? Dad and Mom are going out for a while, so see you in a little bit–
“

My parents left my room hand in hand. I blinked as if a storm had passed by.

“…Hoo.”

The ground had vanished, and only sighs could be heard. I was still baffled as to how
this happened.

I just used my previous life’s job to write, and the repercussions were terrifying.

‘I’m not going to write today.’

I murmured and unfolded the finely folded newspaper. As soon as I opened the
newspaper, it was full of news about my work.

Sometimes, some famous people criticized the quality of literature, but it was swiftly
buried.

‘…Is this something worthy of such praise?’

Despite the favorable reviews, it was hard to believe that the treatment of demons
had changed.

The devil devoured the world 3,000 years ago, and demons have discriminated been
against by humans for more than 1,000 years. However, it was difficult to believe
that such discrimination had vanished after only one novel.

In fact, my work was neatly buried, but it was reliable that my father worked behind
the scenes so that I wouldn’t be heartbroken.

The ripple effect was at an unbelievable level, to the extent that it made me think like
this.

“Whew… Let’s finish it quickly and do something else… huh?”

While flipping through the newspaper, there was a piece of news that suddenly
caught my eye.

– Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean, Princess of Helium. She’s going to attend the Halo
Academy. Minerva Empire also granted permission.

– Now that the discriminatory gaze towards demons has been alleviated due to the
influence of Xenon’s biography, for the friendship of each country…

“……”

Don’t be such a jerk, eighteen.

{T/N: The word is ‘십팔’ which translates to ‘18’. The number eighteen is pronounced
Ship-pal (십팔). If you say this number with even the slightest error in pronunciation, it
sounds like the F word in Korean (shi-bal / 씨발). It’s so similar that ’18’ is often used
as slang on chat rooms to replace the F word}

***

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Cecily, before I am the king of the demons, I…”
“It’s okay, Dad. Haven’t I already made all the preparations?”

A man and a woman were conversing in a dimly lit room.

Jet-black hair, blood-red eyes that glowed in the dark. Finally, even the horns
protruded from his head like a demon.

They were demons

“This is my choice. And Dad also knows that now is the right time for other tribes
and demons to form friendly relations with each other, right?”

A beauty, with her ebony hair up to her waist, said to the man in front of her.

In line with her alluring voice, her beauty was elegant and beautiful that it could be
called fatal, and her body was mature enough to stimulate the dark minds of many
men.

Because of her appearance, she exuded an aura that would tear people’s hearts even
if she were still.

“That’s right…”

The man in front of her crossed his arms and smiled bitterly at her question.

It seems that the age difference between them wasn’t much, but the demons had a
longer lifespan compared to original humans. So, it was not at all strange that
demons had a relatively young appearance.

Descaldrat Eisilia bin Helium, the woman’s father and the man known as ‘The Demon
King,’ responded while looking at his daughter.

“It’s because I can’t believe it either. I know that the way people look at our people
has changed since the book appeared in the world. But the emotional gap doesn’t
heal easily.”

As Descal said, the discriminatory gaze towards demons had greatly decreased, but
the conflict that had occurred in the meantime was still deep.

There were still demons who turned into devils in the world, and there were people
who were harmed by those demons. Even if the damage was unintentional, problems
arise from the moment it occurs.

At that, Cecily, the daughter of the Demon King and the only princess of Helium,
smiled and opened her mouth with timid words.

“Did you read Xenon’s biography too? Remember what Sakran said at the end of the
fifth volume?”

“…-…”

Descal did not reply.

That scene left a lasting impression on himself as the Demon King.

At the same time, it imprinted on the readers of the book as a ‘race that wants to
prove to be human’ rather than a ‘demon’.

At that moment, there was an evaluation that Sakran was the true protagonist, and
no one else.

Meanwhile, Cecily was the first to speak up when there was no answer from Descal.

“Sakran looked at the people he had protected in his final moments and said, Don’t
be afraid to become the devil yourself for the sake of your loved ones. That is true
human courage and sacrifice. I die not as a demon, but as a human. He said.”

“…”

“Despite the fact that it is a fictional story, I do not believe it is fiction at all. The
author of this story must have been very grateful to our people in the past.
Otherwise, he would not have written such a moving story that fully revealed our
people’s pain and suffering.”

– Cecily, with her hands, clasped tightly together and a glum expression on her face.
She was so moved that she didn’t realize what kind of face she was making.

But if Isaac saw this, he would think to himself:

I believe I saw that in a game. I wrote it without thinking about it because it was from
my previous life and there would be no plagiarism issues.

Cecily, on the other hand, had no way of knowing. She had simply mistaken herself.

Descal looked at Cecily with a complicated expression, who was drowning in her
imagination and gently touched him.

“…Sakran is the head of the ‘Demon hunter’ that kills his demonized people. As you
may know, there is a secret organization in Helium that carries out the same
mission.”

In Xenon’s biography, there was a group that punished people who had become
demons because they couldn’t overcome their desires.

{T/N: It kind of goes like this – the demon folks aren’t originally a demon. They have
demon blood in them because they are the descendants of the Great Devil. However, if
they cannot overcome/or lose to their desires, they turn into demons/monsters and
kill/harm/cause damage.}

The name was ‘Demon Hunter’ and it was set to have a much stronger power than
other demons by accepting some of the power of the devil.

However, the problem here was that there were associations that carried out similar
tasks in Helium.

“You mean ‘Reaper’? Of course, I know. My guess is that the author of this book
probably got the favor of a member of the Reaper.”

Cecily nodded, falling into the illusion of being alone again.

If Isaac saw this situation, he would say the same thing as before.

I’ve seen that in a game too. It was really written without any meaning or intention.

However, as previously said, it was sad that they had no way of knowing Isaac’s
heart.

“This is why outsiders are questioning whether demon hunters really exist. Thanks
to this, they have been able to use this as an opportunity to come out in the open.”
Those who had turned into demons were killed by the same people. Just by looking
at this, you could see how strong the Reaper was and how holy and noble the
organization was.

Also, the Reaper suffered from terrible mental pain whenever they killed a demon
that was originally their kin. So, the Reaper had a much higher rate of suicide than
being drunk with power and turning into a demon.

Due to the specificity of this mission, they were active in the dark, but after the
release of Xenon’s biography, they had the opportunity to come out in open.

Furthermore, some high-ranking demons who read the book even suggested that it
be officially established. There was no such thing as good news for a Reaper who
accepts their holy destiny and works without any reward.

“Anyway, if that’s your will, then don’t be discouraged. Instead, don’t be so sure that
the author in the Minerva Empire. If he has published it anonymously, there’s a good
chance he’s a hidden sage. Even if you meet by chance, be polite.”

“Dad. I’m an adult now, too?”

Cecily shook her hand at Descal’s worried words and trembled softly. Still, Descal
couldn’t hide his expression.

He only had one daughter, but he was anxious as a father because she was so playful.

Her beautiful appearance was dark and insidious, and her sly, lustful hands reached
out. There’s no need to worry about that, either.

Cecily had the ability to easily blow up a mountain. She was not stated as the next
demon king of Helium for no reason.

“Ah- I want to meet you soon. Benefactor of our demons…”

Cecily clasped her hands tightly, looking forward to meeting the author.

Descal shook his head at her appearance, which was no different from a serious
illness.
As I said before, my hobby was reading. There was no smartphone, no computer, and
no TV here, so I naturally took up reading as a hobby.

When they say it’s not fun, you can ask if you haven’t written your own fantasy novel,
but that’s only limited to ‘novels.’

Because this was a fantasy world, there were different races and monsters, as well as
adventurers who enjoyed exploring the unknown. Besides, because there was a ‘god,’
myths were widespread.

And I enjoyed reading adventurers’ exploration stories, autobiographies, and myths.

An autobiography or myth written by an adventurer was enough to make me feel like

I was reading a fantasy novel. Others, of course, will dismiss it as a diary or a boring
myth.

‘The portrayal still appears to be that of a beggar.’

Furthermore, the descriptions were abysmal. To put it mildly, it was intuitive.

Assume your autobiography included a line about discovering a monster or a plant.

The description simply stated that something was discovered, with a brief
explanation.

As a result, whenever I read an adventurer’s autobiography, I brought along an

illustrated book. The illustrated book included pictures and explanations, making it
ideal for imagining.

“Master Isaac. It’s time to eat.”

“Yeah. Leave it there.”

“I…”

While reading the book, the maid who had brought my lunch in a tray hesitated.
What? I took my eyes off the book.

The brown-haired maid in a cute outfit looked at me and cautiously opened her
mouth.

She said, “The hostess has instructed me to come and see Master Isaac finish his
meal…”

“……”

“She said reading is good, but you have to be strict with meals.”

“Ehh… Okay.”

I had no choice but to close the book silently because I was really eager to watch it to
the end.

Then, as the maid began to place food on my desk, I set aside the old manuscript. The
maid’s gaze naturally followed me as I put the manuscript away.

“……”

In fact, this maid had no idea I was the author of Xenon’s biography. Only my family
was aware that I had written the Xenon biography.

When someone other than you discovers a secret, it was no longer a secret, but what
could I do? The secret would never be revealed as long as my parents did not make a
mistake.

I stored the manuscript in a desk drawer in case something went wrong.

Furthermore, until tightly sealed with a padlock.

Well. It’s perfect. Now all that remained was to enjoy the delicious meal.

“I ate it all.”

“You should have broccoli, too.”

“I don’t want to.”

Give me some red pepper paste. I don’t like raw broccoli.

The maid took a deep breath as I vehemently refused. I looked like a child
complaining about side dishes.

“Then thank you. Oh, how about today’s newspaper?”

“Here it is.”

After that, she put the empty bowls on the tray and went outside. As soon as she left,
I unlocked the drawer, took the manuscript out of it, and placed it on my desk.

I’m almost finished with the books, and I’m going to start writing now.

After I finish my work, I intended to read the newspaper.

‘I’m glad there are so many useful books.

As someone once stated. Books are the brain’s food.

And I wholeheartedly agreed with this statement.

I’d struggle to write Xenon’s biography if it weren’t for the books. The books on
mythology, or religion, were especially beneficial.

Because of the stupid deeds committed by one religion in the past, the world had a
very negative view of fanatics. Of course, anyone would be offended if they saw a
negative portrayal of their religion.

So I did not explain it directly, but I wrote it enough to think that everyone thought,
“Oh, this religion is based on this real religion.”

‘Besides, there are no saints at all. I don’t think I’ll be blamed for this.’

Rather, there was news that the number of believers of the religion in the
background had increased significantly. I don’t know why, but maybe the supporting
role played a big role.

I added a passionate romance between a saint and her escort in Xenon’s biography,
and as you know, it was the story of Lily and Jin.
When I heard my mother say that the story of the two of them was so lovely, I
couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. It’s especially popular with women, she said.

Of course, it didn’t change that Jin was the final boss.

‘Sorry. mother. I have no intention of letting the two of them end up together.’

I’m hoping this doesn’t get me kicked off the family register. I tried to ignore the
thought that suddenly occurred to me.

A novel was just a novel. Let’s move on to the fact that my novel had changed the
treatment of demons.

***

“Turn it off.~”

How much time has passed? I stretched to loosen up my crumpled body.

And looking at the clock, it was already 4:30. It was 1:30 for lunch, which means that
I wrote for 3 hours.

‘I’ve improved my concentration a lot.’

There were some things that had nothing to do with computers or smartphones, but
my concentration was brilliant.

Was it when I was ten years old? It was the result of my father’s training to raise me
as a knight like my older brother and sister.

Of course, my father realised I had no talent as a knight and gave up after a year, but
my concentration and patience improved noticeably.

woo woo woo woo duk-

Perhaps it was because I had been sitting at my desk for too long, I twisted my back a
little, and heard a rhythmic bone sound.

I relaxed with a simple stretch and went to the full-length mirror. The mirror then
reflected my newly acquired face after reincarnation.
Flaming red hair and golden eyes that shine like a wild beast So far, I’ve inherited my
father’s genes but not his facial features.

The facial features were dense and distinct, similar to my mother’s, and quite
adorable, but the expression of being as pretty as a doll was appropriate.

The owner of this face, even with pure white skin, was Isaac Ducker Michelle.

Not the ‘Kim Yoo-hwan’ of my previous life, but the ‘me’ of now.

“I’m glad I was born handsome.”

My height was still growing, so I barely exceeded 170 cm, but my face was the
original fashion. This expression suits me perfectly.

The only dissatisfaction is that it looks as soft as a gisaeng oraebi, but this can be
overcome. It’s a luxury to want that on this face.

I looked around my face to see if there was anything I could take care of, then moved
and threw myself on the bed.

‘I’m going to the academy tomorrow.’

I’ve been to college in my previous life, but I’m still looking forward to it. What kind
of life will it be at the academy?

Borrowing the words of my older brother and sister who entered first, I heard that
no one knew what would happen. Haha, even at the university of your previous life,
if you make a mistake, you will be buried.

I’m a baron, so it’s fine, but commoners who passed a tough test and entered the
school must have a pretty hard time.

‘And the Princess of Helium… ’

Upon hearing the news that Cecily, Princess of Helium, will be attending the Halo
Academy, I gathered information about her.

I could describe her in one word: a strict daughter.

Not only did she have literary and martial arts abilities, but her beauty was so
stunning that it had spread throughout the world. At first glance, I thought I heard
she had succubus blood, but I wasn’t sure.

The only flaw was that she was a demon, but this no longer mattered.

“Well…”

Perhaps it’s a relief. My academic life might be better if all of the attention were on
her.

Moreover, critics were presuming that the author of Xenon’s biography was an old
sage. They’d never guess he was a blue-eyed teenager under the age of 20.

So all I had to do was enjoy my academic life while avoiding suspicion. Be careful not
to let the manuscript get caught

“First of all, I should build up a stockpile as much as possible.”

Today will be the last time I can write comfortably. I jumped out of bed and sat down
at my desk again.

“Ah. That’s right. Come to think of it…”

The latest volume was released three days ago. I stopped holding the pen and
opened the newspaper the maid gave me.

‘What will be the reaction today?’

It’s been a while since I’ve used a skill called ‘Cutting Magician’, so it shouldn’t be too
radical…

– The Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire, Leort. The author of Xenon’s biography
should publish the next volume immediately. If he doesn’t, we will find him and lock
him up in the Imperial Palace.

– Not only that, but Princess Rina has also urged to publish the next volume quickly…

– Xenon in a crisis. How will he get out of the situation? Colleague’s Sacrifice? if not…
– All readers are hoping for the next volume to come out as soon as possible, and the
author’s identity must be revealed urgently…

“……”

I gently closed the newspaper.

I’ve seen comments like this in a previous life, but I could laugh at them. That’s
because readers were joking around since my work was fun.

‘But it looks like it’s really going to happen here. Fuck.’

So damn scary

***

“Ahhhh!!”

The imperial palace of the Minerva Empire, is filled with gold and lacks even words
of majesty.

A man’s shout echoed from the imperial palace. Because it was the imperial palace,
where the imperial family lived, no detail could be overlooked, so what was this
scream?

Naturally, there would be a commotion, but no one responded. The screaming man’s
location is also completely soundproofed, and best of all.

“You bastard! Why are you hanging up here?! Uh?! Why are you hanging up here!!”

Because he was screaming out of unbearable anger, not pain.

As the man was gazing fiercely at the book he had thrown away, a woman sitting
across from him quietly opened her mouth.

Even though her voice was not like that of a man, there was a hint of anger.

She said, “This… this… this was clearly aimed. How in this urgent moment…!”

Golden hair shining bright enough to reflect light. Beautiful blue eyes like sapphires.
Lastly, the facial features seemed to have been sculpted by a craftsman with all his
heart and soul. She was clearly exuding a beauty that was comparable to even a work
of art.

Her name is Rina Urmi Christine, the first princess of the Minerva Empire.

She was also a big fan of Xenon’s biography, but she’d never been as angry as she was
today.

“Brother. You really don’t know who this author is?”

Rina hurriedly asked the man in front of her in a trembling voice.

At that, The man, Leort, Rina’s older brother and Crown Prince, sighed and sat down
on a soft chair.

If Rina had a cute puppy-like face, then Leort had a rather ferocious-looking tiger-
like face, but his hair and eye color were the same.

“…even if I go to the publisher, they can’t tell me. It’s hard to track because the author
submitted the manuscript anonymously. Still, we will find him someday.”

“Can’t you find it sooner? I’ve been wanting to see it for a long time, but I really want
to see the face of the author who played such a prank.”

“I’d like to do that too, but I can’t afford to spend manpower in a place like this. Even
if we look for it, it’s only our loss if the author runs away. Are you praying that
Xenon’s biography will end like this?”

“Shh…”

Rina kicked her tongue and expressed regret. She, too, was a huge fan of Xenon’s
biography, hoping for more of the books.

The main character of Xenon’s biography was a male, so you would think it will be
read mostly by males, but in reality, the gender of the reader was divided in half.

This was because the story itself was interesting, and the female protagonist who
was always by Xenon’s side was really attractive.
“I’m sure Xenon isn’t going to die here, right? I’ve never seen Mary mourn. They’re
supposed to get married and have children.”

“How could he? If he turns Xenon into a half-sick man, I would find him somehow
and make him the same.”

If Isaac had heard this conversation, he would have hastily released the next volume.
In fact, the Crown Prince had the ability to do that.

Rina sighed in relief at her frustration and she opened her mouth in a scruffy voice.

“Whoa… Now we have to speak our minds in the newspaper. If the author reads the
newspaper, at least he will be alert.”

“Well. Will this person bend his will? I don’t think so.”

“But he’s probably a sage who’s been through everything in the world, so he’ll pay
attention.”

They also assume that the author of Xenon’s biography was an old sage.

It had a readability and expressive power that only those with higher education,
other than general aristocrats, could comprehend.

There has never been a novelist whose writing is so good that it can be recreated in
the mind.

“Anyway, I’ll have to wait for the next episode to come out. So far, has Xenon’s
biography been published once a month? If it comes out sooner, it comes out once in
a fortnight.”

“Yes. Fortunately, the academy starts tomorrow. My brother and I will be very busy,
so we won’t be bored like we are now.”

“Sigh… it’s so annoying. Come to think of it, you’re entering the academy, right?”

“yes.”

It is already an open secret that the princess, Rina, will enter the academy. Again, it is
an open ‘secret’.
Isaac was unaware of the news as he had only heard about the world through
newspapers until now. He should have been out there.

Moreover, Isaac was the son of a baron, and his personal connections were narrow as
his father had risen from a commoner to a nobleman. Even if his mother collected
information at a tea party, there was a limit.

“There will be troublesome things. Most of them are just fawning about their
identity.”

“You think I don’t know that? I’m already going through so much pain.”

It was true that Halo Academy was the best educational institution in the Minerva
Empire, but that doesn’t mean only those who haven’t been in contact before were
admitted.

Commoners had one or two friends they knew before joining the academy, let alone
aristocrats. Nobility, unlike commoners, can enter the school unconditionally, so in
most cases, they are guided by their parents to build a network in advance.

Yes. Isaac, who had never been outside except for basic physical training, was a
special case. Even when Isaac’s parents encouraged him to go outside, he
persevered. Even his loving parents gave up.

In other words, Isaac didn’t have anyone who could be called a ‘friend’ right now.

“And you said the Princess of Helium is going to the academy too? I heard that she’s
also a big fan of Xenon’s biography.”

“The demons have no choice but to do so. Since this book came out, the treatment
itself has changed.”

“Well…”

Rina habitually poked her cheek and opened her mouth with a grin.

“Maybe she can be a good friend.”

Time passed quickly and the day of admission came.

Because everything had already been planned a few days before, all I had to do was
check the suitcase, and the carriage had been reserved in advance. All that remained
was to bid my parents farewell.

“My dear Isaac. Will you publish the book even when you go to the academy?”

“…Mother, the book is more important to you than me, right?”

“Of course.”

“……”

“Fufu. It’s a joke. Don’t make that face.”

It wasn’t a joke, in my opinion. I laughed bitterly. Nonetheless, she hugged me

because she adored her children.

“Isaac. Your father has got something for you.”

My father then approached me and handed me a pen.

It looked similar to a ‘fountain pen’ from my previous life, and the gold frame on the
black background caught my eye.

It was giving off a beautiful figure that made my eyes wide open for me, who had
always used only the nib.

So, as I alternated between the fountain pen and my father, he explained with a
happy smile.

“It’s called a magic pen. It has magic that replaces mana with ink. If you can recharge
only mana, you can use it for the rest of your life.”

“Hey, isn’t this expensive?”

Instead of science, magic flourished in this world. Magic could be used to replace
complex things like machines and engineering.

However, because magic was not popularised or widely used in this world, it was
mostly used by the upper classes.

Even these magical items required meticulous craftsmanship, so the majority of

them were created by Dwarves.

As a result, the cost of this magical pen, which my father gave me as a gift, would be
exorbitant. It would easily exceed a commoner family’s annual living expenses. Even
if my father was a baron, it was a massive expense.

“This is insignificant in comparison to the money you have earned. And since it was a
gift for you, this was all I could come up with. Your father sincerely apologizes.”

“Father…”

“I don’t mean to say that you should write hard when you go there, but don’t neglect
your studies. If there is something difficult, ask your older brother and sister there.”

My father gave me advice in a warm voice and held the magic pen in my hand. As he
had worked as a knight for most of his life, I could feel his hardened hands.

Then he stroked the bump between my middle finger’s first and second knuckles.
The calluses I’ve developed while writing had been dubbed ‘pen-hooks.’

“You could even call them scars of glory. Dad is proud of you.”

“……”

“This is an honor you have earned for yourself, not through the efforts of others. So
act as if you are proud of yourself.”

“…yes.”
Being born and raised by such wonderful parents was an honor and a blessing.
Nothing was more important than growing up with loving parents.

Even in my previous life, my family vanished before I could repay the favor, but not in
this one. I boarded the pre-booked carriage after sharing a deep hug with my father.

“Then I’ll go!”

“Take care of yourself! When it’s vacation, come back with your brother and sister!”

“If there’s anything, call us! Stay healthy!”

My parents watched me until the end, even after I boarded the carriage. They
entered the mansion as the distance increased, but I kept looking back.

‘I’m leaving now.’

In the rattling wagon, I gazed out the window at the scenery. My father’s estate was
nearly empty enough to qualify as a rural village.

Instead, there were almost no monsters, and young people lived happily every day,
making it a lively place. And because my father was a knight who had previously
achieved terrifying feats, some young men sought training from him.

Occasionally, whenever I wrote, there was quite a lot of noise outside, but most of
them were aspiring knights who were being trained by my father. Perhaps some of
the best of them were sent to the academy under their names by their fathers.

‘I won’t be able to see that anymore.’

What should I say about this feeling right now… I couldn’t describe it in one word.

I was looking forward to it, but I wondered if I would be able to adapt well, as I’d
never had a lot of interpersonal relationships. It was a completely different world
from the one I knew.

It was said that people live in the same place, but it was unclear whether common
sense would work here. There were too many variables because it was a world
where status exists.
‘What am I doing now that I am so worried?’

I made the decision to take it easy. People won’t believe I wrote Xenon’s biography,
and all I had to do was to act as a sincere student.

I’m not sure what I’ll learn at the academy, but my goal was to work hard and earn a
scholarship. If something bad happens in my life, I tell my brother or sister.

‘I have to go and find my brother and sister first.’

My sister’s hair was indigo blue, but my brother had red hair like my father’s, so it
would be easy to find them. Because red hair was rare in this world. Especially the
golden eyes shining like a wild beast.

I leaned back comfortably on the backrest, and then a question came to mind and I
asked the driver.

“Mister Coachman. How many hours does it take to get to the academy?”

“If the weather is good, it will take about ten hours.”

“It’s shorter than I thought. I thought it would take at least a day.”

“The estate that Baron Michelle manages is close to the capital. Besides, this estate
has not been developed yet, but it will be fully developed in 5 years.”

10 hours was the perfect time to read a book or take a nap in moderation. Still, it
didn’t change that it was a very long time.

When I was reincarnated for the first time, I was unsure how to spend my time to the
fullest. The outcome was a book.

But there were times when I felt science could have been invented a little more. Even
dwarves, who were more dexterous than humans, devoted their time and energy to
creating superior weapons and items, but transportation was primitive.

‘Should I put it in Xenon’s biography? A masterpiece created by the Dwarven

craftsmen together.’

This will also be beneficial. At the same time, dwarves were shrewd geeks who
created bizarre magical weapons. So, if there was a goal for transportation and
supplies, as well as a moderately bleak past, the likelihood was sufficient.

A teacher and a disciple were the same as parents and children, especially among
Dwarves, so I heard from my father that there was a tradition that when the master
leaves the world, the disciple would follow.

Even if it was something that everyone pointed at, it was something that they
endures to the end. This explains why dwarves had so many geeks.

‘The unfortunate past had to end. I can set it up as a moving steam locomotive by
burning mana.’

I scribbled in my notebook with the magic pen that my father had given me. In my
previous life, I had a habit of recording things so I wouldn’t forget them, but now I
used a notebook instead.

‘Anyway, I don’t even know how it works, so should I really make it?’

As I would tell you in advance, I am a literati. I don’t know anything about machines.

I’ll just express what I can roughly imagine in my head, and if it’s really difficult, I’ll
add an illustration.

Aside from that, I’m surprisingly good at drawing. When Xenon’s biography was first
published, a world map was included to aid readers’ comprehension.

Of course, I don’t claim to be an expert at drawing, but it was enough to keep me

immersed. It was also enjoyable to draw by hand, so I included several illustrations
with each edition of the book.

‘It just feels like an old novel.’

Before web novels became a hit in a previous life, paper books had several
illustrations for understanding the worldview (setting). Thanks to that, I was able to
immerse myself more.

I jotted down the steam locomotive’s settings in a notebook and checked to see if the
ink was dry. As expected, the ink in the notebook dried up quickly because it was
expensive.
It made me feel better knowing that my father had given me something really nice. I
then focused solely on reading until I arrived.

“Patron?”

“……”

“Patron?”

“yes?”

While I was concentrating on reading, the driver called me. I closed the book for a
moment and lifted my head.

“We’ll be arriving at Halo Academy soon.”

“Huh? Already?”

“Heh heh heh. Not already. Ten hours have passed. Your concentration is terrific.”

The coachman said with a wide smile. I scratched my head at the redness and
glanced out the window.

“Wow…”

It was both a city and the capital. There was a noticeable difference from a distance.

When I went out on the streets in my hometown, it was mostly fields or farmland,
but this place was densely packed with buildings. The architecture of the building
and the people walking down the street transported you to Europe.

I saw a knight in iron armor and a wizard with a staff on occasion, but he seemed to
be in charge of security.

“If you look ahead, you will see the Halo Academy.”

“Where… oh.”

As the coachman said, looking ahead, I saw a building with a unique structure. My
review of seeing it.
‘…Is it Hogwarts?’

I’m not lying when I say that Hogwarts from Harry Potter was standing up. Up to a
castle-sized conical roof. It had the same Hogwarts appearance that I was familiar
with.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly the same; there were some differences, but they are
minor.

‘Don’t tell me there are magic spells like Abracadabra?’

I’ve never seen a wizard with my own two eyes, so I even thought about it.

“We’ve arrived. I hope you have a good life then.”

“Thank you. You worked hard.”

When I got off the carriage, the driver greeted me like a gentleman. I also greeted
according to the etiquette I learned at home.

After that, the coachman smiled once and turned around. I turned my back to watch
the coachman walk away.

“Hey…”

Even though I didn’t want to show it, admiration naturally escaped my lips. Anyone
who had ever lived on Earth could understand how I felt.

Everyone would be impressed by this fantasy civilization, which previously existed

only in cartoons and novels. I could feel it from afar, but it was more like a castle than
a university.

“…this is not the time.”

I quickly regained my composure and looked around. People who were presumed to
be freshmen were already making their way towards the gate.

I occasionally saw people wearing uniforms, presumably school uniforms, and they
were most likely enrolled students. School uniforms were only provided to incoming
students.
So, calming my pounding heart, I walked towards the gate. As I moved my feet, I
heard the sound of the luggage being dragged in the suitcase.

“Oh! Oh! Look over there! Isn’t that Prince Leort?”

“That’s true. He looks great whenever I see him…”

“Is that Princess Rina next to him?”

“Perhaps so? The princess is pretty too. I’m envious.”

Then, suddenly, the atmosphere became noisy. People heading to the entrance to the
academy stopped in the middle and looked in one direction.

I also turned my head to see what the fuss was. And a man and woman who showed
off their dazzling beauty were walking side by side.

“…Oh.”

That is how people can be. I was also proud of my face right now, but in front of that
man, I felt like I needed to take a step back.

Also, how about a woman walking side by side with a man? Wearing a pure white
dress, she was exuding her beauty as an elf who were called the incarnation of
beauty.

The peculiar thing was that both of them were blonde, although their impressions
were slightly different, anyone could see that they were siblings.

“…More than that, the Crown Prince and the Princess?”

Those two people who said they will catch me and kicked me in the newspaper? As I
was thinking about it, someone grabbed them.

She was a cute girl with wavy brown hair and round eyes, and she had the body of a
squirrel.

“Leort-sama! Long time no see!”

“Hm? You…”
It would not have been an illusion that Leort’s expression was cracked for a moment.

Either way, the girl with brown hair was more attached to Leort. Seeing that she was
even sneaking her arms around him, it seemed that she was trying to emphasize her
friendship with Leort to the people around her.

But Leort had a grave response when the girl held her arm. In the meantime, the girl
said in a sonorous voice.

“I’m Sophia! Do you recognize me?”

“…ah. It’s Sophia the little girl. I know you well.”

It was a lie. Anyone could tell by the artificial smile. The Crown Prince was now very
displeased.

It’s understandable that anyone would be angry if someone they don’t know
approached while walking down the street. Even more so if it’s a trick where you can
see the purpose clearly.

Unfortunately, however, the young girl named Sophia was ignorant of whether or not
she had two lives and brought her body even closer.

She looked impressed.

“Gee, you remember! I honestly thought you wouldn’t know…!”

“How can I not know a little and cute woman like you?”

“Ahh…!”

Wow. Look at her shamelessly lying without saliva in her mouth. Still, anyone with
that voice and that face would be worthy.

Of course, acting wasn’t a difficult task.

‘It’s not easy for the Crown Prince.’

I grinned inward with some sort of pity and stepped back. It was a story in a faraway
country for me, so meddling was just poison.
“Oh, that’s right! Did you read Xenon’s biography that was published this time, Leort-
sama?”

When Sophia asked him that question. I stopped in track and looked back at Leort.

As soon as the story about Xenon’s biography came out, Leort’s expression
brightened. He liked me enough to threaten to lock me up in the imperial palace, so it
might be natural.

“Of course. Have you read the new book?”

“Of course! But the ending… I was angry because the author seemed to be playing
with people’s hearts. You agree, too, right?”

“That’s why the author is so talented that he can move people’s hearts. I also got
angry after reading the ending. The same goes for my brother.”

“Rina-sama too?”

Sophia’s gaze turned to the princess, that is, Rina. Rina replied with a smile.

However, her gaze was not on Sophia, but on Leort.

“Brother. Do I even have to say such a thing? It’s embarrassing.”

Why do you make me splash the fire? It sounded like this.

But Leort wasn’t easy either.

“Hobbies are fun when you share them.”

Let’s suffer together. It sounded like this.

Although he spoke mildly and used noble language, the essence of the siblings did
not seem to change wherever they goes.

“How did you two feel when you read the ending? It’s really like what I saw in the
newspaper…”

“Oh, you mean that? I wrote it out of anger, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
“Me too. Miss Sophia doesn’t have to worry about it.”

That was very fortunate news for me. I breathed a sigh of relief in a relieved mood.

Seriously, who would write such a thing in a newspaper in their right mind…

“Well, I’m half-serious that I want him locked up in the Imperial Palace. Hahaha.”

“……”

I’m never going to get involved with or run into any of these bastards.

I moved my legs quickly, wanting to hear nothing more.

‘No. But wait. Is it possible for the princess to enter the school too?’

When I thought about it, the situation seemed to have gotten worse.

I’ll never get caught.

I will ask everyone. What is your first thought when you think of an entrance
ceremony?

“Finally, we wish the students who have enrolled in our Halo Academy nothing but
glory and blessings…”

What exactly was it? These were the Principal’s words. Should I address him as
President here?

In any case, the long and tedious speeches seemed to be the same wherever I went.
Instead, I was bored by myself, but the new freshmen next to me had dazzling eyes.

The Principal of Halo Academy, which was said to be the best educational institution
in the Minerva Empire, had to be a high-ranking individual, and the way these high-
ranking individuals perceived him explained why.

For me, it was just a good word from a good-looking old man. I wished this time
would pass as quickly as possible.

‘By the way, how much money did you spend here?’

The entrance ceremony was held in the auditorium, and the scale was frightening.
It’s about the size of two regular gyms.

It was estimated that the capacity had increased as not only freshmen but also
parents and other visitors came to see promising students. However, the sheer size
remained unchanged.

‘…I can’t see anything.’

Above all, the principal’s face on the podium couldn’t be seen. Not only the principal
but also the faces of the people sitting in the chairs next to him.
I was also sitting in the back, and I had poor eyesight. As I read and write books
every day, my eyesight naturally deteriorated.

That’s not too bad, it was good enough for everyday life. If it wasn’t for that, I would
have worn my glasses earlier.

Since I felt the discomfort of glasses in my previous life, I have been managing them
steadily.

“…so, I wish everyone good luck. That’s it.”

When the principal, or no, the president’s instruction was over, thunderous applause
erupted. I was spacing out for a while, so I was startled and instantly applauded.

Then, the sound of applause calmed down, and I wondered if I was finally going to
the dormitory, the voice of the guide rang out. By the way, that’s a magic broadcast.

[Next, we will proceed with a speech from the Princess of Helium, Cecily Drat Aicilia
Bean.]

Damn. I can’t believe there’s still something left.

As I was muttering to myself, the inside of the auditorium began to rumble.

– Are you really going to the academy? a demon?

– I’m a little nervous, though.

– Wow… It’s so pretty.

I’m ashamed to say these things out of my mouth, but through Xenon’s biography, the
gaze toward the demons changed.

I couldn’t even imagine how discriminatory they would have been living before. As
demons were always treated as more than a walking time bomb, it must have been
very severe.

Maybe that’s why the demons seemed to have difficulty getting out of Helium
because it is not easy. Cecily’s decision was so unconventional and bold.
‘…but I can’t see anything.’

Even if I narrowed my eyes and focused my gaze on the podium, I still couldn’t see
the princess well. In fact, it’s strange to see a detailed face from this distance, but to
me, it’s just a black mass moving.

Pretty, beautiful, big breasts, sexy, etc. There were a lot of praises related to her
appearance, but unfortunately, I couldn’t see it.

Had I known this would happen, I would have sat in the front. This was all because of
my habit of sitting in the back seat in my previous life.

Woong-

[Oh, Oh, Um. Hello everyone. Nice to meet you. My name is Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean,
Princess of Helium]

Wow. your voice is really cool. It sounds like it would be a hit on the radio.

Perhaps I was the only one who thought so, and as soon as Cecily opened her mouth,
the inside of the auditorium became silent. How pretty the voice must be to make
the noisy auditorium quiet in an instant.

Meanwhile, Cecily continued what she wanted to say in an alluring and dark voice.

[You know, you still won’t believe it. Because I was a demon, I was called the darkest
being in the world. Perhaps there are still some people who are reluctant, and maybe
there are others who despise us.]

Perhaps it was because the words had a strong appeal. I put my thoughts aside and
began to listen intently. Perhaps everyone else was thinking the same way I was,
because they all listened with solemn expressions on their faces.

Cecily seemed to take a look around her audience and then expressed her feelings in
a powerful voice.

[Then, one day, after a book was published, the view toward demons changed. The
book portrayed us as pitiful beings wishing to be human, a time bomb that never
knew when it would explode. Through that story, it directly revealed the desire we
desperately wanted.]
“Well…”

I smiled shakily. It was nothing, but hearing those words directly made my face all
get hotter.

Does Cecily know that the author of Xenon’s biography is in this auditorium? Even if
the sky falls, she will never know.

[I’m going to show you what he showed you in the previous book. That we demons,
like humans, can laugh, talk, cry, and have fun. We will undoubtedly show you. Thank
you.]

Words that clearly showed one’s will and determination rather than words that
come out of one’s mouth.

That was really cool. All I could think about at the time was how wonderful it was.

Would it be possible for me to do that? I can definitely say I can’t do it. I didn’t live a
crooked life like Cecily, and I didn’t have the courage.

‘…not bad.’

As I watched Cecily go down from the podium, I cheered with sincerity. When I read
it in the newspaper, it felt so absurd, but now my heart was touched.

If the heroine in the novel appeared in reality, it would be just like that. I just thought
it was really great.

‘I wish I could have seen her face properly.’

It’s a pity that I couldn’t see her face because of my bad eyesight. Well, she’s a
freshman too, so maybe we’ll run into each other sometime.

[This concludes the Halo Academy’s 1012th Entrance Ceremony. Please check the
class assigned to each new student. Classes start tomorrow. That’s all.]

The long and lengthy entrance ceremony has finally come to an end. We’ll have to
check the class in a little while, so I was going to go to the dormitory first.

I stayed still as people rushed out of the auditorium. If I cut in now, I would get hit
here and there, so I was planning on going out after a while.

“Isaac!”

“Yes?”

“Here, here!”

Then I heard my name being called. I wouldn’t have known if they had called
someone with the same name, but because it was a familiar voice, I couldn’t help but
turn my head.

When I turned my head, I saw a man with red hair like mine and golden eyes like a
bird of prey, waving his arm. Also next to him stood a woman with golden eyes just
like his and navy blue hair.

As soon as I saw the faces of the two, I ran towards them with a smile on my face. I
couldn’t help but smile with joy.

“Brother! Sister!”

“It’s been a while. Isaac.”

“How have you been doing?”

It’s my brother and sister. The names are Dave and Nicole, respectively.

The older brother resembles our father, exuding the image of a strong warrior, and
the older sister resembled our mother, so she was quite a beauty.

“What are you doing here?”

“For some reason, I’m here to see our youngest’s entrance ceremony.”

Nicole bowed slightly and answered in a soft voice. The reason she bowed was so
that she could be at my eye level.

I’m not sure about her face, but her body was passed down from our father, so she
was quite tall. She’s probably taller than the majority of men.
“How have you been? How are your father and mother?”

Then Dave asked about our parents’ well-being.

I met his golden eyes and answered kindly.

“It’s always the same. I think they’ll be like that forever”

“Really? Our parents are… Do they like each other that much?”

Dave grinned and looked around. There were still a lot of people around who hadn’t
left.

Dave bowed his head slightly and asked me in a whisper.

“I’m sorry to say this as soon as we met, can you tell me when the next volume is
coming out?”

“……”

Once again, as expected. I hardened my body for a moment before putting on a sad
face.

Dave was startled by my expression and began to spit out excuses one by one.
Nicole’s eyes narrowed next to him.

“Oh, no. Of course! It’s important to see our youngest more! Still, I can’t help but
wonder…”

“Be quiet. Is the book more important to you than your brother? This child is upset.
Isaac, you can ignore that idiot. Okay?”

“…yes.”

By the way, if you add up the age of my previous life, I am older than these two. But I
don’t care about that little thing anymore.

This is because my mind is complicated after paying attention for no reason, and
these two have a more mature side than me. Or maybe I could have aged like a shit.
“Sigh… Anyway, I’m sorry. You must be under a lot of stress, and I made a mistake.”

“No. It’s okay. By the way, did you hear the speech the Princess of Helium gave
earlier?”

In a situation like this, it was best to change the topic. As soon as Dave heard my
question, he turned his gaze to the podium. I and Nicole followed his gaze.

Princess Cecily still remained on the podium. And there was someone beside her,
and she was Princess Rina, whom I saw at the entrance to the academy.

Although I didn’t know what the two women were talking about, their expressions
were quite bright.

“I’m sure she has the qualifications to be a princess. If it was me, I couldn’t do that in
front of everyone.”

“Um… right?”

“So how do you feel? It’s actually your book that made the Princess of Helium stand
on the podium.”

Nicole asked quietly. But I couldn’t answer easily.

Should I say it doesn’t feel real, or should I say it’s strange?

I felt moved when I heard the speech, but now it’s really awkward. I really thought
so.

The reason why I felt this way was because of my past life, but above all, I had no
experience in the world right now.

I had never seen discrimination against demons with my own eyes, nor did I know
what kind of incidents and accidents the demons who were demonized caused. In
fact, I didn’t even know the common sense of this place.

“…to be honest, it doesn’t really make sense to me. As you and my older brother
know, I never went out and only read books at home. I don’t know because there is
nothing to compare with.”
“Hey. As your older sister said, don’t underestimate yourself too much. You’re our
family’s precious treasure. You understand?”

Nicole, who heard the answer, gently patted my head. I looked at her face with a
pleased smile.

I also grinned and lived up to her expectations. Then Nicole pinched my cheek
slightly.

“If there’s anything you need, ask me and my brother. I don’t know what will happen
because of different majors, but I can help you with your life.”

“yea, I got it.”

“When you are at the academy, you have to focus on your studies. Don’t feel
burdened about writing. Okay?”

“yes.”

“Nice boy. Our Isaac.”

Like this, Nicole tends to see me as a child. In fact, not just her, but our entire family.

The world treats me as an adult when I turn 17, but won’t they be like this until I
turn 20? Still, it didn’t feel too bad. Maybe it was because the family I could rely on in
my previous life suddenly disappeared.

The relationship between family members was so warm and lovely. It was a fact that
I realized later, so it was more important to me.

“Then let’s go now. If you want to find us, call us anytime.”

“Okay. I’ll go.”

I waved vigorously as I moved away from them. They both sent me messages of
support and waved their hands.

Leaving behind the heartwarming reunion, I headed to the dormitory first. The
location of the dormitory was explained by the guidance assistant before the
entrance ceremony.
“Luluru~”

Today, the thought of resting comfortably in the dorm made me feel better.

***

Meanwhile, in the auditorium, after Isaac left.

On the podium of the auditorium, two beauties as beautiful as elves were chatting
with bright expressions.

One had jet-black hair and blood-red eyes, and the other had golden hair and blue
eyes, each exuding a different charm.

In particular, the woman with her jet-black hair had horns protruding from her head,
and anyone could tell that she was a demon.

Yes. The princess of Helium, Cecily, who entered Halo Academy this time, and the
princess of the Minerva Empire, Rina.

They were genuinely happy, laughing like any other ordinary girl.

“hahaha! Really, that’s… Ahh. Rina-sama. Do you know that scene? The part where
Mary kicked the rogue.”

“Oh, of course, I know. I think the name of the kick…”

“Hectopascal Kick. I heard it’s one of the names of storms in your world.”

“Fuhu! I remember. How refreshing it was back then.”

Rina, the princess of the Minerva Empire and a freshman like Cecily, smiled modestly.

In her heart, she wanted to laugh like Cecily, but as a princess, she kept her dignity.
Rather, Cecily, who laughed loudly without looking around, was unique.

“Are you also a big fan of Xenon’s biography, Rina-sama? Seeing that you know even
these details.”

“Of course. To be honest, even if you haven’t read Xenon’s biography at all, wouldn’t
anyone have seen it at least once? I can assure you. But…”

Rina blurted her words for a moment, then glanced up and down Cecily’s
appearance. Everything was so perfect that words were insufficient to describe her
as beautiful.

If she has pushed her innocent image to the limit, Cecily has pushed her mature
image to the limit. In particular, there were the most prominent parts.

It was the chest, that is, the chest. She was pretty big herself, but Cecily… No further
explanation was needed.

Her only blemish was that she was a demon, and honestly, in front of this beauty,
even if Xenon’s biography had not been released, she would have melted the
affections of many men.

In response, Rina managed her expression as much as possible and asked Cecily.

“…Cecile, what do you think of the author of Xenon’s biography?”

“The author?”

“Yes. He couldn’t ease the fate of the demons, so he made it understandable to

everyone. Isn’t he actually a benefactor?”

Rina also treated demons as bombs before the publication of Xenon’s biography. In
fact, when she went out of the imperial palace, she was attacked by demons who
were demonized.

From then on, she thought that the demons were a person wearing a devil’s mask,
but after Xenon’s biography came out, it was completely different.

“I was also attacked by demons who were demonized. From then on, I was terrified
of demons. But after this book came out, my views on demons have changed.”

“……”

“Even I’m thinking this right now, but I’m curious what Cecily-sama thinks.”

Hearing that question, Cecily was puzzled at first but then smiled softly.
There was a saying that there was nothing more beautiful than a smile full of
sincerity. It was Cecily now.

As Rina was inwardly admiring her beautiful smile, Cecily placed her hand on her
chest and opened her mouth.

In her blood-red eyes, there was a mixture of sadness and affection, and it wobbled
softly.

“Benefactor… even it’s not enough. He’s the only person who sees our demons as
humans rather than demons. I want to give him my all.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Yes. Our demons have a history of being demonized for over 1,000 years. Do you
remember what Sakran said at the end of Volume 5?”

“Ah. That part…”

Although it was completed yet, readers would definitely choose the last half of
Volume 5 if they choose the best scenes from Xenon’s biography. Because that scene
fully represented the lonely fate of the demons.

Cecily opened her mouth in a low, subdued voice as if she was still immersed in the
lingering mood.

“I… want to be like Sakran. Even at the last moment, as a demon who ends his life as
a human rather than a demon.”

“……”

“Then what do you think of the author, Rina-sama?”

“Ah, I…”

Rina panicked for a moment and avoided Cecily’s gaze. When she listened to her
inner feelings, she humbled herself.

But maybe it’s because of her improvisation as a princess. Rina hastily uttered an
answer.
“Who wants to be locked up in the imperial palace and let only write?”

“…Yes?”

Oh, she made a mistake.

Rina realized later that she had made a mistake in her own words, so she hastily
covered her mouth. But she can not pick up the words once brought out.

Cecily burst into laughter as she stared blankly at her, as Rina’s pure white face
turned red in real-time.

“Puhahahaha! What is that! Are you serious?”

“Oh, that’s…!”

“That’s what you said in the newspaper, were you serious?”

“My, please, listen to me!”

As a result, the friendship between the two women deepened.

“Pu-et-choo!”

After arriving at his dormitory, Isaac, who was writing suddenly sneezed.

“Ugh. Oh, damn it. I got saliva on it.”

He tore the manuscript smudged with saliva.

Just as Halo Academy lived up to its reputation as one of the best educational
institutions in the world, the facilities of the hostel were amazing enough to leave
your eyes wide open.

First of all, it was basic to have a single room per person, and the room itself was
very spacious. It was not a one-room apartment, but an apartment of almost 20
pyeong.

There was even a device that could control the temperature of the dormitory as if by
magic, as well as a refrigerator. I have no idea what it was, but it had to be done by
magic.

‘It’s got to be good.’

This was a fantasy world where previous lives’ common sense had been horribly
shattered. There were a lot of monsters that drop even meteorites right now, but it
was common sense.

I entered the hostel after taking a look around. There was a comfortable bed, a desk,
and everything else I required.

It was extremely satisfying.

“Huh?”

I found clothes neatly laid out on the bed in a familiar color. I dragged the suitcase
and walked towards the bed.

As I got closer and checked, it was the uniform provided by Halo Academy. The top
was a white shirt, and the pants were black. In addition, there were several clothes
that could be worn over the shirt.

Since Minerva was an empire with four seasons, it seemed to fit the seasons. I looked
around at the school uniform that seemed to fit my body perfectly.

‘They measure your clothes before, and you pay them right away.’

To be honest, wearing a school uniform was preferable to wearing regular clothes.

Even if you dress simply, you will wear the same outfit every day.

I eventually put on my school uniform for one trial. There was also a full-length
mirror, which made it easy to check my appearance.

“Suup… No matter how you look…”

I looked like a girl disguised as a man. My face resembled my mother’s, my lines were
pretty and thin, and my body was also slim. Of course, it was better than being ugly.

I hung my uniform on a hanger and started unpacking. To be honest, I only had a few
books, clothes to wear on the weekend, and finally a manuscript. It was something to
take care of.

“Now is the time…”

I unpacked everything and checked my watch. The current time is 4:30. Slowly it’s
time for dinner.

I wanted to enjoy a meal together with my older brothers and sisters, but they are
busy. It’s impossible to call someone who’s already busy over trivial things like this.

I thought about just starving myself, but I was curious about how the rice was served
here, so I decided to go. I can write a manuscript during that time.

“Oh, right. Paper.”

So, first of all, I needed to know where the manuscript paper was sold. I had brought
a lot of spare, just in case.

There were no pencils and erasers here, so if you made one mistake, you had to
discard the manuscript. Because of that, there were many times when I got angry or
spit swear words out of my mouth.

“Puetch! Oh, damn it.”

Just like right now.

While writing the manuscript as I was running out of time, I suddenly sneezed. The
manuscript was smeared with saliva and the ink smeared.

I couldn’t help but frown now that I was almost at the end of one page. But what
could I possibly do? It was sad, but I had no choice but to throw it away.

I transcribed the manuscript onto new paper before tearing it up, then ripped the
remainder of the paper into shreds and threw it away.

However, my concentration was broken by the sneeze, and I was forced to put down
the magic pen.

“The time… only thirty minutes have passed?”

Since it’s like this, let’s eat and look around the academy. I stretched to loosen up my
slightly stiff body and prepared.

I debated wearing a school uniform or not, but I didn’t see the point, so I went out in
my regular clothes. I remembered to bring the pocket money and student ID that my
parents had given me.

By the way, the student ID was magically processed, making forgery impossible. If it
had been possible, the country would have taken them directly. Also, the student ID
was issued before admission.

“It’s really spacious.”

I toured the inside of Halo Academy in earnest. When viewed from the carriage, it
looked like a castle like Hogwarts, but the inside was completely different. It was safe
to say that it was another city or village

Buildings for lectures, as well as libraries, bookstores, shops, clothing stores,

restaurants, blacksmiths, etc.

It really had the shape of a small city.

However, they were not randomly mixed but were well separated. Well, if it was
mixed up, it would have felt a little cluttered
It was as if they had designed it as a city and not as an academy from the beginning.

rattle-

“Welcome~”

“Is there a manuscript here?”

“What manuscript paper are you talking about?”

“This kind of material.”

Buying manuscript paper at the store was easy. Take the paper you prepared in
advance and show it to the store owner and you’re done.

Also, the price of paper was very cheap. The widespread availability of books
suggests that papermaking technology was quite well developed.

I looked around the store to see if there was more to see and went outside. There
were many strange things but not enough to attract my attention.

‘Shall I go to a bookstore?’

On the way back to the dormitory, I suddenly remembered a bookstore I had seen on
the way. I know that the building was quite large like the large bookstore in my
previous life.

So far, with the help of my parents, I had only given manuscripts to publishers and
had no idea how my books were selling. It wouldn’t hurt to see it at least once.

Therefore, I turned to the bookstore on my way home. The road was already
memorized in my mind.

and…

[Currently, all volumes of ‘Xenon’s Biography’ are sold out. We sincerely apologize to
our guests.]

“……”
At the entrance, an unusual phrase was written. It was not even published recently,
and all the books were sold out. Was this really true?

As I looked at the phrase with a stunned face, a woman next to me said in a sharp
voice irritated.

“I-I. Really! I’ve only read 5 books yet! When the hell is it coming out?!”

“Hang in there, Marie. The publishing house said they are only printing Xenon’s
biography, so it will come out someday.”

“When the hell is that one day?! You said that it was sold out even when you came
here!”

The noise made me wonder about her face. I turned my head and saw the woman
who was making a fuss.

She looked stubborn because of her frown, but she was a cat-like beauty. Uniquely,
she had snow-white hair and blue pupils.

The man who was sweating to calm the woman was presumed to be his brother.
Although the facial features were different, the color of the hair and eyes matched
perfectly.

As I was thinking about it, the woman’s hysteria continued.

“You said that if you enter the Halo Academy, there will be a Xenon biography! Were
you lying to me?”

“Well, that’s… I’m sure it was until yesterday.”

“How many books?”

“…there were three books for volume six and none for seven.”

“Are you kidding me now?! You should have bought it for me!”

“Marie. As you know, Xenon’s biography is blocked by a rule that one person can only
buy one. Don’t you know that a gang who used to be a hoarder in the past was
arrested?”
I was dizzy now.

I’m not sure about anything else, but I’ve never heard of book hoarding. He’s not
smuggling anything.

Unfortunately, the white-haired woman looked at me as I was laughing in

bemusement. Then she became even more enraged and yelled at me.

“Hey. Who are you? Did you just laugh at me?”

“Marie!”

“Let go of me. Did he laugh at me?”

“I’m sorry. Don’t worry about it and go on your way.”

“Let go! Let go of me!!”

The woman named Marie stared at me far and wide as she was dragged along by her
brother. Even as they left, I had no choice but to stand still, nailed to the feeling that a
storm had passed.

But thanks to this, I was able to realize a little how my current novel was.

“…let’s eat some rice.”

I think he’s also a new student, so he won’t be assigned to the same class, right?

This year, there were approximately 200 freshmen at Halo Academy. There were 150
martial arts students and only 50 literature students here.

The setting of this world explains why there were three times as many people in
martial arts as there were in literature. Unlike in my previous life, the world relied
on the power of humans rather than machines in a world where monsters and mana
existed.

As a result, education became more focused on ‘Martial Arts,’ and magic, as a type of
force, was incorporated into martial arts. As a result, I heard that even within Martial
Arts, classes were divided based on characteristics.

If you look at it this way, you might think that literature was being overlooked, but it
was not. There were numerous examples of people changing the world without the
use of individual strength.

Furthermore, unlike martial arts, which was closely associated with the military,
literature was considered a profession. If soldiers are the spear and shield that
protect the country, the profession is the country’s backbone.

So, how would the literary class go?

That’s the way it is. It’s like cramming all 50 students into one class.

Cecily and Rina eventually ended up in the same class. Damn it.

“Ah~ Princess Cecily is also a literature person. It’s an honor to learn together.”

“Huh? Who are you?”

While Lina and Cecily were having a friendly conversation, a boy interrupted. Cecily
and Rina’s faces were etched with displeasure for a brief moment, but it quickly
faded.

In any case, the male student introduced himself with a gentle smile.

“My name is Jackson Mirrell Kerrison. The beautiful Demon Princess and the Great
Sun of the Empire.”

I snorted at the man who was already playing tricks. The insides were so obvious
that I was dumbfounded.

You might ask me if I’m overreacting, but if you’re stuck in a concept, you don’t get
involved in a conversation like that.

Even if other people saw Rina and Cecily sitting next to each other, they would not
approach. I’m not sure if I should call that bravery or arrogance. Perhaps he’s simply
ignorant.

Cecily tilted her head and opened her mouth to say she wasn’t interested when she
heard Jackson’s self-introduction.

“Even if I hear it, I don’t know. Perhaps Rina is aware?”

“…Count Kerrison is one of the richest families in our Minerva Empire.”

Jackson shrugged when Rina explained to her about his family. Should we play as we
like? In any case, every single action of his was unwitting and greasy.

After that, Jackson asked Cecily in a subtle voice, as he drew his face closer to her if
he had gained any confidence. Cecily kept her calm as his face got closer.

“Did you hear that? What do you think?”

“What?”

“Yes. If you are interested in me…”

“I’m not interested, so will you go away?”

“…later. Huh?”

Of course, when Cecily flatly refused, his expression changed to bewilderment.

Cecily maintained her calm demeanor.

“I was talking to Rina, and I must say that it was disrespectful of you to cut in.”

Cecily then asked Rina a question.

“Rina. Are all the nobles of the Minerva Empire like this?”

“No. It’s just him. Did you say Count Kerrison? Did you learn to flirt with Lady at
Count Kerrison?”

“Oh, no. That’s…”

“If you have nothing more to say, will you go back? The class will start soon.”

“Sorry, I’m sorry!”

When Rina, not anyone else, gave a sharp order, Jackson quickly apologized and
returned. When I examined his face, it was bright red, as if it were about to explode.

He could have gone halfway if he had stood still, but that guy ate it himself. Count
Kerrison, on the other hand, would never dare to open up to the princess.

If you fold it for no reason, your family will collapse, let alone you, so shouldn’t you
behave properly? You’re an idiot if you can’t even do that.

“Huh? You are that redhead from yesterday!”

“Huh?”

I was keeping an eye on the situation when I heard a chirping voice next to me. A
very familiar voice.

I turn around to see what it is. Marie, the white-haired girl I met at the bookstore the
day before, was pointing at me.

‘Ah, goodness. She’s a literature student, too?’

Heaven abets you. I have the same major as the woman I had a bad first meeting with.

Perhaps not knowing what I was thinking, Marie, the white-haired girl, shot at me
with her hand on her waist.

“You laughed at me yesterday, right?”

Not really.

“Well, seeing you standing in front of the door, you must have been in the same
situation as me. Isn’t it? You must have been annoyed to see that the books were sold
out too.”

I have a draft, not a book. And rather than annoyed, I was baffled.

I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I kept my mouth shut, and Marie raised one
corner of her mouth and grunted. It seems that she misunderstood and made
judgments on her own.
After that, she took a deep breath and opened her mouth with the nuance that she
had been kind.

“Phew. All right. What’s the point of fighting in similar situations? I’ll especially
forgive the rudeness of yesterday.”

“……”

“I’m sure the author doesn’t want us to fight either. Besides, the situation would be a
disgrace to his reputation, not to us. Don’t you think so?”
“My name is Marie. Marie Hausen Requilis. What about you, redhead?”

Marie, the white-haired girl, Marie, introduced herself as she positioned her buttocks
close to me. Until just now, she was alone, drumming and doing well, but now she
was friendly again.

Although the event from yesterday was the result of a misunderstanding, she
appeared to have a hot temper but her personality itself didn’t seem bad. Anyway,
she introduced herself first, so I should do it too.

I gazed silently at her smiling face and opened my mouth in a calm voice.

“Isaac Ducker Michelle.”

“Ducker Michelle? You are, as expected, the son of a nobleman.”

“You look like a noble too.”

“That’s right. I’m the daughter of the Requilis family. Heh.”

I didn’t ask. As I thought to myself, Marie gave herself a triumphant response, raising
her chin. She seems to be proud of her family.

By the way, it’s the Requilis family. They were neither a count nor a marquise, but a
duke which was the next-highest status after the emperor,

I was well aware of how famous the Duke of Requilis was. When I was educated by
my mother in the past, I even learned the history of the Minerva Empire, so it was
only natural to know.

Anyway, to explain, the Duke of Requilis was one of the founding contributors to the
Minerva Empire. Furthermore, since ancient times, it has practiced ‘noblesse oblige’
and had a stellar reputation among the populace.
[T/N: Noblesse Oblige refers to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble
ancestry to act honorably and generously to others.]

Of course, there were occasions when a bastard appeared, but if caught, the family
register was dug up and they were expelled.

‘I wish all the nobles were like this.’

After the emperor, the duke personally practiced noblesse oblige, but what about the
other nobility? Unfortunately, that was not the case at all.

In the world I once lived in, there were many people who abused their high position
of authority, but this was a world where classes exist. It was difficult to leave
evidence because there were no smartphones or computers.

Because of this, nobles still had a propensity to treat commoners differently. Even
outright persecution could dispel power.

I gave Marie a quick look before speaking. I made sure to speak courteously and
respectfully, just in case.

“You were the daughter of the Duke of Requilis. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.”

“…just speak informally. I hate things like that.”

Marie’s pretty face crumpled when I spoke formally. As the rumor has it, she seemed
to hate authoritarianism.

So I started speaking informally as she wanted. Marie chattered as if comfortable

with that.

“How many books of Xenon’s biography do you have? I only have five.”

“Well…”

I have the draft. I barely managed to hold back these words as they nearly reached
my throat.

I pondered my response and decided to use a lie to persuade her.

“I don’t have anything in my possession, but I know the story. My mother lent me to
read it”

“Really? Well, there were a lot of people like that. My brother didn’t even lend it to
me.”

“why?”

“He’s a man who takes his stuff terribly. Even my family hates touching his stuff.”

If it’s her brother, is it the white-haired man who gently comforted Marie yesterday?
I glanced at the grunting Marie, and then a question came to mind and I asked her.

“By the way, yesterday, I overheard your brother say that a gang was arrested for
hoarding Xenon’s biography?”

“Huh? You didn’t know… Oh, you don’t know. It’s been caught recently, so it’ll take
some time for the news to appear in the newspaper. Maybe in two days.”

As expected of a ducal family, the speed of obtaining information was unmatched.

When I looked at her with eyes that it was great, Marie shrugged as if she had read
my mind. Her nose was just as high as the sky.

“You don’t have to look at me like that. This is the most basic thing in our family.”

“But that’s great. My house is a rural village, so I only have a newspaper to get news
from.”

“Rural Village? Puhat. You’re so funny.”

Deureureuk –

While chatting with Marie, I heard the sound of the front door of the classroom
opening. As soon as the sound was heard, the lecture hall, which was roaring, quickly
became quiet.

Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk-

An old man walked towards the center in front of a blackboard large enough to fill a
wall. His hair was a mixture of turbid gold and white, and his mustache was nicely
grown, but he looked somewhat stubborn.

The clothes were exactly what professors were supposed to wear.

“Xhm.”

Finally, the old man standing in the center of the blackboard coughed and looked
around the crowd. All of the students, including myself, waited for his mouth to open.

When the old man’s gaze moved from the right to the left, his tightly closed mouth
opened.

“Nice to meet you. Students. My name is Beerus Artristan, a professor of humanities.”

His voice was gentle and relaxed, and it entered my ears one after the other. The
professor, who introduced himself as Beerus, bowed his head as the students
applauded.

Then he straightened his back and said in his unique relaxed tone.

“First of all, welcome to the Halo Academy, and to literature. Especially this year,
special people have entered the Halo Academy.”

While looking at Rina and Cecily, he shifted his gaze and looked at Marie. Even if she
was not an imperial princess or the demon princess, Marie was a very special person
because she came from a ducal family.

“…what do you mean?”

Of course, Marie grumbled when she was pointed out. Meanwhile, the professor
continued in a gentle manner.

“First of all, I’ll tell you what your life will be like in the future. In literature, you take
a common class for two years, but after that, you have to find your own way. People
interested in medicine will take medicine, administration for public administration,
politics for politics, and humanities for humanities. From then on, you can choose the
path you want.”

I listened to the professor because I had little knowledge of the academy, especially
literature. My older brother and older sister were all ignorant, so there was nothing
they could teach me.

“Well, then you’ll have questions here. What should I do if I can’t find my way for two
years? You do not have to worry. It’s only natural at your age to wander around
without finding your way. We can wait.”

“……”

“Most of the people come to literature because they want ‘knowledge’. It doesn’t
matter if you want knowledge without having to find a way.”

So whether you find your way or not, you can graduate. Will I just get my diploma or
go into it as an intern?

In fact, in a world close to the Middle Ages, such an idea in itself was remarkable. I
clenched my chin and waited for the professor’s next words.

“Today is your first history class, so I’ll ask you a simple question. What do you think
‘knowledge’ is? If you give a good answer, I will give you extra points.”

The class started at the same time as the first question. As soon as I heard his
question, a quote came to my mind.

‘Knowledge is power.’

If this were Earth, this would be one of the most well-known phrases that everyone
would have heard at least once. However, I did not raise my hand. Born and raised in
South Korea, it was very difficult for me to raise my hand and announce myself.

While I was still, a student raised his hand. Surprisingly, it was Rina.

As soon as Rina raised her hand, Professor Beerus looked at her and held out his
hand.

“Your name is… Rina, right?”

“Yes, professor.”

“What do you think knowledge is, Rina?”

Even the princess of the Minerva Empire seemed to be nothing more than a student
for the professor. As if Rina didn’t even care about that, she got up from her seat and
answered in her oriole-like voice.

“I think it’s something necessary for a person to go higher.”

“Hmm… Please explain in detail.”

When the professor asked for an additional explanation, Rina began to bring up the
explanations one by one, as if she had expected it.

“From techniques that circulate the mana inside the body, to magic, auras, and
architecture to rebuild civilization. All of this is possible only with knowledge.
Without knowledge, people can do nothing. I think it will take you to a higher place.”

“Very good. Applause everyone.”

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

When the professor urged to applaud, loud applause filled the classroom. As I was
clapping along with others, I glanced sideways.

Marie was clapping with a sullen face. Seeing one side of her mouth pouting, she
looked somewhat displeased.

“As student Rina said, knowledge can take a person to a higher place. But that’s not
the answer I’m looking for. Can anyone explain more briefly here?”

“……”

Even when the professor asked again, no one raised their hand. It should, of course,
abbreviate the princess’ answer.

If you make a presentation and give a strange answer, you will certainly be laughed
at, and if the professor is satisfied, it is a problem. Because it will be taken in several
ways.

‘A bloody class society.’

I clicked my tongue inward.

Perhaps everyone was inwardly praying that time would pass. It would be more
frightening to be caught by others rather than disappoint the professor. At least
Cecily and Marie should present it to have less impact.

Swagh-

As soon as I thought about it, Cecily, who was sitting next to Rina, carefully raised her
hand. She looked diffident and insecure.

Of course, the professor was happy to have another student present. Professor
Beerus opened his mouth with a smile as soon as Cecily raised her hand.

“Oh! I think the name is…”

“Ce-, I’m Cecily…”

“Okay. Student Cecily. What do you think knowledge is?”

Contrary to when she spoke confidently, her voice now was quite depressed. Unlike
the speech, her confidence disappeared because maybe she was not sure.

“Hoo…”

Cecily looked around and patted her chest as if trying to convince herself. She then
rose from her seat and answered in her voice, which regained her confidence.

“I think it is something necessary for people to live like humans.”

It was indeed a demon-like answer. Professor Beerus also slightly pointed out his
face and asked her seemingly interested.

“Can you elaborate?”

“Yes. As Rina announced, knowledge is essential for a person to advance to a higher

place, but I think it is possible only when he or she is a ‘person’ before that. He who
has no knowledge will be a beast without any possibility of development.”

“That’s a very primitive answer indeed. But it’s great. Applause, everyone!”

Like Rina, thunderous applause filled the classroom. I looked at Cecily’s back, who
hurriedly sat down in her seat with a strange expression.

When she, who was not a person but a demon, came up with such an answer, it felt
like something touching

“Both students came up with very good answers. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the
answer I was hoping for. Do any other students want to present?”

There’s no way.

After Cecily has presented, there would be no more applicants for the presentation. I
can assure you.

I wish it would end like this, but…

“If there are no more students to present, I will nominate them myself.”

As expected, the professor was similar to those from my previous life. I lowered my
head so as not to make eye contact.

‘Please don’t catch me. please… ’

But the ominous premonition was always true.

“The redhead student with his head down there? The student should answer.”

I blamed my father for giving me red hair for the first time in my life. It’s a color that
stood out wherever you go.

“Hey, I think the professor is talking about you”

“…I know. Whoo.”

I muttered fifty thousand swear words to myself and raised my head. When I lifted
my head, dozens of eyes were looking straight at me.

I wanted to be nervous about what I was looking at, but I stood up with a tight
squeeze. Professor Beerus asked as soon as I reluctantly rose.

“Red-haired student. What is your name?”

“…My name is Isaac.”

“Yes. Student Isaac. What do you think knowledge is?”

What should I answer? I tried to come up with a different answer as much as

possible, but only the sayings from my previous life were spinning around in my
head.

Now that this has happened, I pretended to be troubled and opened my mouth in the
calmest voice possible.

“…I think it’s power.”

“Oho.”

What. Damn. What’s that exclamation and why are your eyes shining?

As I mumbled inwardly, the professor asked me in an excited voice unlike before.

“Why do you think so? That’s an interesting answer.”

“……”

As soon as I heard the professor’s question, I looked at the seats where Rina and
Cecily were sitting.

A pair of blue eyes and a pair of red eyes were looking straight at me with curiosity. I
barely managed to open my mouth, feeling the anxiety rising in real-time.

“…from ancient times, knowledge has been used to develop civilization. Like how to
make a fire, how to farm, how to build a building, and what kind of knowledge you
need to catch monsters. This shows that knowledge has more power than strength.”

“You summarized Rina’s presentation. What do you think of Cecily’s presentation?”

No. This is it.

Regardless, the professor’s eyes became even brighter. I sighed and replied as if it
was going to be okay.
“…there is clearly a limit to the knowledge that you can get on your own. So you can
interact with people, or you can rob them through fights. And being human… cannot
be defined as one thing, so I’ll stop here.”

I really had nothing more to say, so I sat down without delay. At the same time,
silence fell in the classroom.

I noticed something unusual when the silence fell and looked at the professor. The
professor is looking at me with an expression of appreciation for my presentation.

It was clearly different from when Rina and Cecily presented.

Then the professor exclaimed in an excited voice.

“Really! It was a perfectly wonderful answer! You said Isaac, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“I will give extra points to student Isaac! Please give a big round of applause!”

Clap clap clap!

“……”

Don’t do this to me. Damn it.

“Oh, come on, do you have a smart brain?”

“Shut up.”

I was not pleased with the compliment. Compliments should be treated as such, but
when delivered with a smirk, they come across as teasing.

Above all, I was more concerned about the countless stares that had been directed at
me before instead of the professor’s extra points. Rina and Cecily were intrigued, but
not all eyes were favorable.

I’m not sure what the future would bring, but it’s best to keep my mouth shut and
stay low for the time being. As the applause gradually faded, Professor Beerus began
explaining in a relaxed tone.

“Like Isaac’s answer, knowledge is like a weapon that can be a power. Power has an
inseparable relationship with people. Also…”

Unlike the presentation, the lectures remained boring. However, I, like the rest of the
students, was focused on the professor’s lecture.

It was boring, like a college class from my past, but it wasn’t meaningless. Besides
this, it made me realize that I was attending an academy found only in fantasy
novels.

After about 30 minutes of the professor’s lengthy explanation, a story that would
draw everyone’s attention popped up.

“Let me ask you a quick question here. Have any of you read the book called ‘Xenon’s
Biography’?”

“…Huh?”
Why was my book mentioned all of a sudden? While I was bewildered, the professor
sighed, coughed, and spoke again.

“I’m sorry. I said it wrong. Is there any student here who hasn’t read Xenon’s
biography yet?”

As soon as the professor asked the question, I looked around. No matter how
popular Xenon’s biography was, maybe one or two out of 50 people weren’t
interested.

However, as if all the predictions were my misjudgments, no one raised their hand.

‘No. Really?’

It was absurd at first, but it’s not that I just don’t understand. Even if it was a fantasy
world where magic exists, this was still close to the Middle Ages. There would be
very few things to enjoy in your spare time.

Smartphones, computers, and televisions were not invented, so the things you could
enjoy in your leisure life were extremely limited. In addition, the nobles would read
books for their own education, so they would have naturally encountered Xenon’s
Biography.

When I thought about it like this, there was no way to explain that I was born in good
times.

“That will make it easier to talk. As you may be aware, Xenon’s Biography story blew
up suddenly a year ago. When I read this work, I was taken aback. How much
knowledge is required to create a world?”

It’s been ubiquitous in the past life. Fantasy was there. As long as you mix the
seasonings well, Readers agreed that a similar story would be interesting.

“How much experience do you need to write this beautiful story? I’m sure the author
of Xenon’s biography has gone through experiences that I can never imagine.”

…I just read a lot of books at home. However, what the professor said was not
completely wrong, I was a ‘reincarnated person.’

Not only did I have a different experience of a different world, but I also encountered
a culture I had never encountered before. This was also an experience.

Moreover, it was easy to create a new story because of the ease of access to stories
created by other people, such as comics and novels.

“The most important thing is expressiveness and readability. You all know the feeling
of vividly replaying the scene in your head. I can imagine how much effort and
research the author put into writing these sentences.”

If you compliment me like that, I feel embarrassed. I almost smiled bitterly.

If I read the book I wrote right now and do that, wouldn’t I be stunned if I saw The
Lord of the Rings or Sherlock Holmes?

I wonder what would have happened if Tolkien or Conan Doyle had reincarnated
here.

Ah. Tolkien would most likely be embarrassed watching his world-building turn into
reality.

“Writing an immortal masterpiece like Xenon’s biography is certainly difficult, but

since the author of Xenon’s biography has already paved the way, it won’t be difficult
to follow that path. However, knowledge and experience necessary to create a new
world are essential.”

“Professor. May I ask you a question?”

As Beerus continued his explanation, someone raised her arm. She was sitting in the
front row, a girl with auburn hair. Maybe because she sat in the front seat, I couldn’t
see her face.

No matter where you go, no professor disliked a question, Professor Beerus asked
her with a smile.

“Of course. Your name?”

“My name is Leona.”

“Yes. Student Leona. What’s the question?”

When Leona rose from her seat, she was accompanied by a flurry of stares. She
continued, slurring and saying what she wanted to say tersely.

“As the professor explained, Xenon’s biography went beyond fiction and left a mark
on the cultural world, paving a new path. Thanks to this, it is still gaining
unprecedented popularity.”

“Yes.”

“But this is what some critics say. It is a book that can be read with fun regardless of
class, but it is not enough to build culture. I would like to ask what your opinion is.”

I think I know roughly what she wanted to say. When Xenon’s biography was a hit, it
was mostly well-received, but a few criticized it.

This was content that was said to be inappropriate for building culture. I looked at it
and laughed.

‘If you twist, they will use it as easily as me.’

As I mentioned before, novels in this world were at the level of the SAT English
problem. Because all of the words I’ll ever hear only once in my life were
concentrated in one book, I have no idea what it meant, let alone the story.

The professor nodded when he heard Leona’s question.

“I understand what you mean. Just like the student said, Xenon’s biography is easy to
read, but there are people who hate it. But do you know that?”

“What?”

“The one thing that critics have in common is that they are novelists. Before Xenon’s
biography came out, they were the writers who had the highest recognition ‘only’ to
aristocrats, not commoners. One of them is Professor Megner, and he’s one of the
professors here beside me.”

The professor emphasized ‘only’. Professor Beerus took his gaze away from Leona
and, walking back and forth in front of the blackboard, explained in a relaxed voice.

“The reason they were so popular with aristocrats rather than commoners was that
most previous novels were only read by nobles. There were many difficult words for
commoners to decipher, making it nearly impossible. Therefore, readability was
reduced, and later on, the flow of the story was twisted in strange ways.”

“……”

“Xenon’s biography, on the other hand, used simple sentences and expressive power
that even commoners could understand. Xenon’s biography isn’t cultural? It’s just
nonsense. In essence, culture can only be obtained through academic and knowledge
acquisition.”

The professor, who had been pacing around, came to a halt. And he finally asked her
a question, his gaze fixed on Leona.

“Okay then, Leona student. I’m going to ask a different question.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“How many books did Leona read about Xenon’s biography?”

“I’ve read all of the most recent ones.”

When Marie heard the answer, she said.

“Wow, even I haven’t read the latest one. How did she read it?”

“There must have been a way.”

Hearing Leona’s answer to what we were talking about, the professor nodded and
spoke softly.

“Then what do you think of demons after reading Xenon’s biography?”

“……”

Leona didn’t answer, but shifted her gaze towards where Cecily was sitting. Cecily
flinched slightly, not knowing she was going to be mentioned, but she looked straight
into her eyes.

After a while, Leona, who had been facing Cecily for a few seconds, spoke, as if she
understood.

“Sorry. I think I asked the wrong question.”

“No, it was a very sharp question. I will give extra points to Leona.”

“Thank you, professor.”

Despite the unexpected bonus points, Leona answered in a calm voice. To those who
don’t know her, she might appear like a robot.

“Anyway, in order to make certain knowledge completely on your own, you must first
understand what that knowledge tells you. Zeno’s biography is an extremely
advanced novel.”

Wow. You wrapped up a novel that I wrote as a hobby without thinking about it like
that. That’s ability too.

In the meantime, the professor continued the lecture by mentioning Xenon’s

biography from time to time. The students also began to listen to the professor’s
lecture with more interest than before.

“Especially, what I want to say here is that you should never be arrogant even at the
last moment…”

Along the way, the professor himself made up the meaning of the story that even I
didn’t know. The trap is that the writer himself wrote it without any meaning.

A person who is too smart interprets an easy trap as more complicated.

So, from the middle, I listened to the lecture with a dull expression. Glancing to the
side, Marie was listening with twinkling eyes.

“Well… Time is running out.”

How long has passed? The professor checked his wristwatch and announced the end.

I don’t know, but I heard some sighs from the students because it was quite fun. Was
it that fun?
Professor Beerus said with a smirk, wondering if the sound of sighing made him feel
better.

“You don’t have to be too sad. We have a lot of time besides today.”

“What do other professors teach beside you?”

“History, theology, magic, medicine, administration, politics, philosophy, biology, etc.

Each professor will teach you the basic knowledge. Also, after this time, we will issue
a timetable to you.”

“Do we have to get good grades all of them?”

One student asked in an anxious voice. Surely you’d have a headache to hear that one
by one. I have to say that I am running to the extreme of inefficiency.

Professor Beerus shook his head in denial at the question.

“No. You can take the classes you want, but you will need a certain score.”

“Then you’re saying that we don’t have to attend a major we are not interested in?”

“It doesn’t really matter. Professors will only focus on students who are interested in
their lectures anyway. Instead, as I said before, it would be better to take as many
lectures as possible and get attendance points in order to secure more than a certain
score.”

As explained earlier, students take common classes until their second year, but if
they can get a certain score, it means that they do not need to take classes they are
not interested in.

Obviously, if you look at this, it was a system similar to the university of my previous
life. The difference is that the major was decided in advance even if I do not have to
apply for a course separately.

Still, I was satisfied with the system as it was familiar to me.

“It’s almost time. It was a pleasure to meet you, students.”

At the end of the lecture, Beerus bowed down and greeted us like a gentleman. Of
course, it was an impressive lecture, so the students responded with applause.

Before long, Beerus left the classroom, and people who were supposed to be
teaching assistants came in and handed out papers to the students. It seemed to be
the timetable the professor had mentioned a while ago.

“Crazy. What is this?”

As soon as I checked the timetable, I was startled. It doesn’t matter if the classes
were tightly packed from 9 am to 5 pm, but the number of majors was huge.

No matter how many times you search for the same major, they were all different
majors. Marie also clicked her tongue and muttered in a troubled voice.

“This is just too much. I just need to secure a certain score here, right? What major
are you going to take?”

“…Let’s listen to everything first. There are so many I don’t even know. First, I’m
considering history, theology, and biology.”

While answering Marie’s question, I stared intently at the timetable. I was honestly
confident in the three subjects I talked about. The rich knowledge I got from the
books was stored in my head.

Of course, I would only listen to the major I am not interested in once and ignore it
afterward, but there was only one thing I was worried about.

‘I don’t care about the score, but will there be a group project here? That would be
annoying.’

It was when I was looking at the tightly packed timetable with a serious expression.

“Mr. Isaac?”

“Yes?”

A woman’s voice, like a jade marble rolling, penetrated my ear. So I took my eyes off
the timetable and raised my head.

And…
“You’re considering history, theology, and biology?”

Rina, who exudes a radiant beauty like the sun, was looking at me with a smile on
her face. There was a strong curiosity in her blue eyes.

Also, next to her was Cecily, looking at me with similar eyes, if not more than Rina.

‘…Damn it.’

I curse you, professor.

While I was cursing the professor in my mind, Rina looked at Marie sitting next to
me and greeted her politely.

“Marie is here too. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah. It’s been a long time.”

Apparently, the two knew each other. But, unlike Rina, who was smiling, Marie had a
dissatisfied expression on her face.

It was possible that Marie was talking informally because her family was responsible
for the founding of the Minerva Empire, but looking closely, Marie was openly
displeased with Rina. Although Rina didn’t really care.

Despite Marie’s informal greeting, Rina continued to smile and reverted her gaze to
me. I pretended to be as calm as possible as soon as I met her gaze.

Rina then revealed a more radiant expression and introduced herself in an elegant
voice.

“I will introduce myself officially. As Mr. Isaac knows, I am Rina Urmi Christine, the
first princess of the Minerva Empire. Please feel free to call me Rina.”

“…I’m Isaac Ducker Michelle. It’s an honor to meet you, Princess Rina.”

“Ducker Michelle?”

Rina’s eyes widened slightly as I rose from my seat and formally introduced myself.
Looking at my hair and face alternately, she muttered inaudibly.

“Golden eyes and red hair… I thought I was familiar with it… But, it is literature…”

“Yeah?”
“No. Anyway, you can call me Rina without the princess part. Cecily? Do you want to
say hello to Cecily as well?”

“Oh, yes!”

Rina skillfully turned it over and called Cecily from behind. They seemed to have
become quite close in the meantime, seeing that they talked to each other even
though they hadn’t met before.

I looked Cecily in the face as she stepped forward. Cecily also looked at me with a
nervous look on her face.

‘Really, all of them are unrealistically beautiful.’

Marie, Rina, and Cecily.

All of them were unrealistically pretty, so it doesn’t really make sense to me. They
felt like a character drawn with sincerity, not a person, popped out into reality.

Not to mention, Cecily was a demon. I was reincarnated into this world and met one
for the first time.

The jet-black hair was familiar, so I could ignore it, but the blood-red eyes and the
horns protruding from both sides of the head were truly foreign.

More than anything…

‘…The shirt is clamoring for help.’

It’s a bit exaggerated, but her chest was the size of my head. Even if she tried to cover
it with the school uniform, it was boasting a sense of intimidation that cannot be
hidden. Rina, who was standing next to her, was also quite large, but it was not
enough compared to Cecily.

On the other hand, Marie was… moderately large. The two girls in front of her were
too big. If you are an aristocrat, it is only natural that you grow well as you eat and
sleep well.

Speaking-
“Hello. My name is Cecily Drat Eisilia Bin, Princess of Helium. Nice to meet you.”

As I heard in the speech, Cecily introduced herself in her distinctive alluring voice.
She put her hand to the heart and bowed her head politely.

Thanks to Rina, she gained her confidence, and there was a bit of liveliness in her
voice as well.

I replied, somehow keeping my eyes fixed on her face. Eye contact was also difficult.

“As you may have heard earlier, my name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. It’s an honor to
meet you, Princess Cecily.”

“You can call me Cecily, just like Rina said.”

“I see. By the way…”

I took turns looking at Rina and Cecily and brought out the main topic.

“What brought you two to me?”

As I asked, I glanced around. As expected, many students’ eyes are focused on this
area.

Most were full of curiosity, but there were also a few hostile gazes among them.

In particular, the young count who immediately fell in love with Cecily as soon as he
arrived. Maybe his name was Jackson. I can’t even remember.

Anyway, he was looking at this side with deadly force, and it seems he will be called
out sooner or later. I was more bothered than afraid, so I should be careful not to
stand out for a while.

In the meantime, Rina, who heard my question, spoke in an elegant tone.

“I was impressed with the presentations in class. It was an answer I hadn’t thought
of.”

“You’re overpraising.”
“No. It’s not an exaggeration at all. Then I suddenly wondered. Why did Isaac have
such a thought?”

If you’ve lived on Earth, you’ve probably heard it at least once. Princess.

Of course, I couldn’t say it directly. I rolled my eyes and quickly pondered what
answer I would give.

“Why don’t you sit down and talk? I think we’ll be next to each other next time.”

Then, in the middle, Marie’s blunt voice came in. When I turned my head to see,
Marie rubbed her chin with an annoyed expression on her face.

Her gaze was directed towards Rina, and she seemed to dislike Rina quite a bit.

“Ah. I’m sorry for this. Shall we take a seat then?”

“…yes.”

Somehow, Cecily, Rina, I, and Marie were seated in that order. Even if I look to the
right or to the left, it’s nice to have a beautiful woman, but the pressure was no joke.

Sure enough, the daughter of the duke was sitting on my left, and the princess of
Minerva and the princess of Helium are sitting on the right side by side.

If I play with my mouth wrong, not only will my neck fly away, but my house will also
disappear into dust.

Could this be the feelings of the soldier who was caught between the US president
and the Korean president? I was pretending to be as calm as possible, but my heart
was pounding violently with tension.

“So what’s the answer?”

While I was very nervous, Rina asked the question again. Her eyes were shining like
sapphires, filled with curiosity and anticipation.

‘Fuck. What do I do.’

No matter how much I think about it, I can’t think of a proper answer. I have only
heard that saying in my previous life, and I have no idea where it came from.

Still, it was better to be honest than to lie. For some reason, if Rina digs in, I’ll have to
come up with another lie.

I opened my mouth calmly, barely soothing my pounding chest in a different way.

“…I do not know.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know. I just thought so. There’s no way to explain it.”

“You just thought so…”

Rina opened her eyes and muttered shakily. I don’t know whether she’s disappointed
or surprised, but she’s probably closer to disappointment.

But all of this was purely my imagination.

“That’s great.”

“…Yes?”

“You’re really amazing. You’re saying that you always thought of knowledge as power,
right?”

No. Why is the story like that? What kind of misunderstanding did you make to come
to such a conclusion?

While I was bewildered, Rina asked directly, her eyes brighter than before.

“I’m sorry to say this, but you don’t have any physical talent, do you?”

“Uh… yes. My father gave up halfway through.”

“I see. I wondered why Sir Hawk’s son had entered literature rather than Martial
Arts… but now I understand. Sir Hawk would certainly have told you to build up your
intellect if you couldn’t build a force.”
“I… Rina? Is Isaac’s father a great person?”

Cecily, who was listening quietly, asked Rina. I was also curious because I didn’t
know how great my father was.

My father was originally a commoner and became a nobleman while he was working
as a knight, but I do not know exactly what kind of achievement he achieved. My
father himself was reluctant to tell me, and my mother answered vaguely that I
would know when I grow up.

But now that I hear it, it was expected that he was such a great man enough to be in
the ears of a princess of the royal family. At home, he was just a father with a warm
and friendly image.

While I was thinking about it, Rina looked at Cecily and spoke about my father, Hawk.

“Have you ever heard of the Red Lion of Minerva?”

“If it’s a red lion… No?” <T/N: No as in surprised ‘No, Don’t tell me He… ’>

As soon as Cecily heard Lina’s question, she opened her eyes wide and looked at me.
It’s frustrating that they only know each other and I don’t know at all.

“Oh, no wonder. I’ve heard of a commander and red hair, so you’re the son of the Red
Lion. Your eyes are golden.”

Even Marie seems to know. As a son, I didn’t know.

I blinked once and asked Marie with a questioning expression on her face.

“You know?”

“Huh? You don’t know? Even though you are the son of the Red Lion?”

“I don’t know. I asked my mother, but she didn’t tell me.”

“Surely it is. Sir Hawk was not happy to let others know of his achievements. He was
originally entitled to the title of Count, but he was deliberately granted the title of
Baron, saying that the position was excessive.”
Rina explained it instead. I looked away from Marie and looked at her.

Her eyes have become more burdensome than before, and Cecily next to her had a
look that strengthened her curiosity. I don’t know anything else, but I can guess that
the situation is going strangely.

‘What the hell were you doing when you were on active duty?’

She said that he almost received the title of count, so he was also the commander of
the Navy Knights.

For reference, the Navy Knights are the most famous and most powerful Knights in
the Minerva Empire.

“Sir Hawk has made countless achievements as the commander of the Navy Knights.
If it had not been for his will to rest comfortably, he would have kept his position as
the Knight Commander for decades.”

It was real.

“Anyway, since you are the son of Sir Hawk, he’d usually tell you to build up your
strength just in case, right? Sir Hawk always told the Knights to develop the ability to
prepare for variables.”

“…yes.”

Things have gone strangely, but I’m glad to hear that. Thanks to my wonderful father,
Rina was making her own decisions.

When Rina heard my answer, she smiled stronger than before and spoke to me with
anticipation.

“You said a while ago that you’re considering history, theology, and biology?
Anything else?”

“Maybe… Philosophy and the humanities?”

“Philosophy… I’ll be looking forward to it.”

I’m not saying I’m asking you, I’m saying I’m looking forward to it. I realized the
meaning contained in it. It means to show performances that match your
expectations in the future.

Well, what could I do? For now, it’s enough if they somehow don’t find out that I’m
the author of Xenon’s biography.

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Isaac?”

“You can talk casually.”

“Okay. Isaac. I’ve been curious about something.”

“Please speak.”

“This.”

Rina pointed at my finger. To be precise, it was the calluses on the middle finger of
my right hand, that is, the ‘pen-hook’ side.

When I slightly questioned her, Rina opened her mouth in a curious voice.

“That callus, don’t you have to use a pen quite often to get calluses?”
“…Why do you ask that?”

Is this how it feels like to have a sinking heart and the whole body’s blood cooling
down?

I couldn’t hide my trembling voice and asked Rina. And I didn’t forget to gently cover
my right hand.

Rina looked puzzled for a moment when I was embarrassed, but soon answered my
question.

“Most of the officers working in the Imperial Palace have calluses there. I wondered
if Isaac had the same reason.”

Like she said, the typewriter was not yet invented here, so writing was mostly done
by hand only. Therefore, calluses inevitably formed in the hands of those who filled
out the documents, especially the officers working in the Imperial Palace.

In the face of an impending crisis, I quickly spun my brain. Fortunately, Rina had no
idea that I was writing a book. If I answer this in an understandable way, I can pass
the situation wisely.

After much deliberation, I was finally able to speak the correct response.

“…It’s from studying. I have a habit of taking notes while studying. It makes it a little
easier to remember.”

“Hmm… Really? Well, it’s not unusual to have that habit if you want to acquire
complete knowledge. I used to do that when I was being educated at the Imperial
Palace.”

Fortunately, it appears to have worked to some extent. Even though I was a suspect
because of my reaction, it’s better than being caught.
After that, just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Marie, not Rina, chimed in.

“But now that I see it, your hands are so pretty. Can I take a look?”

“Huh? My hand?”

“Yeah. Let’s compare it to mine.”

Marie extended her hand and encouraged me. I was initially perplexed, but I quickly
accepted it because it was an insignificant issue.

“Wow, your hands are so pretty. I think they’re prettier than mine.”

Comparing her own hand with mine, one marveled at her sincerity. Probably
because of the pen-hook, the hand itself was very pretty.

Not only were my fingers long and thin, but the skin was white, and the idiom
‘seomseomogsu’ suited me well.

[T/N: ‘seomseomogsu’ or ‘섬섬옥수’ is an idiom that means ‘thin(섬) and

slender(섬) woman hands(수), like a jade. (옥)]

I scratched my head and smiled shyly at Marie’s admiration. Even my mother praised
it, but when I heard it from others, it made me feel embarrassed for some reason.

“Are you taking care of it separately?”

“No. It’s just been like this from the beginning.”

“I’m so jealous. My skin cracks easily and it annoys me.”

Marie grumbled, but her hands were also very pretty. Since she was a duke’s
daughter, she must have paid attention to various aspects as well as her appearance.

Perhaps it was the change in atmosphere that caused my heart, which had been
pounding with tension, to gradually calm down. I chuckled as Marie looked at her
hand.

“Oh, right. Cecily, can you show me your hand too?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yeah. I’m curious what a demon’s hand looks like.”

Cecily blinked her red eyes in response to Marie’s surprising question. She didn’t
seem to mind that she spoke in a casual manner.

Cecily, hesitating for a moment, cautiously showed her hand. However, there were far
too many calluses on her hand for a princess of a country. The palms, in particular,
were rough and cracked, much like a tortoise’s shell.

When everyone was unable to open their mouths due to her hand’s completely
unexpected state, I looked at it closely because it reminded me of something I’d seen
somewhere. It’s the same with my father’s, brother’s, and sister’s hands.

This is a sign of countless training.

“Do you use a sword?”

“Ah.”

In response to my question, Rina exclaimed, realizing it late. Cecily replied, wrapping

her hands in embarrassment.

“Yes. I learned swordsmanship from a young age.”

“Aren’t demons specialized in magic?”

That’s what I heard when I gathered information related to demons.

The Demons, along with Elves, were inherently superior to other races when it came
to magic. If humans express magic by calculating all kinds of complex calculations,
demons perform magic as if they were just breathing.

Furthermore, ‘black mana’, which can only be used by demons, was several times
stronger than normal mana. So, when a normal wizard throws a ball of fire, the
demons drop a Meteor altogether.

“It’s true, but since I’m a princess of Helium, I’ve learned various martial arts. As you
know, ‘control’ is an essential skill for us demons.”
“A healthy mind resides in a healthy body. You mean this, right?”

Even in my previous life, if you look at athletes, firefighters, and special forces
soldiers, they were both physically and mentally at an incredible level.

You can’t do what you want; you have to do what you must do, and sometimes you’re
forced into extreme situations, so your mental strength will be tested.

As I spoke with that thought, Cecily’s eyes widened. Cecily then nodded as if she had
gained enlightenment and murmured quietly.

“A healthy mind resides in a healthy body… That’s a really good saying. I’ll always
keep it in mind.”

“…I’m honored to be of any help.”

When I glanced at Rina, I saw her eyes had become more subtle. I tried to ignore it.

After a while, Rina’s lips were about to say something.

Jjaak!

The sound of applause resounded out of nowhere in the classroom. If it had been
simple applause, it would have been buried in the surrounding sounds, but it
resounded like an echo, drawing everyone’s attention.

So I, as well as three people, turned our heads forward and saw an elderly man
standing proudly in front of the blackboard, unaware of when he came to the
classroom.

If Beerus, who was a professor of humanities, had a strict image overall, the
professor who came in this time had the impression of being kind.

In addition to that, he has a thick beard, and his long white hair looks like Gandalf
from The Lord of the Rings.

“Hmm. Now I’m ready to speak. Now that the break is over, let’s all focus.”

The new professor gave instructions with a heavy nod as the students focused on
him. I looked at the professor who looked like Gandalf and checked the timetable.
The timetable read ‘Leaf Magner,’ and he was a professor of magic and one of the
critics of Xenon’s biography.

“My name is Leaf Magner, a professor who will teach you the knowledge of magic.
Nice to meet you.”

As soon as Professor Magner announced his name in a low-pitched voice, applause

erupted in unison. As I applauded, I took out the notebook and magic pen I had
brought in advance to the desk.

Professor Beerus, who was a professor of humanities, didn’t feel the need to take
notes, so I didn’t take them out, but it seemed something different this time. Not only
was it different from the original style, but it’s magic.

When we think of fantasy, we naturally think of power and magic.

As I said before, magic was close to a privilege that only high-ranking people can use.
Furthermore, even if knowledge related to magic is published in a book, there are
many words that cannot be understood. It was so unkind to record it so that only the
wizards could recognize it.

“Are you interested in magic? You didn’t do it like now.”

“Yeah. I’m interested. I’ve never seen it before.”

Even when Marie asked in a voice that was unexpected, I answered immediately.
Magic! What a wonderful sound!

Although I may not manifest magic directly like Martial Arts, it was enough to hear
the theory. For me, as an Earthling, this knowledge was more valuable than anything
else.

Soon, the sound of applause that filled the classroom faded, and Professor Magner
opened his mouth in an old voice.

“Before I go into a full-fledged class, there was a little jarring in my ear. Did you say
Xenon’s biography?”

“…Huh?”
Xenon’s biography was mentioned as soon as it started. It was time to think so.

Professor Magner made a displeased expression and made a remark that made my
eyes twitch.

“Be careful not to mention that low-grade novel at the time of my lecture, if possible.
Because I don’t want to admit that as a novel.”

“……”

It was a new concept of malice. No. I saw malicious comments in newspapers, and
those were just gossip. It was slander thrown in front of the person concerned.

I don’t know that the main character of the malicious gossip is in the same space, but
I still don’t feel very good. Beyond bad, I felt very dirty.

Still, what can I do? I just have to think of him as an idiot. I let out a long breath in
frustration, then glanced at the sides alternately.

Unsurprisingly, none had very good expressions. Among them, Cecily was the worst,
twisting her face and exhaling a ferocious aura as if she would go fight right away.

It was a little scary for me as a general person, although I was presumed to be

patient.

“…Cecily?”

“…Huh?”

“It’s going to get a little cold…”

“Ah…! Mi, sorry…”

Fortunately, when Rina quietly pointed it out, Cecily quickly regained her energy and
apologized immediately. I looked straight ahead, rubbing my trembling arm.

Should I say it is an overreaction? When Professor Magner talked about Xenon’s

biography, the classroom became as quiet as a dead mouse. Like it or not, Professor
Magner clicked his tongue and regretted it.
“Tsk tsk tsk… that bullshit made me lower my eyes. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

Then you shouldn’t have used difficult words from the beginning. Even the nobles
are blaming others for putting in words that are difficult to understand.

Professor Magner started the lecture, regardless of the sudden chilling atmosphere.
It was a distinctly different atmosphere from Professor Beerus’s time, but it seemed
good to take a class.

“First of all, it is important to know that learning magic doesn’t mean you can use
magic. So what’s the difference between the two? It’s simple. One is about learning
knowledge related to magic, and the other is literally learning magic.”

Compared to the previous life, one is learning the history of machines, and the other
is making those machines. Even if magic is a power granted only to high-ranking
people, it has already been ingrained into life, so its history will be very vast.

‘It would have been better if he hadn’t said something useless at first.’

I am very interested in magic. However, the professor is very rude.

The dislike of Professor Magner has long since penetrated the floor and reached the
mantle. Anyone who has worked hard for their creations will be offended if they are
criticized right in front of them.

square- square-

I wrote it down in my notebook with a magic pen while calming my boiling inside.
Maybe it was because no one other than me had a notebook or pen, but the sound of
scribbling was particularly loud.

“Then before I ask you a question… the red-haired student.”

“…Huh?”

Why me again? Is it because of my red hair?

While I was greatly perplexed, Professor Magner explained why he had called me.

“I saw you recording something earlier, but if it’s related to magic, don’t record it.”
“…Why?”

“Magic is a power that can only be used by those who have been chosen since
ancient times. It should never be spread arbitrarily. Even if it is a piece of
knowledge.”

“No, what is that…”

Isn’t that an old-fashioned idea? So, what about this magic pen or the temperature
control function placed in the dormitory? Refrigerator?

It was so absurd that the words did not come out of my throat. Even that statement
is in direct opposition to Professor Beerus’s beliefs.

Somehow, books related to magic were rare, so there were only so many wizards. It’s
understandable to see such thoughts taken for granted.

“Then does the professor deny the idea that knowledge should be widely spread?”

In the end, a student who I couldn’t see asked a question. I also wanted to say that, so
I waited for Professor Magner’s answer.

But when Professor Magner heard the question and stroked his voluminous beard,
he came up with an unexpected answer.

“That’s not it. It’s limited to magic, and other knowledge doesn’t matter. Magic is a
dangerous power. You can tell by looking at the races that use that power as if it were
breathing, that is, demons and elves. What if you can’t control it? It’s a walking
disaster.”

“……”

“In that bullshit, they are described as a being with a tragic fate, but after all, demons
are just demons. No matter how much they pretend to be human, their essence does
not change in the end.”

That’s outright racial discrimination. Of course, as soon as Professor Magner made

those remarks, many eyes turned to Cecily.

I was afraid that Cecily would be angry, but she only smiled bitterly. This was a look
that was roughly expected.

No matter how much Xenon’s biography has changed the views on demons, there
were still many people who still treated demons as an element of anxiety. In
addition, Professor Magner was an old-fashioned person who denied Xenon’s
biography.

“It’s okay. Cecily. You don’t have to worry about what that professor says. Okay?”

“…Yeah.”

Even as Rina hummed and comforted her, Cecily’s face didn’t seem to straighten out
at all. Rather, she lowered her head in despair.

I mulled as much as I could after seeing it. Even if it means getting kicked out of the
classroom, let’s screw Professor Magner. Let’s screw him so that he will never forget.

Luckily, Professor Magner called me again.

“Then put off the useless words, there the red-haired student.”

“…Yes, Professor.”

“What does the student think magic is?”

What’s that? It’s a fucking mysterious force.

If I said it straight away, I wouldn’t be able to screw him and I would just be kicked
out, so I answered roughly.

“…I think it has the power to relieve people’s troubles.”

“Can you tell me more?”

“Well…”

I got up slowly from my seat. Just like with Professor Beerus, when I stood up again, I
could feel gazes focused on me.

Then I returned the remarks that Professor Magner had made just before.
“Magic is certainly a dangerous power, but it is a power that, if used properly, can
save people’s lives or achieve desired ends.”

“What?”

“…Mr. Isaac?”

Professor Magner frowned at my answer, and Cecily looked at me with her eyes wide
open. But this was not the end.

“Magic can only be used by the chosen one, but if you look closely, it is ingrained in
our lives. Being able to control the temperature of the classroom now is also magic,
and the ID card issued when entering Halo Academy has magic. Like this, magic is a
double-edged sword. Sometimes it threatens people’s lives, but sometimes it saves
people’s lives and adds convenience to their lives.”

“……”

“It doesn’t matter if the subject who uses that power is the demon. Right now, it is
absurd to discriminate against demons as we humans are using magic as a weapon
of mass destruction. So I think it’s right to say that the disaster you mentioned are
not the demons, but the wizards themselves.”

The more I continued, the more Professor Magner’s expression hardened. To be

honest, if it were me, I would also be uncomfortable. Because it’s like a single young
man is denying everything you thought was right.

Professor Magner took a deep breath as if to calm his anger and then opened his
mouth in a subdued tone.

“…It must be the ability to beautify stupid talk. But the question I asked is the
definition of magic, not the argument.”

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“I’m asking you to tell me the definition of magic. Magic definition.”

I answered that question in a sarcastic tone.

“If I explain it in difficult words, you won’t understand it anymore. As you know, the
students here have low eyes.”

Ha ha ha ha ha!

At my words, feeble laughter resounded in the classroom. Marie burst into laughter,
and Rina smiled precariously as if it was refreshing.

Only Cecily was looking at me with a mysterious expression, but when I made eye
contact with her, I smiled.

When I smiled, she, who had been depressed before, smiled a little.

“Whoa… Look. Student.”

At that moment, Professor Magner called me. The lecture hall, which had burst into
laughter at the same time as the professor called, became quiet in an instant.

“Yes, Professor.”

“I don’t need an unfaithful student like you.”

Professor Magner then sentenced me with an angry face.

“Get out.”

“…yes?”

“I’ll lower my eyes and tell you what you want. Get out.”

Professor Magner pointed out the classroom and said firmly. The atmosphere in the
classroom was even worse than before.

I had a snowball fight with Professor Magner for a while, then looked around. Marie
was watching, Rina looked surprised, and Cecily looked worried.

At that, I smiled and opened my mouth as if to reassure.

“I’ll be back in the next hour anyway.”

“What are you murmuring about? Get out of here fast!”

Eventually, Professor Magner couldn’t contain his anger and shouted. It was so loud
that an echo could be heard.

As soon as he screamed, I hurried down to the door. As I went down to the door,
Professor Magner looked at me and muttered.

“Spoiled bastard. These days, kids…”

Yes, yes. Thank you for what you said.

But do you know that? The big shit doesn’t end here.

I pretended to go to the door, then turned back as if I had remembered something.

Professor Magner asked me with a tone of annoyance as soon as he saw me going
back.

“Why are you coming back?”

“I left something behind.”

“What is that?”

As soon as Professor Magner asked, I faced him directly. I could vividly feel the
students sitting at their desks looking this way.

Now, it’s time to eat the last shit. You’re an old-fashioned malicious commenter.

Without a single stutter, I uttered a vast amount of words one after another.

“It consists of a lot of blank paper, on which you can record and summarize or
organize the knowledge you have learned, sometimes it is necessary to analyze
information, sometimes it is necessary to draw a picture and to produce it you need
the help of a printing house. In the past, it boasted a high price, but now it is easily
available in the market.”

[T/N: kind of reminds me of the scene from ‘3 Idiots’. ]

“……”

Uhhhhhhhh. Breathless. It’s in a movie, too. But I was satisfied that I did it to the end
without stuttering.

I checked Professor Magner’s reaction while pretending to be as calm as possible. He

opened his mouth slightly, not knowing what he heard.

“…What the hell is that?”

What is it?

“Notebook.”

Some of my notebooks I left behind.

ha ha ha!

Contrary to the lengthy explanation, laughter once again resounded in the classroom
at the identity of the object, which was so simple. But Professor Magner’s face was
slightly red from his humiliation.

After a look at the students, Professor Magner rebuked me in a voice that was more
of an absurdity than anger.

“It’s just a notebook. Why did you explain it that way? Are you testing me?”

No. I’m trying to screw you.

I couldn’t say those words exactly, but I could answer a similar point.

“I thought that a professor with high eyes would understand.”

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Unlike the inside of the classroom, which eventually became a field of laughter,
Professor Magner’s expression was worth seeing. I left Professor Magner in disbelief,
went back to my seat, and took my notebook and pen.

“Isn’t that too reckless? What if you go beyond suspension and get expelled?”

While I was taking my notebook and pen, Rina was concerned about my safety. Even
if she said so, she seemed to be happy inside as she was smiling.
To that question, I shrugged my shoulders and answered in a calm voice.

“Then the professor’s evaluation will get worse? Well, the evaluation is still bad.”

Politics like this is simple. In fact, if I take excessive discipline, Professor Magner’s
identity cannot be guaranteed.

In front of many students, Professor Magner denigrated Xenon’s biography, which

caused a stir as a low-level novel, and further discriminated against demons. This
alone has little chance of being buried socially.

‘I’m sure I’ll hear from my parents, but… ’

It was that moment.

“…it’s fun too.”

“Huh?”

“No. Nothing.”

Even if I asked again, Rina only smiled.

***

It was the next day. As I sat down in the classroom, Marie, the beautiful woman with
white hair, sat down next to me and told me some great news.

“Hey, did you hear that?”

“What?”

“You know Professor Magner. He’s been stripped of his professorship.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. I heard that it was because he called Xenon’s biography story bullshit.”

“……”
I realized the power of my work again.

‘If I conclude it with a bad ending, I won’t be burned at the stake, right?’
The hours flew by. Most of the first classes, such as orientation, taught simply what I
needed to know, so I had a lot of free time in between.

As a result, when ‘Economics,’ the final lesson of the first week, ended, I sat still
while the other students left. Because there was a lot to consider.

‘Crazy. ‘All the flaws of high school.’

This was not the way to go to the next semester after attending lectures for three
months and then going on a three-month-long vacation like in my previous life. I
have to attend classes for 4-5 months, with only two to one month off.

In addition, the number of majors is 18 in total, and the maximum score for each is
100 points, where a minimum of 900 points must be scored to avoid being penalized.
If you have a total score of 1200 or higher, you can get a scholarship, but it is
virtually impossible.

It is difficult to get 100 points in one subject right now, but 1200 points is an area
that is impossible for me.

‘For now, philosophy, humanities, biology, history, and theology are mandatory, but
the rest is a problem. I thought it was liberal arts, but why is there math?’

I grumbled in my heart, but mathematics was critical in this world. It’s nothing else,
and since it has a close relationship with magic, mathematics naturally developed.

Why, in certain classic fantasy novels, mathematical formulas are utilized to calculate
magic. It is a cliche in which the main character is transformed into a magical genius
by retaining the formulas acquired in middle and high school.

But it is also useful here. Instead, it’s not the math I learned in school like a novel.
When you create new magic, you logically write the number about it to make it
easier to use.
‘Magic is math and physics. What a terrible mix.’

No wonder the books related to magic were very difficult. It contained words used
by mathematicians and physicists, so it is impossible for me, a liberal arts student, to
understand.

Moreover, since the energy called ‘mana’ is realized here as a fireball or a block of ice,
mathematics, and physics are bound to advance like crazy. Therefore, it is convenient
to think of a wizard as a being equipped with a computer in his head.

It can be said that geniuses like Newton and Einstein from previous lives are
scattered here all over the place.

For this reason, I gave up math neatly. It’s a major that only real geniuses can learn.

I thought about learning math once because of my experience as a child in my

previous life, but I gave up my mind as soon as I took the first class.

“…aac?”

“……”

“Mr. Isaac?”

“Huh?”

While I was writing my future plans in a notebook, someone called me. A charming
voice tickled my ears.

I turned my head to see who was calling my name and was a little surprised.

Cecily, the Princess of Helium, was looking at me, her blood-red eyes flashing.

“…Ms. Cecily?”

“I’m sorry if I broke your focus. Isaac is the only one in the classroom right now.”

“Ah.”

I listened to her and looked around. Like she said, the classroom was empty with no
one in it.

Because of my concentration, I didn’t seem to notice at all when everyone left.

“…Rina-sama and Marie?”

“We saw Isaac’s focus, so they went first. I stayed there, but you didn’t want to leave,
so I called you.”

“Ha Ha Ha…”

I scratched my head in embarrassment. I almost stayed in the classroom until night.

“Thank you. Thanks for not wasting time.”

“No. Mr. Isaac does this normally?”

“Um… yes. I do this often.”

“It’s a good thing, but looking at it now, it seems a bit dangerous.”

Cecily said, smiling. I tried to turn away from her as my face flushed from her smile.

It felt like a cartoon character at first, but I grew used to it. It is good if I get used to
it, but after getting used to it, her attractiveness drew my attention even more. That’s
why I shifted my focus.

“Are you busy after this hour, Isaac?”

While I was barely cooling my hot face, Cecily asked me. I looked at her, barely
soothing my flushed face.

I don’t know why she asked such a question, but I’ll have to answer it. There are
times when I have nothing to do other than go back to my dorm and read a book or
write a manuscript.

“No. Not really.”

“Then why don’t we take this opportunity to get to know each other?”
“……”

At Cecily’s suggestion, I glanced at her. It’s not strange for her to do me such a favor.
She’s been showing a sharp interest in me since Professor Magner’s incident.

Just before I opened my mouth, I thought that this was okay, so I pulled out an
answer with a prank.

“Is that a date?”

“Of course.”

“……”

On the contrary, I was counterattacked. I stared blankly at Cecily’s smile and felt my
face heat up in real-time. With that smile on her face, no man can stop it.

Meanwhile, Cecily saw my reaction and smiled faintly, and said in a playful tone.

“Mr. Isaac? Did your hair and face color just match?”

“…the jokes are mean.”

“The joke was played by Mr. Isaac first.”

“…Sorry.”

Whatever it was, I decided to continue the conversation with my face blushing.

Shame is a luxury in the yard where it’s all caught.

“…Anyway, I don’t really have anything to do. I’ll just read a book when I go back to
my dorm.”

“Then let’s move from the seat?”

“Have you thought of a place?”

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to talk while having a simple meal.”

I listened to her suggestion and checked the watch. The lecture ended at exactly
4:30, but now it’s 5:00.

It’s a bit early for dinner, but not too early either. If I get hungry at night, it would be
okay to eat the late-night snack that I put in the refrigerator in advance.

“Okay, but I don’t know much about restaurants…”

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea to eat school food.”

“All right.”

There are many restaurants in Halo Academy that are often referred to as
restaurants, but the academy was free of charge.

This was all possible by pouring money into it, and that’s why Halo Academy had a
better reputation than academies in other countries. Welfare for students, regardless
of class, was outstanding.

So I put the notebook in one hand and the pen in the front pocket of the school
uniform. Cecily asked in a curious voice as she looked at me.

“Does Isaac usually carry a notebook and fountain pen?”

“No. I tend to prepare notes only during lectures.”

I usually carry a notebook with me, but I didn’t dare to speak it loud. I’m sure she
will ask me why I always carry a notebook.

Cecily looked at the magic pen in my front pocket and the notebook in my hand, and
nodded. Then I suddenly thought of something I was curious about and asked her a
question.

“Cecily, don’t you take notes?”

“I’m a demon, so I remember everything I’ve heard once. I remember the food I ate
on New Year’s Day 10 years ago.”

“Wow…”

Is it because they are a long-lived race? Her memory was no joke.

In the book, it seems true that the longer the lifespan, the higher the memory. If so, it
is difficult to understand how good the memory of an elf, the representative of
longevity, is.

But having a good memory can never be an ‘advantage’.

“Even if it looks like an advantage, it must be very difficult.”

“Huh?”

“It means you remember all the bad things too.”

There is a saying that oblivion is a blessing. Bad memories should be forgotten as

soon as possible, but if that is not possible, it will be a lifelong wound.

Cecily’s face went blank when I said I felt sorry for her. However, her expression soon
turned into a deep smile.

“I thought about it from the beginning, but Mr. Isaac is very thoughtful. Everyone
would think that having a good memory is an advantage.”

“The word trauma is not for nothing.”

Even I, who remember my previous life, have experienced trauma. That is when my
family in my previous life passed away due to an unexpected accident.

The memories of that time are really… It was terrifying. Of course, what I thought
would be by my side disappeared without notice.

But because of this, I belatedly realized the importance of family. My current family
has only good people, so I am living a very satisfying life.

As I pondered the thought, Cecily opened her mouth in a curious voice.

“Sometimes when I talk to Mr. Isaac, I feel like I’m talking to an old man even older
than me. How old is Mr. Isaac?”

My heart throbbed for a moment, but I responded calmly.

“I’m 17 now. What about Cecily?”

“105 years old.”

“Oh, that’s it… Huh?”

105 years old? I looked at Cecily, wondering if I had heard it wrong.

Cecily tilted her head with a face saying what was wrong but soon realized it.

“To the demons, being 100 years old is like having just reached adulthood. It is
customary to become a demon and live as a human until the age of 100. Of course,
even if converted into a human, I am older than Mr. Isaac.”

“Ah… that’s right.”

I murmured, moving my gaze to her head. As if to prove that she was a demon, her
two horns were protruding.

Sometimes I forget that Cecily was a demon. If I looked at her usual behavior, she
was not a demon, but an ordinary normal ordinary person. Who would consider
such a pretty and playful woman to be a demon?

And yet often there was a sense of discomfort because it was the first time she had
ever lived like this. Though she thinks for herself, she barely understands it.

‘Then she had only been living in Helium until this time?’

Most likely it is. The demons who lived in Helium said they lived there all their lives.

In the early days, there have been very few cases in the past 100 years that demons
have come out to establish ties with other countries. So Cecily got a special mention
in the newspaper that he was going to Halo Academy.

“Hmm.”

In the meantime, did she notice that my gaze was directed towards her horn?

Cecily let out her strange snoring and closed her eyes beautifully. She then asked me
in a subtly, yet hopeful voice.

“How do you feel? Do I really look like a normal human when you look at it like this?”
“Yes.”

“…Huh? Is that it?”

On the contrary, to my sharp answer, Cecily showed an absurd reaction. It was rather
me who couldn’t understand the reaction.

I blinked and asked her in her reverse.

“What answer do you want?”

“That… I’m not like a demon, or that it’s not awkward living like a human…”

The more she spoke, the more her voice crawled in. For a moment, I remembered the
way she lived as a demon.

Until the publication of Xenon’s biography, she would have been despised as a
demon. Even more, she has a good memory, so bad memories must have plagued her
constantly.

I couldn’t think of anything else to say here, so I caressed the back of my neck. But I
had to open my mouth because I felt like I had to say something.

“Well. I’ve read Xenon’s biography, and I think demons are human too. Besides, I have
never been harmed by demons, so I don’t have any preconceived notions.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

Afterward, Cecily seemed to be contemplating something and asked a question,

looking straight at me in the face.

It may be my mistake, but the expression on her face seemed to contain tension and
determination.

“So what does Mr. Isaac think of the demons?”

“Well…”
“Really… Do you think we can be like humans?”

How do I answer this? As much as possible, I want to speak in a good way, but
sometimes a whip is necessary. The disappointment grows as much as the original
expectation.

Even though the number of people who treat demons as humans had increased
thanks to Xenon’s biography, in the end, the nature of their birth cannot be changed
even if they are gods. Perhaps even at this moment, demonized demons are running
rampant.

I took a step, turned my head, and looked at Cecily. My face shone in her ruby-
colored eyes.

At her appearance, waiting only for my answer, I said firmly.

“No.”

Thud-

With the restaurant just around the corner, Cecily’s footsteps stopped.

“Demons cannot become human.”

A cold atmosphere settled between the two of us.

The demon people.

A race with horns, red eyes, and black mana – the descendants and symbols of the
Devil.

3000 years ago, when the Devil brought the whole world to ruin, he indiscriminately
committed evil deeds without distinction of the race to satisfy his desires.

Not only did he commit murder and rape, but also human experiments and various
other horrific acts which appalled people around the world.

Accepting the devil’s seed and becoming pregnant, or transforming into a mutant
through the mana received through human experiments – through this terrible
process, ‘Demons’ were born, and uniquely, only humans were transformed into
Demons.

Numerous opinions have come and gone about why it only affected humans, not
elves, dwarves, or beasts, but the most potent hypothesis was the singularity of
‘human’.

Humans have a shorter lifespan compared to other races, and inherently poor
physical abilities, but instead, they have tremendous ‘learning power’, which is said
to have worked in a wrong way. In addition, human beings could accept the devil’s
seeds more deeply because they were so distinct in terms of ‘Light’ and ‘Darkness’
than other species.

[Beings that will one day turn into devils.]

[Pretends to be human, but the blood of the devil flows.]

[They must be eliminated.]

However, other races, including humans, did not recognize demons as victims, or
‘humans’, but decided that they were ‘devils’. In fact, it was simple to ostracize them
because they would become demons if they get angry enough to control their reason
or fail to control their desires.

Even the holy church ‘Savior’ caused an unprecedented incident of indiscriminate

slaughter of demons under the pretext of slaughtering all devil’s seeds. From the
Savior’s point of view, the Devil tried to bring down God because he could not deny
Him so he joined forces without dividing the hardliners and moderates.

After this maddening incident, the demons were divided into two factions.

One were those who truly became ‘devils’ and wanted revenge on the world, and the
others were those who pursued self-control and lived as ‘humans’. However, the
forces that became devils were soon eradicated and disappeared from the world.

Then the remaining forces, the demons who want to become human in pursuit of
‘self-control’, What happened to them?

While other great powers, including Savior, were at war with each other due to
differences in ideology, demons seeking self-control took advantage of the
opportunity to establish Helium. Naturally, most of the countries did not recognize
Helium, but they were compelling, honing their strength in pursuit of self-control.

No matter how strong they are, the moment they invade, they will be attacked by
other countries, so it is impossible to move around. Eventually, it was said that they
should take advantage of the opportunity to organize it.

It was funny that 1000 years had passed since then.

However, within that time, discrimination against demons never disappeared.

Humans weren’t the only race that hated them.

At this rate, it seemed that the wishes of the demons would never come true.

Until a book appeared in the world.

*******

Born as a princess of Helium and the daughter of a demon king, I suddenly thought
of this.
Why are we demons being discriminated against by other races? Why do we,
seemingly no different from humans, have to live with such harsh treatment?

Above all, why do we have to live as ‘humans’, not as other races?

Most demons were born in Helium and died in Helium. You might think of it as a frog
in a well, but the demons who went outside usually suffered a bad tragedy.

It was common to lose a loved one or to be betrayed by a loved one and become one
of the devils, and to return to Helium again after suffering discrimination that cannot
be spoken out of the mouth.

Worst of all, they were treated as devils and killed without asking or questioning.
Outside of Helium, they were often killed just because they were demons.

“Father. Father.”

“Huh? Why are you calling me?”

“Why do we have to live like humans?”

It was the year I turned 20.

I asked the King of Helium, my father. Do we really need to live like humans?

My father looked surprised for a moment at my question, and then put on a bitter
smile. And he gently stroked my hair with his rough, clunky hands.

“Cecily. Do you know how we demons appeared in the world?”

“I know that the Devil did bad things to people and the present demons were born.
Of these, only humans became demons.”

“Yeah. Our ancestors were originally humans. Even now, we are closer to humans
than other races. So if we live like humans, we will be able to be treated as human
beings.”

“But we don’t have to live like humans right now. Can’t we just live as demons?”

Dad smiled even more at my question. Then he slightly bent his knees and brought
his to eye level on the level with mine.

As if to let me know that I was a demon, my face was reflected like a mirror in his
blood-red eyes. Father faced me for a while, then gently grabbed my shoulder and
uttered an incomprehensible answer.

“That’s our demon. Cecily.”

“……”

“You don’t know right now, but one day you will understand your father’s words.
That realization will definitely help you a lot in your ‘life’, so never forget it and
engrave it. Okay?”

“…Okay.”

Even 80 years after that, I couldn’t understand my father’s words. I thought it would
always be like that.

Until a book came out that completely changed the lives of demons. I was convinced
that the lesson contained in that book was the realization my father was talking
about.

But father shook his head and said no.

“Cecily. It’s true that the book revealed the tragedy of our demons and changed our
lives. But that’s not the identity of the demons I’m talking about.”

Then what is it? How does Dad define us?

I had that question in my heart when I entered Halo Academy. I hoped that the
answer could be found in the human society where I first stepped in.

That’s the way it should be…

“No.”

Why aren’t you a demon?

“Demons cannot become human.”

Do you dare say such words?

I stopped walking toward the restaurant and looked at the human in front of me. A
human with impressive red hair and golden eyes that stood out from afar.

His face was thin, so it would be more accurate to describe him as pretty rather than
handsome, and his physique was likewise slender, so he emanates a neutral image. If
a girl dressed up as a man, it was pretty believable.

‘…Why?’

My mouth was bitter as if I swallowed a pill. But first, a question reigned in my head.

He was a person who interested Professor Magner. He was a man who refuted that
demons were not dangerous, but that wizards who dealt with magic were
dangerous.

At the same time, the first human she met – the princess of the Minerva Empire,
Rina, also showed a deep interest in him and naturally became close. However, I
didn’t have the opportunity to talk.

So, as we talked now, I realized that he was a very considerate person. I’ve felt it
before, but every word he spoke lingered in my mind.

It was the same even now.

“…Mr. Isaac.”

“Yes, Ms. Cecily.”

“There is a contradiction in Mr. Isaac’s answer. Do you know?”

The red-haired man, Isaac, said a little while ago that I look like a human. I don’t look
like the devil at all.

However, the demons spoke out words that could not be human. Indeed, it cannot be
contradictory.

As I struggled to understand the meaning of his words, Isaac blinked his eyes a few
times before opening his mouth.
“Miss Cecily.”

“Please speak.”

“Have you ever heard a human saying that he wants to be like a human?”

“Huh?”

What kind of nonsense is that? Puzzled, I shook my head.

I don’t know what Isaac wanted to say, but it’s better to listen carefully. Because his
words had a lot of meaning.

Isaac closed his mouth for a moment when I shook my head and opened his mouth
in a calm voice.

“You’ve probably never heard of it, and you won’t hear it forever. Because humans
are human from birth. As demons are born as demons, you must live as demons.”

“Then I’ll ask you again. What does it mean to live like a demon? We have worked
tirelessly to live like humans. It will be so in the future.”

Like Sakran who sacrificed himself in Xenon’s life, most demons aspire to live as
humans. He wanted to laugh, talk, and have fun with people like normal humans.

That is the desire of the demons who pursue self-control, and it is a noble destiny. I
thought so far.

Until a year ago, I only thought of that, but I couldn’t put it into practice, but thanks
to Zeno’s biography, I seized the opportunity. I never wanted to kick that
opportunity.

But Isaac didn’t know how I felt, so he answered with a carefree attitude to the
world.

“Yes. That’s what I think of demons. Princess of Helium.”

“…So what is it? What you say is all contradictory.”

Now I was starting to get annoyed. I wondered if this person was making fun of me.
I don’t know why his sarcastic rhetoric that fed Professor Magner was here, but now
I was just frustrated and bursting.

I waited for a while for Isaac to speak. But he showed no sign of speaking.

I couldn’t stand it any longer and was about to turn my back.

“It can be the brightest light, but it can also be the ugliest darkness.”

“…Huh?”

His mouth, which had been heavily closed, opened, and words that could not be
easily escaped flowed out.

While I was stunned as soon as I heard him, he spoke once again.

“A more human race than anyone, who knows they can’t be human, but craves to be
human.”

“……”

Oh. That’s right.

“This is what I think of demons, and I think it’s how they live as ‘people.’ Cecily.”

That’s what my father said.

Demons were well aware that they cannot become human on their own. However,
they desired to be human more than anyone else.

So, unless they become devils, demons have no choice but to be more human than
humans. Because humans are born as humans, they have no desire to become a
human by themselves.

Demons can truly become devils, but conversely, they can become more human than
anyone else.

While I was lost in thought, Isaac shrugged his shoulders with a sly expression and
continued with a polite, calm voice.
“Well… Not only demons, but other races don’t know what kind of existence they are.
Please understand that what I just said is entirely my opinion.”

“……”

“Ms. Cecily?”

“Huh? Oh, Yes. I heard you. Thank you.”

I came to my senses at Isaac’s call. He smiled when I came to my senses. I looked at

his smile with blank eyes.

That smile really shined like the sun in the blue sky. It also felt more beautiful than
any other jewel.

To the extent that I want to hold it in my hand and keep it.

“Then shall we go eat now?”

I answered his question with a sincere smile, not a playful smile.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“Huh? Suddenly…”

“Don’t worry. I’m older anyway, right? It doesn’t matter when Rina speaks informally
too, right?”

“Uh… it doesn’t matter.”

It would be no mistake to say that dinner was more delicious that day.

***

After a good dinner with Cecily, I went straight back to the dorm. It’s because Cecily
went back first saying that she had something to think about for a while.

‘By the way, I’ve definitely heard it somewhere… ’

No matter how much I think about it, I think I’ve heard what I said to Cecily
somewhere. If it wasn’t my misunderstanding, I heard it recently, but I can’t
remember where I heard it.

After that, it was time to return to the dormitory and check the manuscript.

“Oh shit…”

As soon as I checked the manuscript, I had no choice but to spit out swear words.
The frowning expression was a bonus.

Because…

“This is what I said.”

The advice I gave to Cecily was written right in my manuscript.

It was my first weekend since starting at Halo Academy. Despite the fact that the
world I live in was from the Middle Ages, the concept of a week from my previous life
itself has been implemented since ancient times.

“Uh~ I slept well.”

It’s been a long time since I overslept, so my body and mind felt refreshed. I
stretched out and checked the clock, and it was only 8:30. I thought I overslept, but it
seems I didn’t.

But it’s over if I relax today. If I hadn’t checked the manuscript yesterday, I would
have been in trouble, so I hurriedly went through the revision.

“It was really dangerous.”

I was lounging around in bed and then jumped up. Looking toward the desk, the
traces of the hard work from yesterday evening until night were still intact.

Everything I had said to Cecily in front of the restaurant yesterday was written down
in the manuscript. Xenon’s words to comfort Jin, his best friend, and the second main
character.

It was a crucial scene because it set the stage for Jin to grow internally as a result of
the situation. The issue was that I had just said those words to Cecily.

In the end, I replaced it with a little changes, but the nuance was similar, so it was a
bit annoying. With the astonishing memory of the demons, she will remember
everything I said and notice something suspicious.

‘What then… ’

I’ll have to justify it as a coincidence. As seen so far, most people assume that the
author of Xenon’s Biography is an experienced sage and not a young person like me
who’s not even in his 20s.

I scratched my stomach and figured out how to make breakfast. School meals were
provided during the week, but weekends must be handled separately at the
restaurant. Still, the price was cheap since students were given benefits.

‘By the way, where do I exercise?’

When I was at home, I used to do some light exercise every morning. My father
encouraged me to exercise because sitting at a desk every day would make my back
stoop and my body stiff.

I exercised hard following my father to take care of my health. Jogging was basic, and
I did various stretching exercises to loosen my stiff body.

Thanks to that, there was almost no discomfort or pain anywhere in the body.

Although, because I am so focused on my work, my eyes would occasionally become

dry and my vision deteriorate.

‘Come to think of it, the gymnasium looks spacious… ’

I discovered a common gymnasium as a result of walking around the academy

whenever I had time. In fact, it is even more strange that there is no gymnasium in
the yard where there is a martial arts school that educates knights and wizards.

However, I did not go inside right away. Because I didn’t feel compelled to enter.

‘I should eat breakfast as takeout after exercising.’

There were several restaurants available for takeout at Halo Academy. It was for
students who thought that waiting for a meal was a waste of time.

In addition, there were far more cases where literature students ordered takeout
because the body was more important to non-literature students, they tend to eat
balanced meals every day, but literature students did not.

You can ask why takeout in the Middle Ages, but surprisingly, this world had a well-
developed restaurant industry. Not only do various spices exist, but trade was also
very active.
With a little exaggeration, the food was not much different from what I was used to,
and there were also street snacks.

‘Although there are no carbonated drinks like Coke.’

If there was even that, chemistry and mechanical engineering would have developed
together. I can’t even think of making a soda with magic.

I easily finished my workout and changed my clothes, thinking I should eat a

sandwich. I intended to shower after my exercise, but I didn’t forget to wash my face.
Because this was basic.

“Let’s see… I’m definitely wearing plain clothes here… Ah, there is.”

There were few clothes I brought from home, but I brought clothes that I would wear
every time I exercised. It could be because there were dwarves who represented
dexterity, but the types of clothing was just as varied as in my previous life. They had
leggings as well as tracksuits.

However, because there is no ‘factory,’ a symbol of the industrial revolution that

allowed mass production, workers had to work hard to make it one by one. As a
result, clothing made of special materials, such as tracksuits or leggings, was filthy
expensive.

If I were a commoner, I would have bought it with trembling hands.

‘It’s really a strange world from one to ten.’

There was mana and magic, as well as other races, so it appears that this result was
achieved.

Perhaps the development of mechanical engineering was hampered by this subtle

imbalance. They will almost certainly be able to do so as long as they cover the
inconvenience with magic.

Then you might ask what a thermostat is, as in a refrigerator or air conditioner, but
I’m not sure. I am not a wizard, but rather a writer who writes.

From what I’ve heard, the wizards were also categorized into combat and support
and the support wizards were similar to engineers from my previous life.
‘Well, mechanical engineering is more important for things like washing machines
and steam locomotives. Even magic has its limits.’

I went outside in a red sweatshirt that matched my hair color and the fresh morning
air greeted me – the perfect weather for light exercise.

‘First of all, the gymnasium… ’

There was a restaurant that I had thought of in advance, so I can go to it later. The
food there tastes good and the price was cheap, making it perfect for me.

‘It’s the weekend after all.’

As I walked to the common gymnasium, I took in my surroundings. Because it was

the weekend, more people were dressed casually rather than in school uniforms.

“Hey. That looks delicious. Shall we go?”

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

“Sally! Come with me!”

“Follow me quickly, Kei! This looks so much fun!”

Aristocrats wore clothing made with great care, whereas commoners wore clothing
that was easily available on the market.

There were a few people wearing tracksuits like me, but I was too focused on my
running to notice them. Passers-by only saw me once, and then they went about
their business.

Within the Halo Academy, it appeared to be a familiar scene. Everyone was

preoccupied with doing what they wanted to do.

‘It’s similar to downtown college.’

On weekdays, when lectures were over, there were times when I visited the library
or went straight to my dormitory, but the number of people was small. However, on
weekends, it was crowded with people overflowing with energy.
In addition, there were few rare races that I hadn’t seen before, and not only the
elves, who were said to be the embodiment of beauty, but also the dwarves
occasionally caught my eye.

‘What about demons… ’

Since Cecily was the only demon who entered Halo Academy, of course, there would
be none. The reason why there are none is probably that they are not on good terms
with humans. If you look at the history, you can see why.

I arrived at the common gymnasium quickly because I was walking around without
stopping. To be precise, in front of the common gymnasium’s entrance.

“…It’s really big, big.”

Because it was a ‘public’ facility, it boasted a vast scale comparable to that of a soccer
field. The auditorium was also quite large, but the public gymnasium was much
larger than that.

The overall shape of the building was similar to the Colosseum, and it was explained
during the entrance ceremony that it was covered with defensive magic, making it
probably the most durable.

“Oh? Isaac?”

“Huh?”

A familiar voice reached my ears while I was looking at the public gymnasium
boasting tremendous majesty. I moved my gaze in the direction of the voice.

“…Sister?”

Standing there was Nicole, my older sister, and a beautiful woman with long navy
blue hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a navy blue tracksuit.

As soon as she met me, she crossed her arms and asked questioningly.

“What are you doing here? Are you trying to exercise?”

“Oh, yes. I’m here for a quick workout.”

“Well…”

After hearing my answer, Nicole moved her gaze toward the common gymnasium.
Then she looked at me again and said firmly.

“I don’t think so”

“Huh? Why?”

“That’s a training ground. A place where martial arts are performed. It’s definitely
not a place that’s suitable for warming up as you think. If it’s ‘training’ I don’t know.”

“I can’t even do simple exercises?”

“It’s possible, but…”

Finding it hard to explain, she scratched her chin and looked at the common
gymnasium before opening her mouth in a vague voice.

“How to say… There are so many weird guys out there. There are also guys who enjoy
teasing others.”

“In what way? Throwing gloves and fighting…”

“When are you talking about?”

Nicole answered my question with a look of absurdity. I let out an embarrassing

laugh. Instead, seeing that Nicole asked back when was the story, it seems that such a
culture itself existed.

“Anyway, there’s no such thing, and it’s easy to think that the kids are a bit
mischievous, especially with freshmen.”

“Do the literature students also come?”

“Yes. I don’t know about commoners, but quite a few nobles come. Usually, most
people learn basic martial arts from their families and enter the academy. You are a
special case.”

As Nicole explained, I knew very little about martial arts. To be precise, I could
understand with my head, but my body didn’t follow.

It was also possible to control mana and raise physical abilities, but that was the end.
Even in my previous life, I barely used my body, and being reincarnated in a fantasy
world was no different.

My concentration was surprisingly high, but my physical strength didn’t support me.

“I’ll go in anyway. I’m more curious because you said that.”

“Ehh. Should I not have told you? I shouldn’t have said it.”

Nicole scratched her head with a troubled smile before placing her hand on her
waist.

“Okay. It wouldn’t hurt to come for the experience. If you step inside instead, it’ll be
hard to help you.”

“Why?”

“Because I have to fight with the students. Did you forget that your sister is an
assistant?”

“Ah. That’s right.”

Being a Martial Arts teaching assistant was only possible if you had exceptional
skills. And Nicole was currently working as an assistant at Halo Academy with Dave.

If I can get a sense of what role she plays, it’s easy to roughly see her as a martial arts
master. Even if the physical strength is exhausted, the student has to persevere if he
wants to fight, so it is physically quite strenuous.

I nodded at her warning and opened my mouth when I suddenly remembered

something.

“Then can I watch the sparring?”

“It’s okay to look around. Are you going to write it in the book?”

“Yes.”
“Okay. That should be fine.”

So I followed Nicole and entered the public gymnasium. Upon entering, the structure
was unexpectedly very simple, contrary to my expectations.

Locker rooms and shower rooms were divided according to gender, and further
inside, various weapons presumably for training were placed. Out of curiosity, I
pulled out a sword. Since it was for training, the blade was not sharp.

As I was looking around the steel training sword, Nicole stopped at a crossing and
asked me.

“Where do you want to start? The arena or the playground?”

“Huh? Is there a separate place to exercise?”

“Of course. sparring next to exercising. How can it work? It’s dangerous.”

“Then let’s go to the playground.”

The reason why I came to the public gymnasium was to exercise. Nicole nodded at
my words and moved forward.

“Oh, I’m telling you in advance, don’t be intimidated after seeing it, okay?”

“Okay.”

How great is it for Nicole to say that?

“Whoa…! Whoa…!”

“Hey! Good job! Good job! Pull faster!”

“Mike! If you lose this, you’ll be in big trouble!”

There was a time when I thought so too.

As soon as I entered the playground, I couldn’t close my jaw when I saw the scene
unfolding in front of my eyes. I couldn’t tell if what I was seeing was real.
First of all, to explain the situation, two men each tied a rope around their waists and
were dragging a lump of metal, so large that it was almost the size of a house. Only
one person is dragging such a lump of metal.

“Should I bring something bigger than this?”

“This is enough. Let’s begin.”

“……”

But the other side wasn’t easy either. People who put an iron block on their backs
while doing push-ups were noblemen, and there were also people who performed
artistic acts with pull-ups.

What they had in common was that they wore clothes that fully revealed their
physical beauty, regardless of age or sex. Most of the men are shirtless and all the
women are sleeveless.

Thanks to that, it was pleasant to the eyes, but more than that, I started to suspect
that they were really human beings.

While I was opening my mouth in amazement, Nicole raised one corner of her mouth
and asked me.

“How is it? Isn’t it great?”

“……”

“If you’re thinking of working out here, I won’t stop you.”

“…No. I’ll just run outside.”

I didn’t have the courage to stand among those monsters. Nicole patted me on the
shoulder as if it was okay.

“Then watch your sister spar for about an hour and then go exercise. Okay?”

“Yes.”

In the end, I turned around from the playground for the training ground. At least, I
feel relieved that I can see a spar comfortably.

‘From now on, I’ll have to bring my notebook and magic pen.’

As everyone knows, there is a world of difference between listening and seeing with
your own eyes. Moreover, it is clear that it will be of great help to the battle scenes of
Xenon’s life, which were somewhat poor.

Right now, I have no choice but to remember it in my head, but it would be nice to
use this as an opportunity to come every week. Coincidentally, my sister is also an
assistant, so there is no need to be self-conscious.

‘Anyway, the aisle is quite long.’

For safety reasons, the passage to the training ground was quite long. Also, the closer
I got to the exit, the more I heard the intermittent sound of metal rubbing against
each other.

It wasn’t long before I and Nicole reached the exit.

Whoo!

Suddenly, the sound of an object cutting through the wind entered my ears. I was
about to recognize the sound.

Tup!

The object that flew fiercely through the wind stopped right in front of my eyes and
before I could raise my hand, Nicole quickly blocked it.

I didn’t know what was going on, so I blinked and checked what object Nicole was
blocking.

It was just a simple ball. A ball that looks like it’s going to be soft. However, it flew
fairly quickly and Nicole caught it before I could catch it.

Blinking at the completely unexpected situation, I stared at the ball, then moved my
gaze to Nicole. My reaction may be a bit slow, but Nicole’s reaction speed was great.

“…this bastard really… even when I told them not to do something like this…!”
Either way, Nicole’s impression was crumpled.

It was the first time I had seen my sister like this, and the first swear word I had ever
heard from her. and…

“Ah~ I’m sorry. I’m sorry. The ball I threw flew that way.”

A husky woman’s voice came out of the exit.

“So what you’re saying is…”

“……”

“You threw the ball because you thought my brother was a freshman in Martial Arts?
And you thought I was next to him anyway, so I’d stop it?”

“…yes.”

The woman quietly answered Nicole’s question, which seemed to contain her anger.
For your information, the woman had her head bowed and was kneeling in front of
Nicole.

As I stood next to Nicole, I peered down at her. Being outside of the large
gymnasium, there weren’t many people around who were looking at us. Sometimes
people would just glance at us as they passed by before continuing with their work.

It appears that they were concentrating on those who were competing at a distance
rather than on us.

While I was thinking about it, Nicole yelled at the kneeling woman.

“You say that now?! Eh?!”

“……”

“Even if it’s a joke, I told you not to play a joke like that! My words don’t mean
anything to y’all, do they?”

As Nicole yelled, the woman on her knees trembled. For me, who has only seen
Nicole’s kind side so far, this was quite an unexpected reaction.

Hell, not just Nicole, but any sibling would be angry. After all, the youngest sibling
she cherished was almost seriously injured.

She had never raised her voice before, so the situation was just new to me.

“Answer me, Adelia. Am I wrong?”

“I-I’m sorry…”

The woman apologized in a voice like an ant crawling. But Nicole let out a long snort
as if her anger still wasn’t resolved.

“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to Isaac. If you joke around like that next time, I’ll
officially complain to the professor, so be careful. Okay?”

“yes…”

“Well, now apologize.”

At Nicole’s words, the woman gently raised her head and I watched as she revealed
her face.

She was a beauty with a boyish vibe, with light brown hair that was neatly cut short
to the neck, a pointed nose bridge, and impressively long eyelashes.

While I was staring into her blue eyes, she also stared at my face and opened her
mouth.

“Oh, pretty…”

That mouth of hers was the problem. As useless words came out of the woman’s
mouth, Nicole’s momentum grew even more terrifying. To be honest, I had nothing
to say about it.

The woman bowed her head when Nicole exuded a dangerous aura and urgently
apologized.

“I’m sorry. I was joking too much. From now on, I will never play a joke like this.”

Like her boyish appearance, her tone of voice was husky, which suited her quite well.
That frivolous way of speaking seems to come out only when she’s playing a prank
on Nicole.

I answered with a slight daze when she apologized with her head down.

“Oh, yes. It’s okay. By the way, did you say it’s Adelia?”

“Yes. My name is Adelia Cross.”

Considering that there is no middle name that is given only to aristocrats, Adelia was
a commoner. I thought she was a noble just by looking at her beauty, but I was a little
surprised because she wasn’t.

‘But she said she was joking and threw a ball at me… ’

Then it’s either one of the two. Either Adelia and Nicole are best friends, or she’s
thoughtless. However, it is presumed to be the former when you see that she is
talking nonsense to Nicole.

I looked at Adelia, who looked nervous and asked a question.

“Are you friends with my sister by any chance?”

“Huh…”

Adelia looked at Nicole as she was about to answer. Nicole still had an angry
expression on her face but responded with a flick of the chin.

At this, Adelia gave an awkward smile and answered quietly.

“Yes. We are friends. We’ve been together ever since we entered school.”

“Then just speak informally. You’re my sister’s friend.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

But I said without honorifics right away. When Adelia asked with a broad smile, I
nodded, though I was dumbfounded.

At that, Adelia let out a sigh of relief, as if she was finally going to live, and started to
speak at a rapid pace.
“I’m really, really, really sorry. I’ll apologize again. I did it because I wanted to know
who Nicole had brought. But I never dreamed it would be her brother.”

“As I said before, I’m fine. It’s a thing of the past, and you threw it with the
expectation that my sister would be able to block it anyway, right? I am glad you
didn’t throw a dagger”

“I’m sorry, really sorry. If I threw it at someone other than Nicole, I would have been
expelled”

“How can a girl who knows me play such a joke?”

Adelia couldn’t come up with a good excuse when Nicole pressed her with a
ferocious voice. She let out an embarrassing laugh and hesitated, then bowed her
head in her apology.

Nicole, too, sighed heavily when Adelia seemed to be reflecting on her sincerity and
reluctantly forgave her.

“Huff. Like I said before, don’t play a prank like that from now on. I don’t know if it’s
only once or twice, but every time I come to the gym, I get annoyed too.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Sister. Have you been like this since the beginning?”

“It’s always been like this every time I come to the gym.”

Somehow the reaction was quick. It seems that Adelia’s criminal record was more
than once or twice.

Nicole must have been quite annoyed when she joked around like this every time she
came to the gym. Besides, today, even more so, I, not anyone else but her younger
brother, was almost in danger.

I looked at Nicole who was scratching her head, and suddenly a question came to
mind, so I looked toward the entrance to the gym. The entrance was in the form of a
long passageway, and it was dark inside with some light, but I could barely make out
the figures.
But Adelia was certain that Nicole was coming from the darkness. Even if a familiar
silhouette was walking, she wouldn’t be convinced by that alone.

“Miss Adelia.”

“Huh? Did you call me?”

“Can Adelia-san also grant mana to the eyes?”

“Of course. Even if it looks like this, it’s as good as one skill.”

It was a response full of pride. Obviously, seeing that she follows my older sister as a
teaching assistant, her skills have already been proven.

If you’re asking what the ability to inject mana into the eye has to do with skill, just
think about how sensitive our eyes are.

Being able to check objects straight in the dark by injecting mana into the eyes proves
that they are excellent at mana control.

I know this because I had asked my father when I first wrote Xenon’s biography. My
father was also delighted, and he told me that he had this and other abilities. Other
than that, I created it separately by borrowing memories of my past life.

I looked quietly at Adelia, who seemed to have regained her energy, and asked her.

“Then is it okay to tell the body temperature?”

“What? How do I do that? It’s a skill that can only be used by at least a Knight
Commander.”

Adelia responded in an absurd voice. My father said that with a little effort, anyone
can use it, but it seems that was my father’s standard.

“Didn’t you say you’re Nicole’s little brother? I’m saying this out of spite, but don’t
even dream of comparing your father to anyone else. He’s someone who changes
maps with just one knife, is that comparable?”

“Is my father like that?”

I already knew that my father was an amazing person, but I didn’t know he would be
that amazing. When I asked Nicole if it was true, she shrugged her shoulders and
replied.

“Well. I don’t know. You know. When was the last time our father said anything with
his mouth?”

“No, but why?”

“He says that whenever that achievement comes out of his mouth, the face of the
knights who sacrificed themselves comes to mind. Isaac, you don’t know, but before
you were born, he couldn’t sleep at night without alcohol.”

Judging by the symptoms, he was a soldier with PTSD.

Moreover, since my father was the Knight Commander, and also belonged to the Navy
Knights, he must have had more than twice as much experience in combat as others.
I heard that the Navy Knights are given various missions as they are the strongest
knights of the Minerva Empire.

Among them, there is a mission to subdue demonized demons. In fact, it is clear that
the subjugation of demons is the last resort, not only in the Navy Knights but also in
various places.

Despite this, seeing that he raised three siblings safely, he was a man of great mental
strength.

“Anyway, Adelia. You’re going to prepare for the sparring now, right?”

“I have to. There are a lot of freshmen, so it’s going to be pretty busy.”

“Then, as a punishment, do it alone today. I’ll take my younger brother with me.”

“What? Wait a minute. But that’s still…”

“What?”

When Adelia protested, Nicole instead raised one eye. In the end, Adelia, who had
committed a mistake, had no choice but to lower her tail.
“…okay, but only today?”

“I will think about it.”

“Oh, please. Don’t do that.”

“Who was the one who almost made my precious brother get a black mark on his
face?”

It seems that Adelia got her weakness captured properly. I looked between Adelia
kneeling to her knees and Nicole, who was pondering with her arms folded.

If I look at it this way, it was true that they were best friends who transcended social
status. It may be because our family was generally distant from authority, and
Adelia’s actions were enough to frighten others.

As she said earlier, she would have been expelled from school and even sentenced to
prison for threatening the life of a nobleman.

‘How did this person become friends with my sister?’

The situation ended with Nicole granting Adelia’s favor while I was thinking.

“Now then, go to sparring. I’ll be in the audience, so explain the situation to people
well.”

“Okay. Did you say it’s Isaac?”

“Yes. My name is Isaac.”

“Watch carefully how this older sister fights. I’ll make you fall in love right away.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and just go.”

Adelia lightly grabbed the training sword Nicole had brought in advance. She waved
her arms in a calm manner as she moved her steps into her gymnasium.

Like an immature child, she was a rude person, but strangely, it didn’t feel hateful. I
asked Nicole what I was curious about, as he waved her hand to Adelia, who was
getting farther away.
“Sister. How did you become friends with that person?”

“It just happened. I’ve been walking around since I started school, so I started talking
to her and it continued until now. Her personality is a bit vulgar… No, even if it’s
strange, I can guarantee one thing. She was mischievous earlier, but she’s not a bad
person.”

“Nicole?”

While we were talking, someone called Nicole from behind. It was a man’s voice and
a low, low-pitched voice.

At this, not only Nicole but also I turned my head to see who it was.

‘…Huh.’

And as soon as the man’s face caught my eye, I felt my brain freeze in real-time. He
was a face I never wanted to see because he was too familiar to me.

While I was stiff, Nicole said in a nuance that she was glad to see a man. Unlike the
man who spoke informally, Nicole’s accent was full of courtesy unlike before.

“Leort-nim? You came early today.”

“Because this week was the beginning of the new semester. I wasn’t busy at all.”

Like Rina, he had golden hair and clear blue eyes. If Rina had a neat, puppy-like face,
the man in front had a strong impression of a tiger.

Meanwhile, the man talking to Nicole turned to me and quietly blurted out.

“But next to…”

“This is my younger brother. Say hello, Isaac. This is Leort-nim, the Crown Prince of
the Minerva Empire.”

Not knowing what I was feeling, Nicole patted me on the back and greeted me. I was
very nervous face-to-face with Leort.

I was very embarrassed by the unexpected meeting, but I have to say hello somehow.
Moreover, there is no need to be nervous, and Leort and I are meeting for the first
time, and he has no idea that I am the author of Xenon’s biography.

This means that there is no fear of being imprisoned in the imperial palace all of a
sudden.

With that thought in mind, I greeted Leort based on the etiquette I had learned at
home. It is important that there be no suspicions now.

“Hello. My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. It’s an honor to meet you, Leort-nim.”

“Aha. It’s Nicole’s brother. That’s why I thought you resembled each other somehow.
Nice to meet you. Minerva’s rightful heir, Leort Urmi Jacqulis. By the way, Isaac?”

“Yeah.”

“Ho.”

Why. Why are you exclaiming like that? Uneasily.

As I was muttering in anxiety, Leort asked me with a very happy face.

“Were you the student Rina was talking about?”

You’ve most likely seen a photograph of a sergeant sitting next to a four-star general
with a nervous expression.

The point is that the angles are fixed and cannot tolerate even the slightest error. Of
course, unless I’m in that situation, I can laugh it off.

But how would I react if I were in such a situation?

How would I feel if the soon-to-be emperor sat next to me, an authority figure who
threatened to imprison the author of Xenon’s biography if he found him?

“Rina claimed that despite being a student, you have a lot of knowledge. It was
fascinating to learn that Professor Magner was in trouble.”

“…thank you for your understanding.”

“Haha. Don’t be too concerned. Despite the fact that I am the Crown Prince, I don’t
intend to harm anyone with authority.”

Even when Leort spoke with a friendly tone, I couldn’t help but smile. Although he
was the crown prince, the person who wishes to imprison me in the imperial palace
is sitting right next to me, so I can’t help but be nervous.

‘Because of the seating arrangement… ’

Currently, I was sitting in a good spot to watch the sparring. A translucent glass was
installed between the spectator’s seat and the arena, making it easy to watch. In
addition, the glass was imbued with defensive magic, making it safe to watch.

However, the biggest problem was the seats. I wouldn’t know if it was one seat away
from Leort, but it was a situation where Leort sat in the middle, and Nicole and I sat
on either side. The pressure was no laughing matter.
“I thought you were related to Nicole by looking at the color of your eyes, but I didn’t
know you were really her brother. Come to think of it, Dave’s hair is red, too.”

“Do you know my brother too?”

“Of course. Most of those who work as teaching assistants at Halo Academy join
higher-tier Knights, so you should always keep an eye on them. Oh, did you know
that Dave became an Apprentice Knight?”

“Yes?”

It was the first time I heard of it.

I blinked open my eyes and looked at Nicole, who was sitting across from me. Nicole,
too, opened her mouth in a regretful tone, as if she had forgotten.

“Sorry. I forgot. Actually, he was selected as an apprentice knight two days after the
entrance ceremony. I think he also forgot for a while because he was meeting you.”

“Where did he go?”

“Navy Knights. Do you know where it is?”

As you know, I nodded.

It seems that Dave inherited our father’s talent and trained him to grind his teeth,
and eventually joined the Navy Knights.

I was proud as a younger brother, but I felt a little sad when he left without saying a
word.

“Then when is he coming back?”

“Well? I don’t know when the Apprentice Knights will be back after training. I’ll keep
in touch though.”

“If you want, can I secretly give you a vacation?”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Leort, who was sitting in the middle, raised one corner of his mouth and jokingly
laughed awkwardly. I don’t know about anyone else, but the joke he made didn’t
sound like a joke at all.

Chaeeng!

After a brief chatter, the match finally started in the arena. When I heard the noise of
metal colliding with metal, I shifted my gaze to the arena. It was the same with Leort
and Nicole.

In the center of the arena, Nicole’s friend, Adelia, was fighting with another man
while holding a long sword. When a supposed student of hers attacked, Adelia
effortlessly returned it.

I stared blankly at the two of them fighting as if they were dancing. It was difficult to
even follow with my eyes.

‘So, actual fights look like this.’

I have often seen Dave or Nicole sparring with our father when they return home for
vacation. However, he was not as fierce as Adelia now, and our father taught the
problems one by one.

But now, she was pouring attacks with the mindset of having to defeat the opponent
somehow. Anyway, Adelia’s opponent swung his sword without stopping. Naturally,
Adelia counterattacked and accepted them one by one.

“Who is the student fighting against Adelia now?”

“He is Ian, and he has excellent records in swordsmanship.”

{T/N:- damn, why do the novels I translate have a lot of character name crossover…
Just so y’all know, Ian is the original protagonist of ‘Demon Limited Hunter’ and I
have slowly started translation for that too.}

“Hmm.”

Even while Nicole and Leort were talking next to each other, they focused on the
match. I always received advice from my father when referring to the battle scenes,
but it was different when witnessing it with my own eyes.
As Xenon’s biography is the story of the protagonist growing into a global hero, he
fights numerous battles. To me, it was a fantasy, but to the people of this world, it
was a ‘reality’. A world in which such strange things were not strange at all.

I was a little taken aback when my father praised me for being very realistic, even
when I described an ability that was ridiculous by my standards.

‘Because they say it’s possible even with ridiculous abilities… ’

If you just use mana to demonstrate these abilities, everything is acceptable. Rather,
it would be impossible for people in this world to have a heavy lump of iron floating
in the sea or a wagon moving without a horse.

So I was even more curious. In the future, a new culture called ‘Steam Locomotive’
will appear in Xenon’s biography, but what kind of reaction will it have? Would you
say it’s impossible or would you say it’s possible?

I was looking forward to it but of course, I would be watching it from afar.

“By the way, Nicole. Have you read Xenon’s biography published this time?”

“Yes?”

While I was thinking about the future story in my mind, Leort suddenly asked Nicole.
Nicole, who was concentrating on sparring, gave a very puzzled look at Leort’s
question. It was probably because I was right next to him.

I was equally surprised, but I acted as if nothing was wrong, pretending to be casual.
If I overreact here for nothing, I might get a strange look.

“I know you liked Xenon’s biography too.”

“Ah… yes. I’ve read seven volumes.”

“Right.”

Leort, who gave a short answer, looked at me this time and asked a question.

“How about you, Isaac?”

“…I read it too.”

“How many books?”

I have already envisioned the ending in my head and that too a sad ending. I rolled
my eyes and repeated the lie I had told Marie.

“I’ve only read up to book 5. Even if I try to buy a book, it’s sold out every time…”

“Huh? Didn’t Nicole read up to book 7? Did she not lend it to her younger brother?”

“I was going to borrow it anyway. Except for vacation, my sister didn’t have much
time at home, so I was sorry to even borrow it.”

“Ah. If that’s the reason, it makes sense.”

Leort nodded and responded that he understood. It was an unexpected crisis for me,
but I seemed to have somehow overcome it, fortunately.

It was time to focus on sparring, hoping that the conversation would be cut off after
that.

“I… Leort-nim.”

“Huh? Why are you calling me?”

“Leort-nim, if you find the author of Xenon’s biography, will you really lock him up in
the Imperial Palace?”

Until Nicole asked a question full of concerns and worries.

I listened quietly, pretending to be focused on the sparring as much as possible. I

could understand to some extent why she asked Leort such a question. Since the
Crown Prince put such a word in the newspaper, it was natural for her to be worried
as an older sister.

In the meantime, Leort listened to her question, sighed, and shook his head. It was
slightly different from the reaction he showed on the day of his admission.

“It’s a joke. It’s a joke. You don’t have to take it too seriously. At first, I was very angry,
but now I want to wait slowly.”

“Then finding the author is…”

“The work must continue. Moreover, if we look at the expected developments in the
future, I think it will be a little dangerous.”

At Leort’s answer, Nicole and I looked at him with surprised expressions. When the
Crown Prince, who had superior intelligence than others, said such a thing, it can’t
easily be ignored.

I crossed my eyes with Nicole, who was sitting next to me and asked Leort quietly.

“Why?”

“I… Ah, before that Isaac? If you don’t mind, can I tell you? It contains the plot of
book 7.”

{T/N:- my respect for the crown prince went through the roof… I see internet trolls
giving spoilers and my man, the crown prince, is asking for permission before giving
spoilers.}

“I don’t mind.”

I already know everything.

Leort thanked me again and then went on to explain.

“Anyway, I expect that the main culprit who put Xenon in crisis at the end is a
nobleman.”

I looked at Leort with a surprised face. His prediction was correct.

At the end of Book 7, Xenon goes on a reconnaissance alone, and contrary to the
saying that it is a safe place, it is a demonic zone with monsters and barriers.
Fortunately, he showed his wits, broke the barrier, and broke through the area, but
there were a lot of traps and raiders waiting for Xenon.

Xenon, who was still fighting the assailants with a tired body, eventually gets hit with
an arrow in the chest, and Book 7 ends there.
Of course, thanks to the necklace that Mary, the heroine of Xenon’s biography, gave as
a gift, the fatal wound was avoided. After that, of course, he’s going to be unmatched
and find the person behind it.

‘It’s not like I’m throwing a bait in front of him… ’

I think I may have found the parts that I was curious about after reading through
them several times. I don’t know why, but as a writer, I felt proud.

But the most important thing is not this, so I threw that idea away.

“If the main culprit is really a nobleman… will there be any big problems?”

This question was asked by Nicole, not me. Leort answered without taking his eyes
off the arena.

“It’s not like any other book, and since it’s Xenon’s biography, it might be a problem.
I’m worried that the aristocracy’s perception will change for the worse as it changed
the perception of the demons. There are many books that criticize the aristocracy,
but most of them are close to satire, and they don’t have the same ripple effect as
Xenon’s biography. “

Was it like that? Such concerns were understandable.

Despite the fact that I always wrote in the introduction that it was a fictional story,
the perception of the demons changed radically. Therefore, if the mastermind who
threw Xenon into the trap was revealed as a noble, there is a high possibility that
various problems would arise.

But it’s ok, I’m not stupid, and I’ve prepared enough. The situation that Leort is
concerned about will be a famous scene that reveals the aristocratic power and
darkness.

A battle between a nobleman who looks down on his people and a nobleman who
truly cares and takes care of his people. It is a part of the political battle, but it will
taste fresh from the moment Xenon, who has returned from his exile, appears.

“…if that’s really the case, what would you do?”

Nicole asked Leort in a very cautious tone. To that, Leort replied roughly, waving his
hand.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep writing. It’s a protection concept, never pressure. It’s a useless
assumption in a situation where you don’t even know who the author is in the first
place.”

“Is that so…”

That alone puts a lot of pressure on me, Crown Prince.

I smiled bitterly and turned my head to the arena. As if the match was over, Adelia
and her student were facing and greeting each other. Unlike a student who seemed
to collapse at any moment while panting for breath, Adelia was the same as before
the spar.

“Well, I guess that’s enough. I’ll go now.”

When the match was over, Leort jumped up from his seat. I looked at him with
questioning eyes as he stood up.

“Are you leaving already?”

“I’m smart, too. It’s better to go quickly because you’ll be uncomfortable with me.
But it was fun.”

Leort disappeared suddenly, leaving only those words. I looked at his back as he
walked away and then looked at Nicole.

At the same time, Nicole was also looking at me, and we both laughed bitterly,
without saying who said it first. It seems that she, like me, had a tight chest.

“Isaac.”

“yes.”

“I’ll have to be careful in the future.”

“I was going to do that anyway.”

“By the way, is it really a nobleman who put Xenon in danger?”

The development that Leort had expected earlier was impressive. I looked around,
confirmed that no one was there, and quietly opened my mouth.

“Yeah. Do you know Count Crost? He’s the culprit.”

“……”

“Sister?”

When I revealed the identity of the culprit, Nicole’s expression turned serious. I must
say she was shocked by something.

While I was confused by that, Nicole muttered in a confused voice.

“…I didn’t ask who… it was…”

“Ah.”

I accidentally revealed a spoiler.

I had an unexpected meeting with Leort, but that alone did not hinder my writing
Rather, I received momentum and continued the story.

‘Here’s the Earl of Castlerock shouting. He says that a nation is the people.’

There was one famous movie in my past life – the story of a lawyer who desperately
protests for the victims of the military regime.

In particular, I can vividly remember seeing the famous scene. It was so immersive
that I wondered if it was really acting.

‘As Leort said, I’ll get a little bit of hate, but… ’

A conflict between Xenon, a commoner, and aristocrats, was unavoidable. Because

the factions that originally held vested interests were extremely wary of someone
taking their place. A story that could actually happen.

It doesn’t matter though. As the saying goes about carrots and sticks, it will be okay if
I show the good side of aristocrats too.

Even more so, if it is a fair criticism, it will be tolerated to some extent. After listening
to Leort’s words, I looked for books in the library and there were indeed satires
directed at the nobility. Although it was a shame that there was no direct critique.

”As for the exterior of the steam locomotive… let’s just draw a picture. I can draw it in
my notebook for practice.’

The episodes of Xenon’s conflict with the nobles were from the beginning to the
middle of Book 8. After that, he goes to the land of the dwarves to rest and get
newspapers, and there he meets a geeky dwarf who wants to invent a ‘steam
locomotive’.

Xenon helps the geek dwarf invent something that everyone thought was impossible,
and after a lot of misjudgment and trial and error, he finally invents a steam
locomotive.

The story of Volume 8 ends by suggesting a new path called ‘mechanical engineering’
rather than ‘magic’.

‘Isn’t this a supply wagon?”

There was no need to explain the importance of supply in all wars, whether on Earth
or in a fantasy world. Even in a fantasy world, the army needs to eat well in order to
advance.

You might wonder if you can replace the steam locomotive using magic like teleport
or warp without inventing it, but it was impossible. This is due to the fact that the
distribution method of teleport or warp was extremely inefficient and dangerous
magic.

It was fine to use it for oneself, but problems arise when you move something other
than yourself. It takes a massive amount of mana to complete, and if it fails, it will
disintegrate like a grain of sand. It is only used in situations that are important
enough to warrant such a risk, and aside from that, mostly wagons are used.

‘Except for demons of course. If you look closely, they are a fraudulent race.’

One of the reasons why Helium, the country of the demons, became a great power
that even the Minerva Empire could not touch was because of its ridiculous
transportation capabilities. When other countries use wagons to supply supplies, the
demons use magic to ignore distances.

This is all thanks to the ability to use magic like breathing. To them, magic is more
like a ‘power’ that makes everything happen if you imagine it.

Even though I’ve never seen magic before, it sounds awesome.

‘It’s magic… ’

I placed the completed manuscript on the desk’s edge and checked my watch. It was
10:30. It is better to sleep now, for tomorrow’s sake.

After a quick wash, I threw myself on the bed. The fluffy sensation was transmitted
down my back.

‘Tomorrow there is only humanities, magic, and… anthropology.’

I already had an idea of what major to take.

Humanities, Magic, History, Theology, Alchemy, Anthropology, Philosophy,

Psychology, Public Administration, Military Science, and International Studies.

There were a total of 11 subjects like this, and if you don’t know anything else,
you’ve probably heard of ‘Alchemy’ for the first time. Simply put, it is the chemistry
of the world.

Even on Earth, Alchemy was called the father of modern chemistry, and although this
may be a fantasy world, alchemy had greatly advanced. You don’t have to go far to
understand that potions are crafted using alchemy.

‘It’s not as established as chemistry, but it’s still interesting.’

Whether it is an atom or a molecule, it has not been established in detail, but maybe
someone will establish it in the distant future. I looked up at the dark ceiling and
quietly closed my eyes.

As classes begin in earnest, I was both nervous and excited. Taking 11 majors was
already a headache, but I have no choice but to work hard to avoid failing.

The fortunate thing is that it is not a relative evaluation, but rather an absolute
evaluation. If I put in the effort, I can get a perfect score.

‘Xenon’s biography… I will only write it on weekends for the time being… all… ’

Is it because I was lying on the bed? As I closed my eyes, in total darkness, I felt my
consciousness sinking and fell asleep.

∘₊✧───∘₊✧───∘₊✧──────✧₊∘───✧₊∘───✧₊∘

When the next day came, I skipped breakfast and headed straight to the lecture
room. Entering the classroom, the sight of familiar faces – Marie, Cecily, and Rina –
greeted me.
It seemed to shine on its own as I watched the beauties, each with their own distinct
personality, gather and talk about themselves.

Are they all studying humanities together? I noticed something strange while
looking around the empty seats.

‘Are there no seats?’

Students sat on either side of the three women. I was suspicious because no one had
been near them until last week. Even more so when you consider the number of
empty seats in the front.

I sat without hesitation in an empty seat, but I returned my gaze because my

question had not been answered. And as soon as I turned my head, my eyes met with
Marie, one of the three people who were cheerfully chatting.

“Ah! That’s Isaac.”

As soon as Marie shouted, Cecily and Rina followed and looked at me. I made eye
contact with them and greeted them by waving my hand.

“But why doesn’t he sit next to us… What? When was it full?”

“Huh? That’s right.”

Listening to them, it appeared that they had finally realised what was going on
around them. I looked at those three perplexed people, and my gaze was drawn to
the boy sitting to their right.

Was his name Jackson? He was, after all, the one who had been smitten with Cecily
and Rina from the first day. He raised one corner of his mouth as soon as he made
eye contact with me.

I could sense the mean smile indeed. That’s what that guy did.

It seems that he was jealous because the women who had insulted him were paying
attention to me. I’m not sure if he recruited the students or if they knew each other
from the start, but it was very pathetic.

‘Are factions forming already?’

He said that he was the son of a wealthy Count, so there is a high possibility that he
bought it with money.

‘You’re not a kid, what are you doing… No. If you’re 17, you’re a kid.’

I turned my head forward because I didn’t want to get caught up in troublesome

things. I want to enjoy a smooth academic life as much as possible.

“Oh, my.”

“Huh?”

“Hello?”

As soon as I turned my head forward, someone sat down next to me and greeted me
warmly.

Marie, the white-haired beauty, was looking at me with a smile.

I blinked a couple of times as she sat down next to me. She was sitting there. I
wonder why she came here to sit next to me.

While I was thinking about it, Marie said with a sad expression on her face.

“Won’t you accept my greetings?”

“…Hi.”

Only then did Marie nod her head in satisfaction. I looked at her and then behind her.

Cecily narrowed her beautiful brow as if she was uncomfortable somewhere, and
Rina next to her had a subtle expression.

One last look at Jackson’s side, he was full of annoyance. I felt refreshed because he
unintentionally ate shit.

“What did you do over the weekend?”

“You?”
“I went around here and there with my brother. There were many interesting things.
What did you do?”

“I read books in the library. There were many interesting books. And I went with my
sister to the arena to look around.”

“Do you have a sister?”

“Not only an older sister, but I also have an older brother.”

“So, you are the youngest too? Now I see.”

I was able to talk with Marie about a variety of topics before class. It felt much more
natural talking to Marie than to anyone else. She was free of authoritarianism and
had an easygoing personality, so I could speak freely with her.

Rather, just talking to a beautiful woman with strong characteristics like Marie was
enough to be grateful. Also luckily, the conversation code worked well.

“Didn’t Isaac say he only read up to Book 5 of Xenon’s biography? I could lend it to
you.”

Occasionally, there were instances that made me terrified. Fortunately, it was the
expected question, so I was able to answer it with ease.

I was chatting with Marie, not realizing how much time had passed when the
professor walked into the classroom. Beerus, the humanities professor, of course.

“Hello, students. Then, we will start our classes in earnest from today.”

When the lecture began, the students applauded, as they had done the previous
week.

As the applause died down, Professor Beerus coughed and began the class in his
distinctive calm tone.

“Last week, I explained about ‘knowledge’. Then what are you learning in this class?
It’s simple. Just tell me what kind of knowledge you got from a book or experience. Is
it too sudden? Don’t worry, I’ll give you plenty of time.”
The professor set the time limit to be exactly 40 minutes. In an instant, the students
hollered, but Professor Beerus deftly ignored them.

“Oh, and I’ll give you bonus points if you present a book or experience other than
Xenon’s biography. Of course, I’ll give you extra points if the presentation is great
even if it’s related to Xenon’s biography. However, please specify what kind of
knowledge you obtained. Now…”

Start! As the professor shouted, the students began to organize their thoughts in
their prepared notes or mumble quietly.

I also jotted down my thoughts in a notebook that I had prepared ahead of time. I
was confident because of the many books I had read and the knowledge I had gained
from them.

“I… Isaac?”

“Huh?”

Then Marie quietly called me. I looked at her with an expression of what’s up?

As I looked, Marie seemed a little hesitant and then asked with a shy smile.

“…Can you lend me a notebook? I only brought a magic pen…”

“If that’s the case.”

I gladly ripped up a piece of paper and gave it to her. When I readily handed her the
paper, Marie expressed her gratitude with a bright expression on her face.

It was around the time I received Mari’s thanks and focused on my notes again.

“Huh? Hey. What is this?”

“Huh?”

Marie showed me the back of the paper that I had given her. As soon as I saw the
picture she showed me, I couldn’t help but scream inside.

At the same time, Marie asked me with her curious eyes.

“Did you draw this by any chance?”

On the back of the page was a steam locomotive that I sketched yesterday for
practice.
I was horrified for a moment when I saw the picture of the steam locomotive Marie
showed me, but I quickly checked my notebook. Originally, the notes were divided
into two sections: notes summarising Xenon’s life development and general notes.

I had just wanted to keep turning the page at that time, and this is what happened.
My notes on the progression of Xenon’s biography were all over the place. I could
only do it at that time.

I brought the wrong notebook.

Apparently, I made this mistake because the book cover of the notebooks was
similar, but this is absolutely my fault. I thought I should be careful every time, but I
ended up making a mistake.

‘I should have been more careful… ’

I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. It’s not that people don’t rewrite, it’s a disaster
caused by my laxity, which has continued from my previous life until now.

The reason my family is constantly worried about me is not that I am the youngest,
but because of my clumsy personality. When I was younger, I slipped while trying to
pull out a book about which I knew nothing and almost got into trouble. I then recall
that my father may have grabbed me quickly.

Not only that, but something similar happened recently. It was the conversation I
had with Cecily that was written in the manuscript. That should give you some idea
of how stupid I am.

“It looks like a wagon with wheels on it. Except it has horns or something.”

Marie tilted her head, looking around at the steam locomotive I’d drawn. Fortunately,
only the front section of the steam locomotive was drawn, and it was also sloppy. If
anyone sees it, it will resemble a carriage.
In particular, it was not drawn in 3D, but flat like 2D, so it will look very similar to a
carriage except for the engine that emits steam.

I judged that there was still a chance to deal with it, and spoke to Marie in the
calmest voice possible.

“I drew this because I was bored. I’ll give you another page other than that.”

“Um… OK.”

Without question, Marie returned the page with the steam locomotive to me. I
crumpled up her returned page and handed her another piece of paper.

It was an essential procedure to check the front and back to prevent the same
situation as now.

“How are you going to present it? I don’t have anything to do, so I’m going to write
Xenon’s biography.”

“I’ve read a lot of books, so I’m going to pick one of them.”

“I’m envious. It’s a matter of getting extra points.”

“You’ll know that when you present it. Even if it’s simple, it will depend on how well
you present it, right?”

Last week, Professor Beerus singled me out and I couldn’t come up with a proper
answer, but now that I have time, it’s okay. It is thanks to the presentation skills I
have honed since my previous life.

In fact, it was a case of natural growth as I was in charge of the presentation every
time I did a group assignment during my university days. One or two people kept
missing in the middle, so I was in charge of the presentation by filling in the gaps. Of
course, I gave a shit to the group member who got out of the group assignment with
the most ridiculous excuses.

‘But what about the presentation format?’

Suddenly a question came to mind, and I gently raised my hand. As soon as I raised
my hand, Professor Beerus was delighted and asked me a question.
“What do you have to say? Student Isaac?”

Also, Professor Beerus remembered my name. I didn’t care though.

“I would like to ask if we are going to make a presentation in front of the blackboard.”

“We’ll do that later. It’s a group assignment, an assignment that randomly groups
team members.”

“…a group assignment?”

Oh my god. The terrible group assignment exists here too.

{T/N:- I need some GDs in academy novels, it would be fun. I have yet to come across
one.}

Professor Beerus smiled heartily as if he didn’t notice my pale complexion. What on

earth is the group assignment he envisions?

“Yes. Of course, there are students who are difficult to deal with as Isaac thought. But
that’s okay. So far, there have been no problems with group assignments.”

“…Then I’m glad.”

“Even if there is a problem, don’t worry, just tell me and I’ll take care of everything.”

Perhaps it will be postponed or covered up so that there is no problem. Credibility is

lost in a society where identity exists. Perhaps a high-ranking student had been
harassing his teammates.

I may think I’m ahead, but it’s that kind of world. That’s why I couldn’t relax easily. I
wish I could be in the same group as a guy with a rational mind.

Meanwhile, Marie next to me listened to our conversation and asked the professor a
question.

“Are there any majors other than humanities that have group assignments?”

“I know there are some subjects.”

I’ll just have to be disheartened and accept it. As I said before, I can only hope that
there are only normal children.

“You said earlier that you arbitrarily coordinate team members, right? What if there
are students who want to be together?”

“No. It is against fairness, so that part is absolutely impossible.”

“Eh…”

When Professor Beerus sternly pressed her, Marie pursed her lips and expressed her
regret. If that was possible in a group assignment, it wouldn’t be a true group
assignment.

“Now, the time has passed. The students will make the presentation in turn, starting
from the front row.”

The presentation went smoothly. Some students were so nervous that they stutter,
while others conveyed excellent presentations.

Me? It was just plain ordinary. It wasn’t great, and it wasn’t bad either. However,
Professor Beerus was satisfied with my broad knowledge as I only read books at
home.

“I… So, how I felt about this part… The…”

Something quite unexpected also happened: Marie, who was next to me, stuttered
and ruined her presentation. It was an unexpected situation for me, who usually only
saw her bright and energetic side.

“Good job, Student Marie. Next time, please make your presentation a little more
confident. Okay?”

“…Yeah.”

In the end, she managed to finish her presentation somehow, but as soon as she sat
down, Marie collapsed on her desk. Her embarrassment seemed to overwhelm her
as I noticed her slightly exposed ears turning red.

‘Well, even if it was an education at home, it wouldn’t have developed the

presentation skills.’

Although some people may have learned more about basic knowledge and culture
than others, not presentation skills. If infusion education is what nobles learn at
home, then the academy is higher education. This means you have more areas where
you can improve your skills.

Moreover, there will be more presentations like this in the future, but she will be
pessimistic. Her heart will be filled with the first feelings of humiliation, shame, and
embarrassment,

“The remarkable thing here is watching my father’s training…”

I glanced at Marie, who was lying on her face, even while the others were presenting.
She continued to lie down, not having the courage to raise her head.

In response, I pressed my cheek to the desk to relieve Marie’s mood and played a
prank on her. And I waited patiently for her to look at me.

“……”

Oh. Our eyes met.

Marie, lying on her face, glanced at me as if she felt my gaze while watching. Of
course, she buried her face again after that, but it was clear that our eyes met.

“Marie.”

“……”

“Marie?”

“…Why.”

“Are you crying?”

flinch-

Marie’s body trembled violently when I asked in a playful manner. Then she slowly
lifted her buried face from her desk and looked at me.
Her red face, in contrast to her picky expression, was impressive, to the point where
it competed with my hair.

Even when she gave me a stern look, I didn’t lift my cheek from the desk. She looked
at me for a moment before opening her mouth and sighing deeply.

“…if I’m going to excuse myself, I wasn’t taught these things at home.”

“Didn’t your brother tell you?”

“My brother is a martial arts student. Not literature. And you’re lucky. You’re good at
presenting and reading a lot of books.”

Marie grumbled as if my antics have put her at ease. I smiled and raised my cheeks
off the desk.

Her face was still red, but her grunting indicated that she had regained her energy.
To be honest, it made no sense to be upset because she botched one presentation. It
must have taken some thought.

“…And what you did earlier.”

“Huh?”

“What you did when you saw me earlier.”

“What?”

When she asked, I tilted my head, and Marie frowned slightly.

I was rather embarrassed by the reaction. Marie let out a long nose breath as if
frustrated by my reaction.

“…No. That’s fine. Just think whatever you want.”

“that…”

“The two students over there? Can you lower your voice a bit during the
presentation?”
Eekkk. I guess I was talking too much. When I was pointed out by the professor, I
immediately shut my mouth.

Marie also kept her mouth shut, the anger on her face subsided, but her ears were
still red. Her hair color was also white, which made her stand out even more.

“…it’s a rule.”

“Huh? What?”

“It’s nothing.

There was a brief incident, but Marie also returned to her original form. In the
meantime, her turn has passed to Cecily.

“As you can see, I’m a demon. Although not as long as an Elf, our race has a longer
lifespan than a human. And I’ve learned a lot over the past 100 years.”

I felt it during the speech, but her voice was so beautiful that it seemed captivating.
Her voice had the power and charm to entice people.

Even now, students who had previously been uninterested in other people’s
presentations were concentrating on Cecily’s. She was a demon, but she was still
amazing.

I listened carefully to Cecily’s presentation. If she mentioned the years she has lived,
I have a feeling that a good story will come out.

“But I recently met someone who has more knowledge than me and knows more
about demons than I do. I learned a lot from him.”

Then she looked at me with a truly lovely smile. I couldn’t help but be taken aback by
her genuine smile.

Are you talking about what happened last week? Based on what she said, that was
the only situation.

“That’s when I realized that people with something to learn are worth being around
for that alone.”
“What did you learn from him?”

Is it because Cecily is a demon? Professor Beerus asked with a curious expression,

stroking his mustache.

At this, Cecily looked at Professor Beerus and spoke out.

“I learned what kind of race the demons are, at least in part. I didn’t even know
about it myself. If the professor wants, I can tell you.”

“Hmm… Unfortunately, I’m human, so I’m not sure I can relate to the definition. Still,
it was a great presentation. Let’s give Cecily an extra point.”

“Thank you.”

Cecily nodded at the professor’s praise for giving her extra points. Then she looked
at me again and smiled.

I was embarrassed by that smile, but I applauded. The presentation itself was neat
and perfect.

Next up was Rina, who was sitting next to Cecily, and she gave a presentation just as
well as Cecily. In particular, I was impressed with her elegant yet gentle tone of voice.

When everyone’s presentations concluded, it was time for the lecture to end.
Professor Beerus clapped his hands and drew everyone’s attention when the last
student’s presentation was completed.

“Now, pay attention. There is something I need to tell you before the class is over. As I
told Isaac earlier, my lecture has a ‘group assignment’. It may be unfamiliar to you,
but simply think of it as team play.”

“Group assignments? Team play?”

“What the hell is that?”

The classroom rattled when Professor Beerus mentioned the group assignment. I’m
not sure what everyone is saying, but I’m well aware of how tedious and pointless
that group assignment is.
Those poor little lambs don’t know that. As I would expect, the moment the group
assignments are finished, the students will have a negative attitude toward others.

In the meantime, Professor Beerus brought out the explanation of the group
assignment as the buzzing in the hall seemed to calm down.

“The purpose of this group assignment is simple. I present an assignment, and you
can complete the assignment with a team member I randomly designate. It’s really
simple, right? However, if there are disloyal students or cheating is discovered, the
student will receive 0 points. As a professor, I have often seen students using their
backgrounds, so don’t ever think that you won’t get caught.”

Even with such a warning, those who use power will eventually use it. It’s sad, but
that’s the reality.

In addition, some people will cheat even if they don’t use their family background,
and some people will avoid it with ridiculous excuses. Fortunately, students are
likely to attend the group project because it will be their first time. A snout is much
better than being invisible.

“Also, cooperating with a team member other than the team member I designated
will be counted as 0 points.”

“Then professor. How are team members assigned?”

“In consideration of fairness, we plan to draw lots.”

One thing about fairness is that you are committed to it. I chuckled bitterly. However,
there is no method that is so fair that it can be compared to drawing lots.

“The group assignment will be held three weeks from now, but I’ll tell you the details
in advance. The content is related to your favorite Xenon biography.”

“……”

Could my book be a textbook? This is a weird thing.

As I was laughing inwardly, Professor Beerus brought out the content of the
assignment that shocked me.
“The assignment I will assign you is to anticipate, analyze, and present the
development of Xenon’s biography in a coherent manner. Xenon’s biography contains
many clues that can sufficiently predict future development. I’ve also found a few.”

“……”

“It makes no difference if the hypothesis is incorrect when the new book on Xenon’s
biography is published. What I want to do is piece together the clues, clearly analyze
cause and effect, and predict how the hypothesis will affect the outcome. The reason
I’m speaking now is out of consideration for students who haven’t read Xenon’s
biography, which was recently published.”

Afterward, the professor looked around the classroom, which quickly became quiet,
and asked the students with a proud expression.

“How about it? It’s really easy, isn’t it?”

It’s really easy. Professor.

Since I am the author of the book, I think it will be as easy as lying down and eating
rice cakes. Of course, I believe it would be difficult to write it down as it is because
doing so would elicit a lot of suspicions.

‘…Then what should I do? Should I make a presentation?’

I felt like I was in a dilemma.

As one of the readers commented yesterday, suggesting that ‘Xenon’s Biography’

could be changed to ‘Xenon’s Saga’. So, I did some google and saw that ‘Memoir’ is
also synonymous to ‘Biography’.

So, should I keep ‘Xenon’s Biography’ as it is or should I change it? If yes, whether to
‘Xenon’s Saga’ or ‘Xenon’s Memoir’?
If you were to ask me what I’ve been interested in since being reincarnated here, I’d
say ‘History.’

Consider this. It was filled with new histories, not the ones I had grown up with.

World War I or World War II which changed the fate of the earth had disappeared,
and there was no General Yi Sun-sin and King Sejong who overturned the fortunes of
the Republic of Korea.

In fact, rather than saying no, it was a phenomenon caused by the planet itself, but it
is still very interesting. In my previous life, I used to look up the history I was
interested in not only on the internet but also in books.

So when I was at home, I read novels, and if I couldn’t stand it, I read through history
books several times. Unlike novels, history has clear causes and effects, and although
it was subjective, it contains various contents, so it was enough to arouse interest.

‘There are a lot of books in the library. I want to read them quickly.’

Just like in my previous life, it was Tuesday today, the day after Monday.

While waiting for the history class to begin, I jotted down my notes. Thanks to
yesterday’s mistake, I brought my lecture notes today.

The history of the world, which I had organized separately, was analyzed in the
lecture notes, but it was not just the history of a single country.

In terms of past life, it was an analysis of what happened during ‘World War II,’ what
battles took place, and who was involved.

And, just like World War II on Earth, there was a ‘Tribal War’ in this world as the
conflict between tribes intensified. This is a major event that occurred exactly 300
years ago, and it was fought regardless of Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Beastmen, or
Demons.

‘It’s hard to analyze because it’s a war between races and not between humans.’

Despite having superior abilities to other races, elves are often self-sufficient due to
their unique ideology of selection, ignorance, and arrogance.

The reason the dwarves sided with humans was simple. Because the human
population was overwhelming, they bought the most Dwarf weapons and had a
strained relationship with the elves.

At that time, the beastmen were treated as a slave by humans and allied themselves
with the elves, while the demons were divided into two factions, ‘Anger’ and
‘Temperance’, and fired magic at each other.

What the two races had in common was that they had suffered great damage from
humans. After that, the relationship between humans and beastmen deteriorated
further, and even after the generation of elves changed, they were still on the wrong
side.

But, of course, the most complex of these were human beings. Although it may seem
like they were colluding on the outside, there were many cases where all kinds of
politics and conspiracy tricks were rampant on the inside, and there they ate their
own flesh.

In addition, a ‘Hero’ who always appears in difficult times appeared and made a
mark in history.

‘Each race suffered significant damage, but the Dwarfs, unsurprisingly, benefited the
most. Because they made a lot of money and had few casualties.’

What if the other race touched Dwarves? Perhaps the tribal war would have very
likely tilted to one side, and not ended with a draw with scars.

‘But what the hell happened to the elf that collapsed on its own? Did I look down on
them too much?’

There were several large-scale battles in the tribal war, and there are books
containing the process leading up to the battle. As I read these books, I couldn’t help
but have a lot of questions.
Unfortunately, however, most of the history books I read were written from a human
point of view, so all sorts of speculations abounded, and I couldn’t figure out why the
elves collapsed. However, it was clear that it was related to the generational change
that occurred immediately after the end of the war.

‘That’s probably why Aiker, who was the main force of the elves, was suddenly
arrested. Anyway, no matter where you go, the old man is the problem.’

After 10 long years, the war came to an end. Since the war had been going on for 10
years, with the exception of the Dwarves, there was enormous damage. In particular,
on the human side, some kingdoms could not overcome financial difficulties and
went bankrupt or were absorbed by the Minerva Empire.

The war between races was over, but the war between humans was not over.

‘If you look at it this way, it means that all places where humans live are the same.’

Just as the Cold War broke out between the United States and the Soviet Union after
World War II ended in my previous life, this world had gone through a similar
process. The only difference is that magic developed rapidly, and not science or
engineering.

The problem is that it has developed at this level now. In the past, you can roughly
see how high-order abilities were in magic. Humans would have literally only been
able to use the chosen ones.

“Umm…”

“……”

“…Huh?”

While my concentration was slightly disrupted by my concerns, I belatedly noticed

that someone was staring at me. I raised my head slowly, taking my gaze away from
the notebook.

I was finally able to reach the face beyond the slim waistline and the chest that
reveals my presence, and I met the green eyes full of curiosity beyond the round
glasses. I blinked before I could make out who the face was.
“…Professor?”

Professor Elena Heavensinger, the Professor in charge of History.

Professor Elena was a beautiful woman with light green hair tied up and wearing
glasses, giving off an intelligent image, but her biggest feature was her long,
elongated ears.

As you may have realized by this time, Professor Elena was an ‘Elf’, a race known to
be the incarnation of beauty and chosen by God among various races.

You might ask why the Elves are at Halo Academy, but it’s not really that strange. As I
said before, a generational change took place in the Elves after the Tribal War, and
that generational change included active exchanges with other races.

That’s why she’s able to work as a professor at Halo Academy. In addition to

Professor Elena, there are also Elf freshmen and a Professor in Martial Arts but
unfortunately, there are no Elf freshmen in Literature.

“Did you write all of this?”

Professor Elena pointed to the notebook and asked me while I was blinking to grasp
the situation. I moved my gaze along the finger she pointed.

Perhaps because of my concentration, I didn’t even know who was watching right in
front of me. Still, it wasn’t a note about Xenon’s Saga, so there was no big problem.

I nodded my head to answer her question. Professor Elena looked back and forth
between my notebook and me with her hand on her chin, then she quietly opened
her mouth.

“Can you show it to me for a minute?”

“Yes. What…”

I gave her the note and checked the time, and there were about 10 minutes left until
class started. She came about 20 minutes early last week too, so there’s nothing
particularly strange about it. It just makes me a little embarrassed to show interest
in my notes.
While I waited with a bit of trepidation, Professor Elena looked at my notebook
carefully. She occasionally rolled her eyes or caressed her chin, as if she was thinking
about something.

After that, Professor Elena, who read through the last page, came up with a brief
critique.

“The analysis is pretty well done. The situation between each race is well explained
within the framework of the tribal war, and the cause and effect are clear. Wouldn’t it
be good to submit it as a thesis?”

Professor Elena, who was giving the critique, corrected it with an ‘Ah’ as if she
realized something too late.

“No. This isn’t written in the form of a thesis in the first place, right? And yet, this is
incredible. You’re really good at writing.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Isaac, right? Who taught you these things? Your writing skills are unusual.”

Professor Elena asked me, pointing a finger at the notebook. I pondered on what to
answer and came up with an answer as if embarrassed.

“I learned it myself.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

I can’t even talk about what I learned at the university in my previous life. Elena
nodded her head at my answer, and she opened her mouth in a voice of surprise.

“Last week and today, sitting in the front row, it seems that you are very interested in
history?”

“It’s fun.”

If nothing else, these words were sincere. I liked history in my previous life, but now
the more I dig into it, the more stories come out, stimulating my imagination.
Professor Elena also looked at me with a curious expression as if she could sense the
sincerity in my answer.

“Wait a minute.”

She returned the notebook to me and left the classroom with only those words. For a
moment, I was able to come to my senses with the voice I heard from the left.

“Seeing that the professor also praised him, I guess Isaac has excellent writing skills.

It was Rina. She was staring at me with her chin resting on her hands, her blue eyes
full of interest.

I flinched slightly at her question for a moment, then smiled awkwardly as I stroked
the pen-hook protruding from my middle finger. Rina smiled brightly at my foolish
laugh.

“Does Isaac know the history of us demons as well?”

This time on the right. Following the voice, I shifted my gaze to meet red eyes that
were the perfect opposite of Rina’s. Cecily, of course.

I listened to her question, pondered it, then shook my head.

Unfortunately, the demons maintained a closed stance until the publication of

Xenon’s Saga, so there was very little information.

Even if there were history books about demons, they were all from a human point of
view, so it was very subjective.

“No. I don’t know much about it, except for the indiscriminate massacre of demons
during the founding process of the Kingdom and the Savior Church. As you know,
demons hardly ever interacted with the outside world until a few years ago.”

“Um… well that’s right too. So can I bring some books? I can ask father later.”

“Really?”

I looked at Cecily, eyes wide open at her unexpected favor. Cecily grinned at my
reaction and opened her mouth with her playful tone.
“Of course. Instead, there is one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Call me Big Sister.”

{T/N:- more like Noona. And if you have read Pornhwas, you would know this
doesn’t stop MC from doing all that stuff.}

“Huh?”

While I was dumbfounded by her absurd conditions, Cecily pressed on to me while

still maintaining a playful tone.

As she pressed on, I couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment.

“Big Sister, Try. Why? Are you shy?”

“Sister Cecily.”

“……”

“Did you?”

Now it was Cecily’s turn to panic. I’m not sure what kind of reaction she wanted to
get from me, but I’m used to calling people older than me brother or sister.

{T/N:- now that’s an Uno Reverse.}

What’s difficult when you already have a brother and sister?

Cecily pouted after my simple answer, putting on an expression that wasn’t like this.
Then she turned her head around, grumbling, clicking her tongue.

“Sheesh. It’s not funny. Come to think of it, didn’t you say you have a real sister?”

“Puheut.“

While Cecily grumbled, Rina, watching the situation, let out a small laugh. She was
natural, but there was no reason Cecily couldn’t hear it.
“Huh? Rina. You’re also laughing at me?”

“No? Maybe Cecily heard it wrong?”

“I don’t think so…”

I waited for Professor Elena to come while the two women between me chatted. For
your information, the reason Marie wasn’t in the classroom when Rina and Cecily
were already there was that she hates history. She trembles when it comes to history.

Even that Jackson guy, who tried to insult me in the humanities class yesterday,
wasn’t here. Obviously, History was boring, and unless you’re interested, it’s the
same everywhere. Maybe that’s why there were only about 30 people sitting in the
classroom.

“Now. Here’s the book.”

“…What is this?”

After a while, Professor Elena returned to the classroom and handed me a thick
book. It was an old book that smelled of musty paper, but there was no title on the
cover.

When I asked her about the book, Professor Elena answered her.

“It’s an interpretation of the history books of the Elves in their common language.
Elves tend to write books in their own language.”

“Huh? G-, really, this is…”

“Yeah. That’s right. It’s a history book seen through the eyes of an Elf, not a Human. I
also found it by accident in the library.”

“Wow…”

I glanced at the worn-out book with twinkling eyes. Although it looked old and
unsightly, it was a more valuable treasure to me than any other item.

Through this history book, I can decide what kind of race the Elves in this world
were, and what settings to add to the Elves that will appear in Xenon’s Saga. I was
still thinking about how to describe the Elf, but Professor Elena helped me in a
timely manner.

“Thank you, Professor. What should I do with this grace…”

“I don’t really need the thank you, are you taking another class after this class is
over?”

Then she continued with a friendly smile.

“If not, I want to ask if you can come and visit me for a moment.”
As Professor Elena asked, I headed to her lab after all the classes were over. The
laboratory was located in a building called ‘History Hall’.

As Professor Beerus mentioned, at Halo Academy, we must take common classes

until the second year, after which we must choose our own career path. Perhaps as a
result of this, there are buildings for each major, resulting in a high level of
professionalism.

‘It’s just like a university.’

It’s high school until the second year, and after that, it’s a university where we have
to go around the building to listen to lectures. I wandered around looking for the
History Hall through the map that Professor Elena gave me.

Because Halo Academy was the size of a small city, simply walking around took a
long time. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have eaten one meal and
then left.

‘It doesn’t matter since I got the book.’

Today, in my spare time, I read the Elf history book that Professor Elena gave me.

Like an elf who thinks of himself as a descendant of God, there were many words
that are difficult to understand, but there was no difficulty thanks to my regular
reading of books. I had no choice but to go through the dictionary and find out the
meaning.

Still, there were many achievements. I hadn’t read even 1/10th of it yet, but I had a
rough idea of what kind of race the Elves were. If demons were a mutant caused by
the devil, elves were more like descendants of ‘angels’.

It was a fact that was never mentioned in history books written from a human point
of view, but it seemed possible because elves were a long-lived species, so there were
very few lost records. Or maybe they have a habit of putting importance on records.

Anyway, knowing that elves were descended from angels was one of the most
important things I learned. How come there are no angels if there are still demons in
this world? It immediately dispelled my doubts. The elf’s mana, unlike that of the
demons, has white mana.

‘Other races only knew about the devil; they had no idea about angels.’

Because I remembered my previous life, I assumed that if there was a devil, there
would also be angels, but this was not the case with other people. They must have
believed that the only thing that could oppose the Devil was God.

‘I should go with the story of interacting with elves from the middle of Volume 9 to
the end of Volume 10.’ The devil’s executives are also very active.’

I jotted down the progression of Xenon’s life in a notebook on the way to the History
Hall. Because the eighth manuscripts were already completed, I can mail them to my
parents and call it a day.

“You are here?”

After a while of walking, I arrived at the building depicted on the map. It wasn’t
particularly cool because it’s a history hall, but it was a dull yet highly functional
structure.

It was probably because the building was only used by professors or teaching
assistants, and there was no need for a training room in martial arts.

‘Because Martial Arts requires a training room. There are many more.’

Again, this was a fantasy world with monsters and mana. Even at the Halo Academy,
martial arts that develop military power are inevitably a priority. As a result, I’ve
heard that there are numerous cases where the literature side has complained about
budget issues.

I re-examined the map and the building, double-checked the name ‘History Hall’
written at the entrance, and proceeded. The front door was a well-kept wooden door
with a glossy appearance.
“Ohhh…”

As soon as I passed through the front door and entered the hallway, I couldn’t help
but be amazed. It exudes an old-fashioned atmosphere and there was even a
watermill in the center of the hallway.

What’s more, portraits of great men who made their mark in history were hung on
the hallway walls, many of whom I had read about in books but had never seen in
paintings before. A brief historical record, along with the great man’s name, was
written beneath his portrait.

‘There is a great man in each race.’

Also, great people were classified for each race and written on the wall.

Naturally, most of the portraits were of humans – the race with short lifespans but
the largest number. The other races were few and far between, and even there were
no demons at all.

I looked around the hallway with a curious expression on my face, then came to my
senses and moved to Professor Elena’s office. Professor Elena’s laboratory was room
104.

Knock- Knock- Knock-

“Professor Elena. It’s Isaac. Are you in there?”

Through the sign hanging in the middle of Room 104 and the door, I was able to find
Professor Elena’s lab. As I knocked and said my name, I heard a rustling sound
through the door.

Seeing the word ‘Room’ written on the sign, it seemed that Professor Elena opened
the door herself.

Kiikkkkk-

“…Who are you?”

No. I will correct it.

When the door opened, a zombie greeted me from behind – not a true zombie, but
she’s quite frail in comparison.

The dark circles came down as if they were about to jump rope, the black eyes were
dead as rotten fish eyes, and the skin was very pale rather than crumbly. With her
dull blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and the corners of her eyes drooping, she
gave the impression that she could collapse at any moment.

I stumbled backward as soon as I saw her. As I took a step back, I could see who had
opened the door and greeted me.

‘…Elf?’

It was an elf who opened the door and greeted me – a female elf like Professor Elena.

Although her beauty faded due to her appearance which seemed like a zombie would
be a friend, she couldn’t hide her true beauty. Rather, it exudes a strange atmosphere,
including the beauty of decadence.

“…Excuse me?”

As I stared blankly at her, the elf tilted her head and called again. And she even
slowly blinked her eyes.

So I hurriedly came to my senses and asked her in a very cautious manner.

“That… Is this Professor Elena’s lab?”

“That’s right…”

I checked the sign for the laboratory again in response to the slurred tone and
answer. Professor Elena’s laboratory was certain. I presume the elf in front of me was
Professor Elena’s assistant.

“Who’s here?”

A familiar voice came from inside the laboratory at precisely the right time. The elf
who was supposed to be a teaching assistant looked back and replied in a tired voice.

“Yeah… He’s said he’s Isaac…”

“Ah! Bring him in quickly.”

“Come in…”

“…Excuse me.”

I was a bit reluctant for some reason, but I moved my steps inside. As I moved, I did
not forget to make eye contact with the elf who opened the door.

It was a little scary to look at her with the eyes that are commonly referred to as
dynamic eyes, but it was tolerable. Eventually, when I entered the laboratory, I could
see various books and papers piled high with the musty smell peculiar to old books.

A cursory glance revealed that most of the books were related to history. It looks like
a laboratory for studying history.

“Come here. Please sit down.”

Professor Elena, who was sitting at the desk, smiled as she greeted me. Feeling
awkward, I sat down on the reception couch she pointed to.

When I sat down on the sofa, Professor Elena also sat down on the sofa across from
me. For information, there was a table placed between the two of us.

“Here are some sweets and tea…”

“Oh, thank you.”

Shortly after sitting on the sofa, the assistant placed the food on the table. As I
thanked her, she turned around to return to her desk.

“Where are you going, Cindy? Sit next to me.”

“I want to rest…”

“I know you’re tired of writing your thesis, but it’s important to you too.”

“yes…”

The Elf named Cindy sat down at Professor Elena’s instructions. And so, across from
me, two elves who were polar opposites were seated.

“A bit flustered, huh?”

Not a little bit, but a lot. As soon as I open the door and a half-dead corpse welcomes
me, anyone would be shocked.

But I couldn’t say the above words directly, so I just laughed awkwardly. Professor
Elena also noticed my feelings, so she put her hand on Cindy’s shoulder.

“Recently, she’s been up all night for a thesis. I’m sure she’s not in the right state.”

“If you know, let me sleep…”

“If you just write the thesis.”

“It’s unreasonable…”

Seeing the two of them… reminded me of a professor and a graduate student from
my previous life. I’ve never been a graduate student myself, but there were a lot of
memes around the internet.

What struck me the most was that graduate students were not treated like most
people. The majority of them claimed to be servants to the professor in order to
obtain a doctorate. I even seem to have heard that they even did private errands.

Maybe it’s because of that meme, but I have the impression that graduate students
make good slaves.

‘Could it be me too?’

Around the time I was slightly worried inside, Professor Elena, who had been
scolding Cindy, looked at me and opened her mouth.

“First of all, her name is Cindy. Her full name is Cindy Skywalker. She’s been my
teaching assistant for 25 years.”

“What kind of slave a teaching assistant is…”

“Could you shut up? He’s misunderstanding.”

“It’s not a misunderstanding, it’s the truth…”

“Then get out.”

“I’m sorry…”

Rather than a professor-assistant relationship, they were more like good sisters. If
Elena really treated Cindy like her slave, she wouldn’t play with her like that.

I looked at the two with a strange look, and then I suddenly remembered something
I was curious about and asked a question.

“You’ve been a teaching assistant for 25 years?”

“Yeah. In order to become a professor, you have to work as a teaching assistant for a
certain period of time and get a doctorate, right? This is the case with most teaching
assistants in literature.”

It’s the first I’ve heard of it. Was there a concept of a degree such as a master’s or
doctoral degree? Well, it might be strange not to be in a story with an academy and a
professor.

While I was confused, Professor Elena went on to explain.

“It’s the same with us Elves. We must obtain a degree while working as teaching
assistants under the supervision of a professor. However, as you know, Elves learn at
a much slower rate than humans, so it takes a long time.”

“How long does it typically take on average?”

“A few years is at least 30 years, which, when converted to a human lifespan, is about
3-4 years. Furthermore, in order to obtain a doctorate, that is, to become a professor,
we must first pass a rigorous screening process within ‘Yggdrasil.’ We have to submit
my doctoral thesis, and the requirements are very stringent.”

Yggdrasil was the capital of Alfheim, the land of Elves. As you can see, it has the same
name as in Norse mythology.

By the way, even within Yggdrasil, it seems that the standards are very strict,
considering that you have to go through an examination before you can become a
professor.

“I’m envious… that humans only take 5 years at the longest…”

“You’re slow to learn, even by Elf standards, so five years is no option. Anyway, I
called you for one reason.”

“What is it?”

I was slightly nervous and waited to see what kind of request Professor Elena would
make. If it is an unreasonable request, of course, I would decline it. It’s hard to even
write a manuscript right now, and I can’t devote time to other things.

In the meantime, Professor Elena opened her mouth, placing her hand on Cindy’s
shoulder as she munched on snacks.

“Teach her how to write.”

“Huh?”

“Huhhh…?”

I, of course, and even Cindy, who was still, looked at Professor Elena, perplexed. With
a hand over her shoulder, Professor Elena lightly pinched Cindy’s cheek.

“She’s good at everything, but she can’t write very well. It took her at least five years
to write a master’s thesis. Even that didn’t seem like anything to me.”

“It hurts…”

Even as Cindy murmured, Professor Elena did not let go of her hand pinching her
cheek.

“I could’ve taught her how to write, but I’m busy as I am.”

“Can’t you just call another student?”

“I was going to do that, but you were the one who caught my eye just in time. In fact,
she just started writing her thesis in earnest.”
So what have you been doing for 20 years? Although Elves are slow to learn by human
standards, looking at it this way, it seems a bit harsh.

Of course, learning is slow, and that doesn’t mean that she has low memory. As an Elf
who lives longer than the demons, she will remember everything that happened
several decades ago.

Simply put, memory is good, but the application is poor. Of course, it will change
from the moment she fully understands the concept.

As I slowly pondered her words, I began to ask questions one by one.

“Are there any other assistants? It seems a little strange that there is only one
assistant in the first place?”

“Everyone has graduated and now I’m a professor. She’s my first Elf assistant. And
most of the professors in the History Hall are my students. Asking them to do so
seems to take up my busy time, so I put up with it.”

“Is there a student who has better writing skills than me, who has just entered the
school?”

“In my opinion, you are the best. Do you not know how many students I have seen
while working as a professor for 100 years ?”

Professor Elena gently answered my questions one by one. Most of them were
reasonable and understandable reasons, so I had nothing to say. In particular, I was
shocked to hear that my writing ability was the best among the students she had
seen in 100 years.

After a while, when I stopped asking her any more questions, she lifted up her
slipped glasses and opened her mouth in a slightly disappointed tone.

“You don’t have to if you don’t like it. I don’t have the power to force you. So how
about this?”

She hesitated for a moment, then spread her arms wide. It was an exaggerated action
as if to look at this and as I was confused, Professor Elena spoke in a proud voice
with her arms outstretched.
“Most of the books and papers here are things I collected or wrote while working as
a professor. Not only the history written from the perspective of humans and elves,
but also dwarves, beastmen, and even demons.”

“Em, Ddemons? How about demons…?”

“There was a demon that I met by chance. I chose as many as I could from that
person. Unfortunately, he has now returned to his hometown.”

After that, she leaned out her upper body and suggested again with a soft voice. I
could see the light of greed over the round glasses.

“If you help Cindy, I can lend you all of the books here. You can come in and out of the
lab as you please.”

“……”

“What do you want to do? By the way, it doesn’t matter if you help her when you
have time. We have a very long concept of time than you humans think. It doesn’t
matter even if it’s once a month.”

What’s the point of saying more? The answer was fixed.

“I look forward to working with you in the future.”

But I had no idea until this time.

Elves meant it when they said that their learning speed was extremely slow by human
standards.

“Thank you very much…”

How slow-brain is this Elf named Cindy by my standards?

“Then, shall we go eat together to celebrate? Have you had dinner by any chance?”

“No. I haven’t eaten yet.”

I had no idea.
After accepting Professor Elena’s suggestion, my daily life changed a little bit.
Previously, I would go to the library or have a quick meal and head back to my dorm,
but these days, I visited Professor Elena’s lab.

And today was Friday when all classes end. After mailing the eight-volume
manuscript of Xenon’s Saga to my parents, I went straight to the lab. I didn’t forget to
knock before entering the lab.

After a while, I opened the door and entered the lab, which had a distinct musty
odor. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Cindy sitting at her desk and writing
something.

“Hello. Cindy.”

“Hello…”

Anyway, Professor Elena was often away on business trips, but not Cindy. She always
greeted me with the appearance of a haggard corpse. I had grown accustomed to her
appearance and had stopped paying attention to her.

“How are you today? Are you still tired?”

“Maybe a little better…? I don’t know…”

That slagging tone seems to be beyond repair. I heard she’s been tired for years, not
months, but it must be difficult. If she were a human, she would have died from
exhaustion, but elves seem to be resilient.

I sneaked aside after staring blankly at Cindy, who appeared to be sitting at her desk
writing her thesis. I don’t know how to write a thesis, but Professor Elena asked me
to assist with the writing process instead. So I kept an eye on how serious it was…

“…Cindy?”
“Yes…?”

“Can you stop writing for a moment and read what you wrote?”

“Why?”

That’s how serious it was.

I held back the above words and urged Cindy again.

“Read it. From the middle here.”

“Ugh… The human war that followed the tribal war clearly demonstrated the dark
side of humanity, and it was the reason why the Minerva Empire was able to
establish itself as a great power, and it’s the reason why many countries are still
crying for independence. The Kingdom of Mechterton, the Empire’s adversary, has
formed an alliance with neighboring kingdoms…”

“Stop.”

That’s about it. It’s legible and it’s five minutes before the mess.

‘It’s like reading my first work… ’

In my previous life, I was praised for having good writing skills, but I was never good
from the beginning. Rather, what kind of story was my first work? The readability
was so bad that the word came out of my mouth. Cindy’s current thesis follows the
same mistakes that first-time writers make.

Mistakes in repeating the same word or linking sentences together for readability.
This is one of the most common mistakes beginners make.

She must understand the essential problem well, so I asked Cindy, who was making a
confused face.

“Cindy. Do you understand what this means?”

“What do you mean…?

She tilted her head and asked the question. I sighed heavily at Cindy’s situation of
not knowing what the problem was.

‘Even so, this is a bit harsh… ’

I’ve criticized the novels in this world for being like an SAT English test, but the
thesis was an exception. A thesis is a type of record written by a researcher based on
his or her own research, so it does not matter if technical terms appear.

A thesis, however, should clearly communicate what the researcher wishes to say to
the other person.

I have no idea how to write a thesis, but I am well aware of its purpose. At the very
least, it should never be used arbitrarily as Cindy did.

As I was pondering where to begin, I asked a curious question.

“Cindy. Have you ever read Professor Elena’s or someone else’s thesis?”

“There are many…”

“But you write like this?”

I once read a thesis she wrote with Professor Elena’s guidance. I was a little confused
because technical terms appeared in the middle, but thanks to the many books I’ve
read so far, I was able to thoroughly read it.

Cindy blinked slowly at my absurd question and responded quietly.

“Even if I try to write like that… If I keep writing, it will start to sound like the thesis
you read…”

“If you are evaluated later, you will be rejected because you are similar.”

“yes…”

Her memory was good, but her application ability was inferior. From my human
standards, she was an idiot, but from an Elf’s point of view, Cindy was perfectly
normal.

As mentioned before, human beings inherently lack strength and ability compared to
other races, but there are ‘acquisition’ and ‘adaptation’ that can make up for them. If
we compare the entire race, elves are normal and humans are abnormal.

As previously stated, magic has historically been praised as a ‘force’ that can only be
used by those chosen by the gods. Until the tribal war 300 years ago, only elves,
demons, and a few humans possessed the ability to use magic.

3000 Years Ago, Demon Wars? There were no records of humans using magic during
that time period, only a few elves. The Tribal War 300 years ago was when the magic
began to flow into humans in earnest.

In any case, in less than 500 years, humans have transformed it into an ability that
anyone can use, given their background, talent, and hard work. From the point of
view of the long-lived Elves, the speed of development was truly terrifying.

‘I’m suddenly curious. Why are humans so quick to learn?’

It was something I took for granted when I was on Earth, a world where only
humans exist. Even in creations, humans were programmed to learn faster than
other races.

But, since I was reincarnated in this world, I was very curious. Why do humans learn
more quickly than other races?

While I was repeating the question in my head, Cindy asked me in a languid tone.

“So when are you going to teach me…?”

“Oh, yes. Professor Elena instructed me to teach you, so I must do so. Just one
question.”

“What is that?”

“Has Cindy never learned to write?”

I already have to tell her the basic knowledge, but I asked just in case. If she’s learned
roughly, she’ll see the hope at least.

Cindy blinked slowly at my question and answered quietly.

“There were a few people who taught me how to write…”

“Huh? What do you mean? Didn’t you say Professor Elena wasn’t there?”

“It was someone else who helped, and there were a few people who taught me for
money…”

Then she answered in a more complex, subdued voice than before. Her pointy ears
drooped down below her.

“Don’t run away saying you can’t teach me anything anymore…”

“……”

“I’m a little… I guess I’m a little slow by human and elf standards…”

{T/N:- feeling sad for her.}

For some reason, I had the impression that I had been caught.

Xenon’s Saga had always been like this, but Volume 7 caused even more of a stir than
usual as soon as it was released. It was because the author abruptly ended the story
at a crucial point, and it broke the hearts of many readers.

As a result, the Crown Prince of Minerva said he will arrest and imprison the author
in the imperial palace, or the Princess would pressure him to publish the next
volume as soon as possible.

There was a lot of turmoil in many ways, but there was a saying that time was the
best medicine and it gradually stopped and they waited for the next book. The
readers also calmed down and focused on their jobs while waiting for the time to
pass.

The 7th volume of Xenon’s Saga was then published, and about a month later, the
release of the 8th volume, which everyone had been waiting for, was announced in
the newspaper. There was, however, one sentence that piqued my interest.

[It contains scenes that may be offensive to the nobles.]

The above phrase was published by the publisher who reviewed the manuscript
first. Not only the nobles, but also the vast majority of commoners, were perplexed
by that phrase.

What kind of scene was it that suggested it might offend nobles who aren’t even
commoners? The answer to that question was only known after the publication of
the new Xenon’s Saga.

[There is nobility above the people, a king above the nobility, and the king can only
exist because the state exists. However, it is the people who support the state. In other
words, whether it’s a king or a noble, it means nothing in front of the people. But, Count
Crost. You’re destroying the state’s foundations just for being offensive. It is truly the
conduct of a nobleman. Don’t you think so?]

The character in the novel, it was said by a nobleman, but it was a harsh criticism.
Even if it is a fictional story, it is only the author’s job to create the story.

So far, no books or paintings have satirized or criticized the nobles’ atrocities, but
Xenons’ Saga was too straightforward. Considering the ripple effect of Xenon’s Saga,
it was undoubtedly a very dangerous statement, although not unusual.

– A scene that clearly exposed the dark side of the aristocracy.

– In reality, there are many cases where nobles intimidate commoners. It was just
hidden from everyone.

– History repeats itself. If this goes on, an incident like the ‘Zeros Revolution’ will
happen again.

In fact, there is an event similar to the ‘French Revolution’ on Earth in this world. It
was the ‘Zeros Revolution’ that broke out in the Kingdom of Teres, which has been
regarded as the eternal enemy of the Minerva Empire.

Because a great man named Zeros was the leader, it is called the Zeros Revolution for
convenience.

Because of that one revolution, the kingdom of Teres was reeling and many corrupt
nobles were brought down. Although the revolution itself was not successful, its
aftermath was truly terrifying, enough to raise awareness.
However, despite such a major incident, the nobles still looked down on commoners.
On the contrary, there were cases where it was more viciously concealed and
thoroughly prevented from being known externally.

– Nobles and commoners are different from birth. Even the author of Xenon’s Saga
doesn’t think it’s such an insult.

– A novel is still a novel. If it were a commoner like Xenon, he would have been given
a title rather than confronting aristocrats.

As a result, some nobles harshly criticized the first half of the 8th volume. However,
only a few nobles are expressing criticism, and the majority of nobles are only
expressing bitter reactions.

One critic commented on these numerous responses.

– Most of the nobles who read this story and got angry were treating commoners as
slaves. Wouldn’t the prisoners be openly treated as slaves? It can only be said to be a
truly aristocratic mindset.

The mouths of the nobles who poured criticism and reproach on such a heavy fact
were shut tight. There was no such scene.

Anyway, due to the beginning of the 8th volume, countries with aristocratic classes
became noisy for a while, but countries without a noble class went on.

The nobleman who put Xenon, the main character, in danger, was eventually stripped
of all his posts and imprisoned, and Xenon headed to the land of the dwarves for a
short break.

Many readers expected it because it was the first time in Xenon’s Saga that he
traveled to a country of a different race, rather than a human country. Naturally,
among them, the Dwarves had the greatest expectations and concerns.

“Ummm…”

“How about it? Isn’t it worth a try? Here’s a rough description and pictures.”

A dwarf with a thick grey beard and an odd-looking face was focused on the drawing
on the paper.
Next to him, a young dwarf with a beard that barely covered his face was rushing
with an excited expression. The gray-bearded dwarf concentrated solely on the
drawing, ignoring the urgings of the dwarf next to him.

What he was looking at was a painting that appeared in the middle to late part of the
8th volume of Xenon’s Saga, which was published this month.

What he is currently seeing is a painting that appeared in the mid-to-late part of the
8th volume of Zeno’s biography published this month. It was attached with some
kind of adhesive to prevent it from falling off while reading it, but I found it later.

Then, the gray-bearded dwarf tilted his head and muttered the name of the picture
mentioned in the book.

The name of this lump of iron is a steam locomotive?”

“Yes!”

“But this huge lump of iron moves through a special engine? Only on a special road
called ‘Railway’? Not only in the front, but also in the back, like a wagon?”

“Yes!”

“Does moving the wheel maximize the rattling of the lid when boiling water in the
kettle?”

“Yes!”

Whenever the gray-bearded dwarf asked a question, the young dwarf responded
brightly. The gray-bearded dwarf burst out laughing at this.

“Hahaha. Son? Don’t talk nonsense. Novels should be read as novels. When you
substitute it for reality, it gives you a headache. We just need to make better
weapons.”

“But Father. It’s realistic. Wouldn’t it be better than nothing at all?”

At his son’s question, the gray-bearded dwarf waved his hand and said in an
implausible voice.
“It’s realistic, and this father is old and can’t afford to make something like this. I’d
rather gather like-minded people and make them all together. You’d rather get like-
minded people together and make it all together. And here they say coal? It’s full of
stones, so take care of it. We need more hearthstone than black stone.”

“Then aren’t you going to help me?”

“I can’t help you directly, but I can support you with money. It’ll be easy to find
people like you who are reckless idiots.”

“Okay! Please wait a moment! I’ll collect them soon!”

The young dwarf responded vigorously and ran back and forth out of the forge. The
gray-bearded dwarf smirked at his son’s passionate look, then glanced down at the
paper once more.

The quality of the paintings cannot be described in words, but the general
appearance was clear. There was also an explanation included with the book so you
could see what it is used for.

‘Your imagination is great. How did you come up with this idea?’

It was an idea that even the dwarves, a race of artisans and called the masters of
creation, and even the gray-bearded dwarves, the best of the dwarves, couldn’t help
but admire. In the current climate, where many people believed there was no
substitute for magic, the appearance of such a ‘machine’ will surely cause a massive
upheaval.

It was clear that ‘humans’ would benefit the most. Even if they lack natural abilities,
they have an unrivaled ability to learn and adapt.

Perhaps the invention of the steam locomotive would give way to machines instead
of magic.

‘Did this guy come from another world?’

{T/N:- *cough* *cough*}

The gray-bearded dwarf had no choice but to ask such a question sincerely.
It’s been a fortnight since the release of the eighth volume of Xenon’s Saga. I brought
a newspaper that was placed in front of the dormitory door before beginning a new
day today.

There were two kinds of newspapers available: one from Heutor Newspaper and one
from Tutli. The difference was that Heutor’s newspaper focused on humans, whereas
Tutli’s newspaper covered a wide range of topics regardless of race.

Because I had subscribed to two newspapers instead of one, the subscription fee was
a little high, but it wasn’t a big deal. My parents’ allowance for living expenses was
good enough.

“Hmm…”

After a quick breakfast, I opened the newspaper and began looking for the news I
wanted. As you all know, the news I wanted was about the publication of Xenon’s
Saga’s eighth volume released this year.

Firstly, I read the Heutor newspaper, which focused on the human side, and the news
I was looking for was listed on the first page. I leaned forward slightly, checking the
news.

[The Xenon’s Saga that touched the hearts of many readers finally shows up. By the
way…]

Just as expected. Several reactions were listed. While some critics criticized directly
because they thought it was time, many others accurately viewed the bitter reality. It
was a natural reaction because aristocratic criticism was a sensitive and hot topic for
them.

Nonetheless, there did not appear to be any major issues. To be honest, am I allowed
to put this in the first place? I wanted to, but after hearing Leort’s story, I was able to
make up my mind. If someone decides to find me to kill me, I’ll just hide right away
or entrust myself to the imperial family.

‘Well, it’s not just the dark side.’

If Count Crost, who trapped Xenon, was a figure who revealed the dark side of
aristocrats, Count Kay, on the contrary, is a figure who reveals the bright side of
aristocrats.

Maybe that’s why there were quite a few reviews for Count Kay. Most of them were
praising the appearance of Count Kay as a virtue that nobility should aim for.

‘If it hadn’t been for the Zeros Revolution, it would have been a bit dangerous.’

Similar events to the French Revolution on Earth existed in this world. Perhaps
because of that, it was rare to see nobles ‘openly’ intimidating or discriminating
against commoners. The aristocratic practice of disrespecting commoners still exists,
but I have not seen such a situation yet.

As the saying goes, ‘one loach muddies the water,’ there were many nobles whose
ideas were deeply ingrained. Even if they don’t go far at first, Marie’s family, the Duke
of Requilis, was realizing noblesse oblige.

The Duke, the second highest in the hierarchy after the Emperor, lived by such a
motto, and the nobles below him had no choice but to be wary.

I turned the pages after reading each country’s reaction one by one. Because the
Heutor newspaper was a company with roots in the Minerva Empire, the criticisms
of other countries were at the back.

“Hmm…”

As expected, the Kingdom of Teres was showing the most intense reaction. Since it
was the Kingdom of Teres where the Zeros Revolution took place, it was more
sensitive to this kind of story.

But the funny thing was that almost all of them were excited about Count Crost. The
commoners, as well as the nobles and even royalty, were no different. All of them
were of one mind and one heart and were enjoying the end of Count Crost.

‘Didn’t I say that there was not much difference between the commoners and the
nobles in the Teres Kingdom?’

The Kingdom of Teres was implementing a method of governance that was close to a
constitutional monarchy. It did not mean reigning but not ruling, but rather not
ruling as you please. If an aristocrat commits discrimination due to a bout of
measles, he is severely punished.

I kept flipping through the newspaper and checked the time. Now it’s time to go to
class. I’d only read the Heutor newspaper and haven’t checked the Tutuli newspaper
yet.

“I’ll just read it after class.”

I put the newspaper on the bed and got ready to head to the classroom. I didn’t
forget to check my lecture notes before going out. One fatal mistake was enough.

As I walked out the door, the fresh morning air greeted me. I proceeded to the
classroom with light steps.

‘By the way, how do I purchase Xenon’s Saga at the academy?’

As soon as the news that Xenon’s Saga was released, a huge number of people
gathered in front of the bookstore.

After seeing it, I was more shocked than surprised and didn’t say anything. Perhaps
it would have lessened by now.

My parents have the first edition, so it shouldn’t be a problem for reading, but my
older sister and older brother were the problems. Right now, even the author himself
cannot purchase the book except for the first edition, and it is questionable how to
get those two.

‘It’s amazing how I bought it until now.’

As I walked down the street with that thought in mind, I arrive at the lecture hall. As
soon as I entered the classroom, various stories entered my ears one after another.

“Did you read the eighth volume that came out this time?”

“Of course, I read it. It was a bit bitter, but it’s as expected.”
“A commoner made such an achievement, and there is probably no nobleman who
will not stand in check. What would happen if such a thing had actually happened?”

“Hey. Did you buy the one that came out this time? If you bought it, lend me.”

“No. I mean, I haven’t read it all yet.”

It was now a topic of discussion that entered through one ear and flowed through
the other. I’ve been listening to it a lot, so I’m passing it along lightly. It was more
important to ensure that my acquaintances were seated.

I rested my butt on a nearly empty seat and looked around the room.

“Cecily, did you read the eighth volume of Xenon’s Saga that came out this time?”

“No. I haven’t even bought it yet.”

“Ah, I see. I can lend it to you, can I?”

“It’s fine. I’m curious about the content, but I can bear it.”

Cecily was the only one who drew my attention, but she was surrounded by female
students. She wore an awkward expression as she answered the barrage of
questions from the female students gathered around her. Apparently, the current
situation was burdensome.

Even though I had my doubts about Rina not being by her side, I was able to confirm
that they had been sitting apart for a while and belatedly. When I looked over at
Rina, I noticed a large group of female students gathered next to her.

“What do you think, Rina? Even though it’s a novel, don’t you think it’s gone too far?”

“Um… well? If we don’t do anything wrong, we can be proud. If it were me, I’d take a
hero like Xenon as it is. In fact, that’s often the case.”

“Then why do you think Xenon didn’t receive the title of noble? Count Kay also
suggested that he could become a noble if he joined the knighthood.”

“It must have been that Xenon decided that a free adventurer was better than a
nobleman.”
Unlike Cecily, who was at a loss, Rina was dealing with female students with a calm
and elegant tone. She looked like a grown-up was telling a funny story to her
children, and she almost let out a little laugh.

‘Why are they sitting apart?’

Cecily and Rina would always hang out together. At least I never saw the two of them
apart.

But now they were torn apart and were far away. As I had only seen the two of them
hanging out together, I couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Did they have a fight?’

I looked back and forth between the two of them, who were straining to deal with
the group of female students, and then turned my gaze forward. It’s not something I
should be concerned about right now.

‘But where did Marie go… ’

As I was thinking about it, someone sat next to me and greeted me brightly.

“Hello!”

Speak of the devil and here she is.

Marie waved at me with a bright smile. I also waved my hand to say hello.

“…Yeah. Hello.”

“Huh? What’s with the reaction?”

“Never mind.”

I was curious as to why she, who usually arrives early to class, came at this hour, but
I didn’t bother to ask.

It could be because Cecily and Rina were sitting apart and the girls were swarming
around them, so she was sitting next to me.
Meanwhile, Marie greeted me with her characteristically lively voice.

“What did you do over the weekend?”

“I read a book.”

“What book? Eighth volumes of Xenon’s Saga?”

“No. A history book.”

“Eh. A history book?”

Marie, who heard my answer, looked as if she heard something she couldn’t bear to
hear. Like I said before, Marie hated history to the point where she shudders.

I silently nodded, and Marie opened her mouth as if she couldn’t understand.

“Why do you have to find and read that uninteresting thing? There are so many good
stories to read like Xenon’s Saga.”

“I was having fun.”

Moreover, in Professor Elena’s lab, there were piles of history books and papers that
I have never been seen before. These days, I live for the pleasure of reading them.

Teaching Cindy to write seemed like it would give me cancer. Cindy’s comprehension
was catastrophic, to the point that she had to chew and digest to barely understand.
Still, she wasn’t without passion, but she couldn’t bear to curse.

“Yeah. Everyone has different tastes. By the way…”

Marie looked back slightly and mumbled. Her gaze turned to Cecily and Rina.

After that, she shook her head and opened her mouth with the nuance that she could
not stop…

“They’re still like that.”

“What happened?”
“Oh. You don’t know. They had a fight at the cafe yesterday.”

As expected, they fought. I had roughly expected it, but it was equally astonishing.

I took turns looking at Rina and Cecily, who were still surrounded by girls, and then
asked Marie.

“Why? What did they fight for?”

“I don’t know. I happened to pass by and saw it.”

“Hmm…”

Is there a topic for those two to fight about? No matter how much I thought about it,
nothing came to mind.

“Anyway, did you read the new Xenon’s Saga book released this time?”

While I was thinking deeply, Marie asked me with a slightly joking accent. I got out of
my thoughts and faced her.

Her eyes were slightly folded, giving the impression of a smirk, but somehow it felt
unlucky. It’s like feeling a sense of superiority. To this, I answered with a raised
eyebrow.

“No. You?”

“Wew.”

She didn’t answer but let out a strange laugh. As soon as I saw the reaction, I could
predict that Marie had bought the eighth volume.

And sure enough. As soon as Marie’s mouth opened, the answer I expected came out.

“Of course I got it. Even the ones I couldn’t buy until now. My father put a lot of effort
into it.”

“I see. You didn’t commit anything illegal, did you?”

“It can’t be. I just mobilized my personal connections. It’s absolutely not illegal,
right?”

Do you need to mobilize your personal network too just to buy a few books? It was also
the Duke’s family with the most power after the emperor.

While I was puzzled to myself, Marie said with an aggravated expression.

“Are you jealous? If you are jealous, say you’re jealous. If you really want to, I can
lend it to you.”

“It’s okay. Even if it takes time, I can buy it later.”

I am, above all, the author. It was time for me to raise my hand and respond directly.

Marie listened to my answer and looks at this? She smiled and let out a deep sigh.

“Huh… If it comes to this, I’ll have to come up with an irresistible story.”

“An irresistible story?”

What the hell is she talking about? Marie looked around while I asked myself that
question. She seemed to be careful that no one else would listen.

Then she waved her hand as if to ask me to come closer. I brought my face close to
her, holding my question in my heart. Marie was momentarily taken aback, and she
quietly shouted.

“Hey, hey! Bring your ears close, not your face. Ears!”

“Ah.”

I turned around and brought forward my ears. Marie sighed and brought her hands
together to her ears to keep her voice from leaking out.

“Don’t be surprised to hear this. Actually, my father told me something startling.”

“Really? Did the Duke send you a letter?”

“Yeah. What was written in that letter…”

Marie paused for a moment, then looked around again. Then she whispered in my
ear.

“My father said he found the author of Xenon’s Saga.”

“……”

With that one word, I felt my heart stop.

“I heard they even invited him to our house? The author said he readily accepted it.”

“…What?”

I couldn’t help but frown at the explanation that immediately followed.

I wonder what kind of bullshit this is.

{T/N:- I wonder want kind of punishment is there for scamming a Duke.}

After hearing Marie’s information, I couldn’t help but raise my brows. Why did she
bring up such a story when I was the author of Xenon’s Saga? I thought she was
bluffing or lying for a moment.

But, if I think about it, it’s less likely to be a bluff, and if she truly intended to lie, she
wouldn’t have discussed it privately with me as she did now. Marie thought it was
vital information and asked me to hear her out.

‘…Huh?’

In my previous life, there was a popular meme called ‘The Hongchul team without
Hongchul.’ It referred to a situation in which everything was perfect except for the
most essential piece. In other words, a red bean bread without red beans.

And that was exactly the situation right now. The author was right in front of her, and
I’m still perplexed that she told a total stranger.

‘…Did her father make a mistake in telling her, even though he’s wrong about who the
author is?’ I took a moment to collect my thoughts before facing Marie. She had a
confident expression on her face, smirking as if I’ll never be able to deny her claim.

Putting aside other concerns, the first priority was confirmation. I kept my cool as
much as I could and asked quietly, “…Really?”

“Yes.”

“Is he the real author of Xenon’s Saga?”

“That’s right. Don’t you believe me?”

I can’t help but not believe it. You left the real author behind and invited the wrong
person. Well, your father did. However, since I couldn’t tell the truth as it is, I thought
it would be best to find out what happened as best I could.
“Of course. As you know, it’s been a year since Xenon’s Saga was first released as a
serial novel. In that year, there were only rumors about who wrote Xenon’s Saga,
with no concrete evidence. Even the Imperial Family is looking for the author, but
they have no leads.”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“But apparently your father found one. How?”

“I, too, am unaware of the details. His letter only stated that they had found the
author and would be inviting him to our mansion. Maybe Father accidentally stepped
on his tail?”

Hearing that story, I was reminded of the process of how I started getting my
manuscript published. I am not sure about the specifics, but my father said he had
someone deliver the manuscript directly to the publisher.

My father is the former captain of the Navy Knights, so he must have many
connections that I was unaware of. Perhaps it was one of these that had their tail
stepped on. Also, before coming to the academy, my father stated that he had been
able to hide things well up until now, but that the truth would be discovered one day.

As I rubbed the pen-hook in my hand, another question came to mind. I asked rather
bluntly, “Is there any possibility of impersonation?”

“Ah. What kind of madman would impersonate his identity in front of a nobleman,
especially a high-ranking duke who is just below the rank of the emperor?”

“Um… that’s right.”

Did her father really make such an embarrassing mistake? It’s not like there’s no
possibility at all, so I’m a little worried. However, the world was vast and full of
insane people. As Marie said, no one would dare to cheat a powerful duke, but many
people risk their lives to gamble from time to time in order to make a fortune. ‘It’s
almost certainly an impersonation… ’

I wouldn’t know if she just says they found the author, but since she said they were
inviting the author to the mansion, the odds were on the impersonation side. As a
result, the first step was to write a letter home, explaining the situation. It’s good to
be mindful of the worst-case scenario.
After organizing all my thoughts, I took a long breath. I then turned to face Marie and
spoke. “So… what?”

“Huh?”

“What do you want me to do? Did you have anything you wanted to ask me?”

The subject turned around and returned to the starting point. If Marie was willing to
give me such sensitive information, she must have wanted something from me. Marie
looked puzzled for a moment at my question, then smiled mischievously. Her
confident expression vanished, leaving only shyness.

“It’s just… I have an offer for you. Will you accept it?”

“What offer?”

“When the author comes to the mansion, I’ll bring you too. You’re a fan of Xenon’s
Saga too. It’d be nice to get a handwritten autograph, don’t you think?”

It would be my own autograph… Come to think of it, I didn’t have my own special
signature in my previous life. If there was anything at all, it was merely my scribbled
signature when signing at book events.

But when I heard this offer from Marie, I seriously felt the need to have my own
autograph. At the least, it will allow me to be able to prepare for the same situation
as now… that is, dealing with impersonators. I think it would be best to include a
handwritten autograph for my next manuscript. ‘You can’t trace a person with just
one autograph.’

That was difficult even on Earth with its excellent scientific technology. Even if there
is magic, it wouldn’t be used for such trivial things.

In any case, I decided to accept her offer. I’m not sure if it’s an impersonator or not,
but I’d like to watch when the mask is removed. Should I bring popcorn?

“Okay then, I guess I’ll accept. What do you want in exchange?”

Marie answered my question in a low voice, keeping a shy face. “Can you teach me
some… history?”
“History?”

“Yes.”

“Why all of a sudden? You hate history.”

“That’s…”

Here’s what Mary eventually brought out as her explanation. As we all know, passing
a grade requires a specific score in any school setting. So, Marie focused on the
particular majors she was interested in while excluding others such as history.

The concept of reviewing knowledge learned from one’s own family, she says, is easy
for her in her own way. However, after the letter came from her family, the situation
changed drastically. It was her father, the Duke of Requilis, who imposed a condition
on her.

A condition to score at least 90 points in history. If not, he told her not to even dream
of reading Xenon’s Saga in the future.

I couldn’t understand why he picked only history when she was good at other
majors, but after hearing Marie’s explanation, I sort of understood.

“Our Requilis family is one that values history. We believe that we can correct the
present by reflecting on the mistakes of the past and take the lead in the future.
That’s why we tend to study history from the old days.”

“Is this an ideology that has been passed down from generation to generation?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…” I was amazed. I knew from the beginning that the concept was well
embedded in some cultures, but the Requilis family was even wiser and more fanatic
than that. This was the reason why the family remained strong even after hundreds
of years had passed since the founding of the Minerva Empire.

Instead, home education seems to be difficult to give a very good evaluation of.
Perhaps the reason why Marie hates history is because of her natural rebelliousness.
Even in my previous life, one of the reasons why children hate studying is because of
their parents’ coercion.
So, I asked Marie if my guess was correct. “Is that the reason you hate history? It’s
because the family pesters you all the time about it?”

“Uh! That’s right! How did you know?”

“Well, it’s a normal kind of thing.” I continued speaking half to myself regardless of
whether Marie gave me a good look. “But can a student teach another student? Well,
I don’t really care. A review concept is enough…”

“Maybe since it’s not cheating, it’ll be fine? If it’s a problem, we can do it secretly.”

“What are you doing secretly?”

As we were talking, a familiar voice chimed in; a scary voice that could shake the
hearts of men. At that, I, as well as Marie, turned our heads toward the voice. We
both saw Cecily sitting in the back seat, unaware of when she came.

Also, she was looking at us with a face full of playfulness, her eyes half-closed. I, who
had no idea when she had arrived, spoke in a shaky tone to Cecily. “…when did you
come?”

“A while ago. The seat behind you was unoccupied, so I moved right away.”

As soon as I heard Cecily’s reply, I checked where Rina was. Around Rina, the girls
who had been chatting with her for a long time were still sitting there.

I’m sure there were quite a few students by Cecily’s side too, so I wonder how she
escaped.

“Anyway, will you answer my question first? What are you doing secretly?”

“Huh…” I looked at Marie without answering right away. Marie was openly
expressing feelings of discomfort. If it were Rina, I wouldn’t know, but since she
usually got along well with Cecily, I couldn’t help but wonder.

When I couldn’t easily respond due to the strange change in atmosphere, Marie
clenched her jaw and spoke curtly. “It’s nothing. Isaac has agreed to help me with my
history studies.”

“History? Didn’t you say you hate history?” Cecily widened her eyes and expressed
her doubts. She appears to be well aware that Marie despises history.

At that question, Marie took a deep breath and opened her mouth in a slightly
lowered voice. “…My family told me to get a good score in history. If I don’t get over
90, I’m afraid I won’t be able to read Xenon’s Saga in the future.”

“Aha. That’s why you asked Isaac. Isaac knows a lot about history.”

Marie nodded, as if she had no intention of denying it. Confirming it, Cecily looked at
me with curious eyes.

I flinched at her gleaming red eyes. Should I call it the eyes of a beast looking at its
prey? Anyway, something was troubling me.

“Then can I join you too?”

Sure enough, my anxiety was well-founded. Just like how Marie had given up on
trying to keep everything private, as if she had anticipated this development, she
replied, “Do whatever you want. Because it’s Isaac who allows it, not me anyway.”

Cecily looked at me. “Then can I join you?”

“…Yeah.”

I can’t say no because I’m afraid of the aftermath. Cecily thanked me and smiled
softly when I gave permission. As soon as a beautiful girl like Cecily smiles, my face
heated up instantly. To change the subject, I quickly cleared my throat to barely cool
my face, which was starting to heat up.

“…Ms. Cecily? I have a question I want to ask, is that okay?”

“Why did I get in a fight with Rina?”

“Huh?”

How did you know? Did you suddenly learn mind reading?

After I was momentarily taken aback, she giggled.

“Oh. Isaac doesn’t know, but your thoughts tend to show on your face. Doesn’t Marie
agree?”

“To some extent.”

“…Is it so obvious?” I fumbled as I heard these words. I thought I was good at acting,
but I guess I was wrong.

Marie smirked as I tried to settle my face, startled by their opinion of me.

“Did you give me a picture by mistake the other day? Do you know what your face
was like back then?”

“Of course, I don’t know.”

“That pale face of yours turned blue in an instant, then returned to normal. Anyone
could tell that you were embarrassed. Is there anyone who wouldn’t be able to
notice?”

“No. That’s… hah.” Changing the color of one’s face is a thing that cannot be helped.
No matter how good an actor is, one cannot change their face color freely. Unless
they’re a chameleon, of course.

“…Let’s get over this for now, Ms. Cecily.”

“All right.”

“So why did Ms. Cecily get in a fight with Ms. Rina?”

“It’s nothing special. And we already made up.”

“Eh? Then why were you fighting?”

Cecily shrugged her shoulders and answered kindly, “Because Rina had revealed
almost all of the contents of Volume 8 of Xenon’s Saga to me.”

“……”

“Rina must have thought that I had already read it. That made me a little angry.
Although we reconciled, that’s why we sat apart. All I could hear were her stories
and opinions about the eighth volume.”
It was an understandable reason, I guess.

{T/N:- that’s how I felt when I was spoiled about Mushoku Tensei in its entirety.}

Time passed, and another humanities lecture came to an end.

While Isaac was in the school restroom, Marie, the white-haired beauty, was staring
intently at a picture. After finishing all her notes, Cecily got up from her seat and
called out to Marie.

“Marie, don’t you want to go to the bathroom with me?”

“Huh? Not really?”

“Really? But what are you looking at now?”

Cecily was intrigued by the picture Marie was holding in her hand. In response,
Marie glanced at Cecily and explained calmly.

“This is an illustration attached to the Eighth Volume of Xenon’s Saga. It’s a steam
locomotive, and it plays a pretty important role in the story. Shall I tell you?”

“No. Don’t ever tell me. You know what I mean?”

“Okay then.”

Cecily also left the classroom. As soon as Cecily was gone, Marie focused more on the
picture.

“Hmm…” The title of this picture, which was the core of the Eighth Volume of Xenon’s
Saga, was the steam locomotive. It’s a rare masterpiece created by a geek dwarf who
inherited his master’s will and changed the course of his life.

Currently, most readers were paying attention to the initial criticism regarding the
story’s portrayal of the nobility, both good and bad, but interest in the steam
locomotive was also high.

Many people said it was impossible to create such a mode of transportation, yet
there were estimates by others that if it were invented, it would advance civilization
by several stages.

But apart from everything else, it was the appearance of the steam locomotive that
drew Marie’s attention. It had a cylindrical body with wheels and gears attached, and
a steam-dispensing funnel that was mounted like a horn on its head.

And Marie had seen something similar to this picture.

“It may be similar, or it may not be…”

She scratched her cheek in confusion.

If History was the major I was most interested in when I first arrived at the Academy,
then Anthropology became the next major I found myself interested in. This world’s
anthropology included not only humans, but also various races such as elves,
beastmen, dwarves, and demons. As a result, in anthropology classes, we learned
about the unique characteristics of each race, as well as their strengths and
weaknesses.

Halo Academy, on the other hand, used an education method that focused on
humans and compared them to other races. This was because it was a human-
founded educational institution, and the majority of its students were human.
Nonetheless, the people from different races who enrolled in Halo Academy were
satisfied. The world is vast, and there are numerous races, but they are well aware
that humans have always been at the center of events.

“According to a recent study, humans number approximately 1.6 billion, while the
other races total only 800 million. Humans have gained the upper hand due to their
large population and ability to develop endlessly. And…”

An elderly gentleman with thick grey brows stood in front of the lecture hall,
enthusiastically explaining things. Meanwhile, I sat in the front row listening avidly
to all his lectures.

Professor Roy Magnus was the name of the elderly man. He was, as one could guess,
an Anthropology Professor. As passionate as Professor Beerus, the Humanities
professor, there was not a single moment of boredom in Professor Magnus’ class
either.

“Of course, other races have their own strengths, so they are constantly keeping
humans in check. Dwarves have complete control over the arms trade, and each
elven warrior is as powerful as a Knight Commander. The same is true for beastmen.
Finally, demons are unrivalled in terms of magic. But what about humans? There is
nothing special about us by nature. The event that revealed all these strengths and
weaknesses was the Tribal War.”
Anthropology, by its very nature, was inextricably linked with the ‘Tribal War’. The
good and bad sides of each race were revealed in that war, and humans took the
initiative in earnest. On this point, I completely agree.

But I had a question that was not related to that. When Professor Roy paused in his
explanation to catch his breath, I gently raised my hand. Professor Roy’s face lit up as
I raised my hand.

“Oh, yes. Student Isaac. What question would you like to ask today?”

“……”

When I heard the professor’s words, I smiled bitterly. Anthropology was the second
major I was interested in these days after History, so from the first class, I asked
questions like this. As a result, Professor Roy had a favorable opinion of me.

Of course, the other students’ gazes were inversely proportional to his. It was
because I received points for asking a lot of questions. Anyway, I’m going to ask him
whatever questions I want.

“Didn’t Professor say the number of humans is 1.6 billion? And none of the other
races add up to 800 million.”

“That’s right.”

“For the moment, I’m going to talk about elves. Elves have the lowest fertility rate of
any race and as a result, they have the smallest population. I’ve heard that the
population of elves is 100 million at the most.”

“And there are 250 million dwarves, 350 million beastmen, and 100 million demons.
It’s a rough calculation.”

Professor Roy had explained that the population of elves was quite small, even when
measured as a percentage of the total population. Isn’t 100 million out of 2.1 billion
sufficient? That was true, but when viewed from the perspective of my previous life,
there was something clearly odd.

It should not be forgotten that only ‘humans’ existed on Earth. Considering the racial
characteristics of the elves, they are seriously few.
“Yes. In addition, elves can live about 1,000 years, if we consider their longevity. Even
if humans live long enough, it is a staggering figure compared to just over 100 years.
Even if you roughly calculate it, it is more than 10 times. But even taking this into
consideration, I think it’s odd that the population of the elves is so small.”

“In other words, what you are saying is that despite the number of human deaths
during those 1000 years, the small number of elves is strange. Is this what you
mean?”

Professor Roy neatly organized the questions I wanted. As I nodded, he made eye
contact with Cecily, who was sitting next to me. Professor Roy, who met her eyes for
a moment, then turned away and looked around. Except for Cecily, a demon, there
were only humans in the classroom.

“Um… that’s a pretty interesting question. Since we’ve only talked about elves first,
let’s talk about their biological characteristics, then their cultural characteristics.
First of all, Isaac. How much do you know about sex?”

“…Huh?”

I was stunned by the surprise question that came in unexpectedly. I’m not sure if it
was another question, but when I was suddenly asked about so-called ‘Sacred
Knowledge,’ I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Professor Roy, who asked the
question, hurriedly added a further explanation when the atmosphere in the
classroom became strange.

“Ah, everyone, don’t think strangely. This can only be explained using fragments of
Sacred Knowledge. Anyway, student Isaac. The answer to my question?”

“Uh… well, I know everything,” I answered, but I couldn’t stop my face from blushing
in real-time. I hope this was an explanation worth giving an answer to.

{T/N:- He better write and publish Kamasutra too alongside. I wonder how the
world would react to that.}

While I was thinking that way, Professor Roy coughed and brought out explanations
one by one. “Hmm, then I’ll explain. You’ll learn this during your Biology class, but
there are some students who don’t take Biology, so please listen carefully. First of all,
human beings… that is, human women… get a chance to have children once a month.
But Elves have a very long cycle. According to research, on average, just once a year.”
“Woah…”

I was truly amazed by Professor Roy’s explanation. That’s why the fertility rate had
fallen to such an atrocious level. Rather, it was more amazing that they did not go
extinct despite having such a long menstrual cycle.

“And one more thing. There is a cultural characteristic of elves. Unlike humans, elves
tend to regard sexual intercourse as a sacred ‘ritual.’ Elven men’s s*xual desire is also
mild compared to humans. Oh, in this case, it would be better to explain that human
s*xual desire is stronger than other races.”

“……”

“Because of these aspects, the elf population is small. How is it now? Do you
understand?”

Professor Roy’s question elicited a slow nod from me. As a mysterious race, the
reason for the low birth rate was also mysterious.

Most of all, I felt a bit strange. In my previous life, elves were only described as
having a low fertility rate, nothing more. No one was curious because it was a
‘common sense’ concept with no explanation. It was the same for me too. But not
now. I realized again, thanks to the simple and clear explanation, that I had been
reincarnated in a fantasy world.

“Thank you. It makes my head feel clearer about it.”

“Rather, I’m grateful. I have never seen a student asking such interesting questions. I
hope next time you will ask more interesting questions like this.”

“Then what about beastmen?”

“Well?”

It was not my question. It wasn’t a question from Cecily, who was sitting next to me.
At this, I turned my head.

I looked to the side where the sound came from and saw a beautiful woman with
auburn hair raising her hand. She had a detached expression that didn’t show any
emotion, just like her hard tone. Meanwhile, the woman with auburn hair brought up
the question she wanted once more as my attention was focused on her.

“I would also like to know why the number of beastmen is small.”

“Your name is… Leona.”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“So what are you curious about?”

“Beastmen have a strong s*x drive just like humans, and their menstrual cycle is
similar to that of humans. However, the number of beastmen is only 200 million. I
wonder why.”

Leona’s question was also valid. Beastmen had an appearance that resembled a cross
between a human and an animal, and they insisted on living a primitive life in the
past, but they established their own nation around 300 years ago. But even so, their
numbers were surprisingly low when compared to humans. Although their country
has not been in existence for long, it is uncommon when considering it fully.

After listening to Leona’s words, Professor Roy touched his chin as if thinking for a
moment, and then, unlike before, gave a rather ambiguous answer.

“It’s a fairly complex matter. There are cultural characteristics unique to beastmen,
but during the Tribal War, beastmen were slaughtered by us humans. At least tens of
millions of beastmen must have been wiped out of existence. Because of that, they
still have a bad relationship with humans.”

Professor Roy talked about the worst war crimes ever committed by humans during
the Tribal War. Although the Holy Nation ‘Savior’ had a history of massacring
demons indiscriminately, that was limited to only one country, and that incident was
a crime committed by the ‘Human Alliance.’

When the prisoners they had used as slaves allied with the elves, the Human Alliance
killed them all. To my eyes, it was far worse than the Holocaust, the massacre of Jews
by Nazi Germany in World War II. Even more worrisome was that they offered a
reward for killing each escaped prisoner. Because of this heinous incident, the
beastmen population was cut in half and reduced to a quarter. It was a piece of
history that demonstrated how cruel humans can be.
“Besides, beastmen are a race that is passionate about battles from birth. From a
human point of view, it can be called savage, and from a beastman’s point of view,
they consider themselves honorable warriors. Due to their cultural characteristics,
they are often killed in action rather than by natural death. Even beastmen who die
naturally despise themselves for not being able to die with honor.”

“……”

“Still, compared to 500 years ago, the population growth rate is similar to or higher
than that of humans. I can’t give you a clear answer because the answer that Student
Leona wants is currently in progress. Keep that in mind.”

“I see. Thank you for the explanation.” Leona took her seat after her
characteristically blunt response. While listening to her words, I suddenly
remembered what the relationship between humans and beastmen was like.

‘It’s quite dangerous… and it’s the same for both sides.’ The main thing that defined
the relationship between humans and beastmen:

Sworn Enemies.

The beastmen universally despise humans, while humans regard them as

insignificant. In particular, I have heard instances where they are frequently sold as
slaves on the black market.

Simply put, humans regard beastmen as lesser beings than themselves. Since
demons were seen as dangerous public enemies rather than particularly ‘inferior,’
the same prejudice for them seemed to be rare.

“Isaac. Do humans and beastmen have a bad relationship?” Cecily asked me in a

whisper as if she was curious about that part too. Her red eyes were full of curiosity.

To that, I looked at Professor Roy and answered quietly. “Yes. Too many humans still
regard beastmen as inferior beings, while the beastmen see humans as the
equivalent of demons who slaughtered their own kind without mercy. As the
professor said earlier, this is a vicious cycle that has continued since the incident that
occurred during the Tribal War.”

“Just like we demons were treated as time bombs by all races?”

“Even though demons and beastmen are similar in certain ways, unlike demons,
beastmen are treated as slaves by humans only.”

“I see.”

As a demon who has been severely discriminated against since birth, did she feel a
sense of kinship? Cecily nodded her head with a subtle gaze.

Then she lowered her gaze to think about it for a moment and opened her mouth.
“Then, wouldn’t it be possible to reconcile when another story about humans and
beastmen comes out in Xenon’s Saga? If it can change the perception of us demons,
then nothing’s impossible.”

“I do not know…”

I thought hard as I rubbed my pen-hook lightly. It was true that the perception of
demons had changed through Xenon’s Saga, as she said, but even I did not expect it.
Even more, humans and beastmen were bound by a chain of ‘hate.’ As the saying
goes, revenge breeds revenge, it was difficult to break this chain of hatred, even if a
positive story about beastmen was told in Xenon’s Saga.

“Do beastmen also read Xenon’s Saga? Because humans are the main characters,
there are reviews by dwarves and elves in the newspapers, but no matter how much
I search for beastmen, there are none.”

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re just not talking, but actually enjoy reading it?”

“Then what…?” I sighed and answered.

“It’s going to be a pretty interesting story.”

Unlike what I just said out loud, it was my intention.

‘What if they actually do read it?’

Cecily didn’t know, but there was a future story arc where Xenon and the Prince of
Beastmen develop mutual trust and become friends. It was the story of a human
expressing a sincere apology to the beastmen and forming an alliance to fight the
Devil.
‘It’s not realistic at all, huh… ’ No. There’s a living witness right next to me to talk
about such a reality. A demon who was despised not only by humans but by all races.

Cecily tilted her head as I glanced at her. “Why are you looking at me like that? Do I
have something on my face?”

“…No. Nothing.”

“You know that your face is red again, right?”

“……”

“Be honest. You though I was pretty, right?”

I just kept my mouth shut.

I discovered one thing while living at the academy. Cecily was a mischievous, mean-
spirited person when she sensed someone’s weakness. She was a model of a polite
princess when using respectful words to me, but once she let go of those, she was
always good at pulling pranks.

“You can be honest. You know I’m pretty. That’s why you stared at my face earlier,
right?”

“…that’s not it.”

“Then why is your face red?”

It was the same even after the Anthropology lecture was over. Cecily’s mischief
continued all the way to the school cafeteria. She urged me in a persistent voice,
determined to hear my ruffled response with my own mouth. I denied it as much as I
could, even as I vividly felt my face turning red again with every word she spoke. It
was because I couldn’t predict what kind of prank would occur if I simply affirmed it.

When I denied it until the end, Cecily made a puzzled expression. “You called me big
sister (Noona) the other day, so why aren’t you answering now? I don’t understand.”

“It’s not the same now as it was then. And there are others who are watching.” Even
as I said that, there were students whispering around us.

I’m not exaggerating, but just by looking around, I could feel many students’ gazes
directed toward us. Naturally, it was because of the beautiful Cecily, who was friendly
with me. Cecily was the princess of Helium, and coupled with her striking
appearance, she had been a hot topic since the entrance ceremony, so many people
are naturally curious about her.

Naturally they all wondered why such a person got along with an unknown male
student like myself. Rumors spreading within a school setting were a natural
occurrence, however. Because it’s been about three weeks since the entrance
ceremony and there weren’t many Literature students as there are Martial Arts
students, gossip about Cecily and myself must have already spread as quickly as it
could.

‘I don’t have a big problem yet, but… ’ I also have ears, so I vaguely know what my
current reputation is. A red-haired person of interest to the professors and at the same
time, an unlucky redhead to the very same students. These are all stories I heard by
chance in a restaurant the other day.

Right now, they seem to be watching because of Cecily and Rina, but you never know
when it might explode. The students enrolled in Halo Academy are emotionally
imperfect teenagers and there are many children from high-nosed aristocratic
families. Even if they don’t go overboard with their petty jealousies and dislike right
now, a guy named Jackson was already displeased with me.

When I finally became honest about it and explained the situation to Cecily, her
reaction was:

“…Really?” Cecily seemed to grasp the true atmosphere only after hearing my words.
Seeing her slightly frowning face, it was clear that she didn’t like it. As Cecily also
looked around, the whispers died away abruptly.

I glanced at her and, in a cautious voice, suggested to Cecily, “If you’re uncomfortable,
let’s part ways.”

“No. There’s no problem with this. It’s always been the case in Helium.”

“Helium doesn’t have any nobility except for the king, right?”

She replied with a soft smile, “Even if there are no nobles, that doesn’t mean there’s
no way to keep the king in check.” It was probably something I didn’t know about. Of
course, it’s not that I don’t get it. I nodded my head as if I Knew it, and she smiled
faintly. It was close to saying thank you for not asking, but after a while, her smile
deepened and her playfulness began to show through again. I wanted to see that, but
it was already too late.

“So what’s the answer to my question from before? When are you going to admit it?”

“……”
“If you keep your mouth shut, I’ll do something weird and probably embarrassing to
you.”

In the end, I had no choice but to surrender. I covered my face with one hand and
opened my lips as if giving up.

“Okay, yes. You’re very pretty. Of all the people I’ve seen so far, Ms. Cecily is the
prettiest.”

“Shouldn’t you call me Cecily noona?”

“…Cecily Noona.”

“Huhu. Thank you. It feels like I’m always being bowed down to, but hearing words
like that from Isaac is new and refreshing.”

“Hufff…” Now I’m so red, it looks like my face was going to explode. I took a deep
breath to get rid of the heat rising from within. Even so, I was embarrassed because I
didn’t think I would go down without a fight.

Either way, Cecily giggled like a girl and tickled my ears. Is teasing me so much fun for
you? It was difficult for me to understand. “I’m sorry. Your reactions are so funny that
I can’t stop.”

“…My reactions are funny?”

“Yes.”

“Then it won’t be fun if I don’t react to anything, right?”

“Heh. Try it once.”

“…Sorry.” In addition, I lacked initiative. Cecily smiled slightly as I lowered my tail

and spoke softly like before.

“Isaac.”

“Yeah?”

“Aren’t you curious about the demons?”

“Why do you ask?”

When I threw this question back at her, Cecily spoke of what had happened during
Anthropology class. “Before, you asked why the elves had a small population. I
thought you weren’t curious about the demons.”

“No. I have a lot of questions.”

“Then why don’t you ask?” Cecily tilted her head and asked me that in a tone as if she
didn’t understand.

I answered quietly while looking at her face. “I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake.”

“You are afraid you’ll make a mistake?”

“Yeah.”

For hundreds of years, demons were persecuted regardless of whichever race they
interacted with. So I was a little hesitant to ask questions about demons to Cecily. It
will be awkward for both Cecily and myself if I touch upon a painful or taboo subject.
It wasn’t because I lacked courage; it was just out of consideration. That way, at least
I can have an amicable relationship with her by not digging up the other person’s
wounds. That’s why, like Cecily, I don’t joke around and accept it quietly.

“…Yeah. Isaac is very caring.” She muttered that with a happy smile as if she
understood my feelings. Then she told me that I was kind. She added, “It’s fine. You
can ask me anything.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You aren’t just anyone, you’re Isaac. I know there won’t be any malice at all.”

“If that’s the case…” I muttered and looked around. As we talked, we arrived at the
cafeteria before we knew it, but there weren’t many students there. The majority of
them eat out. In response, I picked up an empty bowl from the small stack and asked
Cecily a question. It’s something I’ve always been curious about, so I was a little
excited. “What do those horns do?”

“Huh? Horns?”
“Yeah.”

Cecily heard my question and fiddled with the horns rising from her temples. The
horns became redder as they reached their tips. Horns, along with black mana, were
a characteristic that could be considered the demons’ symbol. However, there was no
proper research on demon horns and only strange rumors abounded.

For example, is mana gathered in demon horns, or is it simply a symbol of the devil?
And so on. As a result, even in Xenon’s Saga, I rarely mentioned demons’ horns.

“Ummm…” Cecily took a moment to organize her thoughts and began to put food into
her empty bowl bit by bit. I also put food in mine bit by bit, waiting for her to provide
an answer. Eventually, when we found empty seats and sat down, Cecily, who was
sitting across from me, answered. “Did I tell you about our menstrual cycle?”

“…Huh?”

Tuk—

It’s an embarrassing answer enough to miss the fork that I used to lift up my food.
For a moment, I couldn’t tell if she was serious or just joking. Contrary to my feelings,
however, Cecily’s face remained calm. Through this, I could see that she was sincere
and not joking.

Even though I looked at her with a puzzled expression on my face, Cecily continued
speaking as if it was not a big deal. “As you know, demons are descendants of the
Great Devil. And demons are literally the crystallization of ‘desire.’ Because of this, we
demons have a difficult time controlling our desires in certain cycles. This
phenomenon is referred to as the ‘Evil Cycle,’ but only our men say that while demon
women tend to just use the term ‘menstruation.’ Ironically, it overlaps with our true
menstrual period.”

“……”

So that’s how it is. As a result, the tense mind gradually relaxed. Instead, I couldn’t
stop the heat from rising to my face.

I coughed out all the thoughts in my head and asked another question. “Then how do
you endure it? I don’t know the details since I’m a human male, but women also say
that every time they menstruate, their stomach hurts.”
“I usually calm down through meditation. As for the pain from menstruation itself,
recently medicine has been invented so there is no major issue.”

“What if someone, um, touches you during the Evil Cycle? Will you become a… a
devil?”

“No. I don’t become a devil just because of that. Most demons become devils after
they experience a terrible tragedy. Either they’ve lost their loved ones in front of
their eyes, or they were betrayed by a trusted friend,” Cecily explained as she picked
up minced meat with a fork from her bowl and put it in her mouth.

She went on after taking a bite, “Well, like you already suspect, we can be as violent
as devils. Our women especially tend to become like that.”

“It’s the same with humans.”

“Is that so? I heard earlier that human females menstruate once a month? It must be
very difficult. Demons only do it once every six months.”

Are the long-lived races on the long side of the menstrual cycle? Elves and demons
have a very long menstrual cycle then. Or it could be that humans and beastmen
have an abnormally short one.

With growing curiosity, I hurriedly moved on to the next question. What kind of race
the demons were was more important than the meal.

“So, does that mean that as a demon’s horn grows, their cycle approaches?”

“No. The horns don’t grow and this red part covers the entire horn.” Cecily tapped
the tip of her horn, which was dyed red as if painted over. Approximately a quarter of
the area was currently covered in red.

‘If the horns are all dyed red, you must never touch them, right?’ That’s what she
implied after explaining the Evil Cycle. I don’t know what kind of disaster will
happen if I just touch one of them.

I chewed the food in my mouth and asked other questions in succession. “What if the
horn is cut off?”

“It will be restored quickly. And even if it is cut off, there is no sensation.”
“Is the horn itself numb?”

“Yes.”

“Excuse me then, but can I touch it?”

“…Eh? Pu, touching the horns?” Cecily’s reaction to my question was very strange.
She stuttered with her eyes wide, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. It
clearly shows that she was embarrassed again. I tilted my head at her unexpected
reaction but quickly realized that it was another sensitive topic. If it’s that
embarrassing, it must have an unusual meaning.

And my expectations were met precisely when she explained, “That… ah, sorry.
Touching the horns of demons is an act of affection between lovers. It means that I
will love you even if you were to become a devil.”

“Oh… so it’s romantic.”

“Really? It’s romantic…?” She stared at me. “It’s the first time I’ve heard someone call
it that who’s not a demon.” Cecily scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

It was completely different from how she usually played pranks on me, so it came to
me anew. ‘Thanks to that, I was able to put one in.’.

It was also information that could add bone and flesh to the story of Jin and Lily, who
are riding a heartbreaking love line in Xenon’s Saga.

Jin is a knight only for Lily, and Lily strokes his horns as he kneels down on one knee.
Because of that, Jin looks up at Lily, startled. There is no story in this world as sad as
the love between a demon and a priest.

Of course, in the final half of the novel series, Jin will appear as the Final Boss. I’m
sorry, Mother, but it’s hard to change the ending because there are so many lines
filled with double meaning and other hints scattered throughout the story. If it’s
really hard, I’ll release a side story.

Shoving everything in my mouth just as the atmosphere became awkward, I

swallowed and told Cecily, “Cecily, do you have any questions about humans?”

“Uh… huh? Questions about humans?”

“Yes. It’s kind of weird when I’m the only one asking. If you have any questions of
your own, please ask.”

“Humans, you say…”

Fortunately, somehow, the awkward atmosphere seems to have cooled off. I quietly
put more food in my mouth until Cecily was ready. Cecily, as if organizing her
thoughts, continued eating while thinking.

Jerk-jerk-jerk-

Then a familiar face came into my sight. When I shifted my gaze a bit while
munching, Leona, a beautiful girl with a hard impression, was walking far in the
distance. I didn’t notice at first because I wasn’t normally interested, but Leona was
wearing pants, unlike the other girls. Despite her pretty face, her expressions were
usually so hard and sharp that she looked more like a schoolboy from a distance.
‘Doesn’t she have any friends? Why is she sitting so far away?’

Even though there weren’t many students in the dining room, Leona sat particularly
far away in an empty corner. Rather, she stood out even more because there was no
one around her. As I was muttering to myself while resting my chin, Leona sighed
deeply as if she were worried about something. And then…

Prick- {*T/N: A word describing the motion of sticking out one’s lips or making one’s
ears standerect.}

Suddenly, something pricked up on the top of her head. And not just one, but two.
Unfortunately, my eyesight was not that good so it was impossible to make an
accurate guess. But I could tell that something had risen above her head at that
moment.

“…!” Leona also hurriedly put her hand to her head, perhaps realizing that something
had risen above her head there. That hard impression of hers vanished without a
trace, leaving only her bewilderment.

I blinked and rubbed my eyes to see if I had seen something wrong. I rubbed my eyes
and looked at Leona again, and as if she had gotten over some embarrassment, she
started eating as usual, expressionless again.

It happened while I was staring at Leona. Cecily called my name in the meantime
now that she seemed to have organized her thoughts. “Isaac?”

“…Oh, yes. Noona.”

“Looks like you’ve been dazed for a while. I just remembered a question I wanted to
ask, so can I?”

“Yes, certainly.”

After I gave permission, Cecily asked in a really curious tone, “What do you think is
the reason that humans are currently considered the center of the world?”

“The center of the world?”

“Yeah, I know how it sounds. I heard it in lecture, so I’m curious about your opinion.”

“Well…” It was a fairly complex question to answer. Even on an Earth where there
were only humans, we are a race that can’t be judged prematurely. Because the ones
judging humans as a whole are also humans.

But, ironically, that’s why an objective explanation was possible. In this case, I’m sure
of one thing. A human being can become supremely good, but he can also become
supremely evil. You can think of the fierce battle between the theory of goodness and
the theory of evil. However, that was the standard often used on Earth, and this
world should be viewed from a slightly different perspective. As I habitually rubbed
the pen-hook with my thumb, I glanced at Cecily. Cecily was staring at me as if
waiting for my answer.

At this, I stopped my thumb and spoke quietly. “I’ll tell you in advance: this is my
subjective opinion only, so you don’t need to listen carefully. There are many
professors with more experience of the world than me.”

“It’s okay. You can tell me what you think.”

“Yes. That…” I stopped talking and glanced past Cecily. Leona, who was eating alone,
was looking straight at me. I wondered if she had heard our discussion from a
distance, but decided that she didn’t. Our voices were not that loud, and the distance
was very far.

Anyway, I didn’t care and continued what I was saying. “…The reason humans could
be considered the ‘center of the world’ is simple: humans are overly stupid, reckless,
and foolish.”

Prick-

As soon as I said those words, strange things popped out of Leona’s head once again.
As soon as I gave this answer, something popped out of Leona’s head again. I had no
idea the first time I saw this, but after seeing it twice, I had a good guess.

Leona is not human but of a different race. Judging from the fact that something
lifted above her head, and not from other parts, it is highly likely that she was a
beastmen. So my question is: ‘Have beastmen also entered the academy?’

As the professor said during the lecture, the relationship between humans and
beastmen was the worst. It’s no better than elves and dwarves, who have been on
rough terms since ancient times. As a result, there has never been a case where
beastmen enrolled in Halo Academy.

So what about the beastmen I sometimes saw in the downtown area over the weekend?
They were hired as security guards, not students. Beastmen are naturally capable of
being security guards thanks to their exceptional five senses.

Above all, despite the bad relationship, the biggest reason they’d be working within
human society is ‘money.’ Because the country of beastmen/beastkin was newly
established, its situation was similar to that of a developing country. As a result, they
frequently work hard while being subjected to a variety of stares.

‘There must be circumstances.’ But it’s none of my business. She must be hiding her
identity for her own reasons. Rather, it was more important to solve Cecily’s
question first.

“…Because humans are stupid, they can take control of the world?”

“Basically, yes.”

“Sometimes I really don’t understand what Isaac is talking about,” Cecily said this,
putting her dish down for a moment and casting a subtle glance at me. I also took a
break from eating because of the red-eyed gaze that seemed to be drawing me in.
After that, she seemed to be contemplating my words for a moment, then put her
hand on her chin and opened her mouth with a sigh. “Can you explain it to me so I
can understand? You don’t have to twist your words around like last time.”

“It’s not a particularly grandiose reason. It’s a similar point to what the professor
explained in the anthropology lecture.”

“I’m curious though. Tell me quickly.”

I cast a glance at Leona over Cecily’s shoulder who was rushing her meal all of a
sudden. Her ears, which had risen above her head, had already dipped, but her eyes
remained fixed on me.

I tilted my head to see if she could hear us from this distance, then tried to ignore her
and explained, “As Cecily knows, humans are good at nothing except for their
excellent adaptation and learning ability. They are inferior to other races in terms of
longevity, physical abilities, magic, wisdom, and dexterity. They are not even good at
handling mana. A race with a short lifespan and no inherent advantages. Have you
gotten a sense of it yet?”

“I don’t know?”

“Humans have the advantage of being able to learn quickly, but in the ancient days
when they started from zero? There was nothing to learn, so how did they survive
until now?”

Cecily heard these words and her eyes widened as she began to wonder.”Huh? Is that
so?”

In my previous life, there were only humans so they could compete with each other,
but this world is different. Right now, there are a lot of races that are born with
superior abilities to humans.

Can humans compete in such circumstances? If humans were wise, they would have
preferred to live as slaves, hiding or bowing their heads and not competing.

But humans, being stupid or reckless, chose to compete with other races. Perhaps, in
the eyes of the other races, they wondered why they did that? Weren’t they
dumbfounded by such a choice? Even if it’s me, even I’ll also snort if a monkey tries
to compete with me.
“Of course, it wasn’t easy in the beginning. Because they didn’t learn anything. But
humans did not give up and started to imitate the strengths of other races. From
then on, ‘knowledge’ was accumulated, but naturally, they were still lacking. In the
end, imitation is just imitation.”

“That’s right.” Cecily nodded and agreed with me. In fact, humans have a population
of over 1.5 billion in this world, but among them, there are only a few who can fight
evenly against the other races.

No matter how much humans progress, unless they are geniuses, their innate
limitations are obvious. If an ordinary elf warrior were compared to a human, there’s
too much of an imbalance between the two since an elf is equivalent to a knight-level
force.

“I think this is the reason why our breeding ability is superior to other races. In the
early days, we had to compete with quantity rather than quality to survive, so we
increased our numbers recklessly. In the eyes of the other races, they would have
thought it was a simple and useless act. Beastmen have good physical abilities, but
humans aren’t that great, right?”

“Um… speaking of which, don’t beastmen have good reproductive abilities? During
the Tribal War, beastmen were slaughtered by humans, but there must have been
plenty of beastmen around before, right?”

“That’s when human learning really comes into play. Historically, it was the elves
who first established a real civilization, but humans were the next to establish one.
Based on the knowledge and abilities they learned from the elves, they built their
own civilization and gathered their scattered people together to amass their
strength. A tribe that lives a tribal life and a tribe that created civilization and society.
Isn’t there already a difference?”

“I see. The beastmen founded their own country only 300 years ago, didn’t they?”

As mentioned before, the beastmen founded their country only 300 years ago. It is
said that during the Tribal War, many of their people were slaughtered by humans,
and they felt a sense of crisis. However, unlike human beings who were strong from
the start, their society was still very unstable because it was established in a hurry.
Even among the beastmen, there are various ethnic groups, and a barbaric climate is
stubbornly maintained.
“Yes. Anyway, in conclusion, humans were stupid enough not to give in and just die.
Knowing their own weaknesses, if they were ‘smart’ from the beginning, they would
have given up long ago, right? There were nations and peoples around us who were
better than us, and humans naturally would have been desperate and discouraged.”

“It’s paradoxical. Not dying out quickly because they’re stupid?”

“No. Like I’ve already said, being the stupid and reckless race that we are, humans
chose to compete even though they had few advantages.”

“Ah… you mean grit?”

Cecily finally got the point right. Although I explained it at length, the biggest reason
why human beings have survived to the present day and have been able to take the
lead in the world is their ‘spirit’ to never give up.

Humans are the race that made it possible by delving into what everyone thought
was impossible. The race that fought to the end during the war against the Great
Devil 3,000 years ago was also human. Nothing else but human grit made human
civilization possible, which could be seen as a kind of racial ‘ability.’

However, there was one more decisive reason why humans have been able to take
the lead in the current world.

“What I’ve said is all true, but humans are also much more united than other races.
Normally, they are busy fighting among themselves, but when a real crisis comes,
they come together and defeat it.”

“Like the Tribal Wars and the Demon War?”

“Exactly. The tenacity that never gives up and the cohesion that brings humans
together in times of terrible crisis. These two factors combine to give humans the
upper hand.”

What’s even scarier here is that human potential is limitless. Humans are more
aware of their own shortcomings than anyone else, so they strive to constantly
improve. I know this because I have memories from my past life. But that doesn’t
mean there aren’t any concerns. As I poked my food with a fork, I opened my mouth
again.
“Of course, this ‘tenacity’ and ‘unity’ isn’t always an advantage. It can be turned into a
heinous sin, such as the beastmen massacre. Most worryingly, such an incident is
likely to occur again in the future. I am certain of it.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Even if you don’t want to go far in the past to look at history, the demons were
slaughtered thousands of years ago, right? Who do you think was the mastermind
behind that massacre?”

“……”

Cecily’s face stiffened slightly at my question. Although it may be straightforward for

her, there is no better example than this.

“Anyway, do you understand now?”

“…Yes. Thanks. Humans are very complex beings. I need to study a little more.”

“It’s good to know about humans, Cecily, but I don’t want you to learn just the bad
parts. As you can see from the demon massacre and the beastmen massacre, humans
often commit worse things than demons.”

“Thanks for the advice. Still, I’m glad that there are only good people around me.”
Cecily said so softly and smiled. I chuckled at her smile and then shifted my gaze to
Leona in the distance.

She was staring at me, forgetting to eat. Looking at her expression, it was as if she
had heard everything I was saying.

“Where are you looking?” Cecily asked.

“Ah, it’s nothing. By the way, are you done with your meal?”

“No. I couldn’t eat because I listened to your story. Do you have any more classes?”

“I don’t. What about yourself?”

“I have Math.”
“Is it difficult for you?”

“Not really. It’s actually easy, isn’t it?”

There was an incident that Cecily was not aware of, but the meal itself went
smoothly. I had a great time chatting with Cecily in the cafeteria until classes
resumed. Sometimes the girl would play a silly prank on me, but it wasn’t a big deal
because no one was around.

However, it looked like Leona was a little nervous. Seeing her looking at me with her
characteristic blunt eyes, I felt strangely overwhelmed.

“It’s already time. I’ll get up first.”

“Yeah.”

“What about you, Isaac?”

“I’ll eat some more before I go. Go on ahead.”

“Okay. See you next time~”

With lunch over, Cecily smiled brightly and waved goodbye as she left. I waved my
hand in turn and sent her off warmly. After Cecily left, I was left alone in the
originally unoccupied cafeteria with only Leona, who was sitting far away.

“……”

I stared at Leona, and Leona was staring at me. As I was thinking about what to do, I
came up with an interesting idea and took action. First, I placed my clenched fists on
both sides of my temple, then opened my tightly clenched hands.

It was an expression of the ears that popped out above Leona’s head earlier.

“…!”

The effect was awesome. As soon as I expressed it in mimicry, Leona’s eyes widened
and her body stiffened.

Perkk—
As a bonus, Leona’s ears popped out as she lost control. After that, it seemed that she
was urgently trying to fix it, but it was meaningless because she was already caught.

UP! As I was grinning inside, Leona jumped up from her seat. I also started to get up
from my seat, wondering if she wanted to talk about it separately.

Tup—!

“—Huh?”

“Follow me for a minute.” —Until she suddenly appeared in front of me, grabbed my
collar, and dragged me. I didn’t even realize it until it happened. I blinked, wishing I
knew the beastmen language, and hurriedly shouted at Leona, who yanked me by
the collar. “Hey, I need to clean up our dishes first…!”

“Krunggg…!” As soon as I retorted, Leona barked ferociously.

Leona grabbed my collar and dragged me away and I couldn’t even resist. When I
tried to say something, she growled like an animal, and even when I tried to escape
using all my strength, I couldn’t move. Instead, she held on to me more strongly and
restrained me against any attempt to rebel.

The longer this went on and the more I continued to resist, the more it felt like my
clothes were going to rip off, so I gave up halfway and let her drag me along
wherever. Maybe I was lucky, but there was no one passing by in the hallway to see
us.

Then, rather abruptly—

Leona stopped when we finally reached the entrance to a deserted building. At the
same time, I felt the grip on my collar slowly loosen. I took a couple of careful steps
back and adjusted my clothes as she let go of me. The whole area around my collar
had become wrinkled from how insanely strong she was.

“…Hey.”

I had been adjusting my clothes for a while when Leona called out to me in a low
voice. It was a tone full of threats, not the hard tone I heard in every lecture so far. At
that, I couldn’t help but pause and look at her.

Then, as she raised her stiffened head to glare at me, I faced her beast-like golden
eyes. Earlier, she had blue eyes, but now they were the same as mine.

Leona spoke with conviction as soon as she was face to face with me. “…Did you see?”

“……”

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have done that, right? Be honest. Did you see it?”

Is there any reason to deny it? I did it to confirm that she was a beastman from the
beginning. But the beast-like pressure from Leona was no joke.

“Look, I saw it, okay? Something was sticking out of your head…” I managed to speak,
barely calming my trembling heart. But I couldn’t help the slight trembling in my
voice.

“……”

“…So, are those really ears?” I was curious, naturally. Leona raised the corners of her
mouth at my cautious question.

Instead of words, she responded with actions,

Perkkk-

Leona’s triangular ears perked up from her reddish-brown hair. They were not
human ears, but animal ears. As expected, Leona was not human but a beastman,
beastkin, whatever. ‘So the reason you are wearing pants is to hide your tail?’ I was
thinking of a plausible hypothesis in my head.

Leona hid the ears that had risen above her head again and replied cynically, “Are
your questions answered now? Or what? Do you want me to show you my tail too?”

“Uh… no. It’s fine.”

Again, it’s a tone I’m not used to. The Leona I’d seen so far was normally a blunt,
emotionless student, but now she’s just a… delinquent student (ie. a bully), I guess. I
even felt a sense of disparity as her tone of voice changed 180 degrees, even to the
impression that it had become quite harsh and snarly in tone.

“Whoo…”

Leona, as if her feelings had become complicated, shook her head roughly and let out
a deep sigh. I waited quietly for Leona to organize her thoughts and calm down. She
must have hidden her identity because she had her own circumstances, but now that
I found out her secret, things must have become twisted for her. If I knew this would
happen, I would have just pretended not to notice and moved on, but instead, I let
her know what I saw out of curiosity.

The girl started murmuring, “What should I do? It’s too dangerous to get rid of
aristocrat rats and birds without anyone knowing… Should I just threaten you? Ah,
this is crazy…”

“……”

Leona’s murmurs reached my ears one after another. It’s all the more frightening
because she seems to be sincere, they’re not merely empty words.

I had a strong premonition that something would happen to my personal safety, so I

called out to her cautiously. “Excuse me…”

“Huh? What? Do you have anything to say?” As soon as I called her, Leona asked me
that with a cynical expression and tone.

I hesitated for a moment, then got the words out to say, “That, um… I won’t tell
anyone what you are, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

She stared at me. “If you were me, could you easily believe that?”

“Uh… well, it’s true, you don’t know me. And I don’t know what you’re up to either.”
An honest answer that doesn’t contain any lies.

As soon as Leona heard my reply, she uttered a faint ‘Haha!’ that sounded like a gasp
and muttered bitterly, “This punk is actually serious, huh…”

“……”

I shouldn’t have said anything. I swallowed my saliva with a feeling of numbness in

my throat from the mere threat. Originally, I would have kept my composure as much
as possible, but for some reason, normal thinking was difficult now. Is it because of
the daunting feeling emanating from Leona?

“Whoo… Fine. It’s okay then. Anyway, don’t ever reveal that I’m a beastman. Got it?”

“…And if I say anything?”

“I’ll rip your limbs apart,” Leona said while growling like before. I was scared that I
would indeed find myself eviscerated, but I still had courage to ask one question.
Why does Leona live her life at the academy while hiding her identity? If I ask this
question, she’ll get nervous again, but it’s still worth asking.
After calming my trembling heart as much as possible, I mustered up the courage
and said, “…I want to ask you something, can I?”

“You actually have something you want to ask in this situation?”

“Yeah. I’m curious.”

She muttered, “Phew. I’m not even a Miao tribe member, so why are there so many
curious people around here? Fine. Ask.”

Leona crossed her arms and shook her head at me. As she crossed her arms, her
voluptuous body was revealed through her school uniform. I opened my mouth,
trying as hard as I could to keep my gaze from going to a certain well-endowed place.

“Why did you go to the bother of hiding your identity while entering the academy?”

“I don’t think I’m obligated to answer that.”

“Um… I see. So far, all that stiff attitude of yours in class has been acting, hasn’t it?”

“Well, naturally. That way I won’t be suspected of being a beastman. You humans
think that we beastmen are a warlike, savage race, right? That’s why I tried to act all
analytical and rigid like one of you.”

I nodded at her answer. As I’ve noted before, humans treat beastmen as savages or
primitives. Furthermore, there are quite a few people who think of beastmen as
nothing but slaves.

In addition, there is a widespread perception that beastmen are ferocious due to

their usually belligerent temper. Because of this, humans unconsciously assume that
there will never be a beastman with a rational and rigid personality like Leona. This
is an aspect of humanity that Leona used well in her daily performance.

I asked, “Are you going to be like that forever?”

“Of course. It’s something I have to endure in order to graduate safely without being
discovered.”

“I see. Is it really worth it?”

Beastmen are a race with a stronger ‘instinct’ than other races. Unlike demons who
fight fiercely with their inner evil, the beastmen have no intention of suppressing
their instincts. It would be appropriate to say that it goes against everything she is as
a beastman.

After all, for beastmen, instinct is inseparable. No matter how well-controlled Leona
is, her natural instincts can’t be suppressed. Even if she doesn’t want to stand out in
public, as soon as I provoke her, her ears will pop out! And I can tell just by looking
that they’ve popped out again.

Sensing what I was thinking, suddenly Leona smiled wryly as if she was mindful of
that part too. It was a completely different expression from before. “…I’m putting up
with it because it’s worth it. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have applied to be a
student here.”

I found myself nodding. “It must be very hard.”

“Of course it’s hard… No, hey. Can you stop asking me stuff? How long are you going
to do this?”

It’s a pity. I just needed a little more. Leona’s brows furrowed as all my regret was
revealed on my face.

“Why do you look so sad now? Do you want to die?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“Whoo… Anyway. Don’t tell anyone that I’m a beastman. Got it, human?”

“Ah, got it. Oh, there’s one thing more.”

“Now what do you want to ask?” From looking bored of all this, she suddenly became
nervous.

Undaunted, however, I found the courage to ask, “Did you hear everything I was
saying at the cafeteria a while ago?”

“Yes. I heard everything. Why do you ask?”

“I’m curious about what you think.”

“Hah?” Leona stared at me, dumbstruck by my question. What’s with this kid’s face? It
contained the full sentiment.

“You really… Haa. You’re worse than the Miao Clan. Are all humans like this?”

“Nope. I’m just curious about lots of things, that’s all. Especially for people of
different races.”

“Oh my…” In the end, Leona shook her head as if defeated by my endless curiosity.
She seemed to have given up. Seeing her look of resignation, I giggled for joy inside,
but still managed to keep my expression as bland as possible.

Eventually, with a sigh, Leona looked at me with her arms crossed. I also waited
quietly for her to speak. In the meantime, as if she had taken control of her heart, her
golden eyes returned to blue.

How much time had passed like that? Leona’s tightly closed lips opened and her
characteristic cynical voice came out. “I’m not going to tell you.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I’m not going to tell you. Did you think I would answer you?” Leona grinned and
strode over to me while I panicked. I hadn’t noticed it until now, but as she got closer,
I could see that she was quite tall. I think she’s over 175cm since I have to look up a
little.

Anyway, Leona stood tall in front of me and slowly raised her hand. Then she pressed
it against my cheeks tightly and made my lips pop out.

“Uh boo? What ish it…?”

“By the way, why does this Red Cat have so many questions?”

Did she call me a red cat because my hair color is red? But for now, my priority was
to shake off Leona’s strong hand which had grabbed my lips.

Of course, her hand didn’t even budge even though I struggled and found myself
flabbergasted. The basic physical abilities of the beastmen are excellent among all
races, and now that I’ve experienced this fact firsthand, I realized it is difficult to
overcome Leona’s power. It’s not just unreasonable, it’s impossible.
Even though I resisted, Leona kept a smirk on her face and issued her warning again.
“I’m warning you again, human, the moment you say that I am a beastman, I will
pluck out your tongue. It’s actually rather difficult to rip off a person’s limb in a place
like this and get away with it, so I’ll let it slide. Do you understand?”

“Yes…” There it is. But I have no choice but to agree because I am afraid.

Leona nodded her head with a satisfied expression when I said yes, and let go of my
cheeks. I was holding my breath for a while, but my cheeks tingled.

“Let’s hope your mouth feels heavy. Before that…”

Ugh—

As I rubbed my tingly cheeks, Leona leaned her head close to the nape of my neck. I
was so startled and frightened that I tried to step back but was thwarted when she
grabbed my wrist.

After that, Leona stuck her nose in the nape of my neck and started sniffing. “Sniff.
Sniff. Sniff.”

Feeling my face flush at the subtle sensation of her breath, I hurriedly tried to get out
of her grasp, but to no avail. All I could do was push Leona’s head away. But she
didn’t move a millimeter, so I had no choice but to shout and stuttered in
embarrassment, “What… what are you doing?!”

“Oh? I’m trying to remember your smell. But the musty smell of books is wafting off
you.”

Leona sniffed for a while, as if trying to remember my body odor, then pulled her
face away. She also let go of my wrist, which she had held firmly for a while. I
hurriedly checked my wrist. There was a bright red bruise.

I caressed my throbbing wrist, frowning while feeling pain, and asked in a tone of
incomprehension, “What are you going to do by remembering my smell?”

“I’m going to keep an eye out and take a look at whether you do something useless or
not. How can I trust you?”

“……”
“You’re done with my business now, right? I’m leaving.” Leona tapped my head and
moved away vigorously.

I caressed my sore wrist and looked at her back as she departed, then shouted
Leona’s name. “Leona!”

“Ugh, really…! What now?” As soon as I called, she turned her head to face me. Seeing
her face, she looked like she won’t let me go if I talked about useless things.

I regretted my impulsiveness a little because I thought I shouldn’t have called her,

but I brought up the last question I wanted to ask. “Do you read Xenon’s Saga too?”

“What? Xenon’s Saga?”

“Yes.”

“Hah.” Hearing my question, Leona let out a tired sigh. She then waved her hand and
replied in a voice that sounded annoyed, “I don’t know. Things like that… I have no
interest in something like Xenon because it’s not fun at all.”

“…okay.”

“Then I’ll go. Don’t ask anymore, I’ll chew on whatever limb is closest if you ask me
something again. Got it?” Leona started to disappear from my sight, leaving only
those words.

I grabbed hold of my red, bruised wrist and watched her blankly, then suddenly
thought of a strange thing she said.

“‘…not fun?’ Are you saying you read it?”

It was when I mumbled that…

Perkkk-

…she may have heard my murmur, since a pair of ears popped above Leona’s head
once more.
What kind of being is ‘God’?

On Earth, many people believe in God solely through ‘faith,’ while others believe it is
a being created by humans from their imagination. As much as there was religious
freedom, it was individual freedom that ultimately allowed one to choose whether or
not to believe in God. By the way, I am an atheist.

But in this world, denying God will cause you more trouble than anything else. This
is because, unlike the Earth, there is clearly a ‘God’ here. In fact, there have been
several cases where some mentally ill people have been punished by thunder, with
thunderbolts falling from the dry sky after they did some rampaging, claiming that
there is no God.

Instead, it is not an omniscient and omnipotent being like ‘God’ in its literal meaning,
but is closer to the Absolute or Transcendental being who watches over the world.
Also, using the believers’ faith as a form to distribute power to them, punishing them
for violating the rules, and so on. In addition, there are cases in which miracles are
performed or oracles are issued through God’s own ‘incarnations’.

In a nutshell, God and its believers have a parent-child relationship, perhaps even a
more profound connection than that.

‘God, huh… ’ Currently, while listening to a Theology lecture, I was thinking about
something else.

Is it correct for me to regard theology as a science in my previous life? There have

been numerous debates about it, but it is one of the world’s most important studies
since it is so closely associated with history. It is strange that, despite the fact that
the existence of God is obvious here, theology as a science has not developed. As a
result, even professors who are currently teaching theology are on par with an
archbishop. As a nobleman’s son, I am aware that he wields the same authority as a
Count.
“Luminus, the God of Light, said this. ‘It doesn’t matter if you believe in me or not.
But always devote yourself to going on the right path. I will help you to go on the
right path.’ And…”

There are three deities in this world. The professor first mentioned ‘Luminus,’ the
God of Light. Luminus is the god that humans primarily believe in, and because the
number of believers is enormous, his influence on the world is terrifying.

And although there are many words that symbolize Luminus, the most popular
among them is ‘Sun’ and ‘Hope.’ Perhaps, as a result, Luminus followers make up a
significant portion of soldiers who go to war, where their lives are always at risk. I
know my father believes in Luminus as well.

The second is Mora, the God of Darkness. Mora is uniquely a god that the demons
believe in. The reason why demons believe in Mora is that she symbolizes darkness…
that is, ‘Moon’ and ‘Rest.’ If you look at the gloomy reality of the demons, you can see
what kind of rest they want.

Finally, there is ‘Hirth,’ the God of Nature. This god is primarily worshipped by
beastmen and dwarves.

Hirth symbolizes ‘nature’ itself, and for beastmen who lived in the wild, there could
be no other god of more comfort than Hirth. Dwarves also understand that the
‘materials’ for their creations come from nature, so they worship Hirth too.

Then you might ask what kind of god the elves believe in, but they worship all three
gods. Being descendants of ‘angels,’ they can use their divine powers more easily
than other races.

As I recalled the gap between elves and the other races, a question came to mind. ‘Do
the gods know why I was reincarnated here?’ But I had no intention of going to the
temple and asking about it. Even now I am living well enough, and I hate it when
things get complicated.

Furthermore, because they are gods, there is a good chance they were aware of my
existence earlier. There is still no word of an oracle being given or that an
‘incarnation’ of God has appeared. So far, I’ve been living a comfortable life.

I plan to visit the temple if the opportunity arises, but until then, I intend to live a
normal life. What’s more, I don’t have the ability to change the world like the main
character in a webtoon, anime or novel, so they don’t probably care…

‘…Does that include the novel that I wrote?’

Anyway, let’s move on. For now, focusing on lectures takes a priority over anything
else. I brushed such thoughts out of my head. Putting aside all my thoughts, I looked
ahead and saw the professor giving a lecture in a calm tone.

The professor’s name was Hollard, and he was very tall and skinny. I heard that he
has a high-profile position as an archbishop in the Luminus Order, and is actually a
person of great fame. While listening to the professor’s explanation, I looked around.
Because Theology was as boring as History to a lot of people, there weren’t many
students in the classroom. These students were almost certainly devout followers of
the god they worship.

How do I know? Many students participated out of curiosity at the beginning but
chose to escape a level of boredom they couldn’t even imagine. Because I am
personally interested in the subject, I listen with rapt attention to the lectures. The
issue is…

—doze—doze—

It means that Marie, who was currently sitting next to me, was dozing off. I stared at
Marie nodding off with her eyelids half-closed. Each time she nodded her head, the
pen in her hand scribbled onto her notebook, and her silky white hair gradually
began to cover her face.

{T/N:- when you are dozing off while sitting, your head follows a ‘nodding’ act.}

Eventually, Marie’s eyelids closed completely and her head slid down all the way.
Beyond just drowsiness, she was completely asleep.

‘I’m sure she’d been well rested and paying attention through most of the previous
week… ’ For reference, Theology was a 9 o’clock class. So what did Marie do last
night that made her doze off from the very first lecture?

I was a little puzzled, but I thought it would be good to wake her up first. I couldn’t
touch her, so I put my hand in front of Marie’s ear.

Suddenly—!
“…Hmm?”

When I snapped my fingers, Marie flinched and slowly raised her head. When she
lifted her head, the hair that had hung down like a silky curtain lifted slightly, but
when she looked to the side, she had a somewhat blank expression on her face.

I opened my mouth, convinced she was still half-sleeping. “Are you coming to your
senses?”

“…Huh?”

Marie turned her head to me in a dreamy state when I asked her that. Marie’s face,
with its hazy yet distinct charm, drew my attention. She used to only have a lively
appearance, so this was kind of refreshing.

Even as she pondered my words, Marie blinked and looked ahead, still not grasping
the situation. Did she understand the situation after realizing the professor was still
giving his lecture?

She shifted her gaze to me again and asked in disbelief, “…Did I doze off?”

“Yeah. You slept well.”

“Oh, my.” In response to my answer, Marie rubbed her eyelids and groaned.

I asked the question I had kept to myself as she slowly revived, “What did you do
yesterday for you fall asleep in the first Theology class?

“…Xenon’s Saga.”

“What?”

“Ahhh…” After a long yawn, Marie answered in a hoarse voice, “I was up all night re-
reading from the 1st to the latest volume. Originally, I was only going to read up to
the third volume, but somehow I ended up reading all of them…”

“……”

“You know. Professor Beerus told us to predict the development of Xenon’s Saga as a
group assignment.”
I ran out of things to say. In the next week or so, the group assignments will begin in
earnest. So she must have been working hard on her side.

However, being motivated enough to disrupt your sleep patterns is not a good thing.
If you do that, you may miss both rabbits. {*T/N:- There’s a saying that if you focus
on two things at once, you end up getting none.}

“Still, do it in moderation. Otherwise, it will be difficult to concentrate on the lecture

like today.”

“But what can I do since it’s so much fun to read? I’m already looking forward to the
next volume…”

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at Marie’s voice. As the writer, I was happy enough,
but the next volume will be out in at least two months.

Before entering the academy, I had a stockpile so I was able to release the 8th
volume sooner. But I don’t have much time right now to write a manuscript, and it
will only become more difficult as the exam period approaches.

Not only that, it’s nothing compared to the time I spent teaching Cindy to write and
History to Marie and Cecily. Whenever I have some free time, I go back to my dorm
and write, but I also need enough spare time for research.

‘Thanks to the free time I do have, I can set up the settings in the novel
meticulously… ’ The papers and books in the lab are extremely useful to me.
Moreover, while Cindy only has poor writing skills, she is very knowledgeable about
the history and she clearly explained any topics I was curious about.

Xenon’s Saga Volume 9 will be a fascinating episode in many ways. The Devil’s
executives, who have shown their presence thus far, will begin to come forward in
earnest, causing a lot of new horrors.

This is because there are humans, beastmen, demons, and even elves among the
Devil’s executives. For reference, the background setting is the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’,
which were commonly used in the subculture in my previous life, and each has
special attributes.

While I was thinking about the story settings in my head for a moment, Marie
muttered softly while looking at her notebook. “…I must have been really sleepy.
What did I write down?”

“You didn’t write anything down, you just drew a long wavy line.”

“Tch, I am sorry, but do you have any notes? If you show me, I’ll buy you something
delicious.”

“Whoa… only this time?” When I complied and showed Marie what I had written, she
smiled brightly and began to write it down.

“Thank you~”

But there was one thing I overlooked. “Ummm…”

“……”

It’s not easy to escape from sleep. I couldn’t help but be surprised when I saw Marie
dozing again after transcribing my notes. If that’s the case, why did you bother asking
me to show mine?

I took a deep breath and was about to wake Marie again.

“Just let her sleep. Marie sleeps a lot, so if she goes to bed late, she keeps dozing off.”
It was Rina who was sitting to my right. She was looking at Marie, who was dozing
off with a still expression on her face.

I heard these words and asked, “Is that really okay? If she gets a penalty for doing
this…”

“It’s okay. Marie has studied the subject under tutors back home, so she’ll get a
decent score in Theology. I can guarantee it, having been educated together in the
Imperial Palace.”

Listening to Rina’s words, it seems that she and Marie had gone through separate
advanced courses before. After all, either as a princess or as the daughter of a duke,
they must have received a very different education from other nobles.

After she said this, I asked the question I had in my mind, “I’ve been wondering
about it since the other day: when did Ms. Rina and Marie first get to know each
other?”
“Probably… when we were 10-years-old? I know we’ve met occasionally since then.”

“I see.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, I’m just curious.”

Usually, Marie is a bit grumpy about Rina. Marie frowns whenever she looks at Rina,
and I can see that much. However, since I can’t ask the parties directly regarding the
reason, I plan to bury it in my heart.

Rina grinned as if my answer were bland, and then called my name. “Isaac.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you interested in attending a little gathering?”

“A gathering?”

“Yes. A gathering.”

As I looked at Rina with a puzzled expression, she smiled and said to me, “There is a
gathering soon, but rather than calling it just a gathering, only freshmen will attend.
A lot of people will attend regardless of the program they’re in, whether they’re in
Academics or Martial Arts.”

“…This the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“My brother warned me beforehand. And in a little while, the Academy will also
notify you. What do you think?” Rina met my eyes straight and invited me again with
a face filled with anticipation and interest. “Will you attend?”

It’s a good suggestion, I thought, or rather, a request.

“It’s up to the individual whether to attend or not, but personally I want you to
come.”

To me, it was no different from a ‘princess’ command.

‘…it’s sad.’ If Xenon’s Saga Volume 9 comes out late, it’s Rina’s responsibility.
As Rina mentioned, the academy announced that a freshman gathering has been
scheduled. I’m sure no students are unaware because the notice has been posted on
the bulletin board in the hallway like a poster. I also read the notices posted on the
bulletin board one by one and quickly checked the detailed schedule and location of
the event.

The gathering will take place next Saturday in the auditorium where the entrance
ceremony was held. It is entirely up to me whether or not to attend, but I believe it is
in my best interests to do so due to Rina’s pressure.

“What? You’re thinking of going to the freshman gathering?”

“Yes.”

Time flew by and the weekend quickly approached.

After doing some simple calisthenics, then doing more writing, I headed to the
training hall to meet up with Nicole. She had just finished doing lots of sparring and
her whole body was covered in sweat.

At my words, Nicole wiped away her sweat using a towel and asked in a slightly
uncomprehending voice, “All of a sudden? I thought you’d hate that?”

“Something happened and I, ah, just decided to attend.”

“…what happened?”

For a moment, Nicole’s voice became a little cold. At the same time, her golden eyes
visible through the moving towel wiping her face turned fierce. Since she’s my big
sister and she adores me, she knew something had happened to me.

I opened my mouth quickly when I saw Nicole’s dangerous expression. I felt

compelled to be cautious with my sister with my every word, explaining, “Noo-
noona, there’s nothing to worry about. I’m attending out of curiosity.”

To my hasty lie, Nicole replied in a tone that she still didn’t believe me, yet she moved
on anyway. “…That’s all right, then. Is the reason you came to me because you wanted
to ask about the gathering?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm… The gathering, huh…” Nicole began to think as she wiped more sweat off her
face. I waited for her to say something.

“Hey~”

“Yes?”

As I stood there waiting, a familiar voice entered my ears. It had a husky but boyish
tone to it. When I turned my head, I saw Nicole’s friend, Adelia, approaching us from
a distance. She, too, appeared to have finished all her sparring and sweat was
pouring down like rain.

“What were you talking about? Let me in, too.”

“Eh.”

Adelia soon arrived, wrapped one sweaty arm around my neck, and began treating
me in a friendly manner. I was more than embarrassed by the sudden skinship. The
reason for this may be skinship, but Adelia’s outfit was also the problem. Currently,
Adelia was wearing a so-called sleeveless shirt.

Not only could I feel the soft touch of her bare skin, but the subtle body scent mixed
with sweat stimulated my sense of smell. It was extremely stimulating for me, who
had no contact with people of the opposite sex other than my family.

It was even more embarrassing in my previous life because I didn’t interact much
then either due to the shock of my parents’ deaths.

“Hey! What are you doing? Get away from my brother right away!” Nicole yelled at
Adelia’s unexpected closeness with me and pulled me away from her. My neck was
freed from Adelia’s possessive grasp thanks to her, but I couldn’t stop my face from
heating up.
Despite Nicole’s condemnation, Adelia laughed and shrugged. “Are you afraid I’m
going to do something stupid to your dear brother? Don’t worry. Your brother is cute,
but he’s not my type.”

“Noisy. In my eyes, you’re just a danger. Could it be that you’ve erased the memory of
throwing that ball at Isaac?”

“…That was a real mistake. I’m sorry.” When Nicole mentioned the incident that had
occurred two weeks ago, Adelia immediately apologized as if she had nothing else to
say. And after that, Adelia hurriedly changed the topic, as if she was a little
embarrassed when Nicole shot her a ferocious gaze.

“What were you talking about anyway? I was just curious.”

“…No big deal. Isaac is going to the freshman gathering.”

“Freshman gathering?” Adelia’s eyes widened and she shifted her gaze to me. There
was a deep intrigue in her light blue eyes. Eh? “It’s a freshman gathering… It reminds
me of the old days. It was really fun back then.”

Adelia glanced at Nicole, then turned to me and admitted, “You don’t know, but back
then I was the worst sort of troublemaker. Nicole knows all about it.”

It seems that Nicole and Adelia also attended the freshman gathering in their first
year. Also, Adelia was smiling, apparently having quite a bit of fun remembering,
while Nicole had a disgusted expression. Hers was a polar opposite reaction.

Nicole explained, “Anyway, the freshman gathering has many similarities to a normal
social gathering, but it’s not the same. The freshmen and seniors can get together
and laugh and talk and play. It’ll be a lot more fun than Isaac thinks, okay?”

“Is that all there is? Isn’t there a political back-and-forth like most social gatherings
these days, or a ball?”

“What kinds of politics do kids like us know? It’s a meeting to get to know each other,
that’s all.”

“Um…”

Is Nicole really not aware? That nothing less than the Imperial Princess, with a close
relationship to this nation’s politics, Rina herself, has duped me into going? However,
I won’t say this out loud because I think it will cause unnecessary worries.

I listened silently to Nicole’s explanation and started asking questions. “Are there
only freshmen present?”

“Apart from a few selected seniors and teaching assistants, there will only be
freshmen.”

“Okay. What should I wear? It’s not even in the notice.”

“It doesn’t matter if you wear the school uniform, but it’s better to dress up neatly.
There’s a saying that clothes are wings, right?”

“Apart from us aristocrats, what about the commoners?”

“The clothes here are pretty cheap. And Halo Academy also gives scholarships to
commoners.”

Nicole answered every single question I had, then clapped her hands with
satisfaction that the school seemed to be taking care of everything properly.

“Okay! I’ll take this opportunity to buy Isaac’s clothes. The sparring sessions ended
just in time, so the timing is good.”

“I already brought something from home.”

“You’re going to wear the stuff you had at home? Absolutely not. This older sister will
dress you up, so keep quiet and follow me.”

It seems that the development has abruptly shifted to shopping. Still, it’s not too bad;
I’ve been shutting myself away at home, so Nicole should be more fashion-savvy.

Nicole told me with the look on her face that she was looking forward to going
shopping. “Just wait here until I go wash up. I’ll be back soon.”

“Sure.”

“Adele. Do you want to go shopping with us too?”

“I pass. I want to sleep now.”

So, Nicole and Adelia went to wash up. I sat on the ground as I watched the two of
them walk through the dark passage. The cool stone floor sensation passed through
my buttocks.

While I waited, I imagined how the meeting would go. ‘Is it like a welcome party for
freshmen?’

I don’t think there will be a talent show or anything resembling my previous life’s
freshmen’ welcome party at the university. The play culture here isn’t particularly
developed, and they may think it is shallow. After all, if they have an emcee, he or she
will host the show first, followed by free time. To spice things up, a band may be
invited to play background music.

I’m half-forced to attend the gathering because of Rina, but I’m secretly looking
forward to it. Maybe it will help improve my limited skill at interpersonal
relationships a little. ‘Now that I think about it, aren’t all of my acquaintances
women?’

Cecily, Marie, Rina, Cindy, and Adelia. These five girls are the first people I met after
entering the academy and with whom I have maintained a cordial relationship to
this day. It wasn’t even that I was the first to approach them; they were.

In my previous life, after my parents died, I lived almost disconnected from my

surroundings, and even after my reincarnation, that point did not change. My current
parents were worried about my insular personality, but I’m actually living well.

‘Looking at it this way, it appears that there is something wrong with my

personality… ’ Rather than making many friends, I prefer to have close relationships
with just a few. Also, instead of me approaching them first, I want the other side to
approach me.

I lacked the courage to approach strangers first, and I lacked the skill to forge a
strong bond and make friends within seconds of meeting like some people. To be
honest, I was grateful to those who approached me and made it look so easy.

My reticence sometimes gets me in trouble, but that much can be overlooked. Unless
it has anything to do with my writing, like Xenon’s Saga.
“Isaac?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you spacing out so much? Let’s go now.” While I was lost in my thoughts,
Nicole came back after changing her clothes. I awoke from my trance and stood up.

“Did Adele-noona go back first?”

“Yeah. She thought about following us, but she went back first because she’s too tired
today. But when did you start calling Adele your ‘noona’?”

“That’s because Adele-noona told me to call her that. We talked about it when you
went over to spar for awhile.”

“Hmm… Really? By chance did she say something useless?”

“Not really. Other than pinching my cheeks or asking what my ideal type is?”

“You two…”

I shouldn’t have said that. I couldn’t help but notice Nicole’s expression starting to
distort like a demon.

“Phew… never mind. I’ll think about it later. Anyway, Isaac, do you have any clothes in
mind?”

“Something like a formal suit?”

“A suit…”

Nicole glanced up and down at me at my response. Then she nodded and said as if
she had a rough idea, “Certainly you are thin, so a suit would be perfect for you.
Overall, a plain style that is not flashy?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Hmm… Still, it would be nice to have a patterned waist-scarf, maybe. Let’s pick a
suit that matches your hair color.”
“Red? Really? Won’t it be too conspicuous?”

My hair is red, and to be specific, it is a bright red that stands out even from a
distance. Not to mention that my eyes are golden and gleam like those of a beast, so
once you meet me, you will never forget them.

Despite my question suggesting denial, Nicole flicked her index finger and opened
her lips. “There’s something that you are mistaken about. It’s that you stand out
everywhere with just your red hair, regardless of your clothes.”

“……”

“Early on, Dave was known for his red hair before he became famous for his skills.
Even those who didn’t know Dave’s name recognized him by his red hair.”

Oh really? If so, there is nothing left to say. I’ve thought about it before, but it seems
that red hair is rare in this world as if it’s almost non-existent.

“Come to think of it, do you know what Big Brother is doing right now?” I asked.

“Oh? I sent him letter, but he’s probably still training. I don’t know the details.”

“Do you plan to join the Navy Knights too?”

“I’d love to, if possible, but the Navy Knights aren’t something ordinary so it’s not
easy to enlist. The competition rate is 1 to 100, and a lot of them transfer to other
places because it’s too hard.”

Hearing this, I believe I have a better understanding of how strong my father was. He
was not just a member of the Knights, but the Knights’ commander, so he would have
been treated as a tactical weapon in the Minerva Empire.

After all, the Knights of the Navy fight other races more than their fellow humans.
These days Father has been quiet, but in the past, he clashed with beastmen who
crossed our borders without even breaking a sweat, and even fought elves.

I wondered briefly if my father was the stereotypical reclusive master warrior that
you read about in fantasy novels, and then I moved on to another question.

“Did sister really once attend the freshman gathering too?”

“Yes, of course I did.”

“Did you happen to wear a nice dress?”

“I wore a dress for the first time in my life.”

“Aha. What happened then?” As a younger brother, it’s a bit strange for me to say this
but my older sister, Nicole, resembles our mother and has a very attractive
appearance. Furthermore, she has a healthy body as a result of the consistent
training she has received from our father since childhood.

A beauty like this attended a meeting while wearing a fancy dress? It was basic for
her to receive all kinds of stares, and there is a high probability that she received
countless introductions from men in particular.

And my predictions were right.

“…I don’t have a very good memory. The men were so attached to me that I couldn’t
even enjoy the event properly. I didn’t attend any gatherings from then on.” Nicole’s
expression darkened slightly. Her voice was full of annoyance and regret.

“Um. As expected. Is there anything else besides that?”

“I have no intention of telling you, so take care of yourself.”

“Heh. Okay.” I gave up right away because it would be difficult to dig deeper and
upset Nicole’s heart. Besides, the struggles of beauties like Nicole were something I,
as a man, can’t understand.

Nicole smiled mischievously when I stopped asking questions, then asked softly,
“Why? Do you want to see your sister in a cute dress?”

“No. Not at all. I think I’ll have to throw my eyes away if I saw that.”

“Hahaha. Our Isaac is good at jokes, isn’t he?”

“Ouch!” She pinched me! She may have been pinching me weakly, but her basic grip
is terrifying and it hurt a lot.

Anyway, after this brother and sister friendly conversation, the two of us were able
to arrive at the clothing store before long. It was an apparel store located in the
downtown area of Halo Academy, so it was quite large.

“Welcome. How can I help you?” As we walked inside, the receptionist welcomed us
with a friendly business smile. I was a little hesitant because it was my first time in
this world’s version of a clothing store, but Nicole took it skillfully.

“I’m looking for a man’s formal dress suit, where can I go?”

“Ah, yes. You can go over there for the men’s dress section.” The receptionist pointed.

“Thank you. Let’s go.”

“Right.” I was able to reach the men’s formal wear section after exploring around the
area a bit. Various types of formal attire were lined up as if to fit the term ‘men’s
formal wear’ in a corner.

I was hesitant coming here because it reminded me of a department store, which

were often crowded, but I forced myself to enter saying it was a fantasy. It won’t be
too busy inside, will it? Nothing is more stupid than using common sense from a
previous life to predict the future in a world like this, however.

A dissatisfied voice from nearby said, “Haa… This is also not good. Is there anything
else besides this?”

“I… Guest. I’m sorry, but this is the last one.”

“What? Are you kidding me? Is this the only thing?”

After arriving at the formal-wear corner, it seemed that there was already a
customer looking around. However, things were a little strange.

The dissatisfied voice continued, “There are more clothes than these in our mansion!
Does it make sense that this is all you have?”

“I’m sorry, but these clothes are everything in our store.”

“Sorry? That’s it for an apology? Shouldn’t you bring more styles of clothes here
somehow?!” A man who appeared to be a guest was yelling, and it was clear that the
sales lady was at a loss for words.
Nicole and I went in the direction of the voices to probe the scene. After all, I needed
the assistance of an employee in order to get a suit fitted. When we arrived at the
source of the commotion, my eyes widened.

‘That guy… ’ A total of three people stood in front of a full-length mirror. A younger
man yelling, a helpless maid next to him, and an older man standing farther away
with clothes dangling from his arm. In addition, the young man who yelled was
dressed in a lavish robe. Even for someone unfamiliar with the world of fashion like
myself, the robe exuded an exorbitant price like it was proud of itself.

But the younger man’s appearance drew even more attention. He was attractive, but
his expression had become stern and arrogant enough to reduce his attractiveness to
zero so I didn’t want to take a good look at him.

“Damn… Should I have brought something from the mansion? I thought Halo
Academy was good at supplying everything needed for its students, but that wasn’t
the case at all.”

“……”

“…Huh?” The young man who had been muttering something looked this way,
perhaps feeling Nicole’s and my gaze. And when he met my gaze, his eyes widened
and he looked slightly surprised. “You…”

“……”

Jackson was the name of the young man in the colorful robe. He was the son of a
count, and he had been trying to work his wiles on Cecily and Rina since the first day,
but his hopes were always dashed.

He’s also the one who hates me because I managed to get Cecily’s and Rina’s
attention. I could see that much as he stared at me with ferocious eyes every time I
attended the same class.

I was uninterested in him, however. I was too preoccupied with school to pay
attention to just one childish person. Anyway, I thought about what to say in the
moment of silence—I quietly opened my mouth.

“Hi.”
“……”

Jackson’s face contorted at my grave-sounding greeting.

Initially, a person’s first impression lasts a long time. If you have a good first
impression of someone, you will like that person until a certain incident occurs, and
if you have a bad first impression, that bad impression won’t go away no matter how
much good the person does afterward—the so-called ‘colored glasses’, which have a
huge impact on human relationships that cannot be ignored.

And Jackson has a grudge against me, so no matter what I do, he’ll hate me.

“Do you know him?” Nicole asked me in an awkward atmosphere. She’s quick-witted,
so she must have noticed Jackson’s discomfort with me.

In the first place, her question was ‘someone I know’, not ‘friend.’ Well, I nodded my
head because she was right about the certain someone I know.

“Yeah. We both are Academics students.”

“Ah, right…”

“Don’t think that you and I are on the same level. It’s just disgusting.” Before Nicole
could speak, Jackson’s rant pierced our ears. Nicole blinked, wondering if she had
heard the words correctly.

Meanwhile, Jackson was expressing his displeasure as if the verbal abuse he had just
hurled were obvious and true. I was aware that he was steeped in ‘chosen people’
ideology, but I didn’t know he would say it so openly in this way.

Jackson went on, “I’m just in a bad mood. Anyway, how much is this and that?”

“Huh? That… It’s 27 gold and 59 silver in total…”

In Korean currency, one piece of gold was worth about 100,000 won. And 1 gold
equals 100 silver, so it was roughly around 2.76 million won.
Jackson expressed his displeasure at the exorbitantly high price, but then opened his
mouth and stated that he didn’t care about the price. “Tsk. The design sucks, and it’s
needlessly expensive. Anyway, Rex, pay the price and follow me.”

“All right.”

Perhaps wanting to get out of the gloomy atmosphere as soon as possible, he threw
off his flashy costume and gave an order to the attendant named Rex. Rex picked up
the robe that Jackson had thrown on the floor.

Then, as Jackson instructed, he took a pouch from his pocket, counted the gold coins
one by one, and handed them to the sales lady.

“Here is 28 gold. Keep the balance.”

“Ah. Th-Thank you.”

“What are you doing?! Aren’t you coming already?!”

Although the attendant was not slow, Jackson let out a high-pitched voice filled with
annoyance. While the employee flinched at the needlessly-high voice, Rex responded
without blinking, as if this were the norm.

“I’m sorry, Young Master.”

“Hurry up quickly. And…” Jackson changed his mind and turned to face me. Despite
the harsh gaze, I remained unimpressed and unaffected. After staring at me for a
while, he glanced at Nicole standing next to me.

Then he sarcastically raised the corner of his mouth and said, “Could it be that you
came to buy a suit with your sister? You’re not going to attend the freshman meeting,
are you?”

“Oh yes, I am.”

“………”

It’s not necessary to say much to a guy like this, and it’s best to respond to sarcasm
with a blunt answer. As I replied so, Jackson’s eyes twitched as I took his attitude in
casually.
Jackson’s expression broke for a moment, but he soon opened his mouth with a
mocking laugh. “…Yes. You’ll know when you attend. You’ll soon realize it’s just not
your place to attend.”

“………”

“Let’s go, Rex.”

“All right, Young Master.”

Jackson then took a step and began to walk away. Before leaving, the attendant
named Rex turned his head to face me. His bright green eyes stunned me a little. The
attendant then bowed his head and apologized, as if he was sorry. Unlike his young
master, the servant had a more refined and respectful personality.

“…what’s with that bastard?” Nicole muttered in an angry and almost ludicrous voice
not long after Jackson and the attendant had completely left. I could probably guess
how enraged she was when she cursed.

I looked at her face. To slightly exaggerate, she looked like she wanted to go on a
rampage right away. To be honest, if my cherished siblings were openly insulted by
others in front of me, even if it’s someone like me, I would be furious too.

I thought about how to explain Jackson to Nicole, then simply told her what I knew.
“Jackson is simply a guy who hates me. I heard he’s from a wealthy Count family?”

“A wealthy Count…? Oh, he’s probably from the Kerrison family.”

“Huh? That’s right. How did you know?”

“It would be strange if there’s someone I don’t know. Kerrison is in the top 10 of the
Empire in terms of wealth.”

Oh? It seems that the Count of Kerrison is famous.

My sister asked, “But why is he saying something so weird to you? What happened?”

“That’s…” Nicole understood after I explained it to her a bit: from the first class to
Cecily and Rina, Jackson’s obvious infatuation with the two girls, and everything in
between.
However, I did not mention Cecily and Rina by name, but referred to them simply as
‘pretty schoolgirls.’ Nicole already knew what those two girls were like, so there’s a
good chance she’ll think I’ve gotten into trouble if I mention them.

As a result, the explanation was a little lengthy, but I briefly summarized it to ensure
that she understood everything.

“…He’s just freaking out on his own, huh?”

“It’s like that.”

Jackson, as Nicole mentioned, was going wild by himself. The guy couldn’t help but
feel upset because the girls he liked were closer to me. Furthermore, those two
women were uninterested in Jackson.

Of course, he never gives up and talks to them whenever the opportunity arises, but
Cecily and Rina still treat him in a businesslike fashion. In particular, I wonder if
their favorability towards Jackson has decreased even more due to the seating
assignment the other day.

If he would stay quiet and even go halfway toward moderating his superiority
complex, he might receive better treatment from them; well, that’s exactly what I
want to say to Jackson.

Meanwhile, Nicole appeared to think for a moment before placing her hand on my
shoulder and asked, “Isaac, if he starts directly harassing you, tell me. I’ll do
something about it, okay?”

I turned to look at her face. It was a face full of worry.

“Uh…” If Jackson starts bullying me, Rina will be the first to use her hand. Or maybe
Marie, who is closer to me, will take care of it first. Unlike Jackson, Marie doesn’t
uphold a sense of noble-born authority, because she is the daughter of a duke whose
family is already much higher in noble authority and wisdom without needing to
show it. However, Nicole will not know this at all unless I tell her.

In response, Nicole gently stroked my hair as if assuming my hesitancy was because I

was actually worried when I just rolling my eyes. Her angry face was gone, leaving
only a kind smile.
“You can’t answer because you’re afraid your sister will get into trouble? If that’s the
case, don’t worry. Your sister has some connections.”

“Ah… okay.”

“Then shall we buy nice clothes now? Excuse me?” Nicole turned to the sales lady.

“Oh, yes! How can I help you?” At Nicole’s call, a sales lady who had been waiting
from afar hurried over quickly. It is an impression of a foolish appearance with clean
skin.

“I need formal clothes for him, but do you have a red suit? A color similar to his hair
as much as possible.”

“Hmm… A scarlet suit… All right, wait a minute. I’ll take some measurements first.”

There was a minor incident after coming here, but the planned fitting for a new suit
didn’t change. I stood in front of a full-length mirror and spread my arms wide as the
sales lady brought a tape measure.

The lady stopped suddenly, looking startled, and asked in a timid voice, “Um… can I
touch your body?”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“Just before, the customer told me not to touch his body…”

“………” There was only one person who was here before me. I sighed and answered
quietly, “…I’m fine, so you can just do it.”

What a shoddy class-based society this is.

Weekends are valuable to everyone. Some people take a delicious break to relax,
while others enjoy hobbies to soothe their minds and body.

And Cecily, the princess of Helium, spends her weekends conversing with Rina. Rina
was her first human friend since entering Halo Academy, and along with her other
hobbies, no one was more at ease with her.
Despite the fact that Rina revealed the contents of Xenon’s Saga Volume 8 before
Cecily had a chance to read it and they warred a bit, Rina apologized first and the
matter was settled. Cecily, who refused to separate herself from Rina, had fully
accepted Rina’s apology.

“Now. Here it is.”

Inside a cafe with an antique vibe, Rina placed a book on the round table and spoke
to Cecily across from her. The book she placed on the table was none other than the
next edition of Xenon’s Saga, the recently published Volume 8.

Cecily carefully held up the copy of Xenon’s Saga Volume 8 in her hand. She then
flipped through the book’s pages, briefly inspecting its contents. Moments later,
Cecily, after confirming that the book Rina had given her was genuine, closed the
book with a satisfied expression.

Rina inquired, a little taken aback by her behavior, “You didn’t trust me and actually
checked it?”

“Yeah. It’s possible you might have just changed the cover of the book without
providing the true contents. I heard that scams like that are prevalent these days.”

“You know those words hurt me? Have you forgotten who I am?”

Cecily smirked, then laughed. “Of course, it’s a joke, just a joke. There’s no way you
would do anything weird to me, right?”

Cecily’s joke was a bit offensive to her, but Rina held it in. It was because the crime
she had committed against Cecily earlier was too great.

It’s different for everyone, but if someone reveals the ending of a favorite novel in the
midst of an exciting development, it’s bound to make people angry. Even if you gave
away spoilers by accident, the other person is still offended. Especially since Rina
told Cecily the crucial identity of the person who duped the Xenon character because
she thought Cecily had already read the eighth volume, which resulted in disaster.

Naturally, Cecily got angry, and Rina found herself in a bad mood too, and even had
an argument with her about it. Fortunately, they calmed down and reconciled, but
after that, Cecily never sat next to Rina.
“Phew… I get it. And I ask you, don’t ever tell anyone that I bought the 8th volume for
you. Okay?”

“Of course. I’ll carry this secret to the grave.”

Rina smiled at Cecily’s happy smile as the girl hugged Volume 8 tightly. By the time
she enters her grave, Rina’s own descendants will probably join her. For a moment,
Rina had such an unkind thought, but she shook it off. What’s important right now is
not Volume 8, but asking about her current situation.

“How’s academy life these days? Is it good?”

“There are no problems yet. Also, you are helping me out, after all.”

“Even a country like this has its limits. Do you have any concerns or questions?”

Cecily has lived for over 100 years, but this was her first time living in human society.
Fortunately, the culture of the demons has many similarities with human culture,
and so far she was living without difficulty.

But sometimes demons surprise people. The biggest example is flying through the
sky using magic. Halo Academy prohibits the use of magic except in certain areas, so
Rina was bound to be surprised

“I don’t have any specific questions, and if it’s something I care about… well, the
freshman gathering? ” Cecily answered Rina’s question by tapping her cheek with
her index finger as she said that.

Rina raised one eyebrow slightly in response. Cecily had also decided to follow Rina
to the freshman meeting.

“Gathering? Why the Gathering?”

“I was curious about what kind of topics would be discussed at the gathering. Not
only class-related subjects but also topics related to the non-academic students who
are coming to the freshman gathering.”

“I’m not sure. But I’ll bet Xenon’s Saga will be one of the things discussed there. I’m
sure of this.”
“Certainly, like you just said, it would be very disappointing if Xenon’s Saga were not
included.”

As Xenon’s Saga was at the center of many topics recently, it was an indispensable
one for public gatherings. Moreover, since the new volume was recently released,
various stories will naturally be discussed.

“Come to think of it, what are you going to wear to the gathering?”

“I have a dress I brought from Helium. I’m going to wear that.”

“Can you tell me what it looks like?”

“What it looks like…?” In response to Rina’s question, Cecily set the book down for a
moment. As long as she describes the clothes, she may as well draw a picture on the
table using her finger, which should be sufficient.

Rina began to imagine it in her head as Cecily carefully drew a picture on the table
with her finger. Rina’s face became increasingly stunned beyond surprise as Cecily
sketched out her dress.

Furthermore, the surprised look on her face gave way to shock soon afterward, until
Rina finally raised her head and stared at Cecily midway through her description.
Her gaze was drawn to Cecily’s voluptuous chest. Even in her normal attire, she
exudes an overwhelming presence.

Rina’s gaze shifted away from the girl’s chest and met Cecily. Cecily’s expression was
calm after she finished explaining.

Rina sighed and asked, “…Are you really going to wear something like that to a
gathering?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No. There’s no problem…” Rina was at a loss as to how to explain this. The
appearance of the dress Cecily described was obviously plain and simple to a certain
degree. That’s for sure. But the problem is that it’s too simple.

Rina asked her in a voice of concern, “…Wouldn’t that be too revealing?”

Cecily’s answer was even more spectacular. “Won’t I be racy no matter what I’m
wearing?”

“………”

Rina was stunned by the direct response. Like she just said, Cecily with that body of
hers would look seductive no matter what dress she wore. However, the dress Cecily
was going to wear was so outlandish that it could be described as unconventional.

“Anyway, it’s a bit… isn’t it? It’s too revealing…”

“I know what Rina is worried about. But you don’t have to worry. I can tolerate this
much. More than anything…” Cecily paused for a moment before giving off her
signature mischievous smile. “…It’s also because I am looking forward to seeing what
kind of reaction a certain someone will show.”
What are some examples of when time seems to pass quickly? Everyone has different
standards, but there are two main cases.

The first is when doing something you enjoy or find fun. The adage ‘time flies when
you’re having fun‘ is accurate in that people lose track of time when they’re
engrossed in something. They may later be remorseful and blame it on a lack of time.

The second case is when someone is stuck in a daily routine. This case is slightly
different. The process is tedious, but when you look back, you realize how quickly
time has passed.

And I am experiencing both of the aforementioned phenomena. The lectures I

wanted to listen to were enjoyable, and the time definitely flew by, while the boring
lectures flew by because I was too dazed.

As a result, it seems like just yesterday when I bought my suit with my sister, but it
was already Friday. I didn’t take economics, the last lecture on Friday, so all my
classes were over at 3 o’clock.

“Today’s lecture ends here. I hope you have a good time at tomorrow’s gathering,
everyone.”

As the professor with short hair bowed politely, the classroom erupted with
applause. I also responded with strong applause to his excellent lecture.

The lecture I just listened to, ‘Military Studies’, was nothing more than a lecture to
get credits, but the professor explained it so well that I naturally became interested
in it. When I asked questions based on my previous life history knowledge, the
professor explained things in a way that I could understand.

“And student Isaac?”

“Yeah?”
As the applause grew louder, the professor called my name. I stopped applauding at
this point and paused.

The professor maintained his unique stern expression and spoke with a tone that
seemed to emphasize, “As I said before, naval battles on the sea are completely
different from ground warfare. As the student said, even if there is an ‘incarnation’
involved in the battle, the power that comes from the overwhelming difference in the
physique cannot be overcome.”

“Ah, yes.”

“But it was a pretty good question. How to use command strategy alone to turn
around an unfavorable battle situation in the absence of troops armed with
noticeable force. However, a wise commander would not have gone into that battle in
the first place. Well then…”

The military science professor gave a concise explanation and left the classroom.
Even after he left the classroom, I couldn’t help but feel dazed.

‘Then how did they win the Battle of Myeongnyang?[1]‘ I wondered.

The topic I asked about during the lecture was related to ‘The Battle of
Myeongnyang.’ It was the achievement of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and a historical fact that
no one in Korea could not know. Of course, I did not explain the historical context in
detail, I merely adapted a version of the story to fit this world. Even at the Battle of
Myeongnyang, the Joseon navy was understaffed, but the specifications were
excellent, so I didn’t leave anything out. For this one class, I sat quietly listening to
lectures for two weeks before finally asking this question today.

The professor of military science, however, cut it short and concluded It is possible to
cause significant damage to the opponent, but it is ‘impossible’ to win—even if the
commander is a chosen ‘incarnation’ of God.

‘Did I make the analogy too strange? If that’s not the case… ’

Even if Earth and this world are different, it is impossible to discern whether the
Joseon navy’s victory was a fluke or if the existence of Admiral Yi Sun-sin himself
was beyond common sense.

The original situation according to Earth’s historians was even worse than the
situation of the naval forces I described to the professor. Even though I made the
background and the situation a little better just in case, the professor still concluded
that it was impossible.

“Why are you looking so serious? Such a naval battle as you described doesn’t even
make sense to me.”

While I was agonizing over how to portray it in a more realistic way for this world’s
experts to understand, Marie, who was sitting next to me, chuckled. I put my
thoughts aside and looked at her. Marie raised one corner of her mouth, making a
face that told me she wanted me to say something more sensible.

“…Do you think so too?”

“Of course. With only 12 ships, how can you defeat an armada of over 100 ships? If it
were me, I would have cut off the head of the commander who was planning to fight
like that. It’s better to preserve that force and combine it with other forces. In that
case, there won’t be any useless deaths.”

And yet, according to Korean history, Admiral Yi Sun-sin was victorious. He was half-
abandoned by the King and Won-gyun ruined the military he had built with his own
hands. But these words never came out of my mouth. I just laughed like an idiot and
agreed with her.

“Hahaha… As expected, right? It doesn’t make sense, does it?”

“Sometimes you have a geeky side.” Marie rose from her seat as she said so. I also got
up from my seat to return to the dormitory.

“Are you going back?” Rina, who was sitting behind us, asked softly as we rose from
our seats. Also, Cecily, by the way, was sitting next to Rina.

Originally, Cecily had planned to sit away from Rina until she finished reading the 8th
volume of Xenon’s Saga, but that was no longer the case. I believe she read the 8th
volume already.

“Come on, you know that Isaac and I don’t take economics. Why bother asking?” In
the meantime, Marie answered Rina with a harsh tone. I’d felt it before, but Marie
became increasingly uncomfortable with Rina over time. She acted wary before, but
now she was openly harsh.
Rina, on the other hand, simply shrugged her shoulders. The small smile on her lips
indicated that she was unconcerned about Marie’s behaviour.

“I’m just disappointed. I wanted to talk with you guys a little longer.”

“Can you stop saying things you don’t mean? Let’s go, Isaac.”

“Uh… yes.”

“See you both at the gathering tomorrow.” Before I could move on, Cecily smiled
brightly and waved at me. As if bewitched by her greeting, I waved back and
hurriedly followed Marie. I didn’t forget to say greet to Rina while following Marie.
Rina’s smile widened when I greeted her with a nod. That smile made me uneasy, but
I managed to shake it off.

“Really… I hate that annoying smile every time I see it,” Marie grumbled as she
walked out of the classroom and back to her dorm. Instead of calling it grumbling, it
was more like backbiting.

I was curious as to why Marie disliked Rina, but she didn’t say anything. Initially, I
tend to avoid getting involved in things like this until they are willing to talk about it
themselves. Instead, it is better to change the atmosphere to another topic.

I looked at Marie and gently mentioned the other topic of the past week. “Are you
going to the gathering tomorrow too?”

“Even if I don’t want to go to an event like that, I have to. Because I’m the daughter of
the Duke of Requilis. I need to build up connections in advance.”

Nicole had said that the gathering was an event where freshmen got together,
laughed, and chatted a lot, but after hearing Marie’s side of the story, I think it was
more than that. Like she said, connections—or rather, personal connections—are the
most important aspect of aristocratic life. There will be no one to help you in a crisis
if you have no connections, and above all, politics is an essential issue for nobles.

This gathering of freshmen may just be a friendly get-together event for commoners,
but it was a networking opportunity for aristocrats. Simply put, it can be viewed as a
rehearsal for one’s political and personal future.
Looking at me, Marie asked, “You said you were going to attend, too, right? I heard it
from Rina.”

I’m not sure when she heard it from her, but it’s certainly true, so I nodded. Marie’s
fine brows furrowed slightly as I affirmed it. Her expression of dissatisfaction was
evident on her face.

She asked, “You really have a knack for making people uncomfortable. Rina didn’t
pressure you, did she? Be honest with me.”

“Absolutely not. Can’t I participate voluntarily?”

“Well…” At my denial, Marie opened her blue eyes and studied me. As Cecily
mentioned before, I tend to show my inner feelings on my face too much.

Although Marie can’t read my expressions to the level of mind-reading like Cecily,
she could make a guess based on the color of my face. So I was somehow keeping my
facial color from changing by calming my mind.

After a while, Marie, who had been staring at me intently, withdrew with an
ambiguous expression. Fortunately, the color of my face did not change.

“Is it really voluntary? ‘I hope Rina will attend’- didn’t you say it with this tone?”

“Absolutely not.”

As much as she hates Rina, Marie knows Rina well. To throw her off even more, I
added, “And I even bought a suit.”

“A suit?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…” When I said that I had bought a suit, she let out a strange sigh and looked
me up and down. It seemed as if she wanted to make a comment, and I felt bad.

Eventually, Marie nodded and spoke, as if she had finished her evaluation of me. Her
voice sounded satisfied as she said, “A suit would look pretty good on you. Who did
you buy it from?”
“Uh… I don’t know. My sister picked it for me.”

“And the price?”

“Was it 7 gold and 99 silver?”

“Huh? Is that all you can do?”

Hearing her say that, I sighed inwardly. She really is a duke’s daughter, after all. 8
gold… no, a whopping 800,000 won in Korean currency, was treated as ‘barely
adequate’ from her perspective, huh.

Recalling her family background, I asked in reverse, “And how about you?”

“Oh, I brought something from my family home. My father gave it to me as a birthday

present. It’s a dress designed by the renowned Zelt for me.”

Mari stated this confidently, but I had no idea who Zelt was. Perhaps he was a sewing
craftsman.

Fabric for making clothes, such as training suits or leggings, was well-developed in
this world. That’s because alchemy replaced chemistry here, and the recipe was
widely distributed, allowing for some mass production.

Making a dress, on the other hand, was a different story. Because no sewing machine
has been invented here yet, you must sew by hand, stitch by stitch. Even if
commoners don’t know much about it, nobles’ clothes are made by artisans, so the
price is exorbitant.

“It must be very expensive.”

“Of course. Even if you take an educated guess, it should easily exceed 100 golds.
Well, it’s still cheap in comparison to Zelt’s.”

I don’t understand how rich people can afford to pay 10 million won for a single
dress.

Marie smiled like a mischievous child as she talked. She went on to make a confident
declaration to me as she stated, “Don’t fall in love with me when you see me in my
dress. Even my brother reluctantly said that I was pretty.”
I responded with just three short words to her prank. “You’re still pretty.”

“…Huh?”

“You’re pretty enough now.”

“Uh… uh…” She must have realized I was direct but sincere. In an instant, her snow-
white skin turned red. My response had to have been too embarrassing. However, it
is true that Marie is a beautiful woman. And I just said it straight out.

“Uh… I… that’s… uh…” Marie was restless for a long time after that and couldn’t
speak easily. Her face was so red that if you pressed her cheek with a finger, red
water might drip down.

Seeing that, I thought I shouldn’t have said it, but she was the one who joked with me
first. To be honest, I didn’t want to take it back because I was sincere even if it was
said as a joke.

“Uh… that… thank you. I’m a bit embarrassed to hear that from you, not anyone else.”

“Eh? What’s wrong with me then?”

“You’re just… blunt, and if you lie, your face usually shows signs of it, right? So…
Anyway, um, that’s right.” Marie nodded, her face flushed, and then shut her mouth
again.

After a while, Marie, who had been walking in silence beside me while staring at the
ground, glanced at me.

“…Isaac.”

“Yes?”

“Am I really pretty?”

“If you don’t believe me, ask someone else. If you ask ten people, ten would say you
are pretty.”

“…He-he.”
Was my answer that good? Marie smiled broadly at my direct response. In contrast
to her shy first impression, her adolescent girl-like freshness was coming out.
Marie’s different side struck me in a new way when such a heartwarming smile
appeared without my knowledge.

“Isaac.”

“Yes?”

“Will you definitely come to my mansion during vacation?”

Is it just my imagination that those words came out of nowhere? This friendly
atmosphere right now, and Marie’s reaction, felt a bit strange. Anyway, there must be
a good reason and I had no intention to reject it.

“Of course, I will come. Didn’t you say that the writer of Xenon’s Saga is also coming?”

After hearing about it from Marie, I sent a letter to my father. And my father wrote
back that his tail had never been stepped on, so it was very likely an impersonation. I
was relieved to hear that, but I was more interested in the identity of the
impersonator. What kind of idiot would try to con not just anyone but a high-ranking
Duke?

Marie listened to my words and blinked as if belatedly realizing something. She said,
“Ah~ that? I forgot to tell you, Isaac. My dad said he was an impersonator.”

“What?”

“It was an impersonator. We investigated because there were numerous suspicious

circumstances. We found out that in the past, he was a well-known con artist. Now
that Xenon’s Saga is so well-known because he attempted to impersonate such a
renowned author, that made it easier for him to be caught.”

It was an embarrassing and futile outcome for a scammer like that, but in retrospect,
it was inevitable. If I was a duke, I wouldn’t believe such a claim so easily and would
send someone to investigate meticulously. In other words, the impersonator dug his
own grave. He had hoped to make a lot of money, but even if his opponent, the duke,
were a naive fool, it was too late.

Marie went on, “My dad also met the impersonator once, and the kind of calluses
that only people who write for a long time have? There was no such thing. Don’t you
have those too, Isaac?”

“This?” I raised my hand and showed her the ‘pen-hooks’ she described. Marie
checked the pen-hook on my middle finger and nodded her head vigorously.

“Yes. Yes. That’s right. My dad also got a callus on that side while doing so much
paperwork. But I think yours are even worse than my dad’s.”

“Well, I tend to study hard.” I’ve already polished my response for this kind of
situation, huh.

Marie listened to my answer and looked at my hand with a puzzled expression, then
asked in an anxious voice, “…Then won’t you come to our mansion?”

“Huh…?” I thought deeply about her question. I’m sorry to say to you, Marie, but since
the invited writer has already been exposed as an impersonator, there is no reason for
me to visit your mansion, is there?

‘In other words, there’s no need to take risks and go… ’ The duke hired someone to
investigate and catch the impersonator, and after listening to Marie’s story, it’s
obvious her dad seems to be a keen observer. Therefore, the moment I meet the
Duke and shake his hand, he will likely notice the existence of my so-called pen-
hook.

I can tell her dad the duke that it’s because I study a lot, just like I told Marie, but it’s
natural that doubts about a person grows quickly from the moment they first creep
up. In particular, since the duke is the kind of person who will keep all possibilities in
mind, it is unlikely that he will assume the author of Xenon’s Saga to be just an
elderly sage.

Above all, I’m not a pervert, and the tiger’s mouth is wide open, so there’s no reason
to risk my head…

I glanced at Marie, who had an uneasy expression on her face, and carefully brought
out an answer. I’m sorry for Marie, but it’s right to reject what might be dangerous.

“…maybe?”

“Ack… you. Don’t just tell me no.”

Marie grumbled in disappointment, then muttered to herself softly, as if she had a
flash of inspiration. She gently touched her chin, as if she seemed to be planning
something, yet her expression was solemn. What kind of serious scheme is she
hatching? I couldn’t help but feel uneasy when I saw her serious face for the first
time while I was with her.

Her voice mumbled, far too low for me to hear, “If it doesn’t work, make it happen…
If he doesn’t come, make him come…”

“……”

“…All right, fine. Isaac?” Marie, after muttering in an inaudible voice, smiled as she
called me.

I was filled with dread and responded firmly, “…What?”

“I’m not inviting you, but will you decline my dad’s invitation too?”

“…Hey?”

Now she’s using her dad’s back to cast a gabulgi[1]? Even when I realized it with a
puzzled expression, Marie only smiled.

She went on, “Though I didn’t say it, my father is also interested in you, you see. He
mentioned how much knowledge a student needs to teach history. Besides, if I do
well in history, he’ll be even more interested, right?”

“……”

“What do you want to do? Will you come when I ask… or when my father asks?”

I sighed inwardly. “Okay, I’ll go. We can go. You’re so mean.”

“Good!” Marie clenched her hands in delight when I replied, with the implication that
I was giving up. I shook my head as I observed her selfish joy.

At the very least, it was still Marie, so I reluctantly accepted it. If it were someone
else, I would reject it completely. Marie may not have realized it, but the situation at
hand was clearly one where she used ‘Noble Authority.’ It was an act far removed
from the Requilis family’s ideology of ‘Noblesse Oblige’.
But if I told Marie about it now, she might be shocked. It would be better for both me
and her if I buried this issue in my heart.

Furthermore, seeing Marie wandering around being happy made my most negative
thoughts fade away.

“So you’re really coming? If you suddenly say no, I’ll scold you.”

“Okay. Don’t worry, that will never happen.”

“Okay, good. Then see you at the gathering tomorrow! Bye~!” Marie waved her hand
vigorously and moved to the girls-only dormitory.

I also waved my hand and headed to the boys’ dormitory. As soon as I got back to the
dorm, I threw off my school uniform and dropped myself on the bed. A soft sensation
permeated my entire body after doing so and I felt a strong desire to rest like this.

‘Even if there happens to be a duke, tomorrow at the gathering… ’

The Freshman Gathering is an event that brings together not only Academics
students but also Non-Academic students. Nicole said I didn’t have to worry, but I
was still worried.

Because Jackson was eager to eat me right now. I wondered what insults I would
receive at the gathering. Of course, since I’m treating Jackson like an adult, despite
his arrogant behavior, it’s okay. Even if a guy whose head hasn’t matured yet is
screaming insults at me, it probably won’t evoke any feelings. Even being tainted
with the ‘Chosen People’ ideology felt like a middle school illness, and it did not
resonate with me.

‘By the way, will Leona attend?’ I suddenly remembered Leona, the beastkin girl. Will
she come to the meeting tomorrow? To be honest, given her circumstances, there’s a
good chance she won’t show up.

I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling before turning my head slightly. My
clothes for tomorrow were on a hanger in the closet. That suit alone was worth over
800,000 won. ‘I hope it’s worth it.’

With that thought, I reluctantly jumped out of bed. It’s a waste to lie here doing
nothing like this. In this case, it is better to work on my manuscript.
Then, instead of the lecture notebook, I sat at my desk and opened a notebook that
summarized the current development of Xenon’s Saga. The story development and
episodes were meticulously organized, and the characteristics and rough
descriptions of the characters were also recorded.

‘For the Seven Deadly Sins story arc, regarding Anger… let’s go with beastmen. If I
add the setting that a beastman family was massacred by humans, and even betrayed
by other beastmen… ’

I took the magic pen my father had gifted me from my front pocket and began
writing.
Wearing a suit makes you look many times better. I rarely wore a suit in my past life,
but I definitely looked classier when I did. But what if you have a handsome face and
a good body, and your clothes and shoes fit perfectly?

You overflow with confidence to the point that you feel like you can do anything
beyond normal satisfaction. I remembered a handsome actor from my past life who
embodied the same air of smug confidence. As I said, the importance of appearance
goes without saying.

“Good.” I stood in front of a full-length mirror, looking at myself in a suit, or formal

dress in the local parlance. The mirror reflected an image of a handsome young man
with bright red hair, who was smiling while adjusting his bright-red formal dress.

The formal-dress suit was plain, with no ornamental decorations, filigree, or

patterns used by other nobles to flaunt their wealth and fame. Other nobles may
mock it as plain, but the cost of such attire is prohibitively expensive for the majority
of people. It’s similar to the suit I wore in my previous life, so I’m satisfied with
myself.

Not only that, but I’m also wearing a white scarf around my neck. The scarf was
embroidered in pure gold with a falcon design, symbolizing the Minervan Empire.
It’s a simple style that fully expresses one’s individuality. Even without it, my striking
red hair and matching outfit would draw attention.

‘The style… I’ll keep it like this. There’s nothing to touch.’ It’s not like I know how to
apply makeup, and it would look strange if I did, so I’d rather not touch anything in
the first place. I’m already attractive with just this much and there’s nothing else to
add.

Instead, I recently visited a beauty salon to have my hair neatly managed. When I
arrived at the salon, it was packed with students preparing for today’s Freshman
Gathering, and among them were familiar faces.
Rina, Cecily, and finally Marie. Unlike the other customers, these three had a group of
four or five employees clinging to them as if undergoing surgery. ‘The Princess, the
Duke’s Daughter, and the Demon Princess. They must be busy.’

I finished it quickly because I only had to have the salon staff style my hair neatly.
Originally, the staff was focused on only three people, but Rina, who noticed my
presence, was considerate and let them take care of me first. Even so, just a little
haircut was enough, so one person sufficed. Before leaving the hair salon, I was
looking forward to what they would look like afterward.

‘Because the gathering officially starts at 5:30… ’ I took my eyes off the mirror and
checked the time. The current time is exactly 5 o’clock. It was time for me to depart
for the auditorium. The distance between the dorm and the auditorium was less than
ten minutes, so I could walk there slowly.

Then, after putting on the shoes required for formal attire, I walked outside and
toward the main auditorium. The sun was setting and it was getting dark outside.

‘I’m a little nervous.’ There was a freshman welcome party in my past life, but now
it’s a similar yet different gathering for freshmen. I’m not sure who will happily laugh
and talk without struggling, but some people, they will have to work hard to build a
network.

Fortunately, I am closer to the former, but the world does not always revolve as you
wish. Furthermore, Jackson is the most important uncertain variable. I’m not sure
what he’ll do to get me in trouble, but it’s better to be prepared. ‘Rina and Marie will
be there, so he won’t be able to openly insult me… ’

I took a look around on my way to the auditorium. It’s only natural that there are a
lot of passers-by since it’s the weekend, but today people in stylish suits or pretty
dresses caught my eye everywhere.

Like the others said, the gathering will be attended by both academics students and
non-academics students (ie. the martial arts students). Seniors or assistants
representing various majors may also attend, so the number of people must be quite
large.

‘Wow… That person is really cool.’ I occasionally came across people who looked so
cool that I was in awe of them. Judging from their tall height, straight stature, and
well-built physique, they are no different from athletes.

I don’t know the details of their appearance because I don’t have good eyesight, but
even though they are far away, their coolness was exploding. I’m sure none of the
students are out of shape, so whatever they wear will look great.

‘I, too, want to grow taller.’ After coming to the academy, I grew 1 cm taller but it’s
sad that I’m not even 173 cm at all. The only solace I can find is that I’m still growing.
I was 175 cm tall in my previous life, so I’m grateful even if I grow up to that height.

“Isaac?”

“Huh?” Just as I was about to enter the auditorium, a familiar voice called my name.
The face that caught my eye startled me as soon as I turned my head.

Leort, the Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire and a handsome young man with a
form like that of a tiger, was looking at me with curiosity in his eyes. The key point to
consider here is whether Leort was also dressed formally.

Unlike me, Leort was dressed in a regal robe befitting a crown prince. Overall, the
white background and golden color scheme worked well together, and it looked
much better than the formal dress Jackson purchased last week.

I surveyed his appearance quickly and then spoke in a puzzled voice. “Sir Leort?”

“As expected, it’s Isaac. I saw red from afar, so I followed you, but I didn’t think it was
real.”

“So what brings you here?”

That’s what I said, but I think I know roughly. Perhaps Leort had come to the
freshman meeting as well because he is a student representing the political science
major.

And Leort gave me the expected response. “You must have guessed by looking at
these clothes that I have come to attend the gathering. It seems that you are also
heading to the auditorium to do so?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Well…” After hearing my simple answer, Leort looked me up and down, stroking his
chin,. Compared to his extravagant regal dress, mine was plain and unappealing.

However, Leort smiled kindly and praised me in a pleasant voice. “It really suits you.
It’s unusual to come across someone who looks good in red.”

“I’m flattered. But I pale in comparison to Mr. Leort.”

“No. In my eyes, you look much nicer than nobles who use expensive clothes to
radiate wealth.”

“That… um, thank you.” It was more embarrassing because it was genuine rather
than just hollow words. As I scratched my cheek, Leort let out a chuckle.

“Since it’s come to this, let’s go together.”

I blinked in surprise. “Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Who cares what anyone else says? If anyone bothers you, I’ll take care of it.”

“That… I see.” If I continued to refuse, I might offend Leort. So when I agreed

reluctantly, Leort moved his legs forward first.

I followed him, looking around as he walked ahead. Walking alongside him may
undermine his royal authority. It was one of the manners taught at home.

“Isaac. Have you read the 8th volume of Xenon’s Saga that was recently published?”

Leort, who was leading the way, asked me a question. To be honest, I was perplexed
as to why this question wasn’t raised before.

It was a question I had anticipated, so I answered without hesitation, “No. Although I

have not read it yet, I did read the newspaper critique. They said that in Volume 8,
there was a story element criticizing the nobility. There was also mention of a new
means of faster transportation called a steam locomotive.”

“Yes. It’s fine to criticize the nobility, but the steam locomotive surprised me. If a
mode of transportation such as the steam locomotive is truly invented, the world will
change dramatically.”
“Do you think we can build one, Mr. Leort?”

The steam locomotive was one of the inventions that symbolized the ‘industrial
revolution’ in my previous life. Furthermore, the ‘Industrial Revolution’ did not
happen out of nowhere, but was the result of science and technology that had
accumulated gradually since ancient times.

As a result, for the Industrial Revolution to occur, technology beyond a certain level
is required, but in this world, there is a subtle imbalance between science and magic.

A simple example, such as a refrigerator, can be replaced with a magic icebox, but a
complex machine, such as a steam locomotive, cannot. Furthermore, even that is like
magic to the people here, not engineering.

Leort also expressed his somewhat negative viewpoint, as if he were aware of it.
“Well… It’s unfortunate, but novels should be treated as such. The novel explained
the basic concept, but that alone is not enough. We need a more complicated theory
than that because we have to move that massive block of iron and steel without the
use of magic. And if we have the technology to build a steam locomotive, we can use
it to create a variety of inventions.”

“That means it’s hard.”

“Yes. However, the idea itself is amazing. How much knowledge and experience does
a person have to imagine something like this? I don’t even have a clue.”

It’s not that I have a lot of knowledge and experience, it’s just that I came from
another world. Since I have completely different knowledge from the people of this
world, there must be many people who think like Leort.

Still, it was somewhat disappointing that they thought it was too difficult to make a
steam locomotive. Even in the newspapers, most of the reviews said that it would be
better to do magic research than to do such ‘stupid things.’

“I’d like to peer inside the author’s mind at least once. I sometimes wonder if he’s
from another world—the whole story of Xenon and this steam locomotive, for
example.”

“……”
Although said in a flowing manner, it struck me as a very dangerous statement.
Fortunately, Leort was looking ahead, because if he saw my face right now, I’d be in
big trouble. I tried everything I could to restore my lost sense of calm. I could tell my
face must have turned pale by now, even without checking in a mirror.

‘I didn’t expect those words at all…” I thought that with a nervous feeling.

Soon after, as the entrance to the auditorium began to appear, Leort said, “We’d
better part ways now. I have other matters to attend to.”

“I understand.”

“Then I hope you have a good time at the gathering. Oh, by the way, will Nicole be
attending?”

“No. My sister hates gatherings so she won’t be attending.”

“Hmmm… I see. I guess she still has that incident on her mind…” Leort heard my
answer and muttered this in hushed tones. It was barely audible, but it piqued my
interest.

Nicole apparently had a reason for not attending gatherings. If it was an incident that
Leort, who arrived at school later than Nicole, was aware of, it had to be well-known
within the academy.

“Anyway, I understand. Then we’ll see you later.”

“I hope you have a good time too, Mr. Leort.” I made my goodbye as I was taught at
home, and Leort waved and walked away. I followed his back as he walked away,
then turned my gaze to the auditorium.

It wasn’t as big as the gymnasium, but it was still quite large. It’s a place I haven’t
been to since the entrance ceremony, but it’s novel to see it like this. ‘I wonder how
the inside is decorated?’ The inside was very spacious as if two gyms were joined
together. I walked towards the entrance with anticipation.

The main event started at 5:30, yet there was no one guarding the entrance.
Eventually, it was time to pass through the doors and enter the auditorium itself.

“…that’s amazing,” I couldn’t help but admire the interior of the auditorium as soon
as I saw it.

A chandelier was installed on the ceiling to light up the interior, and beneath it were
long stretched tables with delicious food placed on them.

Because the middle section was empty, it was assumed that it was a space for
dancing, similar to a ballroom. Rather than a gathering, I felt like I was at a party
hosted by a high-ranking aristocrat.

‘The people here are… quite a lot.’ It was crowded, possibly because it was a
gathering of both academic and non-academic students. I know it was free to attend,
but there were a lot of students there. Not only freshmen but also seniors and
teaching assistants from their majors.

I moved my legs as I gulped at the immense pressure I was already feeling.

“Ho-ho-ho. Really? That is a fascinating story.”

“Thank you. Lady, you have such a lovely smile.”

“Really?”

As I approached the main podium, I could hear conversation from time to time, but
nothing stood out. The most important thing now was to find a familiar face. Of
course, I have no intention of blindly approaching someone I know. If they are the
ones I know, they must be surrounded by a lot of people.

It’s far better to be skeptical and keep some distance than to pretend to know
someone for no reason, otherwise the atmosphere will flow strangely as a result.
‘Should I just eat something? I’m hungry right now… ’

It happened just as I was considering a snack and sneaking toward the table.

“Isaac!”

“………”

“Isaac! Here! Here!”

My damn red hair, I lamented inwardly as soon as I heard the familiar voice. Given
how far away the voice is, it was certain that the person was quite a distance away,
but it seems they have seen and recognized me.

Hah, I have red hair and a red suit, so they can’t help but see me. I gave up halfway and
turned to face the source of the voice. When I turned in the right direction, I noticed
someone coming this way.

It was Cecily, with her hair as black as the night sky and horns, the symbol of the
devil, protruding like a crown. It’s as if she just finished her makeup at a salon…

“…Huh?”

But my thoughts come to an end there. It was because the closer Cecily got, the more
her outlandish outfit drew my attention. I couldn’t help but rub my eyes for a
moment, wondering if I was seeing things wrongly. But Cecily’s dress as she
approached me didn’t change. I slightly opened my mouth and took in her beautiful
appearance.

If my hair was a lighter shade of crimson, her dress was a darker cherry color. It was
a color that complemented her, but her dress itself was the issue.

Normally, in case of a revealing dress, the back and shoulders would be completely
exposed, or the chest would be barely visible, but Cecily’s dress was even worse than
that. From the waistline, the dress split in a V shape, partially covering Cecily’s
breasts, but due to the overwhelming presence of her chest, her bosom was almost
completely exposed.

And that’s not all. Each time she came closer, her breasts fluttered a little, stimulating
my unconscious desire.

“You are here later than I thought. I thought for sure you left the salon earlier than
we did.”

“………”

“Come to think of it, isn’t Isaac also wearing red like me? It suits you well.”

Cecily approached me before I realized it and, as usual, treated me in a friendly

manner. Even with her warm welcome, I couldn’t bring myself back to reality. Aside
from her dress, the scent of roses stimulated my sense of smell and the
seductiveness that emanated indistinctly tried to bring my buried shady desires to
the surface.

Is this how it feels to be confronted by a succubus? I couldn’t figure out if I should

keep myself from reacting after getting her attention.

“How do I look? Do I look good? Other people complimented me saying that I look
good, but what about Isaac?” Cecily asked, pulling up the ends of her dress if she
didn’t know how I felt. Her voice was full of anticipation and her trademark
playfulness.

I closed my eyes tightly in response to the question, then returned my gaze to Cecily.
And…

gulp-

Instead of answering verbally, I gulped down my saliva. Was this alone a sufficient
answer?

“Ffffft.”

“……”

Cecily covered her mouth with one hand and smiled wryly. Then she said teasingly.
“Isaac’s face is bright red.”

“………” If there’s a man who doesn’t even blush when he sees a beautiful girl like this,
he’s definitely a eunuch or gay.
Marie, the daughter of Duke Requilis and a freshman in the Academy’s Academics
Department, was in a good mood right now.

She used to dislike going to events like family gatherings, yet she always wanted to
help her family someday. Even if you have knowledge that surpasses others, if you lack
the experience to apply it, it is meaningless. It was to put what she’d been learning at
home into practice through her family’s ideology.

In fact, each experience she had in a social setting was extremely beneficial, so Marie
reluctantly stepped forward.

Even though she wanted her makeup to be done quickly and neatly, for today’s event
she double-checked for any flaws. The makeup process, which normally takes about
an hour, took more than three hours.

However, the makeup turned out well, and the dress she brought from the mansion
fit perfectly with no flaws. Marie was satisfied with her beautiful appearance and
went to the Freshman Gathering with a surprising feeling of pleasure.

“Oh! Aren’t you the Young Lady of the RequilisFamily?”

“Yes. My name is Marie Hausen Requilis.”

“I am Genia Cleton Hirtu of the Hirtu Family.”

“If it’s the Hirtu Family… Ah! Are you Viscount Madd’s daughter?”

“Yes! You know him as well. It’s a great honor to meet you, Marie.”

“Is Miss Genia having a pleasant time?”

While on her way to the gathering, someone recognized Marie, but she handled it
well. As a noble from a Ducal family, she had learned how to greet people at the age
of 14 thanks to her participation in ‘social society.’

Of course, she didn’t interact with people while wearing a ‘mask,’ like some others
she knew. Some people just can’t act, but rumors about her had already spread far
and wide in society circles. Marie, the daughter of the RequilisFamily, had a lively
personality. To put it bluntly, she has a tomboyish personality, but no one dared to
openly criticize her because of her background. Rather, they were too busy flattering
her with plain yet sweet words.

Marie really hated such people; pretentious people hiding knives on the inside while
flattering on the outside. In order to gain something, these opportunists will reveal
their true selves.

‘This feeling again. I really hate it.’ Even though Marie couldn’t act, she could tell
whether people were being genuine or not by their expressions. She was different
from Rina in that she could naturally pick up on social cues, whereas Rina had
excellent observational skills.

She also had a strong feeling that the student Genia, who was being friendly with her,
had a calculating attitude toward trying to connect with high-ranking noble families
like hers. Even though she didn’t show it on the surface, Marie felt very
uncomfortable in this situation.

‘He never gives me that feeling.’ Marie was currently chatting with Genia, but in her
mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about the red-haired boy she had recently met since
starting school here—a man with crimson hair and golden eyes that glowed like a
beast from afar.

Their first meeting was not very good, but the more time they spent together, the
more she realized that he was a person who was far from superficial, even if he
appeared distant. Even if he lied a little, his face showed it all, and while his tone was
blunt, he put his sincerity into every answer.

‘Sometimes it seems like he’s hiding something… ’ It’s probably a personal secret of
his, but if so, it’s certainly not a ruse Marie loathed. It’s not her hobby to snoop into
other people’s personal lives as some do.

In any case, as Marie continued speaking with Genia, she thought about the boy she
was recently interested in. She arrived at the main auditorium, where the gathering
was to take place before she realized it.

“We’re already there. It’s a shame.”

“We can chat inside just as easily.”

“Really?”

“Of course. But I have someone else I’d like to meet separately, so I think we should
split up here.”

“Ah…”

Marie was eager to get out of there as soon as possible, which left Genia deeply
disappointed. For Marie, she wanted to walk over to his side and talk like they always
do.

What type of clothes did he wear to today’s gathering? He bought a cheap dress suit
that cost less than 8 gold, but for some reason, she thought it would look good on
him. Even though he was not tall, his lean physique would make up for it.

Leaving Genia behind, Marie strolled inside the main auditorium. Even for her, who
has been to numerous social gatherings, the interior of this auditorium is quite well-
decorated. And for someone as tall in noble stature as herself, it was something to
behold.

But there was something more important to her than the auditorium setting.

‘Red hair… Red hair… Red hair… ’ As soon as Marie walked into the auditorium, she
began looking for someone with red hair. There was a chance he hadn’t arrived yet,
but finding him came first.

Marie’s alertly-moving gaze soon landed on red hair and a dark-haired woman who
stood partially in front of that red hair too.

‘…Cecily?’ It was a face Marie already knew well—the princess of Helium, and one of
the high-ranking women she met at the academy.

The woman, dressed quite provocatively, was engaging in friendly conversation with
the red-haired male student. The male student was deeply flushed while engaged in
the conversation with a tender expression.

“………”

Marie’s brows twitched for a split second and at the same time, an unknown emotion
welled up from the depths of her heart. Seeing the two of them talking like that with
her own two eyes was extremely unsettling. So much so that she wanted to separate
the two right now. In response, Marie moved her legs and approached them.
Unknowingly, her face had hardened.

It is said that a woman’s transformation is innocent. This is a kind of maxim that

arose as a result of the fact that ordinary women can look stunning when they put on
makeup.

The men, on the other hand, usually laughed and claimed, ‘It doesn’t matter.’
Breaking up with a girlfriend because her bare face is unattractive is an extremely
rare occurrence and men are frequently chastised for ending relationships in such a
way. Of course, this is only for ordinary women who become beautiful with makeup,
and women who are beautiful even without makeup frequently use makeup to tone
down their beauty, or conceal it completely.

Furthermore, in Cecily’s case, her attractiveness was not limited to her face but
extended to other areas as well.

“Isaac, your face is flushed.”

“………”

Cecily, who spoke in a playful tone, had me staring blankly. Is it because of the heat
on my face? I couldn’t even tell that my own face was red.

‘Really now… ’ Finally, I sighed and covered my face with one hand. And I was able to
keep the base desires that arose from the depths of my heart at bay. I wasn’t a
eunuch, and seeing Cecily like this made my instincts as a man come out.

Most men will understand my feelings. It’s natural for a man to be drawn to a
beautiful woman, especially when she’s dressed provocatively and flirting with him.
As a man, however, I should try to control my instincts. I inhaled deeply and opened
my mouth.

“Huu… Noona…?”

“Hmm, what?”

“…Aren’t your clothes a bit… too much?”

“What’s too much?”

Don’t you know? No, I’m sure she’s doing this on purpose. I sighed again at Cecily,
who asked, maintaining her playfulness.

“That… dress…”

“Is it too racy?”

“…Yes.” As my heart calmed down a bit, I lowered the hand that was covering my face.
Cecily’s fixed gaze on my face began to shift downwards as soon as I lowered my
hand.

I’m not a sage, and as a man, I can’t completely control my instincts.

Meanwhile, Cecily looked at me, then softly smiled and opened her mouth, saying,
“You don’t have to try so hard not to look.”

“…but that’s rude.”

“If you say it’s rude for me to wear this dress, wouldn’t it be weird for that person?
And most demons wear clothes like this to social gatherings. Men, in particular, are
honest about their desires, aren’t they? It’s a way to test how much they can control
their desires.”

That’s true… it’s a reasonable phenomenon, I suppose. I nodded my head weakly to

her explanation.

If other people wore clothes like this, people would gossip, but it felt different
because Cecily was wearing them. Along with her elegance, her inherent dignity has
been enhanced, adding to her allure.
However, it is still something that I find difficult to look away from. “…Are you going
to keep going like that?”

“Huh? Of course. Is Isaac worried that others will look at me strangely?”

“………”

“I guess I’m right, seeing as your face turns red without a word,” Cecily said, wiggling
her fingers.

I felt my blood pressure rising in real-time. I hurriedly changed the subject so as not
to get a nosebleed. “Oh, ah, anyway! What were you doing before?”

“Oh, just talking to some people I’ve never met before. It wasn’t very pleasant. Most
of them, both men and women, gave me lust-soaked gazes. Certainly, humans are
honest with their desires.”

Despite her calm tone, the content of her words was unpleasant. Frowning slightly
since I didn’t understand, I asked, “Don’t you feel bad? Even if you are a demon…”

“Isaac. Don’t arbitrarily apply human standards to other races. Humans have their
own ways, and so do we.”

“………”

“We demons want to live as humans, but if we accept what others impose on us, it
will only be an imitation. Demons, as you stated previously, should live like demons.”

At Cecily’s sharp advice, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. I felt like I’d
been hit with a hammer in the head. Imposing human ways on other races, as she
stated, is an unjust and ridiculous action. Perhaps my actions upset her.

“…I’m sorry. I spoke carelessly.”

“No, it’s fine. This must be due to your thoughtfulness as well. It feels good to be
thought of in that way.”

Cecily smiled as she shrugged off my apology. I returned her gaze with a calm smile.

“What are you doing here?”

“Huh?”

In the friendly atmosphere, a familiar woman’s voice cut through the gap. Cecily and
I both turned our heads in the direction of the voice. Standing there stood a girl no
less beautiful than Cecily, with her arms crossed. I’m not sure what she was
dissatisfied with, but she looked very unhappy.

For a brief moment, I had no idea who this beautiful woman was, but I recognized
her white hair and bright blue eyes. “…Could it be Marie?”

“Why are you calling me that?”

At the mention of Marie’s name, the beautiful woman answered bluntly. With a
slightly dazed expression, I looked at Marie. Her white hair, which was long enough
to reach her waist, was tied in a ponytail, revealing her swan-like nape, and perhaps
because of the makeup, she gave off a mature look overall.

The white dress with a faint bluish tinge was also daring, though not as much as
Cecily’s. The shoulders were completely exposed, and the thunderbird-like
collarbone line was visible, as were the moderately large breasts, which exuded sex
appeal. Finally, she wore expensive-looking jewellery, as befitting a young lady from
a ducal family, but it added little to her beauty.

In conclusion, whereas Marie as a student exuded a youthful beauty, the current

Marie exudes a mature beauty akin to Cecily.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Do I look weird?” Marie asked in a grumpy
voice as I blankly stared at her. She must have been embarrassed to avert her gaze
and reveal her flushed cheeks.

I hurriedly gathered my thoughts and spoke from the bottom of my heart, “No. It’s
just… I was too surprised. You’re too beautiful, I didn’t recognize you for a moment.”

“…I’m beautiful?” Marie’s previously sullen face softened a little at the word
beautiful. Then, after looking up and down at Cecily next to me, she cautiously
opened her mouth again. “…How beautiful am I?”

“To the extent of falling in love at first sight, like I said before.”

“…Huh?”
As soon as I answered that, Cecily next to me revealed her doubts. Her expression
showed that one of her eyes was squinting as if she was thinking about something.

Regardless, Marie’s mouth drew a line as if she was satisfied with my answer. Then,
facing me, she spoke without hesitation. “You’re good at answering ambiguously, so
when did you learn to be so blunt? But it doesn’t matter, I’m not losing to anyone, at
least.”

“When have I ever answered ambiguously? If I did, I would have used all sorts of
empty flattery and said that you were a goddess of beauty.”

“That would have been something to hear if you did. It’s too bad.”

“Then should I do it now?”

“No, that’s enough. By the way…” Marie, who was conversing with me, slurred her
words and turned her gaze to Cecily rather than to me. She looked her up and down
again and cautiously opened her mouth. “Cecily is… quite bold, isn’t she? I don’t
know where to look.”

Marie seemed to share my sentiments. Regardless of who the person is, they would
have a similar reaction if they saw Cecily.

Meanwhile, Cecily smiled and made an unexpected move after hearing Marie’s
remark. “Yes. Marie is bold too, right?” She subtly grabbed my arm and drew me
closer to her chest.

Her action was smooth and natural, and it took me a moment to react. The fire that
had been dormant rose again as soon as the soft and pliable touch was transmitted
through my arm.

“What, um… what are you doing…?”

“I was curious how Isaac would react to this dress.”

What’s this again? Cecily’s answer perplexed me. This is a markedly different
response from her previous one. She was obviously joking, judging by her unique
playful way of speaking, but I still didn’t get it.

“…what do you mean?” Marie appeared to be taken aback by Cecily’s response as

well. While squinting one of her eyes, she expressed her mental confusion.

Cecily tightened her grip on my arm even more. Even if I tried to pull it away, it
wouldn’t budge. When I struggled, the feeling of her soft bosom was clearly
transmitted.

“It’s as you heard. I was curious about Isaac’s reaction.”

“No, um… Cecily Noona? Earlier, you definitely said…

“…This is another of your jokes, right? Can’t you see Isaac is in trouble?” Before I
could open my mouth again, Marie strode forward and grabbed my arm, the one that
Cecily was holding. However, Marie, who was close to normal in physical strength,
was unable to overcome Cecily’s demon-enhanced strength.

As a result, the two women confronted each other, with my arm between them.
Despite the sudden chill in the air, Cecily maintained a mischievous demeanor. “It is
not a joke. And crossing one’s arms in this manner is a kind of reward for someone
who has conquered their desire. It’s an old culture of our Helium.”

“That’s a common story among you demons. We, humans, won’t take your actions
very well in a public setting like this. What you’re doing to Isaac right now is an act
only between lovers. It might make others doubt your chastity.”

“I told Isaac earlier that applying human standards to other races is not a good idea.
And we demons have a very conservative view of chastity.”

“Since you came to the human world, shouldn’t you follow human laws and customs?
At least, that’s what I believe.”

The two women engaged in a fierce battle without making any concessions. What is
notable here is that Marie had a hardened face, whereas Cecily always wore a
mischievous smile.

But it makes no difference. As I looked around, I noticed several eyes looking at us

with interest. The Princess of Helium and the Young Lady of Requilis fighting over a
man. What an exciting development this was to them, no doubt.

You’ve probably heard this: Life is a comedy when seen from afar, but a tragedy when
seen up close.
‘…I want to go home.’ That’s how I felt right now.
“What are you all doing here?”

When the difficult situation continued for several minutes, a gentle woman’s voice
intervened. Her voice was filled with wonder and curiosity. Not only did I turn my
head at that voice, but so did the two women holding my arms.

A woman with wavy golden hair and sapphire-blue eyes, while holding a wine glass
in one hand, looked at us in puzzlement. The off-shoulder dress she wore, with its
gold and white accents, exuded an elegant and lofty elegance. In addition, she wore a
lot of expensive jewelry on her body, as if to show off what kind of person she was.

Rina appeared as this country’s ‘Princess’ rather than just a student today, similar to
Marie, whose aura had changed 180 degrees from before. “Are you having a love
battle? If so, it’s pretty fun to watch.”

Rina said this with a hint of interest and sipped from her wine glass. She had the
demeanor of someone watching a fire blazing across the river, but her words were
somewhat chilling.

“…Love battle?” When she heard Rina’s words, Marie furrowed her brows and turned
to face me. Unconsciously, I also met Marie’s gaze.

“…Ah!” Then, with a sudden look of startlement, Marie took her hand off my arm.
Hearing Rina’s words, she seems to have realized, albeit belatedly, how others would
perceive the current situation.

Cecily, meanwhile, also quietly let go of my arm, as if she wanted to stop playing. It
was the moment my arms, which had been nearly buried in her full chest, were
finally free. It might seem a little strange to say, but Cecily’s breasts were fluffy, like a
pillow full of feathers. As she removed her arm, I could feel it more clearly.

“Who… who… ah, who is fighting? Don’t just make assumptions, will you?” As the
situation came to an end, Marie hollered at Rina. Her snow-white skin blushed as she
stammered at first, indicating that she was embarrassed.

Rina shrugged her shoulders, as if it didn’t matter, and replied with a nonchalant
expression, “I apologize for any confusion. It looks like Cecily was joking, right?” Rina
then turned to face Cecily. Her tone was calm but assured.

“You noticed it right away. As expected of Rina.” Cecily, right on cue, did not deny it
and immediately acknowledged it.

I looked at Cecily as I tried to cool my own burning face. Unlike Marie, Cecily’s
relaxed response, with her hands behind her back and her gaze elsewhere, suggested
that nothing was wrong.

But I’m still baffled as to why she pulled this prank. Even though it was apparently a
joke, it was a little much. Grabbing my arm without hesitation, even if it’s for a
‘reward’ or something, is akin to displaying affection.

‘…Is she just playing a prank on me because I am easy to tease?’ Cecily has feelings
for me. It’s not an illusion. If you observe her attitude towards me and her pranks,
you’ll realize it no matter how tactless you normally are.

However, there are times when it is difficult to distinguish between a crush’ as a

person and a crush as a member of the opposite sex. As she previously stated, a
reward-like concept to a demonkin would be similar to human-to-human feelings.

‘I guess I have to think of it as just flirting… ’

For the time being, it is preferable to believe so. Evidence that Cecily liked me as a
member of the opposite sex was still insufficient, and even if she did, I was going to
distance myself.

I, the son of a baron, and Cecily, the princess of Helium. This alone should tell anyone
how great the social gap between us is. Of course, once she realizes I’m the author of
Xenon’s Saga, the tables will be turned, but let’s forget about that for now because no
one wants to reveal a well-kept secret.

It’s not just Cecily, however, but also Marie who’s a problem for me. Her social rank is
also among the top of this country.

“By the way, Isaac’s suit reminds me of Cecily’s a little. It looks great with your hair
color.”

“Thank you. Ms. Rina seems to be shining like the sun in the blue sky, too.”

“Huhu. Thank you for the compliment. Marie seems to be prettier than before. Is this
what you meant when you said you would be working hard on something for today?”

“I’m not at all happy to hear you say that.” Despite Rina’s complimentary words,
Marie treated her coldly. Despite the fact that Marie is the daughter of a duke, she
still showed disrespect to the princess, who is superior to her.

Rina, however, didn’t seem to mind at all, merely smiling like usual, and didn’t say
anything else in response. After seeing Rina’s demeanor remain calm and unruffled,
Marie’s own expression started to crumple in real-time.

“…Anyway, what are you going to do now?” Mari asked Rina, maintaining her cold
demeanor, to which Rina replied in her characteristically soft tone, “I was going to
take Isaac with me. I thought it would be nice to introduce Isaac to a friend I know.”

“You’re asking Isaac to come with you? Don’t you have to ask Isaac’s opinion?”

“Well, I guess I could ask him now. What does Isaac think?”

Even after Marie’s hostile-sounding question, Rina answered skillfully. She looked at
Marie’s annoyed face and then asked for my opinion. I rubbed the nib on my middle
finger, feeling uncomfortable once again.

I’m already getting a lot of looks, and what if I follow Rina around the venue? It is
obvious what others will think. Even if Rina is disappointed, rejecting her offer is
preferable to entering the complicated world of aristocratic politics. Even if she
applies subtle pressure again, I will refuse.

“I apologize. I don’t want to cause any trouble to Ms. Rina, so I shouldn’t.”

“Even if I personally ask you to?”

After I politely expressed my refusal, Rina said what I expected. “Please,” she added,
but it was more like an order from a royal princess. I was looking Rina in the eyes as
she said this. Her eyes were filled with the certainty that I would be unable to refuse.
But I can assure you, princess, that you are wrong.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I’m not interested in situations that get too complicated. Not at
all. I just want to enjoy the Gathering itself at this moment.” I said this in a strong
voice, making my intentions clear to Rina. I placed a hand on my chest to show my
resolve.

Rina’s eyes widened slightly, perhaps because I’d said it so bluntly, using the title of
Princess instead of calling her by her first name as I usually did. She hadn’t expected
me to say this at all. Even if it hurts her feelings, it’s better for my future reputation if
I cut her off here.

“…Okay. If that’s what you intend. I can’t take someone who doesn’t feel comfortable
being with me.”

Rina understood what I meant, but she didn’t show any signs of disappointment. She
was silent for a moment, and when she had nothing more to say to me, she turned to
Cecily next to her.

“And you, Cecily?”

“Me? I’m just wondering who Rina’s friends are.”

“Okay. Marie—”

“Do I really have to answer that?” Before she could finish the question, a harsh reply
came back from Marie.

Rina, as expected, smiled and opened her mouth. “Marie. Before I say anything, how
long are you going to keep that attitude? Do you hate me so much?”

“I don’t want to get close to someone who always wears a mask. I can understand
where you’re coming from, but it shouldn’t have happened, at least not to me.”

Rina had apparently caused Marie great pain in the past, huh. Rina isn’t saying much
about it, so I’m guessing she feels that she made a mistake.

The stunned silence that followed Marie’s answer was broken only briefly when Rina
spoke again. Instead, her voice was weaker than before as she murmured, “…We’ll
talk about it later. Cecily, shall we go?”

“Um, yes, certainly.”

“Then I hope you two have a good time.”

Rina led Cecily to a spot where people were gathered in groups of twos and threes.
Cecily waved a quick goodbye and smiled at us as she walked away.

I waved back in déjà vu, feeling like I’d been through a similar situation before. Marie
next to me also waved back at Cecily, but didn’t even spare Rina a glance.

When Rina and Cecily were surrounded by people and soon out of sight, Marie
looked at me and suggested something. Her face was bright and cheerful, unlike the
way it was around Rina.

“Why don’t we go somewhere else, then?”

“Umm…” I cast a glance at Marie, who had casually referred to us as ‘we,’ and didn’t
answer right away because I had something to think about.

The reason for rejecting Rina’s proposal was partly because I didn’t want to get
involved politically, but the fundamental reason was that I felt uncomfortable around
Rina. She wasn’t someone I felt comfortable talking to, like Marie or Cecily.

But in Marie’s case, things were a little different. I consider myself to be close to her,
and she currently has feelings for me. I couldn’t tell if these were feelings as a
member of the opposite sex or as a person like Cecily, but I could say that it was not
an unpleasant relationship.

‘Still, I have to say something.’

Feeling a little worried, I asked Marie, “If I’m with you, won’t the reason for rejecting
Ms. Rina’s proposal disappear?”

“Uh…” Marie didn’t answer right away, probably because she was at a loss for words.
Her blue eyes rolled back and forth, searching for a reason.

No matter how far away Marie is from a sense of authority, she still hails from the
Duke of Reqiluis’ family. Even if she wants to avoid it, it is a complicated thing to be
in a position where she has no choice but to be politically involved.
Moreover, she had brought up a similar point before. Even if she does not want to
attend gatherings like this, as the daughter of the Requilis Family, she is obligated to
do so in order to expand her network. It’s an inescapable truth.

What choice will Marie make here? I waited patiently for her to organize her
thoughts.

She nodded after a few moments, looking over to Rina and Cecily. She’d apparently
come to a conclusion.

“…Not right now. I have things to do, you know.”

Marie spoke with a slightly gloomy expression. Her work was obviously to expand
her network. If she valued the gathering as a simple, friendly get-together of
academy students like I did, she’d be happy to join me, but alas, it wasn’t to be.

“Okay. I’ll see you later, then.”

“Yeah. I’ll meet you when the event is over. Oh, and…” Marie stopped talking and
stared at my face. In response, I tilted my head in question.

She opened and closed her mouth, blushed slightly, coughed, and then spoke to me in
a quieter voice than before, “That… because of Cecily’s prank earlier, other people
might ask what’s going on between you and me. Then…”

“Then?”

“………”

Marie’s speech was no longer just slurred, it was gone, and at the same time, her face
was beginning to turn a deeper shade of sunset red.

Well, I could sense what she was thinking. She’s probably trying to figure out what
kind of relationship she has with me. I waited quietly for her lips to open.

After a few moments of deliberation, she glanced at me and sighed heavily, and
opened her mouth in a slightly mixed voice, “…Just say we’re just friends, okay? Tell
them that Cecily was playing a prank and you were worried about her.”

“Okay.”
“…Okay. Then have a good time.” Marie walked away after a weak response to my
forthright reply. It wasn’t until she turned around that I noticed the back of her dress
was open. Although not as good as Cecily, Marie’s dress is also daring.

I looked at her for a moment, her back alone radiating beauty, before turning away as
the situation appeared to be resolved.

“…Huh?” Suddenly I felt eyes on me from behind so I turned my head back. But, as if
it was all an illusion, no one was looking at me.

Only Marie’s back, which was getting further away, was visible. I turned away after
looking at her back once again.

“Let’s just get some wine.”

On my way to the table, I thought about the wine Rina had in one hand earlier. You’re
considered an adult here when you turn 17, so it’s okay to drink.

I don’t really like drinking, but I was curious. What does wine taste like in this world?
I’m not sure if it’s because my taste buds are childish, but I prefer it sweet rather
than bitter.

‘But when will the event start… ’ I muttered to myself as I made my way to the table.

“Hey, the redhead over there!”

“Huh?”

The redhead in question was me, and I could roughly guess who it was based on the
voice that kept repeating in my head and the fact that I was called a redhead instead
of my name.

I turned my head, and sure enough, I saw a familiar face in the distance. Despite
being surrounded by others, that undeniable presence was unmistakable.

As my unmistakable face draws the attention of those around me, I nervously

surveyed my surroundings just in case. But sure enough, there’s only me with red
hair.

In response, I pointed my index finger at myself and questioned, “Me?”

I wonder if that got through. The unmistakable presence—that is, Jackson’s face—
appeared twisted and distorted. His expression clearly showed an ‘If not you, then
who?’ look.

I walked over to Jackson, giggling inwardly at his reaction. Then the people around
him focused their attention on me. They were all unfamiliar faces, presumably not
students. The men were mostly tall or broad-shouldered, and some women wore
men’s robes rather than dresses.

I stood in front of Jackson and gave him the same blunt greeting as before. I didn’t
care even if there were a lot of people watching.

“Hi.”

“………”

Jackson’s face crumpled even more than before. For some reason, he seemed
unhappy with my greeting.

He then took a deep breath as if to clear his throat and spoke quietly. “You’re… You
have no manners. Didn’t your family teach you to show respect to those who hold a
higher rank than you?”

“………”

I didn’t answer right away, just glanced around. The faces I saw for the first time
were watching this situation with interest. It seems like he was trying to paint me as
a rude bastard in front of everyone, but he’s got one thing wrong.

“That’s only when you’ve ‘officially’ taken over the title, not when you’re one of us.”

“…what?”

As soon as I said that, Jackson gave me a puzzled look. It turns out that the only time
you should be polite is when you’re officially titled.

There are, of course, exceptions. One example is royalty, which is higher than
nobility. This is why I always addressed Rina in a respectful manner. Because Cecily
asked me to call her Noona, that was an exception.
But Jackson had this weird belief that I don’t know where he got it from. Besides,
unless you have a condescending mindset like Jackson’s, people are usually
respectful and honor each other.

“But shouldn’t they be formal with each other?”

“That redhead spoke informally first.”

“No, it was Jackson who called out to the one with red hair first.”

Ah, but that doesn’t make me right. As one can see from what the others are saying
now, we were both labeled as rude. However, Jackson appeared befuddled by the
current situation. I’ve never been publicly labeled as rude before so this was a first.

I opened my mouth to continue the conversation since he was stumped. The first
thing I need to know is why he called me. “Anyway, do you have something to tell me?
There has to be a reason you called me, right?”

“…Hmm? Hmm.” Jackson cleared his throat and calmed down, perhaps as a result of
my question. And he spoke to me with his usual condescending demeanor, “It’s no
big deal. I happened to see you while passing by. There was a funny situation before
that.”

“………”

“The daughter of the Duke of Requilis and the Princess of Helium. They are people
you can’t get close to, no matter what anyone says. They live in different worlds,
unlike us.”

“So what’s the point? If you’re going to talk about weird things, I’m leaving.”

“Now, wait! Listen to me!”

When I gestured as if I was really going, Jackson stopped me abruptly. It seems that
he never expected that I would act like this. But now I’m a little annoyed that my
precious time is being taken away. I was going to drink my wine, after all, so what the
hell?

With a look that implied that he still looked down on me despite my brusque
expression, Jackson said, “The story I want to tell is simple. It’s to test each other’s
logic.”

“Logic?”

“Yeah. I didn’t think it was worth it at first, but after seeing how much attention you
were getting from professors, I changed my mind. Your knowledge and
understanding have been validated, so I’ve been wondering how sound your logic is.”

Umm… So you’re going to humiliate me in front of everyone, assuming you’re smarter

than me?

I’m not sure why he made such a confident proposal. Rather, it could be the
equivalent of arm wrestling for Jackson. Apparently, he wants to humiliate me and
show off his brains at the same time, which will backfire if he loses.

I raised one eyebrow and expressed my doubts. Let alone a suggestion, I was curious
about the subject.

“What’s the subject? If it’s weird, I’ll reject it.”

“Xenon’s Saga.”

“…what?”

Why is this happening all of a sudden?

“Everyone here is a huge admirer of Xenon’s Saga,” Jackson said as he spread his
arms and pointed to the people gathered around him. “Just a few moments ago, we
were discussing how the story will unfold in the future, each with our own opinions
and logic.”

“…………”

“And then I saw your face. You, the freshman in Academics, are often receiving the
attention of the professors.”

“So?”

At my question, Jackson sneered and continued, “As you know, Xenon’s Saga has
Xenon and Mary as the main characters, but Jin and Lily are just as important. In
addition, the pitiful love story between Jin, a demon, and Lily, a saintess, is tugging at
the heartstrings of countless readers. We were just discussing it a moment ago.”

“So I noticed.”

And I’m going to tragically end that love story. No matter what others say, shouldn’t
rice cakes* and foreshadowing be collected?

{*T/N:- The literal translation is ‘Tteokbap’ which is used as a metaphor to describe

something popular and hot like a hot topic, hot issue, or hot information that will
catch people’s interest, a.k.a. bait.}

But the discussion of ships, I thought, was a little off. I thought we were going to talk
about the economy or politics of the story, but as Nicole once said to me, ‘Kids will be
kids.’

Jackson, seemingly bolstered by my affirmation, rattled off a series of explanations,

adding, “But I don’t think so. Jin and Lily can never get along. I can be sure of this.”

“…Why?”

You bastard, did you find the rice cake I hid so tightly?

I felt my liking for Jackson rise a bit from where he usually crawled on the floor
(metaphorically speaking), and focused on his words. From a writer’s point of view,
there’s nothing more gratifying than when a reader deduces a plot twist through
reasoning.

Furthermore, what if it is a case of meticulous analysis and reasoning based on

foreshadowing and my rice cakes to draw his conclusions? I will write more
diligently now that I know you enjoy my work so much.

That’s why I couldn’t help but have more expectations for Jackson. Everyone thinks
Jin and Lily should end up together, but if he says they can’t, there must be
something…

“Because Lily will eventually go to Xenon.”

“………”
“A combination of a demon and a saintess… God won’t allow it no matter how fierce
their struggle to be together is. Lily will eventually realize this too. Besides, you can
tell that she has feelings for Xenon from the way she often shows kindness to him.”

“Fuck. What?” What the hell is this bullshit? I let a heartfelt curse slip out of my
mouth as soon as I heard his explanation.

This asshole just turned a perfectly good character into a fucking bitch.
As far as discussing the relationships goes, we can laugh it off. Some may find
Jackson’s topic of logical debate strange, but here’s a comparison.

Xenon’s Saga follows a similar format to analyze the relationships between

characters in a literary novel in a Korean language class. Furthermore, Xenon’s Saga
is written in a way that makes it easy to recognize the characters without having to
explain them, so the relationship between the characters is fairly obvious.

Right now, many people are aware of the relationship between the main character,
Xenon, and the heroine, Mary, as well as the relationship between Jin and Lily. If
Xenon’s colleagues are included here, it becomes quite complicated.

“Fuck. What?” However, Jackson’s words were so ridiculous that I, the original
author, couldn’t understand them. Usually, I tend to refrain from swearing, even
subconsciously, but the words just came out of my mouth.

Maybe Jackson didn’t know I was going to curse at him, so he looked a bit surprised,
but it was only for a moment. He stretched out his index finger as if to say ‘Look’, and
explained with his characteristic arrogant expression.

“Hearing you cursing like that, you must be impressed too. Of course, none of us
expected Lily to go to Xenon. Don’t you all think so?”

“Well… after hearing it, I suppose you’re right.”

“It can’t be helped because their nature is different from each other.” When Jackson
asked the audience for their opinions, there was a general feeling of acceptance.
Reading the atmosphere, I could see him waving his hand and running away.

I don’t know if they were being incited to agree or if they had something to say that
they hadn’t said yet, but I’m guessing the latter since not one, not two, but most of
them agreed. These people aren’t stupid enough to be easily persuaded by that.
Even though I wanted to scream, I held off. Instead, while barely calming my
simmering heart, I asked Jackson, “…Is that all? Just because Lily has a crush on
Xenon?”

“Of course not. I’m not talking about the world we live in now, but the world in
Xenon’s Saga where discrimination against demons still exists. Even more so, Lily is a
priestess with a promising future within the Church of Light. That is enough, but I’m
more concerned about Jin’s birth.”

“Birth?”

The heat that was simmering inside of me quickly dissipated, as if I’d been doused
with cold water. I was listening to this as if it were a bunch of bullshit a moment ago,
but now that Jackson had ‘mentioned’ birth, the story changed.

He was right, because Jin’s birth was one of the most important plot points in the
story.

Jackson smiled, as if he had read my expression, and continued triumphantly, “Yeah.

Most people probably didn’t notice because it was mentioned in passing, but Sakran,
the leader of Demon Hunters, told Jin, ‘A demon with horns as large as yours and a
concentration of black mana as dense as yours are extremely rare.’ In addition,
demons in Xenon’s Saga are notable for the fact that their devil blood becomes a little
thinner with each generation.”

“………”

“To summarize, Jin is a demon born to a true demon and a human, rather than a
demon born to demons. As a result, the demon’s features are bound to stand out
even more.”

“Wow…”

Clap- Clap- Clap- Clap. I clapped my hands in genuine admiration. The start was odd,
but the entire process fits the story I wanted to tell.

In fact, unlike other demons, Jin was a demon who was far closer to the Devil than a
human. His mother was raped by a true demon and forced to give birth to him, and
this unfortunate demon grew up under severe abuse from childhood.
Even the true demon who raped Jin’s mother was no ordinary demon. He was one of
the Seven Deadly Sins that would appear in the future, in charge of ‘gluttony’, and
had the ability to steal the power of others.

Jin inherited this ability as well, and in the distant future, he will use it to absorb the
power of Diablo, the fake final boss, and the arch-demon. Of course, after that, he will
be consumed by power and tragically defeated by Xenon.

‘At least he’s not stupid.’ He may be a jerk and an asshole, but he’s not stupid. Rather,
he is more like an avid reader who has read the Xenon’s Saga more diligently than
anyone else.

However, even if he is an avid reader, there’s no excuse for being an asshole.

Moreover, Jackson is currently in a situation that is both fortunate and unfortunate.
The fortunate part is that I am the original author of Xenon’s Saga, while the
unfortunate part is that I am the original author of Xenon’s Saga.

In the meantime, when I applauded and showed my admiration of Jackson, he put on

a proud expression. He exuded confidence that told me to look up to him.

“How is it? If you have something to say, you better do it now.”

“So what you’re saying is that Jin’s birth issue and Lily’s position overlap and they
don’t end up together, right?”

“Yeah. I hear you…”

“But it doesn’t make sense for Lily to turn a blind eye and go to Xenon over
something like that, does it?”

I cut Jackson off mid-sentence, voicing my own opinion. Confusion flashed across his
face as if he hadn’t expected me to flatly deny it.

Jackson’s reasoning was really good, but unfortunately, as the original author, I have
to deny what I have to deny. In fact, Jackson’s explanation was so plausible that many
people may interpret it differently than I intended.

The last thing I want is for my characters to be judged in a strange way.

“…What doesn’t make sense?” Jackson said, his voice low with displeasure as I
retorted. It seems that he was not in a good mood because his reasoning, which he
poured his passion into, was denied.

Of course, Jackson’s reasoning does have some merit, so it’s worth mentioning.

“As you said, there is something suspicious about Jin’s birth. Maybe it’ll be a big
stumbling block later. No, I’m sure it’s a stumbling block. The fact that his demon’s
features are thicker than others means that it is closer to the Devil than to humans.”

“……”

“But do you really believe Lily is unaware of this? If he had been with her since
childhood, would she be by his side even knowing that?”

There are many reasons why Jin and Lily’s love route is tragic, but one of them is that
they are childhood friends. Jin was abused as a demon even by his own mother, and
even more so for being a demon.

If he had grown up like this, he would have really become a true ‘demon’, or devil, but
his life completely changed after his accidental encounter with Lily. In the story
itself, it’s often said that he was saved because of her.

Lily also falls in love with Jin, who demonstrates her steadfast devotion, but she is
unable to approach him willingly due to their respective positions and
circumstances.

“And Lily’s kindness to Xenon was more like human-to-human kindness than
reasoned kindness. Xenon, in particular, prevented Jin from becoming a true demon
a few times, correct? Lily couldn’t help but be grateful. Plus, they know each other’s
minds very well. There are quite a few depictions of them laughing while
occasionally looking at each other, or holding hands in secret.”

“………”

“On top of all that, Lily gave Jin flowers a few times. Do you know what kind of
flowers they were?”

Jackson listened to my question and frowned as if pondering. To answer the question

ahead of time, the flower that Lily gave to Jin was a Lily.
Lilies have many meanings, but the most representative of them is definitely ‘pure
love.’ Lily, as the name implies, was openly expressing her feelings for Jin.

“…It’s a white flower, a lily. And a Lily represents unchanging love or innocence.”

After a few moments, the answer came. But it wasn’t from Jackson, it was from one of
the people who had been watching our discussion closely.

I turned my head toward the person who spoke. The person who answered was a
pretty young man with neatly pulled-back brown hair. Because he was tall and had a
sturdy physique exposed despite formal dress, I assume he wasn’t a academic
student. He also had sharp eyes and a chiseled jaw. Overall, he looked like a cool,
handsome man.

Anyway, I have to say what I have to say. I shifted my gaze from the brown-haired
man back to Jackson. Jackson kept his mouth shut after hearing what a lily
represented, as if he didn’t have anything to say.

“Lily is emphasizing to Jin that her feelings for him will never change. Jin is well
aware of this, which is why he devotes himself more than anyone else. So even if they
don’t end up together, it’s impossible for her to go to Xenon at this point. It’s
completely out of character for her. The fact that she was named Lily in the first place
is proof of that.”

“………”

“Still, my admiration earlier was genuine. You said that Jin’s birth was unusual
because you caught the foreshadowing that others would easily overlook. To be
honest, that surprised me a bit too.”

“Keugh…!”

It sounded like I offered a compliment, but apparently not to Jackson. I wondered for
a moment if I’d said something wrong as Jackson pursed his lips and started
blushing, but I soon figured out why.

The remark I just said, ‘That surprised me too’ was said from the point of view of the
original author, but Jackson has no idea that I am the original author. So there’s room
for him to take that statement to mean that I’m above him. But what can I do? Words
once spoken cannot be taken back.
Besides, given Jackson’s usual tirades against me, I didn’t feel the need to correct
him. Let him have another tirade.

“So you don’t think Jin and Lily can be together, either?”

While Jackson’s face was turning red, someone asked me this question. It was the
same brown-haired man who had just given an answer about lily flower language.

I took a moment to consider the man’s pleasant, mid-range voice and the fact that,
unlike Jackson, he was actually polite. My conscience pricked as I realized that telling
him what was going to happen would be a spoiler.

Worse, I might get my tail stepped on over this. I’m the kind of person you can’t
forget once you’ve met me. In that case, I cannot ignore it.

After mulling it over in my head, I opened my mouth with the nuance that this was
just my hypothesis, “Well, only the author knows that, but I’m leaning towards the
side that it can’t continue.”

“Why?”

“Jin is a knight, devoted to Lily. It means that he is willing to give up his life if Lily is in
danger. In fact, there’s actually some portrayal of that.”

“Oh, is that it? Jin’s monologue about how he’s willing to become a true demon for
Lily’s sake.”

This man knows that far. I flinched at the sight of the brown-haired man who
answered with a bright expression. I’d thought he’d be cold and emotionless, but
looking at him now, what can I say…? Now that I see the twinkle in his eye, there is a
certain amount of enthusiasm there.

“Uh… maybe that’s part of it? Anyway, Jin is willing to give his life for Lily, even if it
means becoming a true demon.”

“Poor thing… Is that really going to happen?”

“Only the author would be aware of that. Still, I hope the two of them end up
together.”
“I’ll have to look them up when I get back to my dorm. I didn’t realize it when I read
it, but hearing it now is fascinating.”

As soon as I finished, the onlookers began exchanging opinions. As the situation

seemed to calm down, I looked at Jackson.

He had a look of frustration on his face that things weren’t going the way he thought
they would. It was unsettling to see him staring at me.

‘Why would you say such an absurd thing?’

His misfortune, once again, is that I am the original author of Xenon’s Saga. If it had
been someone else he was debating, that person would almost certainly have been
persuaded by his logic.

The certainty that Jin and Lily would not end up together was good to see, but I
couldn’t let go of the thought that Lily, the epitome of purity, would go to Xenon.

I glanced over at Jackson, who was struggling to speak, and quietly opened my
mouth, “So, is there anything else you want to say? I’m fine with anything.”

“…Ugh!” I could clearly hear his teeth grinding and he walked away, not wanting to
face me anymore. As he walked away, no one looked at him.

Seeing that, I was about to walk away too.

“Excuse me, red-haired gentleman? What’s your name?” The cool-looking man with
brown hair called me.

I looked at him, slightly confused. Then, a face filled with anticipation and interest
caught my eye and I knew I was caught up in something troublesome.

“…My name is Isaac. Isaac Ducker Michelle.”

“Ducker… Micelle?”

“If it’s Michelle, isn’t it the last name of the Red Lion?”

“Come to think of it, Assistant Professor Nicole is also named Michelle.”

As soon as they heard my father’s last name, who was famously known for being the
Red Lion, each of them started whispering. Nicole’s name was also mentioned
occasionally, and apparently, she is also famous among the new students. Hey, with a
face and skills like that, it would be weird if she wasn’t famous.

“So that’s why… you looked familiar with your red hair and golden eyes… you must
be the son of the Red Lion. It’s a pleasure to meet you; I’m Edin Mavi Signer, eldest
son of Count Signer.”

“Nice to meet you, Edin. By the way, may I ask why you called me?”

The brown-haired man, Edin, answered my question as if it were no big deal. “I

wanted to talk to you, Isaac. As Jackson said earlier, everyone here is a huge fan of
Xenon’s Saga. I think Isaac is similar so I thought it would be fun to hang out with
you.”

“………”

I’m not a fan, I’m the author. I smiled vaguely at Edin’s invitation. But, unlike Jackson,
he probably won’t fight with me, and he also had a few questions. I have no intention
of rejecting such a friendly overture. Besides, it would be nice to get to know him
better and increase my network of acquaintances.

” Sure, sure. Do you mind if I have a glass of wine first? I’m a little thirsty.”

“Oh, certainly. The wine is on the table over there.”

I walked over to the table Edin pointed to. Then, as I approached, the waiter who was
serving in advance poured me a glass of wine himself so I didn’t have to choose it
myself.

The wine in my glass had a deep purple color, and when I sniffed it, the aroma of
grapes stimulated my sense of smell. ‘Should I take a sip?’ It wouldn’t hurt to take a
sip before going back. I took a sip of the wine while looking at my surroundings.

“…Oh.” The wine wasn’t bitter at all, but a subtle sweetness lingered in the mouth. It
was perfect for my child-like palate.

Satisfied with the taste of the wine, I returned to the seat. Judging by the fact that the
group did not disband even after Jackson left, it seemed that only fans of Xenon’s
Saga were gathered.

As evidence of this, most of the comments that came out of the group were remarks
about Xenon’s Saga. There were so many different opinions that I was embarrassed
to hear them all.

“Ah, there you are. Just in time, we were talking about something interesting.”

“Something interesting?” Something must have happened while I went to get the
wine. When I asked, Edin nodded and opened his mouth.

“Yes. We were all discussing Mary’s origins. As Isaac knows, Mary is a wizard, right?
But magic is a very difficult skill for commoners to learn, so most of the speculation
is centered around her being a noble, a marquise, or higher.”

“Hmm… Is that so? What do you think, Edin?”

“I’m guessing that Mary might be related to the elves. The story of Xenon’s Saga tends
to describe her appearance consistently, and it’s always mentioned that her ears are
covered by her thick hair. Not to mention, elves, like demons, are masters of magic. It
should be easy to assume she’s hiding it.”

“……”

“What do you think, Isaac?”

What the… How do you know all that?

I could only blurt out a stupid answer to Edin’s explanation, who had it all figured
out. “…I wouldn’t know that far, would I?”

My conscience was pricked when I said this in front of my faithful readers.

After chatting with Edin and the others, the event of Gathering began in earnest. The
actual event was just a short speech by the moderator, a few words of
encouragement to relax and enjoy the venue, and a band playing music.

However, the atmosphere in the auditorium became more ripe after the speech was
done. Before this, there was a bit of a raucous atmosphere, but that changed after the
band started playing.

But my interest in the music they were playing and the instruments they were using
was fleeting, and I was busy chatting excitedly with Edin.

“You’ve read a lot too, Mr. Isaac. That’s great.”

“No. Mr. Edin is more amazing. I have a lot of free time because I am a literature
person, but you are not, by your own admission.”

“Thank you for the compliment. Have you read the autobiography of Alexis the
Explorer?”

“Of course, I have read it. I especially enjoyed the part about eating caterpillars and
them tasting like vomit.”

“Oh. I see you remember that part, so…”

As I talked to Edin, I learned a few things: he’s a bookworm, just like me. Moreover,
his favorite genre was autobiography or stories of explorers, so we had an easy
conversation.

Because of that, I didn’t notice the time passing as we chattered, so I naturally ended
up drinking a few glasses of wine. I think I had about five while Edin finished only
one.

“Mr. Edin, have you ever fought a monster?”

“Once upon a time, I went hunting with my father. I was a bit surprised when an orc
suddenly appeared. But it wasn’t too difficult.”

“Oh… and what about ogres? I heard ogres are really strong?”

“Well? I’ve only met one, and at that time we cooperated with other knights to
subdue him.”

Because of this, time passed and I was able to last to the end. Unlike Jackson, Edin
had a firm grasp of the concepts and a cool personality that made me feel
comfortable with him.

Edin, too, seemed to like my hesitant approach and broke out into a hearty laugh
every now and then.

“Hahaha! That’s true… Ah, right. Mr. Isaac? I was wondering about something, if I
may ask?”

“Sure. What is it?”

Was it because I had too much wine? Normally, I would have been a little wary, but
the sweetness of the wine took over my brain and I didn’t think about it. The wine
was not bitter, but sweeter, and I’d had too much.

Meanwhile, Edin looked around for a moment, then, realizing that no one was near
us, leaned in close and asked me in a whisper, “A while ago, Lady Reqilis and Princess
Cecily fought over you.”

“Uh…”

“Can you tell me why they fought then?”

It felt like my mind, which was a bit hazy, started clearing up. I shook my head
vigorously after hearing the question, then checked his face. There was no malice in
his expression, just pure curiosity. The expression on his face was so bland and cool
that it was difficult to distinguish his expression, but I could tell this much.

In response, I pressed my finger firmly to the bridge of my nose and opened my

mouth. It must have been because I’d had too much wine, and my head was spinning.
“It’s just… Cecily-noona was joking with me. Marie saw that and told her to take her
hands off me. You know, linking arms is something lovers do, right? But demons are
different. Marie was worried about that, too, so she told her, and me, to pull away.”

“Cecily-noona? Are you sure you can address Princess Cecily noona in such a friendly
way?”

“Ah…” I was speechless again. I shook my head vigorously once more at Edin, who
had asked this in surprise.

But words, once spoken, cannot be taken back. Still in a daze, I barely managed to
answer. “Uh, yeah. We’ve talked a few times and become close. Maybe that’s why we
play jokes well with each other.”

“Hmm… Really? Have you had a few glasses of wine, by the way? Because your face is
the same color as your hair.”

“Well? Ah, maybe…” Hearing Edin’s question, I pondered.

Once at the very beginning. Once before the event started. After that… I just
remembered that I drank every time the wine glass was empty.

“I don’t know?”

“You don’t know?”

“Yes. It was delicious, so I drank it every time my glass was empty.”

“……”

At my answer, Edin stared blankly at me. It’s like he’s trying to gauge how drunk I
am.

But contrary to his thoughts, I was fine. Although I was a bit hazy and my tongue
slurred a little, I was still capable of normal thoughts. At least, as far as I’m
concerned.

“…Just drink that much for today. Otherwise, you will make a mistake later.”

“Stop drinking something so delicious? There’s no way.”

“Mr. Isaac. You don’t drink wine because it’s delicious. It’s for the palate.”

“Then I’ll just have one last drink.”

“If it’s just one glass…”

Edin heard my last offer and reluctantly agreed. Still, it was an expression that
implied it wasn’t very trustworthy.

Regardless, I poured the last quarter of the wine into my mouth. At first, I felt the
bitter taste, but then the subtle sweet and sour taste dominated my mouth. It was
ideal for me, who had refused to drink beer due to its bitterness in my previous life.
Since this is the case, I believe I could easily consume several bottles.

“Whoa! As expected, it’s delicious. What did you say the name of this wine was?”

“Alchione. It is one of the most well-known wines in the world. The taste varies
greatly depending on how long it has been aged. As far as I’m aware, the wine served
at gatherings like this has to be at least ten years old.”

“It must be very expensive.”

“It’s not that expensive. It’s as simple to brew as it is well-known. That is why it is a
wine that is easily accessible to the common people.”

Edin tried to explain it to me, but I couldn’t hear him. My head was spinning even
more than before, most likely as a result of the wine I had just drank. Alcohol is still
alcohol, no matter how sweet it is. I struggled to come to my senses, but my foggy
mind remained.

Edin approached me with concern as if he had noticed that I was not feeling well.

“…You must be really drunk. Stop drinking now.”

“I’ll just have one more drink.”

“When you’re drunk, one drink turns into two, then three. Enough…”

It was when Edin was holding me back…

“Isaac?” A familiar voice pierced my ears through my dizzy mind. I blinked at the
sweet woman’s voice and then turned my head.

Cecily, with a wine glass in one hand, was looking this way with her eyes wide open.
Why is she here when she should be by Rina’s side? It seems that her business was
almost over.

In the meantime, Edin opened his eyes slightly wide when Cecily appeared and asked
so quietly.

“…Princess Cecily?”

“Ah.” It was only then that Cecily noticed Edin’s presence and began to formally greet
him. “Hello. My name is Cecily Drat Aicilia Bean, the princess of Helium. Please call
me Cecily if you feel comfortable with it.”

“I-I am the eldest son of Count Signer’s family, Edin Mavi Signer. It is an honor to
meet the heir of Helium.”

Edin’s gaze dropped momentarily at her polite greeting, then he bowed according to
protocol. That must have been his gaze going to her chest. When you see him
stuttering to the end, it’s obvious.

So you’re a man, too. To be honest, if you saw Cecily now, you would have been drawn
to her regardless of gender.

“Nice to meet you too. By the way…” Cecily, who spoke, looked at me and then asked
Edin, “May I ask what happened to Isaac?”

“Oh, well… He had a little too much of the wine.”

“I didn’t drink much, so that’s…” My pronunciation was a little slurred. Don’t worry
though. My head is a little dizzy, but I’m fine. Maybe.

“Hmph.”

Cecily examined my condition and raised the corners of her mouth, making a faint
nasal sound. My vision was blurry, but I could make out the smile that came out
whenever her playfulness was triggered. It made me feel a little uneasy.
As soon as I saw it, I reflexively took a step back. Cecily quickly grabbed my wrist
before I could do so and turned to Edin.

“If you’ll excuse me, do you mind if I take Isaac with me?”

“Huh?”

“Is that okay?”

Say it’s not okay.Hey. But Edin betrayed my expectations.

He looked back and forth between me and Cecily, then accepted with a shy
expression.

“I don’t mind… But instead, please don’t let him drink any more wine. I’m afraid this
will get him into trouble.”

“Sure. Let’s go, Isaac.”

“Ugh…” In the end, I had no choice but to move my feet, guided by Cecily’s hand. I
focused my remaining nerves on the wine glass, lest I accidentally drop it.

Of course, I didn’t forget to say goodbye to Edin before I left. My pronunciation was a
bit slurred, but my intentions were conveyed and Edin, worried about me, told me to
drink in moderation. I told you I’m not drunk.

The next place we arrived at, led by Cecily, was a table with various foods. As soon as
Cecily arrived at the table, she softly asked the waiter who was waiting with the
wine.

“Can you get us some more wine, please?”

“Of course, my beautiful lady.”

“Then Isaac, you take a drink first.”

“Ah, sure…”

Following Cecily’s words, the waiter brought out clean wine glasses and poured the
wine neatly. It was not a purple wine, but a deep red wine.
I noticed that it was different from the wine I had drunk so far and asked the waiter.
My pronunciation was so twisted that I slurred like a mollusk. “Is this mousse wine?”

“It’s Red Kali. Unlike Alcione, it’s more sour.”

“Try it once. It’s delicious. Before that…” Cecily sipped the last of the wine and
handed the glass to the waiter. Without saying anything, the waiter poured more
wine into an empty glass.

The color of the wine and Cecily’s dress were similar, now that I think about it. A
dazzling beauty holding a glass of wine similar to the color of her dress in one hand.
When viewed in this light, it appeared to be a painting.

As I stared blankly at her figure, Cecily smiled. An alluring voice dug into my ears as
she said to me, “I heard that in the human world, there is a culture of clinking glasses
before drinking. Is it called a toast?”

“Originally, the dwarves did it first…”

In my previous life, it was a culture that happened by chance, but here it was a
culture that was created by humans after following the dwarves. That’s a fact that I
learned by accident while reading various history books.

However, many people mistake toasting for human culture, because the number of
humans is overwhelming and the dwarves don’t care.

“Huh? I had no idea.”

“As for the demons… do you have a toast that you do?”

“There’s something similar. We raise the glass slightly. It’s like a tribute to honor a
kindred who met a sad fate. That’s why we don’t do it often on such a joyous day.”

“I see…” I nodded and lowered my head slightly.

Conversing with Cecily like this, I learned new characteristics of the demons that I
could not find in the books.

Last time, I learned what stroking a demon’s horn meant, and I also learned that a
demon’s ‘inner evil’ grows stronger with each cycle. So these little details…
“…that would be nice…” Could it be because I was drunk? The words slipped out of
my mouth.

Fortunately, I had my head lowered and murmured softly, so all Cecily could hear
was…

“…write it down… Isaac?”

No. Even though I was embarrassed, I raised my head for a moment and faced her.
“…Huh?”

“Shall we make a toast?” Cecily smiled brightly and held out her glass of wine,
inviting me to join her. I could see the red liquid swirling in the glass.

In my mind, I knew I shouldn’t drink anymore, but my body was already moving. I’m
not sure if it was because I hadn’t had a drink in a while, but despite Edin’s warning, I
wanted to drink more.

Clink-

As we clinked our glasses, a clear and pleasant sound was heard. Cecily grinned and
raised her glass to her lips as soon as she made the toast.

I also brought it to my mouth to drink the wine. Then, a reddish liquid gradually
flowed into my mouth.

“Ugh…” I trembled. Just like the waiter explained, unlike Alcione, it was more sour
than sweet. A less sour lemon flavor, I judged.

“Isaac.”

While I was still reeling from the sour taste in my mouth, Cecily called my name. I
managed to open my mouth, despite feeling like I was about to snap. “Yes… noona…”

“There’s something I’ve been wondering about, do you mind if I ask?”

“What is it…?”

My vision now was more than blurry, it was hazy. In addition, the voices of the
murmuring people and the music of the band was deafening, echoing in my ears. But
strangely enough, I could hear Cecily’s question clearly.

“Do you like to write?”

A book that had a tremendous impact on the world, Xenon’s Biography.

At first glance, it may seem like a typical hero’s story, but the tale it holds is very
profound. It portrays demons, usually treated as devils, as unfortunate beings and
depicts fragments from the light and dark sides of nobles.

Until now, when it comes to novels, there have been only books with convoluted
sentences and overwhelmingly complex words. However, Xenon’s Biography takes a
completely different approach. Sentences and descriptions that seem to play out in
one’s mind, leaving behind memorable scenes and messages that linger.

Above all, it was enjoyable. It tells the story of a commoner who lived an ordinary life
but encountered a ‘Strange Fate’ and developed his talents, ultimately becoming a
hero who saves the world. In addition, there are charming female leads and
supporting characters.

(TL note: strange fate is something like falling off a cliff and finding an elixir or a
neighbourhood old grandpa turns out to be a swordmaster and trains the protagonist.)

As such, Xenon’s Biography has established itself as a popular book that is easy for
commoners to read and enjoy by people of all ages, genders, and races.

Furthermore, readers are curious about the next installment of Xenon’s Biography.

Who is the author of Xenon’s Biography? Who can write a book like this?

Many critics have offered various opinions, but the most credible hypothesis is that
the author is an elderly sage. The hypothesis that the author is an explorer who has
traveled around the world in the past and gained various experiences has been
particularly emphasized.

Teenagers who still should be cared for by parents and 20-year-olds who have just
entered society were naturally excluded. This is because Xenon’s Biography had too
many scenes that could only be written with abundant experiences.

At least, unless you lived in another world.

“…why are you asking that?"

Isaac, red-haired and with half-open eyes, asked Cecily in a shaky voice. The golden
eyes that shone like amber, had dimmed and his voice, which had been blunt, was
now weak.

His face turned red like his hair, which anyone could tell he was drunk. It was a
completely different appearance from his usual self.

‘How cute.’

While thinking that it was cute, Cecily recalled her usual suspicions at the
circumstances. First of all, the callus of the middle finger, or pen-hook, that Rina
mentioned.

Like the calluses on the palm of a knight who had held a sword for a long time, the
callus on his middle finger was a mark that could only be obtained by holding a pen
for a long time. It was not just a month or two, but a callus so severe that it had to be
at least years.

Of course, Isaac, who had a habit of taking notes, could have calluses. Besides, he had
said that he liked studying, so it could be overlooked up to this point.

The second was Isaac’s attitude towards Xenon’s Biography, which he usually
dismissed. He certainly liked the story of Zennon like other people, but he wasn’t as
enthusiastic about it like others. It was just his hobby to read.

However, considering his previous attitude and the story she secretly overheard
from Jackson earlier, he seemed to be seeing through the Xenons’ story. If he knew
the story this much, it would mean he was passionate about it, but Isaac was
strangely indifferent.

Lastly, it was about the identity of the demons that Isaac mentioned last time.

‘It’s similar to what Xenon said to Jin. Is this really a coincidence?’

There is a scene where another protagonist, Jin, contemplates the identity of the
demons while watching Sakran’s sacrifice, and Xenon helps alleviate his concerns.
Other races, including humans, may see it as just Xenon providing encouragement,
but for Cecily, there was a context that cannot be easily overlooked.

Isaac defined the demons as ‘the most humane beings who know better than anyone
that they cannot become human, but yearn to become human.’ And the sentence that
Xenon said to Jin is as follows.

[Don’t worry. Unlike what you’re worrying about, even if demons become devils,
they can die like humans. Look at Sakran. Even Gods can’t help with the inherent
qualities of a person. That’s why demons are even more human-like.]

Xenon’s words were similar to what Isaac said to her.

If Isaac is really the author of the Zennon story, then there are surprisingly many
pieces of evidence that fit. However, this alone is not conclusive enough proof.

Above all, Isaac is currently 17 years old, and even if we consider him as a human, he
has just become an adult. Despite having abundant knowledge, he couldn’t have
abundant experience.

Moreover, Isaac has admitted that he has hardly ever been outside his house and
lived a sheltered life. Given that, the Xenons story is filled with experiences that
require firsthand observation or a lot of experience, which Isaac lacks.

Due to this indecisive evidence, the proof that “Isaac is the author of the Xenon’s
Biography” has not been established. Upon hearing Isaac’s question, Cecily shrugged
her shoulders.

"I just asked out of curiosity. Doesn't Isaac like reading and writing things? I
wondered if you were also writing a book."

“…No, I'm not writing a book…”

"So?"

Cecily turned her gaze to Isaac as she watched the wine swirl in her glass.

Maybe it was because of the alcohol. If it had been a normal day, it would have been
easy to tell what Isaac was thinking because everything showed on his face, but now
it was difficult to discern.

People tend to make mistakes when they’re drunk, but Isaac seemed to be even more
tightly guarded. That made me more suspicious. Once a doubt arises, it tends to grow
and persist, even if it’s been proved wrong before.

‘I wish I could just use magic, but… That’s not the way to go.’

The utility of magic is endless. There is magic that can be easily used in life, and
magic that manipulates the mind to express one’s true feelings. However, using
magic comes with its own set of risks and consequences. Misuse of magic can cause
harm to oneself and others, and it can also attract unwanted attention from those
who wish to exploit it for their own gain. Therefore, it is important to use magic
responsibly and with caution.

Although it is a magic so complex that a human could never touch it, magic is known
as the expertise of demons. With a little effort, she could use it well enough.

However, magic cannot be used except in certain areas at the Halo Academy, and
mental magic has many risks and aftereffects. You can’t just act confident and go
through the head of a person you like.

If it was someone I didn’t know completely, I would have leaned towards using it, but
it’s Isaac. Isaac is special to her, so it’s right to treat him preciously and with respect.

‘Humans are numerous. Once in a while, there may be a true coincidence where
circumstances overlap.’

Even if he is considerate and thoughtful, he is still 17 years old. In addition, the

number of humans is overwhelmingly large compared to other races, so there is no
need to point out Isaac.

‘Still, I’ll need to keep my doubts.’

The probability of Isaac being a writer is significantly low, but it increases slightly if
he’s just involved. Cecily checked Isaac’s condition for a while while pondering who
was around him.

Isaac was on the verge of losing consciousness, and if he continued like this, he
would probably collapse and fall asleep. It seemed that he needed to be seated or
taken care of.

"Isaac. Are you okay?"

“…yes."

"You don't look fine at all. Let's sit over there and rest."

Cecily pointed to a chair placed in the corner of the auditorium. There was also a
wall, so it is a perfect place to rest and lean on.

Isaac also turned his gaze in the direction she indicated and soon shuffled his steps
there. He held a wine glass in one hand, which looked a little funny, but her concern
outweighed it.

Although she walked with him in case he stumbled, she was still very uneasy. He
seemed to be walking like a newborn penguin following its parents.

"The alcohol… is… quite… delicious… hehe."

Now he’s even giggling. As she watched Isaac laugh, Cecily couldn’t help but make a
fresh expression.

Isaac, who is usually taciturn and only occasionally shows a change in expression
when joking around, but he rarely laughs. Even when he does smile, it’s usually just a
smirk and he never laughed foolishly like he is now.

‘He’s even cuter when he smiles.’

The more I look, the more he looks like a baby penguin. Even though his build is not
that small, it feels small, and his distinctive features also feel cute. It might be
because he is much younger than me.

Still, it seems that excessive drinking should be banned in the future. He would
become a laughing stock due to a rumor of him drinking too much at this gathering,
which wouldn’t be good for Isaac either.

"Take a rest here until you're sober. Got it?"

"Yes…”

"By the way Isaac, writing isn’t really your hobby, right?"

Cecily asked a question, subtly changing the word “hobby”. She was hoping that
Isaac, who was not in his right mind because of alcohol, would give as much evidence
as possible.

Isaac stared at Cecily at the question and smiled broadly. Then answered brightly.

"I don't know about that…”

“…”

Cecily let out a faint smile as she watched Isaac brightly respond like a child.

Although normally he appeared mature, now he looked like a child.They say that
when people get drunk, their true nature is revealed. Is this Isaac’s true nature? It is
truly a desirable nature.

Cecily put her hand on Isaac’s head and spoke kindly. It was the moment when her
characteristic playfulness kicked in.

"Okay. Since Noona is going, you stay here quietly. Isaac is a good boy, so he will
listen to older sister, right?"

"Yes…”

"Yes. Yes. Isaac is a good boy after all."

He gently stroked the hand that was placed on his head. Whether she had taken care
of it separately or not, but it felt soft.

As Cecily continued to stroke his head, Isaac giggled and wobbled like before. It was
evident that he was feeling good.

"Okay then, I'll go now. You have to stay here just like Noona said, okay?"

"Yes!"
Cecily left behind Isaac’s enthusiastic response and moved on. Even as she walked,
she didn’t forget to check on Isaac, just in case.

Isaac was moving back and forth like an Ottogi doll with his back straight. Cecily felt
a little anxious when she saw it, but she moved on, thinking It should be okay.

Less than three minutes after Cecily began talking to others.

“Huu…”

Isaac’s eyes slowly closed and eventually he fell asleep.

“…uh."

"……”

"Oh…!"

“…oh!"

"Ummm…”

What on earth is this sound? An unidentified sound echoed in my ear.

I groaned at the unidentifiable sound that buzzed in my ears. My head was dizzy and
his insides were burning like a hot fire.

I didn’t feel well enough to close my eyes and go back to sleep like this.

"Wake up!"

"What…?"

This time it sounded vividly in my ears. The sound of someone shouting at me to

wake up.

Trembling, I barely managed to open my eyelids, which I had not even considered
lifting until I heard that sound.

As my hazy vision gradually cleared up, a familiar face came into view. White hair
and blue eyes. And even a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

My judgment was slightly delayed due to my dizzy head, but it was certainly Marie.

"Are you awake now?"

"Ugh…”

I couldn’t answer Marie’s dissatisfied question immediately. It was because as soon

as my consciousness returned to some extent, a headache came over me.

I managed to open my mouth with a throbbing headache, and my dry voice flowed
out from my lips. A rather dry voice came out of my mouth because I hadn’t drunk
water in a while.

“…Where am I?"

"Where do you mean where? The auditorium."

Oh, that’s right. I remember Cecily taking me here just before the film was cut off. I
don’t know what happened in the process, though.

I think we had an important conversation, but strangely enough I couldn’t remember

it. Well, I guess it can’t be helped since I was drunk.

I don’t know what I did after that, but I think I probably fell asleep quietly. As they
say, old habits die hard, and I tend to pass out if I drink too much.

"By the way, I was wondering where you went, but you were passed out here. How
many glasses of wine did you drink exactly?"

Marie’s tone, which was filled with disdain, struck my ears. But even with the
reprimands mixed in, her sincerity came out.

I opened my mouth, pressing down on the bridge of my nose. My voice was still
hoarse.

“…I don't know."

“Okay. I guess you don't know. Here.”

"Huh?"

Marie handed me something while I was pressing on the bridge of my nose. Unlike a
wine glass, it was an ordinary glass cup, and inside it contained clear and
transparent liquid and spherical ice.
I didn’t know there were glass cups because I only drank wine. Of course, since I
have only drank wine.

"It's just ordinary cold water. I didn't put anything weird in it, so just drink it without
any fuss."

When I was staring blankly at the glass for a while due to my dizzy mind, Marie told
me what the liquid was in the cup in a gruff voice.

It was only then that I said “ah” and carefully took the glass. A refreshing coldness
was transmitted through both of my hands as soon as I received it.

Then, I looked closely at the glass with ice and brought it to my mouth with both
hands, afraid that I might drop it.

gulp- gulp- gulp-

"Whoa!"

After drinking half of the cold water, a heartfelt exclamation burst out of my mouth.

Just a while ago, my chest was burning as if I had lit a fire, but thanks to the cold
water, I felt like I was alive again. My throat, which was as dry as a desert, also felt
like it had returned to normal.

"Do you feel a little better now?"

Marie looked at my reaction and asked me with a smile. I answered as I felt my dizzy
head gradually improve.

"Thanks to you. Where did you get this?"

"It was on the table. There's not only wine, but also cocktails."

It seems like there were other drinks besides wine. But I wouldn’t have known since
I was drinking wine non-stop as it was too delicious.

I shook my head from side to side and looked around to clear my head. Now that I
looked, I couldn’t see the band that was playing on the stage, and the number of
people inside the auditorium had significantly decreased from what I remembered.
It seemed like a lot of time passed after I fell asleep, sitting in a chair. I asked Marie
quietly, scratching my head in embarrassment.

"That… by any chance…”

"I don't know when you fell asleep. I only just got some free time myself. It's been
about four hours since we parted ways."

Marie spoke first as if she had read my thoughts. She even added a displeased
expression while crossing her arms.

Considering that she must have been busy running around here and there, so this
question could have been rude. With that in mind, I struggled with what to say and
eventually opened my mouth.

“…Then we can hang out together now, right? That's what you said before we parted
ways."

"Huh? Yeah, that's right. But are you going to be okay?"

Marie was momentarily taken aback by my question, but she immediately became
worried about my condition. Considering that I almost fell while drunk before I
passed out, she had a reason to worry.

However, after falling asleep and waking up, the effects of the alcohol had somewhat
dissipated. Moreover, the cold water that Mari gave me acted as a sort of a remedy,
enabling me to function normally.

Of course, I still had a headache and felt nauseous. I vaguely remembered hearing
that wine can cause particularly severe hangovers.

"I seem to be able to move around. Also, I heard something from my father. He said
that circulating your mana can alleviate a hangover."

"Ah, that? I've heard about that from my older brother, too."

"Huh."

I stood up from my seat and started circulating the energy within my body. Even if I
didn’t have much talent in martial arts, I could still circulate my mana.
As I continued to concentrate, the sluggish mana in my body began to move
vigorously. Whenever I circulated my mana, I couldn’t help but be surprised by the
refreshing and cool sensation it brought. It always felt unfamiliar to me.

‘It's amazing to think that this energy can be used in combat.’

It was when I was fixing my clothes while thinking about it.

After hearing about my method of circulating mana to relieve a hangover, Marie

seemed to ponder deeply for a moment before suddenly opening her eyes wide with
excitement. Something seemed to flash through her mind.

Suddenly, she grabbed my arm with an urgent expression and exclaimed loudly. Her
bewildered expression was overwhelming.

"Hey! Hey! Stop right now! You can't circulate mana right now!"

"Huh? Why not? I'm starting to feel better…”

Ding-

Before I could finish speaking, a headache rushed over me like getting hit in the head
with a hammer, leaving me unable to speak any further.

I stumbled back to the spot where I had been sitting, overcome by the sudden
headache. To make matters worse, my stomach, which had been settled down by the
cold water, began to feel nauseous.

"I'm telling you, using mana will make the hangover worse! It's like compressing all
the time you would feel hungover into a shorter period!"

"Ugh…”

"Really… do you even know what you were doing?”

Despite the continuous complaints, I couldn’t hear anything. The headache and
nausea that had just subsided rushed back all at once, leaving me disoriented.

"Gosh… it’s not even a comedy."

Marie grumbled as if she was flabbergasted and plopped down onto the chair beside
me.

It seemed like she was waiting for me to recover, which might take a while. I felt
sorry for causing trouble and had no choice but to apologize.

“…I'm sorry. I had no idea this would happen."

"Don’t be noisy and just drink water."

Come to think of it, I still had half the remaining cold water in my hand. After hearing
her words, I quickly chugged the remaining water all at once.

Thanks to the ice, the coldness still lingered, and I could feel the refreshing sensation
all the way down my throat. It helped calm my stomach that was feeling queasy, and I
started feeling a bit better.

But the stomachache was the same. If I had kept circulating the mana, I might have
collapsed, let alone stopping it immediately.

"Ugh…”

"If you're having a hard time, I'll call someone to take you to your accommodation.
Usually at events like this, there are many people who end up drunk like you, so the
waiters are always on standby."

Marie recommended me in a worried voice, judging that my condition was not as

good as it seemed. But I noticed the disappointment hidden in her consideration.

Well, if I couldn’t keep my promise after finally getting some free time, anyone would
be disappointed, even if the other person’s condition wasn’t good.

Besides, while I was sleeping, she must have been running around here and there
trying to be helpful to her family, and as a result, she would have been exhausted.
Despite that, she came to see me to keep her promise.

So, I didn’t want to disappoint her if possible. I tried to open my mouth and reassure
Marie that I was okay.

"I'm fine. My head is just a little dizzy, but it’s nothing to worry about."
"Really? That's a relief."

"Still, it might be hard for me to move around. Should we just talk here?"

"Here?"

I glanced at Marie while I was feeling nauseous, and she was looking at me with her
eyes wide open. I nodded instead of answering to save as much energy as I could.

Upon seeing my response, Mari blinked her cat-like eyes and then smiled like she
couldn’t help it.

"You're all good, but sometimes you can get silly."

"It's because of the wine this time."

"That's a very convincing excuse."

"You didn't drink?"

"I did drink, but not as much as you did. And it's a trait of the Requilis family that
they don't get drunk easily.”

It seems she has inherited good genes, not just in appearance. I couldn’t help feeling
envious and looked forward.

It seems like they’re starting to tidy up now, as the waiters were clearing the tables
one by one. The number of students who participated in the gathering has also
decreased compared to before.

Even so, only one person stood out, and of course it was Cecily, who was wearing a
red dress. She was getting along with Rina as usual.

Perhaps if you were to ask her to name her closest friend, she would choose Rina.
Whenever I see her, Rina is almost always by her side.

"……”

Did she catch me looking at her? Cecily, who was talking with Lina, looked directly in
this direction and waved her hand lightly.
Although I had no energy to move, since she greeted me first from over there, I
should respond. As I weakly waved my hand, Cecily chuckled lightly.

"Is she looking at you?"

Marie asked in a disgruntled voice from the side. I roughly replied in a weak voice.”

"Probably. By the way, it seems like Cecily is always with Rina whenever I see her."

“…I guess they've made up with each other."

Perhaps Cecily had taken to heart what happened during the break up as her
evaluation of Rina had become quite harsh. I couldn’t help but smile wryly at what
she said.

In the meantime, Marie looked at her nails, and spoke in a calm voice.

“…Isaac."

"Yes."

"I'm just asking because I'm curious, what's your ideal type?"

"Ideal type?"

I listened to Marie’s question that was out of the blue and looked at her. She briefly
hesitated when she met my eyes, then fidgeted with her nails, urging me to answer.

"Yes. Your ideal type."

"Why all of a sudden?"

"I'm just curious. There's no particular reason."

Marie answered as if it was nothing, but I could tell from her slightly reddened ears
that she was a bit embarrassed. Unfortunately, her hair, as white as snow, made it
even more noticeable.

For a moment, I was taken aback by her reaction that didn’t seem like her usual self.
But then, I cleared my throat and mumbled as I rubbed my chin, pondering her
question about my ideal type.

"My ideal type…”

To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it. Maybe if it was in my past life, but
now, beautiful women are all around me to the point where I can’t even walk without
bumping into them.”

Including Marie, there’s also Rina, Cecily, Leona, Adelia, and finally Cindy, an elf that’s
referred to as the incarnation of beauty.

It will depend on your taste, but these people are by no means ones who can be
called ugly. If someone were to say they are ugly, it’s probably because that person
has some strange tastes.

Anyway, I haven’t really thought about it at the moment. If I had to think of

something, maybe having big eyes?

As the thought occurred to me, I stopped stroking my chin and opened my mouth.

"Well… I haven't really thought about it. I guess having big eyes is always nice."

"Then what about women with big breasts like Cecily or Rina?"

That’s a very straightforward question. I was caught off guard by Mari’s serious tone.
Without saying a word, I met her gaze, which had suddenly become serious, and then
silently lowered my gaze.

While it’s not as striking as Cecily’s, Marie’s dress is also quite bold, with a slightly
exposed chest. Her snow-white skin would surely catch the eyes of many men.

In any case, Marie’s breasts were by no means small. Cecily was too big, but by my
standards, Marie was also on the big side.

‘No, this isn't it.’

Due to the influence of alcohol, the conversation briefly veered off track, but we
returned to the main topic. I raised my gaze and met her face once again and
confessed my honest feelings.
“…It's nice if they're big. It's not just me, but other men would probably feel the same
way. It's an instinct."

"Oh, really? I see…”

Marie was about to turn her head with a gloomy expression. In a flash, I thought of
something and quickly added.

"Oh, there's one more thing. It would be nice if we shared the same hobby."

"Hobby?"

"Yes. A hobby."

Even in the previous life, putting aside everything else, if our hobbies matched, we
would basically get along well. Although we lost touch after my parents passed away
, I had a female friend who I almost dated and we shared the same hobby.

The same was true of Edin a while ago. It may be because I drank wine, but as soon
as I knew that we had the same hobby, words poured out like a flood. Even though
it’s our first time meeting.

"There is a certain sense of familiarity when you have the same hobbies. It feels like
you can share and enjoy something together, you know? I like things like that."

"Surprisingly ordinary, isn't it?"

"That's right. As you know, my hobby is reading, right? But these days, people only
read Xenon's Biography. I wish they would read some other books as well."

At least these words were sincere. Until then, people had read a variety of books, but
since the release of the Xenon series, the situation has changed.

Due to being accustomed to the easy-to-read Xenon series, I have not even given a
glance to other books. It was a somewhat regrettable reality.

“…History?"

"Huh?"
"Don't you like history too?"

Marie asked cautiously. I slightly smirked at her question, then nodded my head and
answered.

"I like it. Why?"

"I just remembered and asked. There's no particular reason. Oh, and…”

Marie hesitated a little before speaking, then shook her head.

"No, it's nothing. Anyway, is your ideal type someone who shares your hobbies?"

"Yeah. What about you, Marie?"

"Me?"

She pointed her finger at herself and asked In response to my follow-up question. I
nodded my head to confirm.

Then she stared at my face and raised the corner of her mouth. It was a mischievous
smile that seemed familiar somehow.

"I'm not going to tell you."

"What?"

"I'm not going to tell you. Isaac, you're surprisingly naive, aren’t you?"

"No. Ha…”

I sighed. If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have answered either. It was
the result of my judgment being clouded because of my dizzy head.

When I was laughing in disbelief, Mary mumbled as if she was following along.

"Someday…”

"Huh? What?"
"It's nothing. By the way, is your head feeling better now?"

"I feel like throwing up."

“If you throw up here, rumors will spread… Oh, I'm sure it already has. Sitting in a
chair, completely drunk with messy red hair. Sounds really funny, right?"

"Can I really hit you for real?"

"If you hit me, I'll tell my dad."

It took about 30 minutes for me to recover. Marie and I came out of the auditorium
and had a brief conversation, and as it got late at night, we said goodbye and parted
ways.

And just before parting ways, Mari called me over.

"Ah, right. Isaac, there's something I forgot to mention."

"What is it?"

"You look cute when you sleep."

"……”

"Then, see you next week. Bye~"

I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched Marie wave her hand cheerfully and walk away.

‘I shouldn't drink alcohol next time.'

This gathering was, at least for me, a dark history in itself.

Even though I created a dark history for the first time in my life during the gathering,
it didn’t change my daily life. I suffered from a hangover all weekend, although it
didn’t cause any major obstacles for me to write.

I just went in and out of the bathroom a lot. I’ve heard that wine causes a worse
hangover than other alcoholic beverages, and I felt that fact keenly.

Anyway, despite some issues, I was able to write smoothly like a ship with sails set
even if there were some bumps in the road. The historical knowledge I learned from
Cindy while teaching her writing skills and the ecology of the demons that Cecily
taught me were a great help.

However, it’s inevitable that the progress has slowed down as my free time has
decreased by more than half compared to when I’m at home. It’s only natural
because I only focused on writing every day when I was at home.

'Certainly… the next volume will take two months at the earliest.'

At home, I was able to submit a manuscript every 15 days at the earliest or a month
at the latest, but it was very difficult to do so because of the current situation. In fact,
two months is a very fast pace given the circumstances.

Because of this, I sometimes think how great it would be to have a machine like a
typewriter. We live in a world where paper-making and printing technologies have
advanced enough to produce newspapers, but why are machines underdeveloped?

‘What can I do? It's still the Middle Ages.'

In this world, not only industrial technology, but even objects that can be called
‘machines’ have not properly emerged, so the concept of ‘engineering’ itself does not
exist. The refrigerator in my lodgings, the temperature control function, and finally
the magic pen I use are all ‘magic’ instead of engineering.
Perhaps even if we reach the Industrial Revolution, machines will not be entirely
mechanical like in our past lives, and may contain a little bit of magic. I shook my
head from side to side after recalling the steam engine I wrote about in volume 8.

'It's not something to be concerned about until then.'

After finishing my work, I stopped abruptly while writing with the magic pen my
father had given me.

‘Come to think of it, don’t we have a group assignment starting tomorrow?’

My forehead automatically furrowed at the thought of a group project. I don’t have a

single good memory of doing a group project in my past life.

During group project periods, even a miracle of miracles, things like a sick parent,
attending a funeral, or a broken phone preventing communication can happen.

It is common to be absent for various reasons, and there were even cubs who went
to serve in the military.

The most frustrating experience for me was when I did everything alone and still
received a C grade from the professor. The memory of being scolded for doing
everything alone instead of showing leadership and leading the group was still
lingering in my mind.

I wish such situations did not exist. If someone cannot do it, I am willing to do it all
myself.

‘Am I a fucking writer if I can't even do that much?’

The trauma of group projects was so strong that I ended up cursing. I had nothing
but negative feelings towards group projects.

Some people might ask if it’s different because it’s a whole other world here.
Unfortunately, however, the essence of a “human” does not change anywhere.
Moreover, since there are social classes, the situation could be worse.

‘But there isn't even a PowerPoint here, what should we do? Should we draw a picture?’

The difference between having and not having visual effects is huge. It’s like the
saying goes, “hearing a hundred times is no better than seeing once”, and seeing
something once is still better than not seeing it at all.

It seemed wise to ask the professor about this later. If possible, I would like to
present a rough drawing. The higher the grade, the better.

‘We have to select a topic… It's going to be harder than I thought.’

Not for me, of course. I put off the group project and concentrated on writing for
now. Currently, writing the setting about the Seven Deadly Sins is a priority.

'Let lust be a demon. And as for appearance… '

I stopped the hand that was playing with the magic pen. A demon in charge of lust
came to mind, Cecily, even dressed up in a dress she wore to the gathering.

According to the rumors I heard during the entrance ceremony, she was a
descendant of a succubus. If you only look at her behavior or the alluring
atmosphere, the credibility is very high.

‘…If I write something like this, I'll certainly be suspected, so let's describe it differently.
I can add a setting that she was betrayed by a human man who treated her equally
despite being a demon. Finally, the name should be… ’

Of course it’s only natural that the name of a beastman in charge of anger is Satan.

‘The fact that the name of a beastman is Satan… That's really something.’

I giggled inwardly and continued to write the story without interruption.

∗∗∗∗∗

There’s a saying about group projects.

Unity is death, and separation is life.

Normally, the proverb should be the exact opposite, but it doesn’t apply to group
projects. Paradoxically, when two or three people team up to do a task that could be
done by one person, the efficiency of the work decreases sharply.
Of course, that’s just what the saying implies, and it’s not always true that only bad
things happen during group projects. It could also be an opportunity to get to know
each other and build connections, which could lead to even better relationships.

The problem is though, whenever I do group assignments, I meet a team member

who’s like a total loser. Thanks to that, I was able to vividly experience the process of
coming to hate humanity.

Anyway, to make a group project ‘slightly more’ efficient, it’s essential to first assign
a small number of people. That’s an absolute must.

Just like the proverb that says ‘too many cooks spoil the broth,’ it seems that there
are problems that arise when the number of people exceeds four. In many cases,
when people run away thinking ‘I’ll be fine on my own~’ problems start to occur.

Those kind of bastards that are planning to blame everything on the professor.

“As I mentioned last time, I will randomly assign groups today and give you an
assignment. The topic is to predict the development of Xenon's Biography. Explain
why you came up with that hypothesis and provide evidence to support it.”

As Monday approached and the humanities class began, the professor brought up
the topic of group assignments right away. As always, I sat in the front row and
inwardly smirked after hearing his words.

'It's finally here.'

Even in my past life where social classes did not exist, group assignments were the
perfect trigger for human mistrust. I wonder how it will be here.

In the meantime, the professor counted the number of students inside the classroom
one by one, then he opened his mouth with his characteristic soft voice.

"The exact number of students currently attending my lecture is 46. We will divide
them into groups of four and randomly assign the remaining 2 students. I will
provide paper for you to write your name on and you can put it in the box”

After that, Professor Beerus handed out a small bundle of paper to the student in the
front. I took one sheet from the stack of papers and passed the rest to the back.
"I hope we can be in the same group if possible. It's because you are the most
comfortable for me to work with."

As I was folding the paper with my name written on it squarely, Marie, who was
sitting next to me, opened her mouth. I nodded my head because I completely agreed
with her.

I would rather be in the same group with someone I know and feel comfortable with,
even if it means doing it alone, rather than being with someone I don’t know.

"I hope I can be in the same group as Isaac. If it's Isaac, he might have already
predicted the development of the Xenon’s Biography."

Cecily, who was sitting behind and probably heard Mari’s words, spoke up in her
playful tone. As soon as I heard Cecily’s words, I couldn’t help but flinch slightly.

I couldn’t figure out why she said that, but it wasn’t a good thing for me. Besides, her
words somehow seemed to have a hidden meaning, and it gave me a somewhat
uncomfortable feeling.

"Cecily, are you saying that you only want to rely on Isaac and not do anything?"

Rina, who was sitting next to Cecily, asked in her soft voice. Cecily shrugged her
shoulders nonchalantly and replied with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"Well, I don't know. What about you, Rina? As the princess of this country, it seems
like other people will do everything for you, right?"

"Well, I would appreciate it, but I also have a conscience. I should help too."

Rina smiled slightly as she spoke, but Marie’s expression quickly hardened. Marie
looked back at her for a moment before turning her head forward again.

Then Mari murmured uncomfortably under her breath, and expressed her
uncomfortable feelings.

“…What conscience? She’s saying things that she doesn’t even mean."

"……”
I deliberately pretended not to hear. It’s not just once or twice that Mari has
expressed her displeasure with Rina so now I can let it in with one ear and out with
the other.

After a moment, Professor Beerus collected folded pieces of paper with names on
them and put them one by one into a box. Then, in order to mix the papers evenly, he
shook the box vigorously and stirred it with his hand. It’s not like he was making
bibimbap, but he sure was mixing them evenly.

"Okay. Then, I will draw the names. The first person to be drawn is…”

When the professor unfolded the neatly folded paper, he looked at me with a
surprised expression. Although I had some expectations when I saw the paper folded
neatly into a square, it seems that my prediction was correct.

While I was thinking about it, Professor Beerus tugged at his mustache with interest
and called out my name.

"Student Isaac Ducker Michelle. And next…”

Please let someone I know come out. Oh, except for Jackson, of course.

While I was waiting anxiously, the professor took out a paper from the box and called
out the name with a strong voice like before.

"Aira Ben Matheus."

"Yes!"

As soon as the name was called out, a loud cheer was heard from the back. Judging
from the voice that entered my ears so clearly, it seemed to be a woman’s voice.

In response, I turned my head back to see who my team member was. A cute-looking
girl with brown hair raised her hand.

Of course, I didn’t recognize her face either. Judging from her middle name, she was
probably a noble’s daughter or someone from a prestigious family.

"Next is Benjamin Blank."

"Yes, yes!"

A reply came from not too far away. I leaned my head forward and looked to the side
where the sound came from.

A boy with dark blond hair and curly hair caught my eye. For some reason, he
seemed very tense.

Unlike the girl named Aira and I, he doesn’t have a middle name, so I guess he’s a
commoner. In Halo Academy, admission to the literary department for a commoner,
who is not from a noble background and not proficient in combat, would require a
very difficult process.

Compared to my previous life, it is like a middle school student who has only gone
through the middle school curriculum, has to pass the Seoul National University
entrance exam. Unless their intelligence is at a genius level, it is almost impossible to
get admitted.

Which means that at least it’s not incompetent. I considered that somewhat
fortunate.

"Lastly… Leona Lions."

Wait a minute. What?

I blinked as soon as I heard the name the professor called.

I looked around to find a familiar face and ended up looking at a woman. She had a
typically expressionless face, but her surprise was written all over her face.

It was Leona, who I discovered to be a beastwoman.

‘…I don't know whether I should like it or not.’

If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be. I hesitated on how to react after facing Leona
but decided to gently wave my hand.

Leona, also startled, quickly erased the look of surprise on her face and turned her
head. Although I felt disappointed that the greeting was ignored, I understood her
position and didn’t take it personally.
"We have a group of four people. Next is… Jackson Mirrell Carrison."

As soon as the group members were determined, the person I was keeping an eye
on, Jackson, was called out. Although I wasn’t paying much attention since I knew
that Jackson wouldn’t be in the same group as me.

“Marie Hausen Requilis”

Surprisingly, Jackson and Marie were assigned to the same group. I wondered if this
too was just a coincidence.

I checked Marie’s reaction as soon as the professor called her full name.

"Of all people, with him…”

Marie made a face as if she was chewing shit. Considering that she had seen Jackson
flirt with Rina and Cecily with her own two eyes, it was understandable for her to
react this way.

For reference, Jackson hit on Marie once and didn’t do it again after that. It was only
natural after Marie openly cursed at him to screw off.

But the problem didn’t end here.

“Rina Urmi Christine”

"Hmm?"

Even Rina, whom Mari hated so much, joined the group. When I looked back, Lina
was also surprised and raised one eyebrow.

Even until this point, there were already plenty of problems, but then the final blow
came right after.

"……”

Professor Beerus, who had been calm until he picked Rina, hesitated as soon as he
checked the paper he had chosen next time. After that, he made a puzzled expression
and turned his head to me.
I looked at it and waited until his mouth opened. And…

“Cecily Drat Eisilia Bin”

A crazy party was formed by breaking through the extreme odds.

What kind of absurd probability is this? As soon as I heard Cecily’s name called out
last, my eyes widened. It couldn’t be anything but an incredible coincidence.

What is the probability that those three and Jackson will be in the same group?
Unless the lottery was fixed, it’s almost impossible to believe even if it’s not entirely
impossible.

After Professor Beerus called out Cecily’s name, I was momentarily stunned and
looked back. Seeing that Cecily and Rina had similar expressions, it was clear that
they were also very surprised.

‘Did he really manipulate it?’

This raised a reasonable suspicion. It’s one thing if only one person is chosen, but it’s
hard not to think that way when three people end up in the same group.

Then, when Professor Beerus started calling the next names, I checked Marie’s
reaction before looking for Jackson.

The fact that Jackson, Rina, and Cecily ended up in the same group would be like a
bolt from the blue to her. It was these three people who ended up in the same group,
not anyone else.

As I had expected, Marie was clearly showing her disbelief with her slightly open
mouth. Even I was in awe of the reality that was so hard to believe right now, so it
must have been even more shocking for her.

The difference is that I am in a position to watch from across the river while she is
struggling in the fire.

‘Consolation… I’d rather not do it.’

In a situation like this, it’s wise to just keep your mouth shut. It was already unlucky
for her to end up in the same group as Jackson, and now that Rina, who could make
things even worse, is also in the same group, it’s better not to say anything to her.

Moreover, after the meeting, her gaze towards Cecily was not really good. Although
it’s not as obvious as her blatant dislike for Rina, she has been wary of her.

‘It will be difficult.’

It’s not just at a difficult level, it’s a hell level party. Marie is from the Requilis family,
which is committed to practicing noblesse oblige, so she tends to take action on her
own, but what about other people? The question came up of itself.

The princess of the Minerva Empire, the princess of Helium, and the son of a wealthy
count.

These three individuals were probably more likely to instruct others rather than to
do things themselves. Especially among them, Rina would have had the strongest
tendency towards that, as her position was more befitting of a ‘leader’.

In other words, she tends to finish her work efficiently by having someone suitable
do the job rather than acting in person, but in other words, she is likely to have a free
ride in the group project.

“…Will he really not change it?”

As time passed, Marie muttered with a frustrated expression, having to come to

terms with an unbelievable reality. I could fully sympathize with her, but I didn’t
console her. I just looked at her with a gaze of sympathy.

Although I felt sorry for Marie, the professor had emphasized last time that there
would be absolutely no changing of team members, and that if such behavior were
discovered, they would be mercilessly punished.

It’s better not to think that it’s enough if you don’t get caught. Even if the professor is
not a strict person, if caught, there will be a tremendous risk. It is inevitable that
rumors will spread within the class and perhaps you would even receive the lowest
grade.

“That concludes all the team assignments. As I have emphasized before, it is

impossible to change team members, and if caught, you will face severe punishment.
Please be careful.”

“…haha.”

Just in time, the professor kindly gave her a confirmation shot. At that, Marie let out
a blank laugh as if she had given up.

I almost burst into laughter when I saw that, but I managed to cover it up by
coughing. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen Marie make such an expression.

“The presentation period will be held exactly two weeks from now, and during that
period, classes will be replaced with group discussions. In addition, for students who
give a good presentation or ask sharp questions, bonus points will be given to the
entire team.”

It’s understandable that he chose Xenon’s Biography as the subject, but looking at it
now, the professor secretly liked to eat it raw. However, considering that the
students’ class schedules are very tight, it seems like they are substituting group
discussions as a form of rest.

(tl note: eat raw – to do or try to do something without much practice or preparation.
Here it means that he chose an easy subject.)

Soon after listening to Professor Beerus’s explanation I quietly raised my hand. I had
a question I wanted to ask. When I raised my hand, Professor Beerus also readily
reached out to me with a smile.

“Yes. Student Isaac. What are you curious about?”

“I’d like to ask if it’s okay to use visual materials for the presentation.”

This world has not even developed machines, let alone computers. There is no beam
projector let alone the PowerPoint that I used in my previous life, so I have no choice
but to replace it with a large paper.

After hearing my question, Professor Beerus gently stroked his mustache and
pondered for a moment before calmly answering.

“It doesn’t matter. Using visual materials also means that you have prepared
thoroughly. However, for this week’s topic, visual aids may not be of great
significance.”

“Why not?”

“The topic of this group project is to predict development, not to evaluate it. In my
personal opinion, using a blackboard is sufficient.”

Well, that’s a relief. It seems like there’s no need to go through the trouble of drawing
pictures on a large piece of paper.

Instead, it seems like we will have to work a little harder on organizing our materials
and practicing our presentation since using a blackboard during the presentation is
an unfamiliar task for us.

‘…Wait a minute. Why am I naturally assuming that I will be the one to give the
presentation?’

That’s why traumas can be scary. After being criticized several times during group
projects, I naturally turned my focus towards doing the presentation.

Of course, there is also the fact that I am the writer of Xenon’s Biography. Perhaps
there are other group members who are better at presenting than me, so I’ll have to
keep an eye on it.

‘Watching others present could be interesting too.’

If I’m lucky, there may be people who offer me unexpected developments. Like
Jackson at a gathering, there must be some students who are good at reading
between the lines and catching subtle foreshadowing or hints.

Even though the result was strange, considering it, Jackson’s observational skills are
excellent.

‘…But I’m not sure if he can pull it off.’

I glanced back while the professor explained the points to be careful of while
working on group assignments. Rina and Cecily looked like they didn’t care, as if they
had sorted out all their thoughts.

‘I’m sure they’ll do well on their own.’

I wonder who will suffer the most among that crazy party. I am predicting either
Marie or Jackson.

“Then, let’s finish today’s class here. For the remaining time, each group member
should familiarize themselves with each other’s faces and establish a plan.”

Although there was still over an hour left in class, Professor Beerus quickly ended
the class. It seemed like he ended the class early so that the team members could
learn about each other’s faces for the time being.

Finally, the class ended with Professor Beerus politely saying goodbye. Before getting
up from my seat, I checked on Marie’s condition next to me.

I couldn’t see her face because her face was buried in the desk with her hair hanging
like a curtain, but I could sparsely make out a few murmurs.

“It’s over… I have to give up on the humanities…”

“……”

“If it was Isaac instead of him, it would have been possible, but why of all people…”

“……”

“Lumines-nim, why are you giving me such a trial… I pray every day…”

Do I really have to comfort her? I took a closer look at Marie’s sadness, which
seemed to be sinking to the ground.

However, just like pouring oil onto a blazing flame, Rina, who was sitting behind us,
encouraged Marie in a carefree voice.

“Now that it’s come to this, how about we both try our best? The professor warned
us not to change our group members, so wouldn’t it be better not to give up?”

“…Bitch.”

I’ve never heard Marie swear before. That must mean she’s really angry. Although
Rina probably didn’t hear it, because she spoke quietly.
“By the way, it would have been nice to have Isaac in our group, but it’s a shame.”

Rina looked at me and gave me a subtle smile. I responded with an awkward smile.

“Jackson will be fine, too. I felt it at the gathering, and although I don’t know about
other things, he’s a guy with pretty good observation and analytical skills.”

“Isn’t that the same for you?”

This time, it was not Rina but Cecily who asked me a question. Seeing the confidence
in her voice, it seemed that both Rina and Cecily have a tendency to overestimate me.

Many people seem to misunderstand, but I am not a genius. I just have a lot of
miscellaneous knowledge thanks to my past life. Moreover, in this world,
accessibility to information is much more behind than in my past life.

I opened my mouth with a bitter smile at Cecily’s question and came up with a
plausible excuse since I couldn’t bring up stories from my past life.

“You’re overestimating me too much. I just read a lot of books, that’s all.”

“It seems to me that Isaac underestimates himself? Even the occasional

consideration he shows is something only a thoughtful person can do.”

The “consideration” that Cecily mentioned was more like a habit. As everyone knows,
it is a habit that arose from my slightly mischievous temperament. It is a habit of
thinking twice before speaking or acting.

Of course, even with such a habit, one’s nature does not change. You can still tell
when I occasionally behave mischievously.

“Well… You can think of it as a habit. I have a slightly mischievous side, so I tend to
think twice before doing anything.”

“That’s a good habit. It would be hard to get into that habit.”

Those were Rina’s words, not Cecily’s. I gave her one glance and opened my mouth.

“That’s true, but sometimes I end up missing opportunities. There is always a

weakness that is overshadowed by one’s strengths for people who are exceptional in
some way. If a situation arises where I cannot use my strengths later, only my
weaknesses will be exposed.”

It’s not necessary to go far, even I make various mistakes if I don’t think twice. There
was a time when I almost got caught by Marie because I brought the material
notebook instead of the lecture notebook by mistake.

After hearing my words, Rina shut her mouth tightly as if she had thought of
something. In addition, her expression darkened slightly, so it seems that she
recalled something unpleasant.

“While the atmosphere momentarily quieted down, I quickly organized my notes and
stood up from my seat to leave. As the class was over, I was going to follow Professor
Beerus’s advice and familiarize myself with my group members’ faces.

“Then I’ll be on my way. I hope you get good results.”

“Isaac, you should hang in there.We’ll… try our best.”

Cecily said quietly, looking at Rina and Marie once each. It seems she also knew well
that the current balance among the group members was extremely bad. It could be
inferred from how her words trailed off.

So what do I do? Although I feel sorry for Cecily, it’s not my concern. If any of them
ask me for help, I plan to firmly refuse.

You may think it’s cruel, but don’t they need this kind of experience too? It was about
the time I got out of my seat and headed toward Leona.

“Good morning. Beautiful ladies. It’s an honor to be on the same team with you.”

“…Hello. Nice to meet you too.”

As soon as I left, Jackson showed up and smirked at me. His voice was so different
from when he was addressing me, with a greasy voice and a gentlemanly tone.

And Cecily accepted the greeting on behalf of Marie, who was putting her head on
the desk, and Rina, who was lost in thought. Her characteristic mischievous
expression was gone, leaving only rigidity.
Perhaps Jackson might see this as an opportunity. I looked at Jackson who continued
his conversation with Cecily with a pleasant smile, but then turned my back on them.
Meeting with my teammates was a priority right now.

‘I wonder if I can work well with Leona.’

Leona, who didn’t reveal her true self, had a much more stoic and model-student
image than me. Unless we’re alone, she wouldn’t show her chic side.

Above all, it’s much better than being at that crazy party. I walked towards where
Leona was sitting and suddenly ran into a male student.

“Oh.”

“Oh! Hello! I’m Benjamin Blank!”

Dull blonde hair with curly locks, and even an innocent face.

It was Benjamin Blank, one of my group members. I stoically nodded my head in

response to his cheerful greeting.

“My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. You can just speak informally.”

“Ah… that, yes…? But you’re a noble…”

Benjamin was flustered by my words and tried to read my face. Seeing that he
couldn’t even make eye contact properly, I thought I could see what he usually
thought of nobles in general.

‘This damn class society.’

Unfortunately, in this world, Benjamin’s reaction is normal. Unless you’re from a

noble family, there’s a clear gap between commoners and nobles.

That’s why it’s not strange for Benjamin to feel uneasy around me. I sighed inwardly
before speaking to him.

“I don’t care about that kind of stuff, so just speak informally to me. It makes me
uncomfortable otherwise.”
“Oh… Really? Okay. I’ll speak comfortably.”

“So you’re talking informally to me right away.”

“I-I’m sorry!”

“It’s a joke.”

Somehow, the military from my previous life came to mind. Benjamin looked
bewildered when I added that I was joking.

I chuckled at his bewildered expression and moved on with Benjamin hurrying

along.

“I-Is it really okay to speak informally?”

“I told you so.”

“Okay. I’m really going to drop honorifics.”

“You’re already doing it now, aren’t you?”

As I chatted with Benjamin, we eventually arrived at the desk where Leona was
sitting. Leona was writing something in her notebook and closed it quietly as we
approached. She then raised her head and met my eyes.

Her expression was not cynical like before, but rather stiff, as if not even a drop of
blood would come out even if she were pricked with a needle. It seemed like she had
successfully kept a certain concept.

“My name is Leona Lions. Nice to meet you.”

She took turns looking at us and introduced herself in a dry voice. Although there
was a slight sense of incongruity with her attitude being so different from her real
appearance, I suppressed it.

“My name is Isaac Ducker Michelle.”

“My name is Benjamin Blank. Nice to meet you.”

It was when the three of them exchanged greetings with each other.

“Oh, you already gathered?”

A refreshing girl’s voice came into my ears. Of course, not only me but the other two
also turned their gaze in the direction of the sound.

A girl with brown hair, brown eyes, and cute doll-like appearance was approaching.
When I saw her from afar, I didn’t realize it, but up close, I noticed that she was quite
small in build.

Then, she looked at the three of us in turn and politely greeted us by placing her
hand in the center of her chest.

“I am Aira Ben Matheus of the marquis Matheus family. And…”

The girl who introduced herself as “Aira” looked at Benjamin and Leona alternately.
After a moment, I caught a glimpse of her slightly raising the corners of her mouth,
as if she had finished assessing everything.

As I saw that, I furrowed my eyebrows slightly. Surely she wouldn’t say it out loud…

“Except for Mr. Isaac, everyone else is a commoner, right? I’ll just speak informally
then.”

“……”

“Oh, come to think of it, Isaac is from the baron Michelle family, right?”

It was predictable to a certain extent, seeing as he added ‘baron’ to the end of my last
name. It was a conclusion that could be drawn from the experience of struggling and
arguing in group projects.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation in the future. I will be keeping an eye on
you guys.”

So, there’s a bitch who’s trying to get a free ride by using her status, huh.
There are various types of villains in the group assignments.

An incompetent team member who has absolutely no knowledge in that field and
can’t do anything. A whining member who always has other commitments and
demands to finish quickly. A troublemaker who not only ruins teamwork with
unnecessary stubbornness but also causes serious conflicts.

As seen in the example above, there are various villains in group assignments, but
the representative villain among them is the ‘Free ride’.

So what does ‘free ride’ mean? As a word, it refers to the ‘criminal act’ of using
transportation without paying. In group assignments, it refers to people who have no
conscience and expect others to do all the work even though they haven’t done
anything themselves.

However, as shown in the definition of free rides, it stops being a criminal act if only
the right price is paid. In group assignments, there are also cases where someone
becomes a ‘Financier’, providing various conveniences, if they have a really
unavoidable situation or have no knowledge in that area.

For example, renting a study room in full by themself, or buying delicious food every
time they attend a discussion, etc. In this case, it is not a free ride, but a situation
where you can ride the bus comfortably by paying the transportation fee.

Of course, it is not good to do this in reverse and try solving everything with only
money. At the very least, you should discuss the circumstances before and obtain the
consent of the team members before proceeding.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation in the future. I will be keeping an eye on
you guys.”

A cute yet elegant look. And even a slender body that seems to be less than 160cm.
Aira, a girl with brown hair and a cute doll-like impression, greeted me with a smile.
At a glance, she looked like a polite nobleman’s daughter.

However, before she greeted me, I could clearly see her gaze scanning Benjamin and
Leona. It was definitely not a gaze that treated them as an equal.

She wasn’t glaring at me openly like Jackson, but it could be said that she was
harboring a knife in her heart. I may have overreacted, but as a self-proclaimed
pushover during group projects, I was able to see through her to some extent.

Whether this person is willing to participate in the group project or just trying to
ride along without contributing.

For now, Aira’s first impression was close to the latter.

‘But Marquis Matheus… ’

As everyone knows, the Marquis is a rank just below the duke, and there are a total
of three marquis families in the Minerva Empire. Among them, the Martius family is
the Marquis in charge of the frontier of the Minerva Empire.

In addition, my father once served the Matheus family, and I know that Dave is
currently training as a squire in the Navy Knights, which is part of their family. The
Navy Knights are a special forces unit that performs special operations rather than
regular battles, and they are affiliated with the Matheus family, a military family.

“…my name is Isaac Ducker Michelle. So you were the Matheus family’s daughter. It’s
an honor to meet you.”

I formally greeted Aira, who was waiting for my answer with a friendly expression
on her face. I couldn’t say the first impression was great, but we’ll have to see.

Aira raised the corner of her mouth at my greeting, and this time she looked at
Benjamin. Benjamin flinched at her as he met her eyes, then hurriedly greeted her.

“M-My name is Benjamin Blank! I-I look forward to your kind cooperation!”

“Please take good care of me, too. And…”

Finally, Aira turned her gaze towards Leona. As soon as Leona met her gaze, she
opened her mouth with her characteristic stoic expression.

“My name is Leona Lions.”

Unlike Benjamin, who was shaking with nervousness, Leona greeted them with a
stoic expression and a rigid voice. If it were an ordinary person, they might have
thought that she had an unusual personality and let it pass.

However, it seemed that Aira was not one to let it go. When Leona greeted her
bluntly, the corners of Aira’s mouth that had risen slightly, fell a little.

“…is that it?”

And then she even asked again. The tone of her voice had lowered, and anyone could
tell that she was being childish.

However, Leona seemed to have not noticed the meaning and replied in a consistent
tone. She tilted her as if she really didn’t know.

“Didn’t I say hello?”

“…No. I just think you have a unique personality.”

Fortunately, it seemed to pass somehow. A slight discomfort was evident on Aira’s

face, but I pretended not to notice. I sighed inwardly as I watched it.

Even if the world changed, my luck for the group project seems to be as bad as
always. In addition, it was difficult to predict the future because it seemed that the
first impression was completely ruined. Of course, this wasn’t Leona’s fault, it’s
purely because of Aira, and her sense of authority.

I’ve said it before, but the gap between nobles and commoners is so great that it
cannot be described, and there’s even a difference between nobles and nobles.
Commoners must always back out unconditionally, regardless of how low-ranking
noble the other is.

It’s only because I lived in a democratic society, but unfortunately, such a system is
normal in this world. If I were born in this world without memories of my past life, I
might have lived with a sense of authority like Jackson or Aira.
“…Anyway, the greetings are over, what should we do now?”

While the bizarre atmosphere continued, Aira brought up the main topic. It seemed
that she was also uncomfortable with the situation.

In response to that question, I recalled the group assignment method that Professor
Beerus had just explained. In fact, there was not much difference from the group
projects of my previous life, and it was rather at a completely elementary level.

So we have to decide the most important part now.

Something that someone must do, but I don’t want to do it and hope someone else
does it.

“…who wants to be the leader?”

It was necessary to decide who will lead the group.

As I spoke up and looked around, everyone else started rolling their eyes. This made
it clear that some things never change no matter where you live.

However, at this moment, it is right to say that our group is unique. Benjamin, a
commoner, may hesitate to take the lead when there are nobles like me and Aira,
while Leona is not very active as long as she gets to maintain her concept.

Therefore, it means that I and Aira are the only ones who can be the team leader.

‘I’d rather do it myself.’

It makes me feel more comfortable that way. Even in my past life, I took on tasks
without hesitation instead of feeling uncomfortable and being self-conscious about
it.

I sighed inwardly and was about to open my mouth.

“If there’s no one else to do it, I’ll do it. That would be comfortable for you guys too,
right?”

A completely unexpected situation unfolded.

Placing her hand confidently on her waist, Aira declared that she would take charge
as the team leader. I looked at her in surprise.

I don’t know where her confidence came from, but the team leader is the person
with the greatest risk in a group project. If all team members perform well, there
won’t be any issues. However, being the leader means receiving all sorts of stress the
moment even a single villainous member appears.

Can Aira really handle the role of team leader? I expressed my concern with genuine
worry.

“Are you sure you don’t mind? It won’t be easy.”

“Don’t worry. Leave everything to me. You guys just have to do what I tell you to do.
Got it?”

“……”

This style can be rather poisonous. Since ancient times, people who are full of
enthusiasm but incompetent are the most dangerous. This is because not only does
their work efficiency suffer, but they can also put their allies in danger.

“However, if she becomes a ‘financier’ as mentioned earlier, the story changes. Aira
may not know, but this project is easy enough for me to handle alone. I’m a Xenon’s
Biography writer, and if I can’t even do this, I should put down my pen.

Anyway, all we can do is hope that Aira becomes a leader rather than a dictator. If she
truly has a dictator-like style, the future will become more difficult.

In addition, if she takes advantage of us, the probability is high that she’ll order us
around without doing anything herself. When I saw her gaze earlier, there was a high
possibility of this happening.

“First of all, is there anyone here who hasn’t read all eight volumes of Xenon’s
Biography? For your information, I have read them all. I also have the books in the
dorm, so I can lend them to you if you want.”

I wonder if her mindset has changed since becoming the leader. Surprisingly, Aira
was quite enthusiastic.
Is she really a free ride? It was almost to the point that I considered taking a look at
her again, as I answered.

“I’ve read them all.”

As soon as I opened my mouth, Leona also said the same thing as me. Then, we both
looked at each other without anyone saying who would go first.

However, when Leona met my gaze, the bottom of her eyes twitched, and she turned
her head forward again without saying anything. I felt a little uneasy.

As for me, I may be a writer, but I wonder how Leona managed to obtain it. It’s the
Xenon’s Biography, which even Marie, the daughter of the Requilis ducal family, had
difficulty obtaining.

Then, I tilted my head and looked at Aira. She had a surprised expression with one
eyebrow raised.

“…I see. It must have been hard to obtain, but you managed to get it.”

Judging from the reaction, she seems to have guessed that me and Leona couldn’t get
Xenon’s Biography. However, what is noteworthy here is that she seemed quite
disappointed about it.

Xenon’s Biography is a tremendously popular book that would sell out immediately
as it was released, so it is actually really fortunate to obtain it. In order to proceed
with the assignment easily, reading at least one more book will make the process
easier.

However, even though I don’t know what exactly she didn’t like, Aira seemed
uncomfortable. Perhaps the situation didn’t flow the way she wanted it to.

“I-I haven’t read all of them. In fact, I haven’t even read the 6th volume…”

“Is that so?”

As if to contradict my doubts, as soon as Benjamin opened his mouth carefully, Aira’s

expression changed to anger. Looking at that, I felt uneasiness creeping up for some
reason.
Aira then tapped her lips and told Benjamin with a patronizing tone.

“Should I lend them to you? I actually bought all eight volumes.”

“R-Really? That would be great…”

“There’s one condition, though.”

“Yes?”

Benjamin’s eyes widened in surprise as Aira interrupted him and mentioned the
condition. Not only him, but I also felt equally flustered.

As if to make sure, I glanced at Leona, and she was still maintaining an inscrutable
expression like earlier. Nevertheless, I secretly speculated that she might have
similar feelings to mine.

In the meantime, Aira rolled up the corners of her mouth and brought the condition
to the flustered Benjamin.

“You have to do it instead of me…”

“I can lend you the book.”

Before Aira could finish speaking, Leona cut her off. Leona’s tone was curt and
formal, but there was a hint of discomfort in it.

When Leona interrupted her, she suddenly stopped. Then she closed her mouth
tightly and glared at Leona with a cold gaze.

“…Did you learn that it’s okay to interrupt people while they’re speaking?”

The cool pressure from Aira continued. Despite her doll-like appearance and petite
frame, an atmosphere that did not match her appearance slowly flowed out.

But Leona was also formidable. Sitting in her seat, looked up at Aira and replied
stiffly.

“I spoke up because I didn’t feel the need for you, Aira-nim, to lend it. I apologize if
you were offended.”
“Will an apology be enough? My mood has worsened now, you know?”

“……”

Leona did not respond to Aira’s continuous pressing question. Although she was still
expressionless, her face seemed to contain the thought of ‘Do I really have to do it?’.

In response to that, Aira clicked her tongue, then warned Leona in a sharp voice.
Fortunately, it seemed that she had decided to let it go.

“This is a warning. If you show such behavior again next time, I will remove you from
the group. As the leader of the group, I have the authority to do so. Do you
understand?”

“Okay. But I’ll lend Mr. Benjamin the book.”

“Do as you please.”

“Thank you, Ms. Leona.”

Benjamin thanked Leona and looked at Aira. It looked a little pitiful to see him
groveling.

I muttered to myself as I watched the situation.

‘There’s no need to create unnecessary division… ’

It might have been better for Aira to lend the book to Benjamin and get paid for it.
Benjamin was a commoner, and Aira was a noble.

What Leona had just done was clearly an act that undermined the authority of the
nobility. While I personally don’t care about such a sense of authority, other nobles
may look down on her.

As I said before, commoners must bow down even if the other person is a young
master or a young lady who has not officially inherited the title. This is a kind of
‘common sense’ concept.

“Hmph. Commoners… can’t be angry with something like this…”

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you have anything to say?”

“No, I don’t.”

I think I have a rough idea of what kind of style Aira has. I’m not entirely sure yet, but
there’s one thing that’s certain.

The moment something rubs her the wrong way, this group will dissolve into thin air.

I could vaguely feel it when she said that she had the authority to do so because she
was the leader. I’ll have to keep an eye on her in the future, but it seems that she
dislikes anything that undermines her authority.

‘This is making me a little tired… ’

It occurred to me that something more than a free ride might be born.

While I was lost in thought, Aira stared at my face with a sharp expression and called
out my name.

“Isaac.”

“Yes, what is it?.”

“You can do it well, right?”

It may sound like a question of trust in me, but it also implies that Benjamin and
Leona aren’t trustworthy.

It seems that she found me, a noble who stands out in the class, more reliable than a
commoner.

In addition, she will never know, but I am the original author of Xenon’s biography,
the subject of the group assignment.

I can guarantee that I can chew it up and swallow it whole, not just do it well.

“You don’t have to worry.”

“Hmm. Really? Okay. I’ll trust you once.”

Are we already divided into nobles and commoners? Aira encouraged me by tapping
my shoulder twice. Then, she looked at Benjamin and Leona with a suspicious gaze.

I stared blankly at Aira, put on a blunt expression on the outside, and let out a deep
sigh on the inside.

‘Everything will be fine, so please don’t be stubborn.’

I can do everything, so please don’t just troll.

Although I don’t know if she’s capable or not, it’s clear that she has a sense of
authority, as seen in the conflict with Leona just now. I want to avoid the group being
blown up in mid-air because of her useless shit stubbornness.

‘Just in case, I should keep the worst-case scenario in mind’

Although it’s squeaking from the beginning, there hasn’t been a big problem yet.

At least for now. Above all else…

‘Looking back, it looks like a fairy.’

I believe everyone knows who I saw and thought of above.

(TL note: ‘Looking back, it looks like a fairy.’ – An expression jokingly used to refer to
something that doesn’t seem particularly special in itself, but looks relatively better
when compared to others.)
Although the start was a bit shaky, the progress itself went smoothly. There were
parts of the group project topic that were just right for me, and Leona, who had a
conflict with Aira, followed along without any complaints after that.

Benjamin, who nearly broke his back in a whale fight, was able to participate in the
assignment by receiving a book from Leona. So, the full-fledged discussion took
place in the evening after all classes on Friday.

“Oh, when is Ms. Aira coming?”

“I don’t know. Maybe someday.”

It was Friday, and in front of the restaurant that we had set up as a meeting place.

Benjamin and I talked about Aira, who had no intention of showing up. Leona,
standing next to us, didn’t say anything, but her already stern expression became
even harder.

Since we didn’t even have smartphones, let alone phones, we were frustrated
because we didn’t know where she was.

“She clearly said in the military science class to meet here…”

As Benjamin questioned, all of our group members attend the military science class.
So after all the lectures were over, Aira emphasized that we all had to meet up by the
promised time.

She even promised us that if we were late for the appointed time, she would give us a
warning. But now she was the one who broke the promise. What the hell is she
doing?

“What if she doesn’t show up? That can’t happen…”

As Benjamin muttered anxiously, I glanced at him. He seemed uneasy about Aira not
showing up, as he absent-mindedly nibbled on his fingernails.

It seems like I need to reassure him somehow. I opened my mouth to tell him it was
nothing.

“Don’t be too anxious. There may be some unsaid circumstances. If Aira doesn’t come
even after 10 minutes, let’s discuss it between ourselves.”

“I-Is that okay?”

“Why not? It’s too much of a waste to disband today just because Ms. Aira is not
here.”

“But Ms. Aira is the team leader… We could get scolded if we do it between ourselves
and she finds out later.”

At Benjamin’s response, I was momentarily bewildered, thinking to myself, ‘What

bullshit is this?’. It was as if Benjamin regarded Aira as someone higher than himself.
However, upon careful consideration, Benjamin was a commoner and Aira was the
daughter of a marquis.

Due to the enormous difference in social status, Benjamin naturally thought of Aira
as a person of higher standing. Although I wanted to say something , I couldn’t say
anything, because of the problem with the class system.

If I suddenly brought up my inner thoughts, I might receive strange looks instead.

‘I think I might be the weird one here.’

Probably so.

Even Marie from the Requilis family, who practices noblesse oblige, takes it for
granted to be treated with respect by commoners. The reason why I was able to talk
to her was because I was, at least, a noble.

Furthermore, it is strictly considered as an act of ‘undermining authority’ for

commoners to use casual speech with nobles without honorifics. Even the Requilis
family, who never use their power to act recklessly, strictly prevent any approach to
their authority.
Instead, authority and authoritarianism must be clearly distinguished. If authority is
simply having legitimacy, authoritarianism is using that legitimacy to exercise
control.

Of course, there was a time when authoritarianism became so severe that a

revolution similar to the French Revolution in my past life, called the Jayros
Revolution, broke out. As a result, authoritarianism has weakened regardless of a
country, but authority itself has remained strong.

‘However, that doesn’t mean I can ask them to use honorifics again.’

If it were Benjamin, he would obey quietly, but I would feel dirty. The worst thing in
the world is giving something and then taking it away.

‘I wonder why our small and petite team leader is nowhere to be seen.’

Even though she has set the time, I’m getting more and more angry because I can’t
even see her hair. If this is how it’s going to be, I don’t understand why she
volunteered to be the team leader.

“I, I’ll be back in a moment. I’m going to the restroom!”

Benjamin, who had been fidgeting like an itchy puppy for a while, ran to the
bathroom after saying that. From the way he held onto his stomach and ran, it didn’t
seem like he was just fooling around – he really looked like he was in pain.

Anyway, with Benjamin gone, only Leona and I were left standing awkwardly near
the entrance of the restaurant. It was Friday, so there wasn’t a single person walking
around in the hallway. The only thing that filled the air was a quiet silence, making
the atmosphere even more uncomfortable.

In the awkward situation, I glanced at Leona briefly. Coincidentally, Leona was also
looking at me with a sidelong glance.

“……”

The two of us looked at each other sidelong for a moment before turning our heads
away completely. As I turned my head, I noticed Leona’s expressionless face.

While I was wondering what to say in this situation, surprisingly, Leona spoke first.
“Hey. Penguin.”

Her tone was so different from before, even though she was maintaining the same
concept. I was briefly taken aback by her chic demeanor, and when she mentioned
the word “penguin,” I couldn’t help but narrow my eyebrows.

It was ridiculous to call me a penguin when I had a perfectly good name. Frankly, I
was dumbfounded.

By the way, there is also an animal called a penguin in this world. They live in
extremely cold regions such as the Antarctic or Arctic, where ice sheets are formed,
and their appearance was exactly the same as the one in the encyclopedia.

However, as this is a fantasy world, there is a species that lives in the lava zone, not in
the polar regions. They are monsters that harm people, not animals.

Anyway, enough of the explanation, the priority is to answer Leona. I don’t know why
she referred to me as a penguin of all things.

“Why are you calling me a penguin, leaving behind a perfectly decent name?”

“You just look like a penguin.”

Leona laughed and teased me, wondering if she abandoned the concept since there
was no one around, I was momentarily dumbfounded but immediately
counterattacked.

“You’re like a dog.”

“…Do you want to die? It’s not a dog, it’s a lion.”

Leona frowned and growled like an animal. She seems angry about being called a
dog rather than being insulted.

At this, I tilted my head slightly and brought up another question. I couldn’t think of
anything other than dogs or cats when it came to beastmen.

“Then a cat?”

“Would you please not compare me to the mere Miao tribe? As a member of the great
lion tribe, it is greatly insulting to me.”

“You called a human being a penguin.”

“……”

Leona scratched her head, seemingly at a loss for words about that point. Then she
grew sullen, turned her head, and started to act unreasonable.

I snorted at it and opened my mouth.

“So why did you call me? Do you have something to say?”

“I called you because I was curious about what you think of that woman.”

When she said ‘that woman’, was she referring to Aira? I guess she was.

After hearing Leona’s question, I thought carefully. After all the team projects I had in
my previous life, I had a rough idea of what Aira was like.

Moreover, every time I thought of the crazy party, I automatically thought that we
had it better. If it had been Jackson instead of Aira, the team assignment would have
been a total disaster.

“I don’t know. She’s proactive in her own way, but I just wish she would focus on her
own work. That’s about it. What about you?”

“I don’t like her attitude. While everyone else is working hard, she just wants to play
and have fun by herself. She’s like a noble in appearance, but in reality, she’s nothing
special.”

Perhaps because her first impression was so bad, the harsh criticism continued.
Although I can’t deny it because it’s true.

I quietly watched her as she grumbled, then suddenly thought of something and
asked her.

“Are there no nobles in the Animers?”

Animers is a nation of beastmen founded 300 years ago. They gathered beastmen
scattered all over the world, and they built their own civilization.

Leona shook her head from side to side after hearing my question. Seeing that, I
thought that there were no nobles in Animers, but that wasn’t the case either.

“There are no marquises or anything like that as in the human world, but the
authority depends on each individual’s power. You may or may not know this, but
among beastmen, there is a deep-seated culture of revering power.”

“So are there separate social classes then?”

“Of course there are. Do you want me to tell you about them?”

I nodded my head. I rarely had the opportunity to learn about the ecosystem of
beastmen, but I was lucky this time.

After I nodded, Leona smiled and raised her chin slightly. It seemed like she was
organizing her explanation for a moment.

“Let’s see. First of all…”

“Guys~!”

Before Leona could speak, a familiar voice entered my ears. It was a cheerful,
prepubescent girl’s voice.

At that, Leona closed her mouth, and I moved my gaze in the direction of the sound.

As expected, our team leader, Aira, who was late for our appointment, was coming
towards us with a bright expression on her face. Seeing her smiling like that even
though she was late made me think she was quite shameless.

Afterwards, Aira stood in front of us and raised her eyebrows in surprise. It seemed
like she was wondering because there were the two of us without Benjamin.

“Huh? Why are there only two people? What about curly hair?”

She even called Benjamin curly hair. It was clear that she was looking down at
Benjamin, a commoner.
When she stared at me and asked a question, I opened my mouth to answer. I
couldn’t believe she was asking about hym going to the bathroom. She was the one
who was late.

“Benjamin went to the bathroom for a minute. He’ll be back soon.”

“What? The bathroom?”

My response that Benjamin went to the bathroom made Aira furrow her eyebrows.
She seemed to be fully expressing her frustration, as if asking if I was kidding.

Then, she crossed her arms and asked me for confirmation in a suspicious voice.

“He didn’t run away, did he?”

“No.”

“When did he go to the bathroom?”

“He left about five minutes ago.”

“But seeing that he hasn’t come back yet…”

“Since he went to do the big one, you don’t have to be suspicious.”

Before Aira had any unnecessary suspicions, I took the initiative. She has shown
authoritarian tendencies since becoming the team leader, and I am worried that she
might do it again.

Originally, the team leader was closer to a ‘person in charge,’ but in this world where
the class system exists, it has degenerated into a position of authority. We can
roughly understand this from the fact that Aira warned Leona last time.

After listening to me, Aira looked at me hesitantly and then smirked. It was an
expression that seemed to say ‘you’re just like the others’.

Then she put her hands on her waist and spoke in a very refreshing tone.

“Do we really need to wait for him?”

“…yes?”

What kind of bullshit is this? This is a statement that goes beyond hypocrisy and is as
if her conscience has exploded.

In the meantime, Aira confidently voiced her thoughts, putting her hand firmly on
her chest. Even though I didn’t know what she believed in, it was like she had put a
steel plate on her face.

“I’m the leader, so you have to wait unconditionally, but he’s not? Besides, I’m not too
late, and it’s his fault that he couldn’t wait for that time.”

“……”

“So let’s just leave that curly hair behind and go alone. We can make some excuses if
we’re asked where we went later.”

Where did you leave your conscience behind to say that? While I was in shock and
speechless, Aira quietly grabbed my arm and gently pulled me.

It was like someone was trying to take me away. I was startled by the feeling and
quickly pulled my arm out.

“…what are you doing?”

As I pulled my arm away, Aiira’s voice rapidly lowered. Her face was also crumpled,
as if her mood had soured after I pulled my arm away.

But whether her mood worsened or not, I had to say what needed to be said.
Although I wanted to get angry, I held back at least once.

“Rather, I want to ask you, Ms. Aira. What the hell are you doing?”

“I just wanted to go quickly. What’s the problem? Oh! Are you worried that we won’t
be able to discuss because there’s one commoner missing? Don’t worry about that. It
won’t be a problem if we just have us, even if one commoner is missing.”

Does Leona not count as part of us? Even though Aira giggled to herself, she didn’t
even glance at Leona.
I was confused whether it was Aira’s mentality that was strange or if it was just the
mindset of the nobles. No matter what, this is pretty serious.

“Aira, the professor also mentioned this. It would be better for the team if we bring
all members to the end. If you leave with Benjamin, it will be a disadvantage for you
as the leader.”

Finally, Leona, who had been ignored, advised Aira. She spoke in her usual tough and
blunt manner according to her concept, but there was a slight anger underlying her
words.

However, perhaps because it was advice from Leona, who was not a noble but a
commoner, Aira’s expression became even more hostile than before.

Despite her doll-like elegant appearance, a bloody energy emanated from her.

“The two of us are talking right now. Why are you interrupting?”

“I was just worried that Ms. Aira might be at a disadvantage.”

“Is it just because of this that you’re worried about me being at disadvantage? Aren’t
you being too naive? I’ve heard from my father that there has never been a case
where points were deducted just because one member was missing. Instead,
Professor Beerus gave zero points to that member.”

I feel like I want to open up her skull and peek inside her brain. I wonder what kind
of family education she received that has instilled such a mindset in her.

If not…

‘Is it to drive out Leona?’

It’s also possible that she intentionally said those words to drive out Leona, not for
Benjamin. She may have recognized that Leona is the type to speak her mind from
their first encounter.

So Benjamin is just an excuse, and she made an unreasonable suggestion just to find
fault with Leona.

“But it’s not impossible. We waited for Aira-nim, so I think we should wait for
Benjamin too.”

“Then you wait to your heart’s content and have a cozy discussion with each other.
I’ll talk to him alone.”

At Leona’s comment, Aira acted as if it was the right time, so she grabbed my arm
and pulled it toward her chest. Unlike Cecily, which was soft, a flat feeling was
conveyed through my arm.

Anyway, both of us were equally taken aback. I tried to pull my arm out of the
unexpected physical contact, but it was unsuccessful because she held on tightly.

In the end, I had no choice but to shout at Aira.

“W-What are you doing right now? Please let go of me quickly.”

“I don’t want to. You’re going to come with me, right?”

I thought it was crazy to be alone with her, but despite my inner thoughts, I couldn’t
help but hesitate when I met Aira’s gaze.

The corners of her mouth went up subtly with the eyes that were deep and wet with
greed. Her expression oozed with a sticky obsession, indicating that she wouldn’t let
go of her prey no matter what.

‘What did I do?’

Why was she showing this side of herself when she had no ulterior motive before? As
I stared at her expression, I quietly spoke up.

“…Ms. Aira.”

“Yes.”

“Right now, Ms. Leona is right. So please let go of me.”

“……”

When I took Leona’s side, the corners of Aira’s lips, which had been upturned, fell
vertically. The creepy look in her eyes also instantly turned cold, and the strength
she had exerted on my arm was released softly.

As I slowly pulled my arm out, Aira’s fallen lips rose again. Her gaze also started to
emanate a dangerous energy.

“Didn’t you say your last name was Ducker Michelle?”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

Why did she suddenly bring up the family name? I tensed up as a sense of foreboding
rose within me.

All this time, Aira started playing with her hair with one hand and spoke with a sly
tone.

“As you may know, the Marquis Matheus family has a very famous order of knights.
It’s the Navy Knights.”

“……”

“And I heard from my older brother a few days ago that the son of the former knight
commander recently joined the team. His name was probably… Dave?”

Flinch-

I flinched when I heard Dave’s name mentioned by Aira. Without realizing it, my fists
clenched when my family’s story came out of someone else’s mouth.

Without noticing my reaction, Aira continued with what she wanted to say. She was
not just confident but arrogant.

“Navy Knights are mainly responsible for protecting the borders and blocking any
threats to the empire in advance. It may seem honorable on the surface, but in my
eyes, they are just foolish people who recklessly engage in dangerous activities.”

Is it appropriate for a noblewoman, especially from a military family, to say such a

thing? Not to mention, the Navy Knights often confront tribal beastmen , and often
fight with the Elven Reconnaissance Squad.

Although it is called a border, it is practically a front line. If you see that the mortality
rate of the Navy Knights is more than three times higher than that of other corps,
you can roughly estimate how dangerous the situation is.

However, Ai-ra seems to be underestimating such knights too easily. She claimed that
they are foolish people who sacrifice their freedom to protect the country. She, who
belittles them, does not deserve to be a daughter of a military family.

“You know what I’m talking about, right?”

Aira crossed her arms, tilting her chin slightly. It is a message that is close to a threat,
stating that I can never refuse her proposal.

It seemed like she had a trick up her sleeve for what to do with Dave if I were to
refuse. Perhaps, she could send him somewhere even more dangerous than the
border. As the daughter of a prestigious military family, it is not entirely impossible.

At these thoughts, I took a deep breath as I listened to her threatening question.

“Yes. I understand.”

Now that it’s like this, I can’t help it.

“Bitch.”

Let’s all look into it together.

No matter how angry you are, there are things you should never touch. Among them,
the most representative one is family.

Even a decent person would get angry if their family was touched, but if they just
endure it? That is not a decent person, but rather a pushover.

Additionally, I am someone who has a strong trauma about family. It’s because my
parents passed away in an accident in my previous life, and I suddenly became alone.
I had no siblings, so the connection between family members has been completely
severed.

Of course, Aira wouldn’t know that I’m a reincarnated person, but that’s beside the
point. If you have the bare minimum of common sense, you shouldn’t say such
things, especially when you’re a daughter of a military family.

“…What, what? What did you just say…”

As soon as the vulgar curse burst out of my mouth, Aira stuttered and seemed
shocked, with her eyes widened and her mouth open.

So what do I do? I looked at Aira with cold eyes as she faltered back. As you all know,
I don’t swear a lot.

However, Aira made a sharp curse come out of my mouth. At the time of the
gathering, Jackson made me dumbfounded so it just came out, but this time I was so
angry that it burst out of my mouth.

I looked straight at Aira, who was shocked and unable to speak, and said what I
wanted to say.

“Why? Did you not hear me? Should I say it again, you little bitch?”

“You, you…! How dare you…! Do I look easy to you?!”

Aira was furious, even pointing a finger at me. Judging from her face turning red and
blue in real time, she was really angry too.

However, it is rather me who should be more angry than her. Aira touched a part she
should never have touched.

I opened my mouth, barely suppressing the rage bubbling up like an active volcano. I
tried to keep my composure as much as possible, but I couldn’t stop my voice from
sinking low.

“Don’t you think I’ve been easygoing with you? Bullshit should at least be called
bullshit. All you do is talk nonsense. Forcing someone who doesn’t like you and even
dragging their family into it because you can’t have your way? And even a soldier
who doesn’t know when they might die working on a border?”

“Hey, it’s a bigger mistake to swear over something like that! And knights and
soldiers who aren’t commanders are just guard dogs! Why would you let go of a
comfortable life and risk your life to become a soldier? That’s the part that’s even
harder to understand, isn’t it?”

“Wow… Really…”

Fuck. I’m just amazed. I can’t believe I’m hearing what I used to hear in Korea even
after I was reincarnated.

I don’t know how she received her home education, but if a daughter from a military
family speaks like that, it is clear that the situation is serious. Otherwise, the
household is probably fine, but her personality must be distorted if such words come
out of the mouth of a daughter of a military family.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply as I watched Aira. My chest felt tight as if I had eaten
sweet potatoes.

“Are you really the daughter of Marquis Matheus, who is in charge of the border?”

“Why would I lie? Don’t you know that impersonating a noble is a crime? How
stupid…”

“The stupid one here is you, who insulted the soldiers. It would be quite amusing if
the news spread that a daughter of a military family insulted the soldiers, wouldn’t
it?”

To put it in the context of a previous life, it’s like the daughter of a 4-star general
insulting a soldier from Hwihwa. Of course, if this story were to spread to the ears of
the soldiers, it would seriously damage trust, to the point of completely destroying
the reputation of the person who insulted them.

“What’s wrong about that? They’re all people under me anyway?”

“Didn’t your parents or siblings tell you to care for your subordinates?”

“I only learned that in order to become a good leader, you have to lead the people
below you well. Is something wrong?”

“Sigh…”

That kind of thinking is absolutely ridiculous. As I listened to her words, I realized

there was no response I could give, and I shook my head in disbelief. Aira’s mindset
was very concerning.

Being born into a marquis family, she naturally had the idea of noble authority
ingrained in her, and the way to become an excellent leader, as she mentioned. These
two things created a truly beautiful synergy.

In addition to this, all of this was achieved at the age of 17. It seemed that she firmly
believed she could handle the role of the leader herself, which was the reason she
took on the position of squad leader.

“…Let me give you a piece of advice. If you keep going like this, someday you’ll
experience something even worse.”

“Who would believe such words? Who do you think you are?”

Even though I gave sincere advice, the expression on the child’s face was one of
disbelief. However, ‘mutiny’ is an historical fact that remains unchanged regardless
of time or place.

In addition, dangerous places such as the front lines or borders are where mutiny
frequently occurs. Most often, commanders sacrifice their subordinates to preserve
their own lives, only to end up being killed by their subordinates in turn.
Would Aira really be aware of such facts? Since she has never experienced the life-
and-death situations on the front lines, she may be able to casually make such
remarks.

I struggled to find a way to educate that naive little kid and eventually gave up on
verbal communication. No matter what I say, she will never listen.

“If you don’t want to believe it, you don’t have to. I’m just telling you out of concern.
You don’t plan on becoming a military commander later on, do you?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m the daughter of Duke Matheus. After completing all the military
studies at the academy, I will be commissioned as a commander.”

“Really? Congratulations. That time will be several times worse than me cursing you
now.”

I feel like saying something even harsher back, but I resisted the urge because it
would have crossed the line.

Even though she mentioned my family, I didn’t want to give her any more reasons to
cause trouble. Most of all, I just wanted to get out of this situation as soon as
possible.

“You really…! I don’t know what you’re believing in, but you’re finished now. I’m
going to tell our dad right away! Got it?!”

Aira shouted out loud, angry at my direct words. I replied as if it didn’t matter.

“Either do it or don’t. Anyway, you don’t plan on participating in the assignment,

right?”

“Who would want to work with someone like you?! Do you think you’re so great
because you get attention from the professors?”

“Isn’t that about you? Who are you to tell us what to do? And the Marquis’ daughter?
There are people around me who are much higher than you.”

I didn’t mention who they were. Even though I was friendly with them, I didn’t want
to use them.
“Ugh…!”

Aira grit her teeth and shuddered when I beat her with a fact. His face was visibly
red, burning up with anger.

Then she cried out, as if she ran out of things to say. However, it didn’t pose any
threat at all.

“Fine! I don’t need any of you because I can do well on my own! What’s so difficult
about predicting the development of Xenon’s Biography…!”

“Aren’t you a team leader? Surely you’re not trying to be the leader all by yourself,
are you?”

“Do as you please with those two commoners! I’m so annoyed! Really!”

Ira made a tantrum on her own, then turned around and stomped away. Judging by
her tightly clenched her small fists, it seemed that she was very angry.

As I let out a complicated sigh, wondering if the situation was over, Aira stood in
place and glanced back at me. And she cried once more in anger.

“You know you’re in trouble, right? Do you have any idea what my dad is like?! He’s
called “Iron blood”! “Iron blood!”

“I don’t know, so go on. The noise is killing me.”

“What…! You’re a bastard…!

As I waved my hand as if I was annoyed, Aira quickly disappeared as if she was

running away. I felt as if a storm had just passed by, and I grabbed the back of my
neck.

Honestly, I didn’t expect her to bring up my family, but the situation was somewhat
foreseeable. She just had a sudden outburst.

‘I don’t know how to explain it to the professor.’

I have no choice but to wish Professor Beerus to be flexible. It’s not just a simple
disagreement, but a situation that arose because Aira crossed the line.
‘Surely not all other nobles think like Aira, right?’

Being a soldier is a job that should never be looked down upon. They are heroes who
willingly sacrifice their own freedom for the freedom of their country.

Even in South Korea, where the status of soldiers may not be as high as in other
countries, if someone like Aira openly insults them, they will face social
condemnation. In the United States, where soldiers are treated as heroes, such
behavior can lead to complete social ostracism.

Moreover, the Minerva Empire has such a vast territory that the proportion of
soldiers who die in battle is higher than in other countries. Therefore, it is
understood that the status of soldiers is also higher there. That’s why I couldn’t
understand why she would say such a thing.

‘Surely she doesn’t view war as something easy, does she?’

It could be that she doesn’t know what kind of situations soldiers on the front lines
face. Since she has never experienced it herself, she may be saying those things
without understanding.

This is actually a phenomenon that often occurs. During the First World War, young
men who enlisted with ‘romantic’ dreams experienced the living hell of trench
warfare. If it was like that in the 1900s, there’s no need to explain how it was in the
medieval times.

Above all, even our father, who was once renowned as the ‘Red Lion,’ couldn’t sleep if
he didn’t drink alcohol. This is a story that Nicole told me last time.

‘War… ’

Even in Xenon’s Biography, there is a part about war. Originally, it was intended to be
a scene that showcased Xenon’s heroic deeds, but after seeing Aira, I was a bit
hesitant.

I had a vague concern that people might view war lightly because of the descriptions
I wrote.

Furthermore, in the story of Xenon, the enemy is not human, but demons. Even if
there is a war against demons, I have no plans for a war between people.
‘…This is something that must be depicted in the next work.’

Although the plan went awry when Xenon’s Biography became an unintended hit, I
had originally planned the next work separately.

If you use fantasy in a fantasy world, it’s an ordinary novel, but if you use modern
stuff, wouldn’t it be fantasy? The work is a product of such an idea.

I planned to secretly write it right before Xenon’s Biography is completed. I probably

won’t start writing until about a year from now.”

“So what are we going to do now? Can we do it by ourselves?”

While I was lost in thought for a moment, Leona spoke in a blunt tone. I snapped out
of it and looked at Leona.

She had her arms crossed and was making a sullen, and I rubbed the back of my neck
in embarrassment as I answered.

“We can’t help it. Honestly, aren’t you feeling the same way?”

“It does feel good, but it will be hard to get good grades. are you confident enough to
present it so well as to cover that up?”

I smiled confidently at Leona’s worried question.

“Of course.”

I’m a writer, but she’s worried that I might not be able to do well.

Leona looked surprised at my cool answer for a moment, but soon shrugged her
shoulders.

She seemed to know that there was no answer no matter how much she thought
about it.

“You’re pretty confident, huh? I will be watching you…”

“Are you trying to get carried too?”

“I’m not going to sell my conscience like that jerk. Oh, by the way…”

She stopped talking and stared at me. By the time she tilted her head at the
observing gaze, Leona’s tightly closed mouth opened.

“…you said your last name was Ducker Michelle, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Is your father’s nickname ‘Red Lion’ by any chance?”

It seems that my father is quite famous. Even Leona, who is a beastman, knows about
him.

I nodded my head absentmindedly at her question. Leona’s expression became

slightly strange, and she muttered something in a barely audible voice.

“A penguin from the lion… They’re a father and son, but I guess an apple can fall far
from the tree.”

“What?”

“Nothing. By the way, Benjamin, when is this guy coming?”

“I’m here!”

They said even a tiger would come if I called, and Benjamin returned as soon as
Leona mentioned it. He was almost like a puppy when he ran panting, waving his
arms.

Afterwards, Benjamin confirmed that we were still alone despite going to the
bathroom and said with an anxious expression.

“Ah, Ms. Aira hasn’t come yet?”

“She came, but she went away again. She won’t be with us from now on.”

“What?! W-What does that mean? What happened?”

“Something did happen. But don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
After that, the group assignment went smoothly.

“…so only the three of us are able to attend the discussion. No matter what, I can’t
stand it when she touched a soldier, especially my brother who works at the border.”

“Well… I see. Normally, everyone should receive a deduction, but since this is a
special case, only the student will be penalized.”

“Thank you, professor.”

On the following Monday, I went to see Professor Beerus separately and fed Aira a
very big fuck you.
After Aira ran away from the group, the group project progressed so smoothly that
any concerns we had about it seemed pointless.

It was said that minnows naturally muddy the water, but when those minnows
disappeared, the water that had been murky also became clear on its own.

As I always said, it was enough for me to do the task myself, but as it was a group
task, I worked hard. If Benjamin and Leona came up with plausible hypotheses, I
would refute or fleshed it out.”

As a result, we achieved a very satisfying outcome, but of course, since I only added
substance to the hypotheses they organized, I took charge of the presentation myself.

“But didn’t you say that Xenon’s Biography wasn’t interesting? It seems like you read
it very in depth though?”

“Everyone, shut up! I was just curious about what’s next!”

When Benjamin left, I was able to have various conversations with Leona. I realized
that she was not just someone who talked a lot but also an enjoyer of Xenon’s
Biography.

Her ears, which flinched above her head whenever she was excited, were a little
annoying, but since Leona only showed her true self when she was with me, it wasn’t
a big problem.

“Are you really confident in giving a good presentation? If it’s difficult, I can do it for
you.”

Leona, who calmed down her excitement after a moment, asked me with her
signature cynical tone. She crossed her arms and stared at her, but there was a mix of
worry and concern in her eyes.
I wasn’t sure if she didn’t trust me or if she felt sorry for me for being in charge of the
presentation. However, considering Leona’s personality, I assumed it was the latter.

“I can do it well. Trust me once. Or do you want to try it?”

“Alright then. Tomorrow is the day of the presentation, why bother changing
anything now. Anyway, I’m leaving. See you tomorrow.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

As Leona waved her hand and left, I also waved and saw her off. The place where
Leona and I had been was a deserted place, so we could talk as much as we wanted
without any disturbance.

A little later, I moved my feet after seeing Leona’s figure disappear. I have done the
final check, and I planned to take it easy and write something during the remaining
time.

‘I wish I could quickly become a third-year student. At that time, I would have more
free time.’

As I returned to my dorm and threw myself onto the bed, I thought about the future.
As Professor Beerus explained during the first class, we have to score above a certain
point to advance to the next grade until the end of our second year.

However, once you become a third-year student, you only have to focus on the major
you want to concentrate on. That’s it. I also learned this information when I went to
see Professor Beerus separately last Monday and reported the situation of Aira.

If the first two years are like a combination of high school and university, starting
from the third year, you become a university student who focuses only on one
subject. You don’t need to worry about grades or other stuff, you just concentrate on
your major to get good grades.

‘Me, on the other hand… ’

Of course, my goal is to major in history. There’s no other subject that interests me as

much as history in this world.

After becoming a 3rd year student, I wanted to quickly finish writing Xenon’s
Biography and write my next work. I wanted to write a modern-day story that would
be treated as a fantasy in this world.

Instead, as it deals with a tragic wartime story, there will be no heroic journey like in
the Xenon’s Biography.

No, no. Instead of thinking about the next work, let’s focus on Xenon’s Biography for
now.

If I touch it without good reason, I could end up becoming an octopus’s foot. There is
a risk that the quality of the work may also deteriorate, so it is beneficial to
concentrate on Xenon’s Biography for now.

Of course, if there are two volumes left until the completion, I plan to establish the
settings slowly. It should be okay by then.

‘…I should make use of my time instead of thinking like this.’

It’s a waste of time to fool around like this. Recently, there have been not just one or
two areas that require attention, such as the problem with Aira, but it is bearable
even though it is a bit tiring.

Above all, if I keep my eyes closed now, I feel like I’ll wake up tomorrow morning. It
might be better to finish at least one part and go to bed.

Leading my weary body, I sat down at his desk. Neatly stacked on the desk were
manuscript papers that I had stopped writing just before leaving my room.

‘I wonder if they are doing okay?’

While imbuing mana into the magic pen, the thought of the crazy party suddenly
came to my mind. The first day seemed good enough, but as time passed, it was clear
that cracks were beginning to form.

Rina, who always had a relaxed expression, became expressionless, and the
expression of Cecily, who used to brighten up when she saw me, also darkened
suddenly. As for Marie, she seemed to have given up halfway and occasionally let out
a sneer.

Above all, the most impressive person among them was undoubtedly Jackson. He
was trying to cling to them somehow, but he was gradually becoming fed up with
them.

Furthermore, he occasionally sent me jealous (!?) glances. I can roughly predict how
serious it is.

I think it’s probably because we had to do a group project together. It’s a

combination that couldn’t mix like water and oil from the beginning.

‘It’s a little pitiful. We only had one… ’

drip-

While lost in thought, liquid dripped from my nose. I snapped out of my reverie and
wiped my hand on my chin, feeling a slight stickiness.

With a feeling of disbelief, I took my hand away and found bright red blood on it. It
was a nosebleed.

I felt sluggish today and it seemed like my body was sending me a warning.

drip- drip-

As I stared absent-mindedly at the blood on my hand, drops of blood started to fall

onto my manuscript paper. I was startled and hastily cleared away the manuscript
paper.

Fortunately, the blood was only on the edge and I was able to prevent a major
disaster of rewriting the manuscript. Still, I need to quickly stop the nosebleed.

“Phew, tissue…”

It seemed that I should take a break from writing today.

***

As time passed, the day of the presentation arrived. It meant that the end of the
group project, which had been filled with a lot of talk and trouble, was approaching.

“Hey. Are you sure you guys have everything ready?”

“We do.”

“Okay. Got it. Since I’m the team leader, if you apologize, I’m willing to accept you
back on the team…”

“Fuck you.”

And just before the class started, Aira came to see me out of the blue and acted
shamelessly, but I strongly cursed her once again.

Although Marie, who was sitting next to me, looked surprised when I cursed Aira, I
didn’t pay attention to her reaction.

It was beyond my imagination that Aira would have the audacity to put a spoon on
someone else’s table after she had overturned her own. I felt nauseous with her
impudence and felt like I couldn’t bear it without cursing her.

“You…! Just wait and see! I’m really going to send a letter to my dad!”

“Do as you please.”

Anyway, Aira just left with a remark that I would regret it. I shook my head as I
watched her quickly walk back to her seat on her short legs.

I wonder how far someone has to go astray in order to become like that. In other
words, she’s a woman who is even more impressive than Jackson, in a different
sense.

“Did you fight with her?”

As I sighed inwardly, Marie sitting next to me asked a question that was full of
doubts.

I answered in a calm voice without even looking at her. No matter how much I
thought about it, I was still furious at the audacity.

“We fought. She said something she shouldn’t have said.”

“What did she say to make you react like that?”

“A few weeks ago, my brother joined the Navy Knights. And she’s the daughter of
Marquis Matheus. You know what I’m saying?”

“I think I know roughly.”

Even though I didn’t say much, Mari nodded her head as if she understood. After all,
her family is so famous that it would be strange if there was anything she didn’t
know.

While watching her nodding, I asked in a voice of concern, wondering if she was also
criticizing the soldiers like Aira.

“Marie, what do you think of soldiers?”

“Huh? Why?”

“The reason I fought with Aira was because she treated soldiers like guard dogs,
although there was also a problem with my brother. I wondered if all nobles were
like that.”

Of course, I don’t think Mari has that kind of mindset. However, I was concerned that
most nobles, not just Mari personally, might think that way.

I couldn’t even guess how other nobles would think, considering that the daughter of
a military family could speak such rude words without hesitation.

Then Mari frowned and asked me in a serious tone if I was being sincere.

“…Are you crazy? If you say that kind of thing, they’ll forcibly enlist you, you know?”

“Forcibly enlist?”

“Yeah. It’s one of the famous punishments among nobles. If a noble’s child insults a
soldier, the parents will forcibly enlist them as soldiers. Most of them can’t endure it
for even a month and end up whining, but they have to serve for two years by law.
It’s a legally defined punishment, so being a noble doesn’t make any difference.”

It’s a truly ingenious and effective punishment. If you were subjected to mandatory
military service, you would know just how terrifying the punishment Marie
mentioned is.
You will know how warm your home is, how good your family and society are, and
finally, how fucked up the military is.

Furthermore, without smartphones or televisions in this world, there will be many

absurdities that are no laughing matter. For the noble children who grew up in a
greenhouse, there is no more effective punishment than this.

“What if the parent insults the soldier, not the child?”

“That kind of situation is almost unheard of, but it wouldn’t look good if it happened.
And if a daughter of the Matheus family really insulted a soldier, the repercussions
would be enormous. Enlistment would be confirmed, and in the worst case, she
could even be expelled from the family.”

Enlistment… I think that would be quite fun. Won’t even Aira feel the harsh reality on
the second day of training?

I exclaimed with anticipation, hoping for that moment to come soon. She needs to
suffer once to wake up.

“Anyway, have you guys prepared everything for your team?”

While I was laughing out loud, Marie asked me in a cautious voice.

I responded to Marie, who was watching me carefully after asking that question.

“…I don’t feel the need to answer that, do I?”

“Everyone finished. How about you all?”

“…I don’t feel the need to answer.”

Judging from the way she’s smiling wryly, it seems they failed as expected.

Still, I was curious, so I dared to ask the question.

“Did you participate at least?”

“I only participated, but there was nothing substantial that I did. We just gathered
and chatted, and that was it. It happened only twice as well.”
“What about researching and presenting the material?”

“Who do you think did everything? By the way, I didn’t do anything.”

“……”

As Marie asked in return, I became speechless.

So that’s why Jackson’s expression was so dark. I felt sympathetic somehow.

“To be honest, I gave up from the moment the team was assigned like that. The grade
might sting a bit, but it won’t be too harsh. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll focus on another
major.”

“Speaking of major… What major will you enter when you become a third-year?”

I suddenly became curious and asked. I unhesitantly chose a major in history, but
don’t know about others.

Of course, it might be a bit early to ask now, even though the first semester hasn’t
ended yet. But she must have something in mind, right?

After hearing my question, Marie put her hand on her chin and thought for a
moment before speaking quietly.

“About my major… well, I’m not sure. I’d like to major in political science, but since
Rina is there, I’ll pass. Right now, I don’t have anything specific in mind. I just want to
graduate and be done with it. What about you?”

“I’m obviously majoring in history.”

When I answered without any hesitation, Marie made a strange expression as if she
heard something unexpected.

“Is history that interesting? I don’t understand.”

“Maybe you think that way, but not me. How isn’t history interesting?”

“Got it. Got it. That’s why you’re good at history. Are you planning to write a book
about it? Didn’t you receive compliments from Professor Elena last time for writing
well?”

“Uh…”

The conversation suddenly paused for a moment. She may have said it as a joke, but
it could not be regarded as a joke.

Then Marie observed my face and said with a strange expression.

“What’s with that expression? Are you really writing one?”

“No?”

“Hmm…”

When I denied it, she stared at my face and then lowered her gaze. Marie’s gaze was
precisely directed towards my right hand, where the pen hook was located.

I almost instinctively hid my hand, but I managed to control myself just in time to
avoid arousing suspicion. Marie also opened her mouth, turning her eyes forward to
see if she had no more suspicion.

“Well… if you say it’s no, then it’s not. But if you really write a book, show it to me.
I’m curious.”

“That’s because I don’t write.”

“Who said anything? Oh, of course, I can ask my dad to support you financially if you
need it.”

“Ah, thanks, I appreciate it.”

Even if I grumbled as if to stop, Marie only giggled. Fortunately, he seemed to have

said it as a joke.

‘How long do I have to live anxiously?’

I really wanted to clarify, but I was afraid of the aftermath. I had to endure it, even if
it meant watching my father suffer as he struggled to hide our true identity.
Anyway, class started and the presentation, the flower of the group assignment,
began. As I expected, Jackson was the presenter for Mari’s group, and his exhausted
appearance evoked sympathy from the audience.

‘You are suffering too.’

I think the incidents of being picked on might decrease after this. I looked at him
with a sympathetic expression as he returned to his seat with exhaustion.

I wonder if he noticed my gaze. Jackson, who met my eyes, just gave a hollow laugh
without any reaction.

With that, all the presentations were over and the humanities class came to an end,
and the rest of the classes proceeded normally.

After all the classes were over, we had a meal with our teammates and returned to
our dorm.

“Hmm?”

When I opened the door of the accommodation and went inside, I saw a letter
envelope lying on the floor.

When I picked it up, it turned out to be a letter from home. I had no choice but to
wonder if there was any mail I sent to my parents recently.

‘What’s going on?’

Then, I sat on the bed and tore open the envelope to take out the letter. And the
identity of the letter was…

[The tail has been stepped on. Be careful for the time being.]

It was a warning written in my father’s handwriting.

“……”

I blinked my eyes as I looked at the warning letter.

After reading the letter my father had sent me, I couldn’t help but space out for a
moment. It was definitely from my father, as I could tell from his unique short and
bold writing style.

However, if you only looked at the content, it didn’t contain any spy-like information
or anything extraordinary. Because of this, it took me some time to understand, but
soon I had no choice but to harden my expression.

‘…the tail was stepped on?’

The reason I was able to submit my manuscript anonymously to the publishing

company was because of my father’s help. I’m not sure what kind of work my father
is involved in, but I can roughly guess that he is using his connections.

Thanks to that, I was able to remain anonymous until the end even when Xenon’s
biography became a huge hit and everyone looked for me. However, my father said
that I was also being searched for in various places, not only by the royalty and
nobility, so he emphasized that I shouldn’t let my guard down.

And it’s only today that it seems its tail has been stepped on. I rubbed my chin and
stared at the letter.

‘Don’t you know who it is?’

The subject was neatly omitted, so I couldn’t tell who stepped on the tail.
Considering my father’s personality, he would have written all the important parts
even in a short letter, so the probability of him not knowing who it is, is high.

That’s true, the one who stepped on my tail would have probably hired someone to
do it, so it would be even stranger if I knew who it was. Anyway, the fact that I need
to be careful remains unchanged.

‘…I need to be alert for now.’

I don’t know who stepped on my tail, and just because my tail was stepped on
doesn’t mean my identity has been completely exposed. Still, it will be good to follow
my father’s warning.

To be honest, there’s nothing I can do about it. For now, all I can do is to hope that
my father can cut off the tail that has been stepped on.

If I become overly self-conscious, it could lead to problems with my writing or make

other people suspicious of me. Therefore, it’s best to act as usual but maintain my
composure.

‘But there is only one letter?’

Usually, my parents send letters together, so if my father wrote a letter, there should
be one from my mother as well. My father wrote a short letter to convey the news,
but my mother must have written a long letter to bury me and check my progress.

And sure enough, as if to prove me right, another letter was neatly tucked inside the
torn envelope from earlier.

As I took out the letter and unfolded it neatly, I noticed the beautiful, well-written
handwriting. Unlike my father’s, my mother’s letters were characterized by a delicate
style.

[Isaac, it seems that your father only wrote what he needed to say without asking
about your well-being, so your mother has also sent a letter. After reading your last
letter, your mother feels relieved that you seem to be adjusting well to academy life.
However, I am worried that you might be struggling with the recent increase in
temperature since you tend to be sensitive to the heat. Mother still remembers when
you collapsed during training with your father, and that image still lingers in my
mind. While I jokingly ask when the next book will be released, I always emphasize
the importance of your health. Your academy life may be busy, but please remember
to take care of your health…]

As I read the sentences filling up the A4-sized paper, my heart automatically warmed
up. Whether in this life or the past, it’s clear that mothers are angelic beings who
think only of their children.

Occasionally, some noble families treat their children as political tools, but our
mother was not like that. She was just a normal mother of an ordinary family.
With a sincere smile on my face, I slowly read through the letter my mother had
written, and the graceful handwriting made my eyes naturally happy.

[Your father did write a letter telling you to take care of yourself, but you don’t have
to worry too much. Even if you were caught, our family will protect you. Especially,
you may not know, but your father was the leader of a famous knight order in his
heyday. So even if you were caught, they wouldn’t easily harm us even in the palace.
Don’t worry. If anything happens, your father will personally go to the palace.]

I couldn’t even guess what kind of person he was in the past when they say that they
wouldn’t easily harm us even in the palace. After all, he gave up his count status and
became a baron, and according to what Rina told me, it is certain that he is an
unusual person.

He seems like a stereotype of a hidden master that you would see in a novel.
However, it is certain that he has a dark past, considering that he himself has chosen
to receive a lower rank. Especially since he declared retirement at a fairly young age.

[…Therefore, our family is always supporting you. Don’t overdo it and keep doing
what you want to do. Love, Mom.]

Even after reading all of the letter, the aftertaste lingered. Although my mother had
said that she was good at writing in the past, I could tell from the letter that it was
definitely not an empty boast.

Her handwriting was so fluent and beautiful, almost to the point of being described
as exquisite. The words she wrote were also very moving. There was nothing
missing.

‘…I shouldn’t disappoint her.’

Although she teasingly urged to know when Jin and Lily would get together, it was
only a joke. On the contrary, my mother didn’t like the story being forced to go in a
strange direction due to external pressures.

After rereading my mother’s letter once again, I neatly folded it and put it in the desk
drawer. The first drawer contained manuscript paper and spare notebooks, while the
second drawer stored letters my parents had sent me.

‘First of all… ’
Having finished everything I needed to do today, I sat down in a chair and began
writing a letter instead of reading about Xenon’s Biography. The letter was full of
worries, so I felt that I needed to ease those concerns.

Of course, it seemed best to mention that due to circumstances, the next volume of
Xenon’s Biography would not be released for at least another two months.

‘The tail was stepped on… since there’s nothing I can do about it, I’ll just write’

I wrote a reply with a much more relaxed mind through my mother’s letter.

***

The Minerva Empire is one of the strongest nations in human society. Not only is its
territory vast, but its military and economic power are also unrivaled.

As a result, every single statement uttered by the Empire carries significant influence
throughout the world, to the extent that other races cannot ignore them.

However, even the Minerva Empire has a country that has been evaluated as an
eternal enemy since ancient times, and that is the Ters Kingdom.

Compared to the Minerva Empire, the Ters Kingdom has relatively weak military and
economic power, but one thing that stands out overwhelmingly is its soft power,
namely, ‘culture’.

Ters Kingdom boasts an immense cultural diversity, encompassing music, literature,

education, science, technology, magic, and even the cultures of other races. It is so
vast that it would not be an exaggeration to say that all cultures in the world are
included in the Ters Kingdom.

However, the Minerva Empire has not just stood idly by and has oppressed the Ters
Kingdom and its culture. One striking example is the Halo Academy, which is known
as the world’s top academy.

At the time when the Minerva Empire established the academy, they recruited all the
professors and related craftsmen who belonged to the Ters Kingdom. From the
perspective of the Ters Kingdom, it was an act of aggression, and they strongly
protested against it. After that, they began to strictly prohibit it by law.
Anyway, while the Minerva Empire had a strong external power such as military and
economic power, the Ters Kingdom was considered to have a strong internal power.
It was known as the country of culture, even recognized by the elves.

However, it was not without side effects. The cultural organization was so strong that
even major incidents like the ‘Jayros Revolution’ occurred. But they used it as a
stepping stone to grow even more, so it wasn’t all bad from the perspective of the
Ters Kingdom.

“So, it means that even though we caught the tail, it’s difficult to trace it all the way
up.”

Inside an office with an old-fashioned yet sophisticated atmosphere.

The middle-aged person with hair tied tightly together, resembling the blue sky,
spoke to the man standing opposite to him. Despite having a gentle-looking face, his
sharp sky-blue eyes gave off a sense of alertness, and his tone of voice was also
unsettling.

The man in a black suit standing opposite him deeply bowed his waist, expressing
his heartfelt apology.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. It’s all due to my lack of ability.”

“No, it’s fine. Just catching the tail is enough. How much information can you get
from the tail?”

“I’m embarrassed to say this, but there’s practically very little information we can
get. It was just an errand boys who receive money for the job, and his clients are also
difficult to track.”

“Well…”

Friedrich Duke von Kurchers, the king of the Kingdom of Ters, pondered with his fist
against his chin.

He had stumbled upon an opportunity to catch the tail by chance, but unfortunately,
it turned out to be nothing more than a lizard’s tail. A tail that will be cut off on its
own the moment it is caught.
He had hoped that catching the tail would lead to a clue in finding the mysterious
author of the Xenon’s Biography. However, it turned out to be a useless errand boy.
The disappointment was inevitable, as his expectations were high.

With a sigh of regret, Friedrich turned to the man in front of him and asked.

“What are the trends in other countries? I’m sure they know we’ve caught the tail.”

“They probably won’t make a move right away. They know that catching the tail isn’t
the end, so we’ll be fine for now.”

“I see. Regardless, we must be the first to find out who it is.”

People from all over the world are searching for the author of Xenon’s Biography,
Isaac, but the most passionate among them are undoubtedly the Kingdom of Ters.

The situation is such that even high-ranking nobles, including the imperial family of
the Minerva Empire are mobilizing their resources to search for Isaac, but not to the
extent of the Ters Kingdom.

That being said, while the Minerva Empire is taking a passive approach, knowing
that provoking the author may lead to trouble if they run away, Ters Kingdom is
gathering clues recklessly without such concerns.

If you’re wondering why the Ters Kingdom is looking for Isaac like this, it’s simple.

“I want to find them quickly and give Minerva a big blow.”

“I agree. I’m angry that they have stolen so many things until now.”

As shown by the example of the Halo Academy, so much cultural property has been
taken away by the Minerva Empire. Although it has now been legally blocked, there
have been many times in the past when they stole their culture bit by bit, causing
them great damage.

In the end, ‘money’ is the most important thing for developing culture, but the
Minerva Empire took numerous artisans and artists with huge sums of money as
bait. For the Ters Kingdom, it’s not surprising that a recession has occurred.

“Moreover, there has never been a case where someone changed the world simply by
writing a novel, like the author of Xenon’s Biography did, in history. It should be
considered unprecedented.”

“Yes. It’s surprising enough that the demons princess enrolled in the Halo Academy,
and soon they will send an envoy to our country… It’s really an unbelievable reality.”

“If that writer were to write something critical of our country, it would be terrifying
to even imagine. It’s unlikely to happen, though.”

Above all, the value of Isaac alone is terrifying. Just with Xenon’s Biography, he
completely changed the perception of demons, but if he was to write a critical article
about a specific country? It would be unbelievable.

On Earth, the internet was widespread among the general public to the extent that it
could be taken for granted, but it’s not the same in this world. Quite literally, there is
ample potential for it to be abused as a ‘weapon’ for brainwashing.

And from the perspective of leaders who govern the country, they fear the collapse
from within more than foreign invasion. If the pillar collapses, there is nothing they
can do.

Especially the Ters Kingdom, which had suffered greatly from a devastating Jayros
Revolution, knows this fact better than anyone else.

“I understand for now. We will provide all the support needed, so be sure to find the
author. However, even if you find them, make sure to treat them with respect. Do you
understand?”

“I will keep that in mind. I will try to bring good news as soon as possible.”

“I see. Any other news?”

“The news about Princess Adele…”

Friedrich frowned when the aide mentioned a specific person. He didn’t even want
to hear her name.

“Nevermind. She’s already been cast aside. Is there a reason why I need to know
about her?”
“Your Majesty, Princess Adele…”

The advisor was interrupted before they could finish their sentence. Friedrich held
out his hand as if to say no more.

“That’s enough. If she were my own child, I would have enrolled her in the Ters
Academy, not the Halo Academy. I only have four children. Remember that.”

“…I understand.”

The advisor could no longer say anything in the face of Friedrich’s resolute words.

However, perhaps he had some sense of conscience. Friedrich rubbed his chin
thoughtfully and then gave an order to his advisor.

“Well… I’d better let her know the news. I think you’ll soon find the author of Xenon’s
Biography, which she liked.”

“…Why do you feel the need to tell her this?”

“So that he won’t easily end her life. We have to give her hope.”

“……”

That’s sadistic. The advisor barely held back from frowning.

Even if I successfully overcame the great trial of a group project, it doesn’t mean the
semester is over. The fact that you need to obtain a certain score to prevent a failing
grade means there is something you need to do to achieve that score.

It could be an exam, or it could be an assignment, or it could be through a

presentation.

In short, it means disgustingly busy days. Even after crossing the big mountain called
a group project, there were so many hills that I had no choice but to sweat profusely.

Fortunately, there weren’t many courses with exams, but instead, there were crazy
amounts of assignments. I had to pour in time just to do the assignments, let alone
writing.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh… help meee…”

Marie groaned and buried her face on the desk, groaning. Her white hair, as white as
snow, fell like a curtain.

It looks like she has completely exhausted all her energy after the last class has
ended.

“Seriously… why are there so many assignments… It’s not just one, but several, it’s
driving me crazy.”

“Well, still assignments are good for getting grades, right?”

“That’s just you. I’d rather take an exam. I can’t even rest properly over the weekend
because of all these assignments, it’s driving me crazy.”

Although in my past life, the university had no more than 8 classes, Halo Academy
requires at least 10 classes to be attended in order to avoid repeating. It’s already
overwhelming just to handle one assignment, but now I have to spend so much time
on them.

I stared blankly at the grumbling Marie and suddenly remembered something, so I

asked her.

“Come to think of it, is your history okay? I can’t say I teach it well, but I’ve at least
covered the basics.”

As you all know, I am teaching Marie history. Of course, not only Marie, but also
Cecily.

The time is after dinner on Wednesday after all classes are over. Due to various busy
schedules, this was the only time I could squeeze out.

Another thing I discovered while teaching them history is that Cecily has an expert-
level knowledge of history, without any need for my guidance. Having lived for over a
century, she has gained a vast amount of knowledge, and is living proof of human
history.

Above all, her memory is exceptionally good, and she never forgets what she has
learned. Even I was amazed by this, to the point where I ended up asking her
questions about the parts that I didn’t know.

“Haa…”

After letting out a deep sigh, Marie slowly lifted her head and then put her chin on
her hand. In a somewhat embarrassed tone, she answered my question.

“I memorized everything you taught me. You even wrote it down in a way that was
easy for me to understand. But I still don’t think I’ll be able to get a good grade on the
exam.”

I looked at Marie’s face, which seemed to have given up halfway, and smiled bitterly.

She was… to put it nicely, average, and to put it not so nicely, she had a lot of gaps in
her knowledge here and there. If I told her about a specific event, she might have
heard the name but wouldn’t know the details.

Anyway, I tried hard to teach Marie history. It was a bit difficult for me too, since I
couldn’t say that I was good at teaching others like that.
The fortunate thing was that Marie was passionate and had a good memory, which
made my job easier. Thanks to her, we were able to proceed smoothly without any
obstacles.

“Cheer up. Honestly, other majors are too hard to just dig into history.”

“I agree. But do you have any plans now?”

As I tried to get up from my seat, Marie looked at me with anticipation and asked.
Judging by her sparkling eyes, it seemed like she was hoping for a positive answer.

After hearing Marie’s expectant question, I pondered for a moment and looked
around.

The class that just ended was alchemy. It’s a field of study unique to this world that
replaces chemistry.

Among the students taking alchemy together, Marie was the only close friend I had.
Cecily and Rina seemed uninterested in alchemy and didn’t attend the class, and
although I worked on a group project with Leona and Benjamin, I was hesitant to say
that we were close.

I watched as the students began to leave, and then I opened my mouth in a blunt
voice. I was sorry to Marie, but I had a prior engagement

“I’m going to eat. I made a promise to eat with my sister today.”

“Ah… Really? You’re eating with your sister?”

“Yeah.”

“Your older sister, right?”

Why would you ask that? When I looked at her with bewildered eyes, Marie slowly
turned her eyes away and sighed.

She must have been embarrassed even though she said it.

Afterwards, she glanced at me, then extended her index finger and spoke in a
pleading tone. I noticed a slight flush of embarrassment.
“That… don’t get me wrong. I was a little confused when you called Cecily your
sister.”

“…I see.”

“Anyway, you’re eating with only your older sister?”

When I reluctantly affirmed it, Marie thought it was time and brought up another
question.

First, I told the truth, although I tilted my head at her behavior, which seemed more
enthusiastic nowadays.

“Maybe… I’m going to eat with my sister’s friend. Originally, we were supposed to eat
together on the weekend, but she said she was busy because of the freshmen. I heard
that the amount of training has increased because next week is a practice.”

“You said your older sister was a teaching assistant, right? My older brother said that
your sister is really scary.”

“Well…”

When I heard the story she brought up, I looked up and thought deeply. Nicole, who
is overflowing with love for the youngest, was a sample of a kind sister to me.

Sometimes, even if I did something wrong, she only gave me stern advice, and she
has never raised her voice or used physical violence.

However, when she goes to the training center every weekend, she shows her
instincts of a ‘lion’. If a freshman breaks the rules or intentionally provokes her
during sparring, she thoroughly crushes them, and afterwards, she strictly
disciplines them as a punishment.

“Well… she might look scary to others. However, I can say that she is a good person.”

“You and your siblings are really unique. My brother and I are always busy fighting.
Is it because there’s a big age difference?”

“I guess it’s different for each person. Doesn’t your brother have a good personality,
too?”
“Eh. My brother?”

Marie put on an expression that she had heard something weird. Seeing her make
such an expression, it was clear that they were indeed siblings.

However, it is undeniable that her brother has a good personality. I remembered my

first meeting with her and told her.

“You know, that bookstore where we met for the first time. Back then, when you
were making a fuss about how Xenon’s Biography wasn’t available…”

“Aaaa~ I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know~”

Right as I was about to mention it myself, Marie covered her ears and shook her head
from side to side, as if she didn’t want to hear it.

I looked at her, who was whining like a child, with a bewildered expression before
finally giving a small chuckle. Even so, I had to say what I had to say.

“No matter what you think, I’m sure your brother cares for you. Otherwise, he
wouldn’t have brought you to the bookstore himself.”

“…I guess so. That’s why it feels even weirder.”

“Anyway, there’s nothing more to say, right? Our appointment is until 6 o’clock, but it
might be better if I leave soon.”

“Well…”

When I asked Marie while tucking my notebook under my arm, she showed a
hesitant expression. I waited next to her while she sorted out her thoughts.

Then she shifted her blue eyes towards me and spoke cautiously.

“If you don’t mind, can I meet your sister? I’m not asking to eat together, I’m just
going to say hello.”

“I don’t mind that much.”

“Really? All right. Then let’s go quickly.”

As soon as I gave permission, Marie jumped out of her seat. Her slightly smug tone
and the lifted corners of her mouth conveyed her excitement.

I walked toward the classroom door, silently looking at her, who quickly organized
her things. After that, Marie stood next to me side by side and started walking
together.

“Isaac, do you think your older sister is pretty based on your standards?”

“Even objectively, she’s pretty. You can think of it as my face becoming a woman’s
face. The only difference is that her hair is blue.”

“Does that mean you admit that your face is pretty?”

“I can’t deny it. I resemble my mother rather than my father.

We chatted about various things on our way to the meeting place. Most of our
conversations were trivial, but it was enough to make the journey enjoyable.

More than anything, I felt most comfortable talking to Marie rather than anyone else.
Rina was hard to deal with, and Cecily was always mischievous, so it was hard to
keep the conversation going.

Since enrolling in the academy, it can be confidently said that Marie is the person I
am closest to right now. At least in my narrow circle of relationships, there hasn’t
been anyone as comfortable to talk to as her.

“Isaac, do you have any plans for after graduation?”

Then suddenly, Marie asked about the future after graduation. I was briefly puzzled
by her question, but I thought about it carefully.

‘I can’t just live while writing books… ’

Although Xenon’s Biography was an unintended big hit, it is impossible to hold on to

just one book. Even more so, I was reincarnated in a fantasy world, so it would be too
disappointing to just write.

Shouldn’t I at least visit various countries and enjoy the culture as much as I want? I
want to enjoy a small daily life rather than a dangerous adventure story like any
other novel.

“Maybe… Traveling around the world? I want to travel around the world at least
once. I want to get out of the empire and experience various cultures.”

“Traveling around the world… That wouldn’t be too bad.”

“And you?”

“I’m not going to tell you.”

“……”

I was able to realize it when I saw Marie with a refreshing smile. I got hit.

I looked at Marie with a big smile on her face and shook my head as if I couldn’t stop
her. She also giggled when she saw my reaction, and then muttered at a barely
audible volume.

“…if possible… I’d like to.”

“What?”

“If you didn’t hear it, that’s fine. Isn’t that your sister over there?”

When Marie changed the subject, I put down the question and looked in the
direction she pointed.

The direction she was pointing to was a fountain in the middle of the square, where
Nicole was really standing in front of.

Her tall height that stands out even from a distance, and judging from the navy blue
hair tied in a ponytail, it was certain that it’s Nicole.

“Wow, your sister is so cool.”

Marie also spoke out her heartfelt admiration as saw Nicole. As she said, Nicole’s
current appearance was so cool that most models couldn’t even come close.

Black leather pants and a black shirt on top of them fully reveal her angular beauty.
The simple combination of these two clothes was exuding style and beauty.

She would have come as soon as the class was over, but seeing that she was wearing
her own clothes, it seemed possible because she was an assistant.

“Hmm? Ah! Isaac!”

Nicole, who was hanging around in front of the fountain, raised her arm and called
my name. I replied by raising my arm in response.

When I raised my arm, Nicole walked vigorously as if to indicate that she would
come over to me first. However, as she got closer, she noticed Mari standing next to
me and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“Who is this?”

“Ah! Hello! I’m Marie Hausen Requilis from the Duke of Requilis!”

As soon as Nicole asked, Marie introduced herself with a strong voice. I had a feeling
that she was somewhat nervous.

Meanwhile, when Marie revealed her name and family, Nicole’s golden eyes widened
and she looked at me, as if to ask why someone like this was next to me.

In response, I reassured her as if it was nothing important to resolve her doubts.

“She’s my friend. We became close by chance.”

“…Hello, Lady Requilis. I’m Isaac’s older sister, Nicole Ducker Michelle. It’s an honor
to meet you.”

After hearing my response, Nicole politely revealed her own name. Even during the
greeting, a hint of suspicion remained in her eyes.

“I-I’m also honored to meet the daughter of the Red Lion. And please speak
comfortably, because I feel uncomfortable. You know of the Requilis family, right?”

“…I know it well. Then I’ll drop the honorifics right away.”

Nicole didn’t hesitate to speak informally to a member of the Requili family. Then she
alternately looked at me and Marie and questioned Marie.

“By the way, you said you’re friends with our Isaac?”

Her voice contained some suspicion and a hint of wariness. As someone who knew I
was the author of Xenon’s Biography, it was understandable for Nicole to be wary of
her.

Perhaps Marie also quickly picked up on the faint hint of wariness in Nicole’s words,
and she responded right away. Her voice trembled slightly, indicating that she was
nervous.

“Yes. We are friends.”

“Hmm… I see. It’s a little surprising.”

This time, Nicole looked at me as she spoke. It seemed like she was surprised to hear
that I had become friends with a high-ranking noble’s daughter.

I also shrugged my shoulders, as I didn’t expect to become friends with Marie. It led
to many dangerous situations, but so far, everything has been okay.

Moreover, if I were to mention that I had become friends not only with Mari but also
with Rina and Cecily, I wondered how Nicole would react. But I felt no need to bring
it up, so I remained silent.

However, Marie, who was completely unaware of this fact, heard Nicole’s unexpected
answer and asked her a question.

“Unexpected? What do you mean?”

“Ah, I wasn’t talking about that. I was a bit worried that our Isaac might be too aloof
and only focused on his own work to make friends. But it turns out he made friends,
and I never would have guessed that one of them was a duke’s daughter.”

I nodded my head because I felt the same way. I couldn’t even imagine that I would
become friends with Marie.

But I feel like she’s gossiping about me, right? Hopefully not.
“Whoa…”

In the meantime, Marie may have felt relieved, but she put her hand on her chest and
let out a sigh. Then she said with a brighter expression than before.

“Then you don’t mind if Isaac and I are friends, do you?”

“Huh? What… That’s right. I don’t mind…?”

“Really?”

Marie’s face brightened infinitely at Nicole’s affirmation. Why on earth are you so
happy?

However, in contrast to the delighted Marie, Nicole seems to have become uneasy. As
she knew all too well how dangerous it was for me to become close to Marie.

Although Marie being a daughter of a duke’s family played a role, the biggest reason
was probably because I was the author of Xenon’s Biography. The closer I got to her,
the higher the likelihood that my secret would eventually be revealed.

Moreover, if I became friends with Marie, my academy life would become more
comfortable, but that’s only if I didn’t reveal my secret. From Nicole’s perspective,
Marie was like a double-edged sword.

In response, she glanced at Marie and me alternately, then spoke in a cautious voice.

“…it’s not?”

“Ah…”

Then Marie’s face quickly became sullen.

“Isaac. Did she catch you by any chance?”

As soon as the appointed time of 6 o’clock arrived, Marie went back to the dorm,
leaving just the two of us, and Nicole asked me a question as we were left alone.
When I shifted my gaze to her, I could see a worried and anxious expression on her
face.

It seems that she was worried that the secret might have been discovered after
seeing the friendly relationship between me and Marie. However, contrary to her
worries, except for a few mistakes, I haven’t been caught.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t been caught. So far we’re just friends, friends.”

“…Really?”

As Nicole expressed her doubts, she gave me a suspicious look. Seeing that, I felt a
little bewildered.

Who does she think is a loner with no real friends? I also knew that my social
relationships weren’t that great, but seeing Nicole giving me that kind of look made
me feel a little hurt.

“What is that look? You don’t seem to trust me.”

“Well… forget about it. Anyway, she doesn’t know anything about your secret, right?”

It didn’t seem like an illusion at all when she abruptly changed the subject. I put
aside the suspicions that were rising in my mind and replied to her question.

“I’ve made mistakes, but I’ll be fine with just that.”

“If it’s about the mistake… you mean when you showed her the picture last time?
Was that her?”
I nodded silently as she widened her eyes and asked for confirmation.

Nicole also knew that I had accidentally shown the picture to someone else, but she
had no idea that the person was Marie. I decided not to tell her, as I thought it would
only cause unnecessary worry.

However, I said it would be fine, because I thought it would be okay even if it was
revealed to Marie, now that I have gotten to know her.

“Haa…”

Nicole’s reaction was somewhat unexpected. After staring at my face for a moment,
she let out a deep sigh. I couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous about her response.

After a brief moment of contemplation, she spoke to me in a quiet voice.

“…Isaac. Did you get a letter from father too?”

“That the tail was stepped on?”

In response to my question, Nicole nodded her head in affirmation. It seemed like

she had also received a letter from our parents, just like me.

However, unlike me, she seemed to take the current situation quite seriously, and
upon examining her expression closely, it was stiff and hardened.

Perhaps another letter was sent to Nicole, so could it be that? I shook my head and,
feeling a growing sense of unease, opened my mouth with a cautious voice.

“Didn’t mother say you don’t have to worry about that?

My mother’s letter to me reassured me not to worry and that it was just a minor
issue, literally “stepping on the tail,” so there wouldn’t be any big problem. Frankly,
except for that, there was nothing different from the usual greeting letters she sent
me.

Of course, I wasn’t just acting as usual and was being somewhat cautious. Thanks to
Marie’s sudden and unexpected question earlier, it was almost a big disaster, but I
managed to get through it safely for now.
Nicole looked even more embarrassed as she saw my reaction. Her expression
resembled that of parents who had just put their child out by the river.

“…Isaac. Do you know what it means to have your tail stepped on?”

Nicole asked me a question with a weaker voice than before. I sensed something was
off instinctively as I listened to her question, so I nodded silently without saying
anything.

Nicole stared at me for a while, then shook her head from side to side after a while.
Her mind seemed to be a bit complicated.

“…No. I’ll talk about that later. Let’s have a meal for now.”

“…Yeah. By the way, what about Adelia?”

“She suddenly had something come up today and couldn’t make it. When I asked her
the reason, she said it was the day a letter sent from her home was supposed to
arrive. She said it’s been almost a year since she received a letter.”

“Is that so?”

I was a little disappointed, but I could understand her feelings. She hadn’t heard
about her family’s situation for almost a year, so as far as she was concerned, the
letter from home must have been something she had longed for.

Since my home was located quite close to the Halo Academy, it would take at most a
week to get there, but it was not the case for other people. Usually, it takes a week as
a minimum, and if the home was far away, it could take over a month to get there.

Especially for commoners, it’s even more difficult because there’s a law in the
Empire that prioritizes the mail from nobles. The reason for this is that nobles often
hold important government positions, so each piece of mail they receive could be
crucial.

However, since mail cannot be sent using magic, the only option is to use a carriage.
As a result, it could take a very long time for the letter to be sent and for the recipient
to receive it.

“Where does Adelia live to receive the letter in a year?”

“Well, I’m not sure. I asked about it before, and they said it’s a bit far away. One thing
for sure is that it’s not in the Minerva Empire.”

“Hmm. Is she a noble who hid her identity or something like that?”

“She does look like a noble. I thought she was one at first too. But it turns out she’s
not. She’s definitely a commoner.”

I couldn’t ask anything more since Nicole was so certain. I pushed Adelia’s beauty,
which I couldn’t believe was that of a commoner, out of my mind.

Right now, eating with Nicole is more important than Adelia. It was a meal with no
one else but Nicole, so I could have dinner in peace…

“Hmm?”

“…Lord Leort?”

There was a time when I thought that… Until I ran into Leort in front of the front
door of the restaurant I was thinking of having dinner in.

“Hello? What a coincidence.”

“…I know, right.”

To make matters worse, Rina was with Leort. When I greeted them, feeling uneasy,
Rina smiled warmly and waved her hand.

I don’t know how this happened, but it seems that Leort and Rina were also planning
to have a meal together as siblings. Seeing that they were wearing school uniforms,
not their own clothes, they seemed to have made an appointment in advance.

However, who could have predicted that we would bump into each other at the same
restaurant, at the same time, and as siblings? It was an extremely unlikely
coincidence.

I checked Nicole’s face as I looked at the two of them, I knew intuitively that things
had gone wrong. She also seemed embarrassed as if she had never imagined meeting
the two.
“Did you also come here for dinner?”

When the subtle atmosphere subsided, Leort asked us in a pleasant, low-pitched

voice. Nicole answered urgently, coming to her senses.

“Oh, yes. Yes, I’m here to eat with Isaac.”

“Hmm…”

“……”

After Nicole’s reply, Leort looked at us siblings alternately and eventually raised the
corners of his mouth. Seeing his smile, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

I was silently hoping that my uneasiness wouldn’t come true, but unfortunately,
ominous premonitions always seem to come true.

Leort then held out his hand and proposed to us in a soft tone.

“Since it turned out this way, how about having a meal together? I will pay for
everything. By the way, I have a lot to discuss with you.”

“…All right.”

It was just a suggestion, but it was practically half forced. Who would refuse the
proposal of a crown prince who is a leading contender for the next emperor?

Nicole also seemed to reluctantly accept the proposal, well aware of this fact. Even if
she refused, it wouldn’t be a big deal since Leort wouldn’t hold a grudge over
something like this, but there would be nothing good if we made him feel
uncomfortable.

More than anything else, there is one part of Leort’s proposal that worries me. He
mentioned having a lot to discuss with us.

Looking at the fact that such words are brought up, there is a possibility that it will
be an important issue whether it is good or bad for us. Nicole had no justification to
say no, and would have said yes even if only out of curiosity about what Leort would
say.
“All right. What about you, Isaac?”

“I don’t mind either.”

“Okay. Then let’s go in. As I said before, I will pay all the money, so you can order
anything without any hesitation.”

“Really?”

“Isaac.”

When I asked in a tone that implied ‘Is it really okay for me to do that?’, Nicole next to
me nudged me with a stern voice. It was only then that I realized I had made a slip of
the tongue and quickly shut my mouth.

However, Leort responded with a faint smile as if he liked that.

“Hahaha. Of course. You can order anything you want. Be it steak or wine.”

“Isaac, you haven’t forgotten who we are, have you?”

“……”

After Leort’s answer, Rina smiled lightly and asked teasingly. After hearing Rina’s
teasing, I blinked at her, and then my face started to heat up from the shame.

What kind of people are they? They are the royal family who rules the Minerva
Empire. If it’s about wealth, they are so rich that it overflows.

So asking a question like that is foolish in itself. Nicole knew that too, which is why
she called my name.

Usually, I tend to think twice before speaking, but in the current situation, it just
popped out of my mouth.

“Sigh…”

“……”

Even when Nicole sighed in embarrassment, I couldn’t say anything.

Rina found our appearance amusing and covered her mouth with her hand, giggling.
Thanks to her, I became even more embarrassed.

“Are there any four-person rooms with good soundproofing?” You don’t have to
worry about the money.”

“Yes. Please follow me for a moment.”

After a slight incident, Leort asked the waiter to book a room for him. However, the
feature he wanted for the room was a little peculiar.

Unless it was an important matter, there was no reason to choose a soundproof room
over a regular one.

From that moment on, a sense of unease and worry started to stir deep inside me. I
felt a strong, ominous feeling and looked at Nicole.

Nicole seemed to have sensed that something was off about the situation, as she
tightly shut her mouth and her expression stiffened slightly.

“If you need to call a staff member, just ring the bell here.”

“Thank you.”

“Have a good time then.”

Before long, I entered the four-person room that Leort had requested from the
waiter, which was also a soundproofed space.

As the waiter closed the door, I looked around the room. It was quite spacious for a
dining area.

Overall, the design was no different from an ordinary restaurant. The only difference
was a square table placed in the middle of the room.

I had expected a secretive atmosphere due to the soundproofing, but it was quite
different from what I had imagined.

“Come on, let’s all sit down. Rina, sit next to me.”
“Alright. Isaac sit down too.”

“…yes.”

I followed Rina’s instructions and sat down on my chair. Naturally, Nicole sat next to
me.

By the way, Leort and Rina were seated before we were seated. Thus, I faced Rina
and Nicole faced Leort.

“…I didn’t have a chance to greet you earlier. I’m Isaac’s older sister and the eldest
daughter of the Michelle family, Nicole Ducker Michelle. It’s an honor to meet the
Princess who will become the Empire’s Sun.”

Just before the awkwardness settled in, Nicole introduced herself, bringing a fresh
air to the atmosphere. Come to think of it, Nicole had met Leort before, but it was the
first time she had met Rina.

In response, Rina faced Nicole, who introduced herself in a stiff tone. Then she
smiled gently, placed her hand on her chest, and greeted Nicole according to the
etiquette of the Empire.

“Nice to meet you, Nicole. As you may know, I am Rina Urmi Christine, the first
princess of the Minerva Empire. Please feel free to call me Rina, not the princess.”

“All right, but…”

After Nicole finished greeting her, she looked back and forth between Rina and Leort.
Their smiles were so similar, that it clearly showed they were siblings.

However, there was a strong feeling that the smile was hiding something, even I felt
it, so Nicole might feel the same way.

At that, Nicole opened her mouth in a cautious yet wary voice.

“May I ask what the important matter you mentioned earlier is about?”

“It’s better to place an order first before we discuss that matter. We can talk about it
after the meal is finished.”
“…All right.”

It seems that they plan to discuss the matter after they finish their meal. Nicole
accepted Leort’s request without any objection.

“By the way, Isaac liked wine, didn’t he? He drank a lot at the last gathering.”

“…really?”

Suddenly, Rina, who was sitting across from me, kindly brought up the dark history
of our past gathering. I was momentarily flustered by the sudden topic, but the real
problem was Nicole because she turned to look at me as soon as Rina mentioned it.

She gave me a look as if asking for an explanation of why a princess like her was
bringing up such a thing.

Feeling intimidated by her fierce gaze, I hastily raised both hands and anxiously
explained that I didn’t do anything wrong, even though I didn’t know what
misunderstanding I had caused.

“I-I just drank wine! Nothing happened! It’s true!”

“…really?”

“Haha. It’s true. He drank too much wine and slept in a chair instead.”

“Isaac?”

Why do you even bring up such a story? Even when I looked at her with a resentful
gaze, Rina just smiled, as if she was having fun.

Is she still resentful that I rejected her invitation back then? Unlike the others I’m not
really close with Rina, so I wasn’t sure.

“Then we can order wine, too. You said you drank it at the gathering, so it’s Alcyone,
right?”

“…yes.”

“I see. What do you guys want to eat?”

“I…”

Surprisingly, the meal itself went smoothly. Although since the family meal I
expected was over, I had no choice but to promise that later.

Moreover, because Leort made the atmosphere comfortable, I was able to have a
comfortable conversation. Rina also brought up interesting stories from time to time
to make the atmosphere comfortable.

In fact, having a meal with the royal family like this can be said to be unconventional
from my point of view.

Eating a meal with the crown prince, who is likely to be the next great emperor,
means that I am acquainted with him, and furthermore, it is in line with the fact that
I have solidified my political position from the beginning.

If someone in my family gets into politics, it would make a great connection, but as
you know, my family is far from politics. I would also hate to throw myself into
complicated politics.

Thus, the meal was finished in less than an hour. Originally, it was a restaurant I
frequented, but perhaps because it was an expensive steak, it tasted much better
than the one I ate before.

“It looks like the meal is almost over, so let’s bring out the story we want to tell you
guys.”

While I was satisfied with the feeling of fullness, Leort wiped his mouth with a
napkin and said. I concentrated on his words, feeling the comfortable atmosphere
disappearing.

Nicole, who was tidying up, also flinched as soon as Leort said it and looked at him.

As all eyes of the siblings turned to Leort, he gently placed the napkin on the table
and opened his mouth.

His soft voice seemed to be piercing through my ears.

“I’m telling you in advance, even if we didn’t meet today, I was going to call you guys
separately in the future. It was just a coincidence that we met today.”
“……”

“Do you know who the author of Xenon’s biography is?”

This was a question that was already ominous. At the same time, the father’s letter,
“The tail was stepped on,” came to my mind vividly.

The atmosphere, the fact that they were going to call us separately later, and the fact
that they asked that question.

I expected it to some extent, but when Leort, not anyone else, brought out such
words, the ripple effect was beyond imagination. My whole body’s blood cooled and
my heart began to beat violently.

“…I do not know.”

Unlike me who had a hard time opening my mouth, Nicole reacted as calmly as
possible. However, her voice trembled a little because she felt that her current
situation was also tense.

In the meantime, Leort smirked when he heard Nicole’s answer and spoke in his
unique low-pitched voice.

“But if you have a long tail, you’ll be stepped on someday. Even if it is the author of
Xenon’s Biography.”

“……”

“The person who submitted the manuscript to the publishing company was nothing
but a mere errand boy. It was like trying to investigate a lizard’s tail – there was
nothing to be found. So I just tossed it out there haphazardly, and someone took the
bait. I don’t know who it was, but they’ll find out it was a fruitless endeavor soon
enough. That was about ten days ago.”

I received the letter exactly two days ago, today. It roughly matched the time it took
for my father to send me the letter after hearing that his tail was stepped on.

While I was thinking about that, Leort continued with his lips curled up. It was a
smile full of composure.
“In the end, I even pressured the publishing company to show me the contract, but it
was meaningless. If you sign a contract using a pseudonym, that’s the end of it. So I
tried to stop pressuring the publishing company. Until I happened to check their tax
returns.”

“Tax returns… You mean taxes?”

When Nicol asked with doubt, Leort nodded.

“Yeah. Taxes. As you know, taxes are more complicated than you might think. The
amount you have to pay in taxes varies widely depending on the law. And publishing
companies also pay taxes according to the tax rate. In fact, there’s no problem up to
this point. The contract stipulates that the publishing company pays the taxes in
advance. But the problem is that they’re also required to pay taxes once more here.”

“……”

“If you don’t understand what I mean, it’s like this: When a commoner earns income,
they only have to pay taxes to their lord according to the tax rate. But a lord is
different. They have to pay part of the taxes they receive from the commoners to the
empire, and they also have to pay taxes according to a specific tax rate. It’s to prevent
them from easily accumulating wealth.”

Regardless of East or West, “wealth” is directly linked to power. With money, you can
increase your military power or improve the welfare of your subjects to make their
lives more comfortable than before.

Moreover, this world has a well-developed “currency.” The fact that currency is well-
developed means that the economy has greatly advanced, and as a result, the
country’s power has become stronger.

However, unlike the economic power of the Minerva Empire, science was not
keeping up. As Leort just mentioned, there are many problems because taxes have to
be calculated manually, one by one.

But who would have known that they would get their tails trampled on because of
that problem?

I gulped and looked at Leort quietly. My fists were clenched and I could feel the cold
sweat running down my cheeks.
“Paying taxes twice means that you are not a commoner, but a noble. I found this out
because the tax rates are subtly different. Furthermore, because they combined the
taxes into one instead of paying separately, it took a long time to notice. But since
taxes have to be calculated manually, there were traces of it.”

“……”

“In any case, the taxes were divided into two and went to different places. One went
to the lord of the territory where the publishing house is located. The other went
directly to our empire without going through the lord. But it wasn’t coming straight
away. There was a place in the middle where it passed through. We traced it back to
find out who it passed through.”

Leort blurred his words and looked at me and Nicole. My heart was beating like it
was going to explode at that, and my clenched fists were dripping with sweat.

Nicole wasn’t much different. Her golden eyes were shaking uncontrollably, and she
was also clenching her fists like me.

Eventually, Leort spoke the name that we siblings never wanted to hear from him.

“Hawk Ducker Michelle.”

“……”

“He was the commander of the Navy Knights and was a knight who boasted of his
power as a Red Lion.”

Honestly, I thought it was over the moment my father’s name came out of Leort’s
mouth. So, I closed my eyes tightly.

“And he is suspected to be the author of Xenon’s Biography.”

“…?”

Until Leort mistook my father for the author, that is.

Leort was doing well, but suddenly, he mistakenly nominated my father, Hawk, as the
author of Xenon’s Biography. He was so close to our destination, but Leort abruptly
turned the wheel and we ended up at the wrong place.

“…?”

I slowly opened my tightly closed eyes and looked ahead. Leort was looking at us
siblings with a confident smile on his face.

Beside him, Rina was elegantly sipping her tea with a relaxed expression.

I was too tense a moment ago to speak, but doubts had started to creep into my
mind. Why would Leort confidently nominate my father, Hawk, as the author of
Xenon Biography and leave me behind? I couldn’t think clearly in this situation, but it
didn’t seem like something he would do.

After hearing Leort’s confident words, Nicole remained silent for a moment before
slowly speaking. Her voice was so quiet that it seemed like it could pierce through
the floor.

“…If I say it’s not him, will you believe me?”

“If you say it’s not him, your family could be in danger. Paying taxes means there’s
income, and it’s the obligation of nobles to report where they obtained that income
and how they will use it to the higher-ups. By the way, this is not a threat, but rather
the law. Only my father can enact the law.”

Leort’s mention of his father was clearly referring to the Emperor, who was the
highest authority figure in the empire. It seemed like Leort had intentionally brought
up the Emperor.

Nicole seemed to be thinking the same thing as me because her already stern face
became even stiffer. The fist on her thigh also seemed to have tightened up.
“You don’t have to make such an expression. Anyway, it seems certain that your
father is the author of Xenon’s biography.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“……”

I could tell from Nicole’s question that the flow of the story had taken a strange turn.
It seemed that Leort had taken this as an opportunity to continue the topic, despite
the fact that I, the real author, was sitting right next to them.

But the more Leort continued, the more uncomfortable I felt. It was as if I was using
my father as a shield.

Squeeze-

My father had devoted himself to me, and it was hard for me to accept him being
used as a shield. So I was about to speak up, but nicole grabed my hand firmly to stop
me.

I was momentarily confused by the inexplicable pressure, but when I saw Nicole’s
expression, I had no choice but to give up on speaking. Her expression was serious
enough to make me trust her, despite the fact that it felt like I was selling my father.

“There’s a reason for everything.”

Leort leaned back in his chair, his charisma quietly flowing out and drawing
everyone’s attention.

“As I said before, taxes are a very complicated thing. Especially in our Minerva
Empire, where tax-related matters are extremely strict and complex. But the
complexity also brings about clear effects. One reason why our Minerva Empire has
far more capital than other countries is due to this.”

“……”

“However, that in itself is not perfect. There may be people committing tax evasion
even at this moment. Especially, the method used by Baron Michelle had plenty of
room to be abused for tax evasion. If he had the will, he could have perfectly hidden
his identity without even paying taxes. Fortunately, it didn’t happen thanks to the
strong willpower that he has retained down from his time as a knight.”

It seemed like Leort was convinced that our father is the author of Xenon’s
Biography. It was hard to determine whether I should like it or not.

Meanwhile, Nicole and I were looking at Leort. Rina, who was drinking tea next to us,
put down her teacup and spoke in her characteristic gentle voice.

“At first, it was hard to believe that Baron Michelle was the author of Xenon’s
Biography. But considering his achievements and experiences, there are too many
parts that fit perfectly.”

“…Achievements?”

Finally, I spoke. Until I entered the academy, I didn’t know that my father was once a
distinguished knight who held a high position.

He was the head of the Navy Knights who were like wandering human monsters, and
he accumulated achievements that I, as his son, could hardly imagine.

The magnitude of his achievements was so great that he was supposed to be titled as
a Count instead of a Baron. Even the fact that a commoner received a noble status
was surprising enough, let alone being a Count. I could roughly imagine how great
my father’s achievements were.

“Hmm…”

Rina listened to my question and let out a subtle sigh, then looked at me with a sharp
gaze. After a moment of silence, she smiled kindly and spoke to me in a tone that
only conveyed kindness.

“Isaac, do you know what achievements Xenon made in Xenon’s Biography?”

“Of course… I know.”

Who wouldn’t know? Xenon, the protagonist of Xenon’s Biography, had achieved so
much that it would leave one speechless.

As the biggest example, although he had the help of his colleague, he accomplished
great feats such as subduing a fierce dragon, saved the country from a devil’s threat,
recovered the relics of a church thought to have been lost, and so on.

Each achievement had such a significant impact on the world that the name “Xenon”
became widely known.

Then, after hearing my answer, Rina nodded her head and began to tell me one by
one the achievements my father had made.

“Baron Michelle did more than that. He certainly did not do less. About thirty years
ago, there was an occasion when a dragon that had ran rampant after losing its
offspring, attacked the capital.”

“Oh. Is that…”

I’ve seen it in recently published history books. The exact name is the “Ascanal
Incident,” named after the dragon that attacked the Empire’s capital.

Since this world is a fantasy, there are dragons, but they are just simple monsters.
They are not a “species” that can polymorph, is proficient in magic, or hoards rare
treasures.

They are simply giant reptiles that fly in the sky.

Anyway, the reason why the Ascanal incident occurred was nothing but human
greed. Humans who were smuggling discovered a hatchling and cruelly killed it, then
dismantled it, only to be caught by its mother.

Naturally, the mother was enraged and attacked the nearest human country, the
Minerva Empire. However, the problem here is that the humans who committed the
illegal smuggling were not from the Minerva Empire but from another country.

From the perspective of the Minerva Empire, it was a bolt from the blue and not just
a mad dragon that attacked them; it must have been a real mess.

“I know that too. At that time, the army rushed to subdue it…”

“That’s what the record says. But the army was in a hurry to evacuate the people, and
it was your father, Baron Michelle, who actually defeated it. Coincidentally, I was in
the capital for a while for a vacation.”
“…He subdued a dragon?”

“Yes.”

As I listened to Rina’s unbelievable story , I was stunned. In this world, there is an

honorable title called “Dragon Slayer,” which is naturally given to those who have
defeated dragons.

Such a title exists, because it takes an army to conquer a dragon. However, even if
there is such a force, no one can estimate how much damage will be incurred.

However, my father has conquered a dragon alone, despite the fact that he had the
help of the military. It was just as impressive as Xenon’s accomplishments, which I
had written about in Xenon’s Biography.

“…That’s the first time I’ve heard of it, Rina.”

It seemed that even Nicole had never heard of the story. Rina answered with a
slightly sad expression mixed with suspicion in her question.

“I guess so. At the time of the Ascanel incident, there was a friend who helped
Michelle’s troops, but he was hit by the dragon’s breath…”

“……”

When Rina expressed her sincere condolences, Nicole’s expression softened slightly.
As my older sister who knew my father better than me, she seemed to have sensed
something.

I can also understand why my father was reluctant to talk about the Ascanel
incident. No matter how strong he was, he was still human, and whenever he
thought about his achievement, he would remember his friend who was oxidized by
the dragon’s breath.

As the tragic circumstances became known, silence fell among us. Fortunately, Rina
quickly broke the silence by opening her mouth.

“It reminds me of Xenon’s story, where he defeated a dragon with the help of his
colleagues. Maybe that’s why he’s like that, wishing that his comrades wouldn’t lose
their lives. Although his story was tragic, at least he had not lost companions.”
“…What else?”

“Yes. He defeated a demon who had turned into a devil, and he drove away beastmen
and elves who had invaded the borders several times. He started to be called the ‘Red
Lion’ when he joined the Navy Knights of Marquis Matheus.”

It felt like I was listening to a heroic tale of a famous person. It was a bit surprising
but difficult to accept that it was my father.

No wonder it’s hard to believe that my father, who was nothing more than an
ordinary head of the household to me, was famous for defeating dragons and being
called the Red Lion.

While I was feeling a bit confused, Rina stopped speaking and looked at Leort next to
her. Leort picked up where she left off.

“Until Baron Michelle worked there, the border area was a place where beastmen
who were struggling to make ends meet fought against each other every day, and
casualties were high. Moreover, even if they were not Navy Knight-level forces, it was
difficult to block the beastmen. But the story changed after Baron Michelle arrived.”

“What do you mean it changed?”

“Baron Michelle killed most of the beastmen who lived in the border area. Even the
beastmen who felt the crisis joined forces to attack, so it backfired on us. If it weren’t
for Baron Michelle, we could have lost not only the border but also some territory.
That’s how strong the beastmen were.”

It was truly an achievement that was worthy of being called a ‘hero’. I sincerely
admired it.

The reason why beastmen frequently crossed the border was probably due to the
environmental conditions beyond the border. It was not suitable for farming and it
would be more convenient for the beastmen to take land away from us.

Moreover, the beastmen’s natural tendency to be enthusiastic about combat would

have played a part.

“Thanks to that, our empire was able to save a great deal of human and material
resources. It was because the military profits on the border exceeded our
imagination. It is not an exaggeration to say that Baron Michelle greatly boosted the
empire’s economic power. This is also why I am confident that Baron Michelle is the
author of Xenon ‘s Biography. As a culprit, He went through unimaginable battles,
which could be depicted in Xenon ‘s Biography.”

“…I see. I can understand why you said the Navy Knights were able to do it. But…”

Nicole trailed off, staring blankly at Leort before turning her head to glance at Rina.
Both Leort and Rina were smiling in a way that was impossible to read.

Perhaps they had received education on how to keep a poker face at the imperial
palace. It was impossible to know what they were thinking.

Nicole seemed to give up on trying to read their minds and spoke in a low voice.

“What are you going to do about my father?”

“He won’t be able to deny it anymore.”

“If he denies it, it will only make things worse now that everything has been
exposed.”

Did Leort like Nicole’s clear-cut response? He nodded with a satisfied smile.

Then, he slowly extended his upper body forward, clasped his fingers, and supported
his chin. Then, he gave an answer we had not expected.

“There is one thing you are mistaken about. Our imperial palace has no intention of
touching you, along with Baron Michelle. It is only to confirm this truth.”

“Are you asking us to believe that?”

In the end, Nicole couldn’t stand it any longer and raised her voice. Although I didn’t
say anything, I glared at Leort with a look that said, “Are you kidding me?”.

You push people like this, you have no intention of touching them? Anyone who
believes that statement at face value is a fool. If they really had no intention of
touching them, they wouldn’t have called them to this place in the first place.

Leort noticed our intense reaction and extended his hand. It was a gesture to calm
down, so Nicole settled her expression calmly.

“You have every reason to react sensitively. But this statement is true. What if we
pressure Baron Michelle and he stops publishing because of it? If we let the
publisher know it’s because of our pressure? Can you imagine what kind of reaction
that would cause?”

“……”

“Of course, it would become serious in various ways. The influence of Xenon’s
Biography on the world is tremendous. No matter how greedy we are, we wouldn’t
do the foolish thing of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Above all, even I and
Rina are fans of Xenon’s Biography. I just said it before, but the reason we are with
you here is just to confirm it.”

Should I believe it or not? If it were someone else, I would have understood, but
Leort is a nobleman deeply involved in politics.

I don’t even know how many hidden agendas he has, so it’s not easy to accept.

As Nicole and I couldn’t easily accept it, Rina, who had been watching from the side,
took action. She looked directly at me, not Nicole, and put her hand on her chest,
opening her mouth.

“Isaac, I swear by the name of the princess. There will be absolutely no harm to
Baron Michelle, your family, or your house. Rather, I can prevent his identity from
being revealed.”

“…Then what is the merit for you two?”

“The next volume of Xenon’s Biography will come out sooner. That’s all.”

Is that really all? I looked at Rina’s ambiguous answer with suspicion, and she smiled
at me, knowing my doubts.

I know that smile is fake because I’ve seen it many times before. That’s why I
couldn’t help but be more suspicious.

It was then that I hesitated and faltered.

“I understand.”

“…Noona?”

“Please, I hope you keep that promise.”

Nicole accepted them in a solemn yet determined voice. It was a completely

unexpected situation for me.

As I looked at her bewildered face, Leort nodded in satisfaction at Nicole’s response

with a content smile.

“Thank you. I’ll say it again, we have no intention of touching Baron Michelle. Before
he became the author of Xenon’s Biography, Baron Michelle was not someone our
royal family could handle lightly.”

“You flatter us.”

“It’s no flattery. Baron Michelle is an exceptional person.”

I wonder what kind of achievement could make Prince Leort say that. Anyway, I’m
glad we’ve put this issue to rest.

Although I felt uncomfortable using my father as a shield, it seemed best to console

myself that he would understand. Of course, as soon as we returned to our lodging, I
planned to write a letter.

‘What should I write? First of all… ’

As I sighed inwardly, trying to figure out what to write in the letter, I felt someone’s
gaze on me.

I lifted my head and saw Rina looking at me with a strange expression, resting her
chin on one hand.

For a moment, I almost lost my mind admiring her beauty, which seemed to have
been crafted by a skilled artisan, but I managed to snap out of it.

“……”
She glanced at my face and then lowered her gaze. I wasn’t sure what she was
looking at, but I could roughly tell that her gaze was directed towards my right hand.

Afterwards, Lina lifted her gaze back up and met my face. It was around the time
when I started to question her strange behavior.

As soon as our gazes met, Lina drew a smile with the corners of her mouth and said.

[Nice to meet you.]

She silently mouthed a meaningful message.

It was after my conversation with the Michelle siblings had ended. Isaac and Nicole
had left earlier, but the royal siblings were still sitting there.

However, the seating arrangement had changed a bit. Rina, who had originally been
sitting next to Leort, was now sitting across from him in Nicole’s seat.

Rina watched Leort drinking his tea calmly across from her with a model soft smile
on her lips.

“Oppa.”

“Yes?”

Leort put down his teacup and looked at her, raising one eyebrow.

Rina threw away her poker face and looked like she didn’t feel comfortable and
grumbled like a child.

“Why did you tell them the truth? Honestly, you could have just kept it a secret.”

There was no need to tell the siblings this information. In fact, not telling them and
keeping it a secret could have been a win-win for both parties.

However, Leort did not do that. He had set up the meeting to confirm things, but it
only made everyone more suspicious. Even Rina, who was watching from the side,
couldn’t figure out what Leort was thinking.

“How do you think they will see us? They will think we are people who use authority
to oppress others. What if Baron Michelle gets angry and stops the serialization?”

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it. Although Isaac and Nicole don’t know, Baron
Michelle knows our royal family very well.”
Contrary to Rina’s worries, Leort responded as if it was not a big deal. This made
Rina even more doubtful.

Shetoo had heard many stories about Hawk, who was known as the Red Lion, and
therefore had a vague idea of who he was, but she didn’t know the details.

However, Leort said with a nuance that he knows Hawk better than herself. She
wondered if he knew even more facts because he was the next emperor.

While Rina had such a question in mind, Leort opened his mouth with his typical
relaxed smile.

“Do you know why Baron Michelle retired early?”

“Roughly. I heard he retired early because of PTSD. At least, that’s what I know.”

PTSD, a post-traumatic stress disorder often experienced by soldiers who frequently

go to the front lines and overcome death. Hawk is also known to have retired early
due to the worsening of PTSD, at least ‘externally’.

No matter how many dragons he defeated, or how he drove out the invading
beastmen forces from the borders, he was ultimately only human. It’s normal to
suffer from pain when he saw too many colleagues die during his knight life, and his
hands were also stained with blood.

Moreover, he received numerous political pressures due to his fame. Especially since
he was a commoner, some rude nobles pressured Hawk and treated him as if he was
not allowed to live.

Even in the royal family and the military, they desperately tried to prevent his
retirement, but Hawk refused stubbornly. In fact, he visited the temple once a day
until his symptoms improved, which shows how serious his condition was.

“You probably know that. But the reality is different. One big incident happened.”

“An incident?”

“Yes. We thought Baron Michelle had driven out all the beastmen beings living in the
border area, but half of it was right and half was wrong. Some of the escaped
beastmen infiltrated the empire.”
“No way… does that mean…”

Rina’s expression stiffened as she realized what Leort was trying to say. She hoped it
wouldn’t be the worst-case scenario she was thinking of.

Then, Leort gently placed his hand on Rina’s to soothe her anxiety.

“Fortunately, nothing like what you feared happened. It stopped at an attempted

kidnapping. The perpetrator ended up being attacked instead, by the very person he
had intended to harm – Baron Michelle’s wife. The Imperial side placed bodyguards
around her at Baron Michelle’s request.”

“So, he retired because of that? Because he was worried about his family being in
danger like before?”

“Yes. When he retired, Baron Michelle said something like this: ‘What’s the point of
having superior martial prowess if you can’t protect the people who are dear to you?’
It’s just my conjecture, but I think he started feeling uneasy since losing his close
friend in the Ascanal incident.”

Leort nodded in response to Rina’s question, surprising her with the revelation.

She had thought that he refrained from boasting about his accomplishments simply
because of lingering trauma, but it turned out that there was more to it than that. It
was why the siblings didn’t know much about Hawk’s achievements.

He must have worried that if he became too famous, there would be people who
would target his vulnerable family members in retaliation. He had actually
experienced such an incident before, so he would have refrained from publicizing his
achievements as a preventative measure.

It was likely that the royal family had taken measures to keep Hawk’s name out of
the Ascanal incident as well. As a hero among the nobles and military leaders, Hawk
had been willing to accept requests from those in higher positions.

Furthermore, it would have been a win-win situation for both sides, as the royal
family would have been able to reduce Hawk’s growing influence to a manageable
level.

“…Wait a minute.”
Rina, initially fascinated by the story, soon found herself frowning.

If Hawk had retired and forsaken all his honor and reputation for those reasons,
shouldn’t they have left him alone?

Leort’s actions towards his brother could only have stirred up unpleasant memories
and made him resentful.

“If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have done it. Especially to someone who already has
trauma.”

“As I mentioned earlier, Baron Michelle is one of the people who knows our royal
family well. Would he really bother to do something just for the sake of it? Maybe he
would invite us to the mansion to talk about it.”

It may seem unreasonable for a mere baron to invite royalty, but it’s different when it
comes to Hawk.

It’s rare for commoners to receive noble status, let alone a baron almost becoming a
count. It can be asserted that his rank may be lower, but his status is by no means
inferior to that of high-ranking nobles.

While Rina was thinking about this, Leort seemed to have something bothering him
and he said while rubbing his chin.

“But there’s still something suspicious.”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t it suspicious that Nicole accepted it without hesitation? It feels like Baron
Michelle is being used as a shield. If it were her, she would never say such a thing.”

“They probably wanted to leave as soon as possible. They’ll be suspicious of

whatever we say.”

“It’s heartbreaking that we can’t deny it.”

Leort let out a bitter laugh. He had only invited Isaac and Nicole to confirm the
situation.
However, given their positions, it would only seem like a threat to the two siblings.
To be honest, if someone of royal birth invited anyone separately, they would have
been suspicious of what they were up to.

Leort expressed his feelings somewhat regretfully.

“If I knew this would happen, I would have approached it more carefully. It hurts that
I couldn’t control my excitement. It’s not just any story, it’s Xenon’s Biography.”

“But… Do you really think Baron Michelle is the author of Xenon’s Biography?”

When Leort expressed his regret, Rina cautiously asked him for his opinion. Leort
raised one eyebrow and rather questioned her doubtful question.

“Of course. If it’s not him, then who else could it be?”

“…never mind.”

At Leort’s confident words, Rina shook her head. However, she couldn’t help the
corners of her mouth from lifting into a smile.

“Hmm?”

Leort looked at her with a puzzled expression, seeing her meaningful smile.

***

After finishing the conversation with the siblings of the royal family and exiting with
Nicole. The two of us went into a suitable cafe to have dessert and reserved a room,
sitting facing each other.

It was natural to choose a room with soundproofing, just in case. Even though it was
a bit expensive, it was perfect for the two of us to have a peaceful conversation.

“Should we just reveal it?”

“……”

At my words, Nicole looked surprised and turned to look at me. Her golden eyes
widened quite a bit, and she seemed quite startled.
However, her expression quickly changed to one of discomfort, as if she was feeling
sorry for me. Meanwhile, I had been playing with my coffee with a teaspoon, feeling
frustrated, and spoke in a voice that conveyed my annoyance.

“Do we really need to use father as a shield? Can’t we just be comfortable and open
about it? There’s no need to hide in the already exposed anyway.”

“Isaac, you don’t have to blame yourself so much. It’s not your fault that Leort
couldn’t be honest with you. Besides, even in the royal family, they wouldn’t
necessarily touch on that subject.”

I raised my head slightly at Nicole’s words, which seemed to be defending Leort. She
was still looking at me with a sad expression.

I asked her why, wondering why she was defending Leort.

“Do you know Leort well, Noona?”

“To some extent. He hardly ever reveals his true feelings. I’ve only seen it once too.”

“When was that?”

“Well… that’s not important right now, is it?”

Nicole evaded my surprised question, and I felt a bit suspicious of her reaction. But
since she said it wasn’t important now, I let it go lightly.

“Anyway, Leort is very likely to have set up a meeting for confirmation. As much as
he’s not honest, he tends to show it through his actions. More than anything, didn’t
Leort say this himself? That if they pressure you and stop serialization, they will be
the ones who receive criticism? In fact, we both have weapons against each other.”

“If the popularity of Xenon’s Biography drops, won’t it be worse for us?”

“That will never happen, but even if it did, it wouldn’t be bad for us. If you can’t
believe me, send a letter to our father. He’ll be happy to help you.”

I felt so surprised that she was speaking confidently, but one thing was clear to me.
Nicole was trying to comfort me because she was afraid that I would be depressed.
Thanks to her, I was able to regain some energy, but my heart was still in turmoil. Is
it really right for my family to suffer just so I can live well? This is the situation where
such thoughts come to mind.

“And the nobles really hate being at a loss. Especially if it’s a fatal loss for a high-
ranking noble. So there won’t be anyone in the palace that will directly touch you.
This much is true.”

“…Really?”

“Sure. They could help make it difficult for the imperial family to track you, as if you
had a reliable backup.”

As Nicole spoke, it seemed like it could help in that regard. However, it was still
necessary to send a letter to our father and explain the situation.

I let out another heavy sigh. Regardless, I felt drained of energy today. It seemed like
I would have to skip today’s writing.

“…Isaac.”

“Yeah?”

“If it’s too difficult, you don’t have to keep publishing it out of obligation. You write
because you enjoy it. You may not realize it, but when your hobby becomes an
obligation, your passion fades away. I’m worried that your passion might die out.”

As Nicole spoke with sincerity, I slowly lifted my head and met her golden eyes,
mixed with concern and worry.

Following that, she slowly reached out her hand and gently grabbed my right hand. I
could vividly feel the roughness of her skin, which had become hardened from
holding a sword for many years.

“Do you remember when you first showed me your writing? You gave me your
manuscript with eyes full of expectation, saying ‘Look at this, it’s something I wrote.’
Do you remember how you looked when I told you that it was really good? You had a
look as if you had the whole world. That was the first time I saw your bright smile.”

“……”
“But now, I can see that smile fading away. As the world loves your writing more and
more, the burden on your shoulders must be getting heavier. Not only me, but our
family also wants to help ease that burden.”

Before heading to the academy, my father had touched my middle finger, where I had
a pen hook, and said to me, “I am proud of you. This is the honor that you have
earned for yourself, and you should take pride in it.”

Nicole’s sincere comfort was enough to make me feel the same emotions I felt at that
time.

“So you don’t need to blame yourself. If you really feel like you can’t do it, take a
break as you said. Novels are a happy hobby for you, not a painful obligation. Do you
understand?”

“…I understand.”

I felt a little relieved inside. Maybe it’s because she’s family, but she understood
exactly how I was feeling.

Thanks to her, I could realize once again that family is the most reliable support for
me.

As Nicole said, I didn’t need to write novels as an obligation. But ironically, because
of that, I wanted to write even more.

I didn’t write for fame or reputation; it was just a hobby. The burden of serialization
only arose when its popularity suddenly skyrocketed.

I looked at Nicole with a gentle smile. Nicole’s expression seemed to relax after
seeing my face, too.

“Then I will just write up to the 10th book quickly…”

As my free time disappeared, I felt like something was chasing me. But hearing
Nicole’s comfort, I could make a firm decision.

“I think I need to take a break until I finish the third grade.”

I also needed to start taking things a little easier. It was a good time to calm my mind
and relieve myself of the burden.

When Nicole heard my decision, she seemed a little taken aback at first, but then she
awkwardly smiled.

“Well, okay then. If that’s what you want…”

Contrary to the answer, her voice was full of regret.

After the storm, the sky is always clear. As if nothing happened after a storm that
seemed to sweep away everything, only a peaceful atmosphere remains at the scene.

However, the storm is powerful enough to sweep away everything in its place. The
trunk of a giant tree deeply rooted in the ground was weakly broken in half, and the
civilization that people have built was relentlessly destroyed by the power of nature.

So people endure the storm to see the endlessly clear blue sky. Whether the storm is
a literal storm or another kind of storm.

I too almost collapsed like a tree trunk in the storm, but I was barely able to
withstand it thanks to Nicole’s sincere comfort. After that, only a clear sky without a
single cloud shone on me, giving me a refreshing feeling.

Currently, Xenon’s Biography is in the process of writing its 9th volume, and if
writing continues up to the 10th volume, it will take about a year to complete. And
since I decided to take a break until my 3rd year of high school, my period of rest is
guaranteed for at least a year.

For some reason, perhaps because of that thought, I was able to write my manuscript
smoothly. Although I have a terrifying concentration that once I grab something, and
I see it through to the end, there is another reason why I have become more resilient.

[Ah Isaac, I heard news from your sister. The prince and princess are looking for you.
Fortunately, they mistook me for you as the author, so that’s a relief. However, I also
heard that you’re feeling down. I would love to visit the academy, but I don’t have the
time. (Omitted). Our family supports you completely. Even if your writing isn’t going
well, we don’t mind. All we want is for you to not forget to smile. Don’t be too upset
by using me as a shield. I’ll gladly be your shield. A father is someone who his
children can rely on.]

It was a letter that arrived from home a few days later, a letter that contained my
father’s sincere words.
He usually writes simple letters that are easy to understand, but this time my father
sent me a long letter that was almost as long as my mothers’s, and I couldn’t help but
shed a tear as I read it.

I am both happy and sorry to know that I have such reliable people in my life. I
wonder what these simple words mean to them. “Xenon’s Biography”, a new work, or
my studies. I am my parents’ proud son.

Thanks to this determination, I achieved the feat of writing the ninth volume in just
one month, which was originally expected to take two months. I checked carefully for
any mistakes due to writing too quickly and sent it home.

As an extra precaution, I included an explanation for the coffee stains on the

manuscript, so that my parents, who love their children so much, would not
misunderstand.

But as a month passed, things had also changed. Just like how a daunting task of
assignments and exams awaited college students during that one month, it was the
same for academy students.

“How was the exam?”

“Well… it was a bit difficult. I guess there are limits to just memorizing things. The
topics were something I couldn’t even imagine.”

It was the day of the history exam that everyone had been so nervous about.

Cecily and I were discussing the exam outside the classroom after we had both
finished.

Cecily had a slightly disappointed expression, indicating that the exam had been
more difficult than she had anticipated. As she said, the history exam was not just
about memorizing historical facts.

Professor Elena had laid a foundation of historical knowledge during her lectures
and explained what could be learned from history and what should be learned. It
was like a lecture that focused on the subject of history itself rather than just
historical knowledge.

And the topic of this history exam was as follows:

[Describe your own interpretation of history.]

It may seem simple on the surface, but it is a cruelly difficult essay question that
requires careful consideration of whether to write in a simple and concise manner or
to provide a detailed explanation.

Cecily, who had grumbled for a moment, turned to me and asked with a curious
voice.

“Isaac, wasn’t it difficult? You wrote it down quickly and handed in the test paper.”

“You saw that?”

“Of course I did, you were the first one to finish. What did you write?”

There is a famous saying related to history that is mentioned without fail in every
lifetime. Although it is not clear who said it first, it is a phrase that is firmly engraved
in people’s minds.

Upon hearing her question, I replied in my characteristic blunt voice, “History always
repeats itself. That’s all I wrote down and came out. What about Cecily?”

“Of course…”

“You’re not going to tell me, are you? I already know.”

Before Cecily could play her prank, I spoke up first. She was momentarily taken
aback, then looked at me with a puzzled expression.

From my observations of Cecily so far, she had a habit of raising the corners of her
mouth before playing a prank on me. Seeing that, I had a hunch that she was going to
play a prank, so I preempted her.

“How did you know?”

Cecily asked me, clearly surprised and half-confused.

As expected, people often fail to recognize their own habits, I thought to myself.

I stared at Cecily’s rare look of confusion for a moment before quietly opening my
mouth.

“I’m not going to teach you, okay?”

“…Fine.”

“I can’t be the only one getting pranked.”

“Hmph.”

Cecily stuck out her tongue and turned her head with a huff. She was expressing her
annoyance with me, but I didn’t need to pay much attention to it.

It was only a matter of time before she played another prank on me. Despite being
mischievous, Cecily’s behavior was becoming increasingly tiresome.

“Noona.”

“What is it?”

“Is it just me that you play pranks on, or do you play them on other people too?”

So, I asked. While Cecily was usually talkative and cheerful when with Rina, she
tended to play pranks a lot when alone with me.

However, I was starting to get tired of it because it seemed like the pranks needed to
be reciprocated to be considered as such, and I had been feeling a bit uncomfortable
with them for some time.

I was starting to get confused as to whether she was treating me like a toy or as a
person.

After hearing my question, Cecily blinked her red eyes and then answered with a
tilted head.

“What? I play pranks on other people besides Rina too. I never play pranks on people
who are not close to me.”

“Um… really?”
“…Why do you ask? Are you feeling upset?”

As Cecily noticed my hesitant reaction, she seemed to realize that the atmosphere
had become awkward and spoke cautiously.

I stared at Cecily, who looked anxious, and remembered her age. She was a demon
who had lived for over 100 years.

Having lived through those years and having seen and experienced many things, it
was difficult to determine whether her unfamiliarity with certain aspects was due to
her first stepping into human society or due to her upbringing.

“It’s not that I feel bad, but I wish you could tone it down a bit. Instead of playing
pranks like earlier, I’d like to share interesting stories with each other.”

“…I see. Sorry. I must have gone too far.”

Cecily apologized with a remorseful expression at my request. As I saw a sign that

the mood was getting dark, I quickly changed the subject.

“I have a question, though. Did you never have someone play pranks on you when
you lived in the kingdom?”

Cecily is a princess of Helium. In terms of status, she is similar to Rina.

So, she would have met various people to build up her network, and some of those
connections may have developed into friendships.

However, contrary to my expectations, Cecily gave a slightly bitter smile and shook
her head. She meant no.

“There were hardly any besides my father. There were no siblings or anyone who
could be called a friend, and everyone who approached me only did so because of my
power. I suppose it’s because I’m scheduled to be the next Demon King.”

“What about the maids? As a princess, wouldn’t you have maids?”

“That was the case in the past. But there were some… unpleasant incidents. At least
in Helium, it’s safe to say that there is no one who would dare to play pranks on me,
except for my father.”
It seems that she has some unpleasant memories. Moreover, Cecily has an excellent
memory, so she probably vividly remembers what happened back then.

As I looked at Cecily, who was awkwardly smiling, I quickly apologized. I had asked
to change the mood, but it only made the situation more awkward.

“I’m sorry. It seems like I touched upon some unpleasant memories.”

“No, no. Thanks to that, I realized how precious this moment is. Anyway, I’ll try to
refrain from playing too many pranks from now on. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“By the way, who is Isaac waiting for?”

Just like I did earlier, Cecily changed the subject to dispel the awkwardness.

I responded to her question.

“Marie. I’m curious if she did well on her test.”

“Is that all?”

Cecily looked at me with a subtle gaze. It seemed like she thought there was
something going on between me and Mary, but unfortunately, that was not the case
at all.

I am not completely clueless, and I do know that Marie has more than friendly
feelings towards me. However, due to my busy schedule, I don’t have the capacity to
receive her affections.

‘I’ll have to gradually reveal my secret… ’

If, and it’s highly unlikely, but if Mary and I were to officially start dating, it would
probably be after I disclose that I am the author of Xenon’s Biography.

Before, even if someone was my close friend, I had a mindset of keeping secrets,
excluding my family. However, my thoughts have changed after receiving my family’s
sincere comfort.
I still keep secrets, but I leave clues for people I trust in secret. So that even if people
learn that I am the author of Xenon’s Biography, I expect nothing more than just a
simple “Oh, really?” response.

Marie is one of the people who meet those conditions. I’m not sure about her family
background, but I’m confident that Marie is not someone who would take advantage
of me. It would be a surprise to reveal my secret, but that’s okay.

Of course, I have already left several clues, but let’s overlook that. That was entirely
my mistake.

“That’s really it. There’s nothing else.”

“Hmm, okay.”

Cecily looked at me with a skeptical expression. Seeing her lips twitch, it seemed like
she wanted to play a joke.

I chuckled and then looked towards the classroom door. Although a few students had
come out, I couldn’t see familiar white hair.

Maybe it’s taking longer than expected because she hated history so much. Or maybe
Cecily and I came out too early.

“Come to think of it, it seems like it’s about time for the 9th volume of Xenon’s
Biography to come out…”

Just as I wondered if waiting would be boring. Suddenly, Cecily brought up the topic
of the 9th volume of Xenon’s Biography, and gave me a sly smile.

As for me, it was a somewhat surprising topic, but since it was Cecily and no one else,
it was alright. If Rina had brought it up, she would have been so shocked that my face
would have turned red.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke in the most composed voice I could muster. I had sent
the manuscript home a few days ago, so the 9th volume would be out soon.

“It should come out, right? Only the author knows when it will come out though.”

“Is that so? Since they released one volume per month, maybe it will be completed
around the end of the first year?”

Why are you asking me that while looking at me? I couldn’t help feeling uneasy as I
gazed at Cecily, whose face was full of expectation.

Since the gathering, Cecily has been looking at me every time she mentions Xenon’s
Biography, which makes me extremely uncomfortable.

‘…Did I make any mistakes back then?’

This even led me to question myself. Otherwise, there would be no reason for Cecily
to act like that. She is suspicious of me as the author of Xenon’s Biography.

I gazed blankly at Cecily, who was smiling brightly, then turned my head slightly
towards the classroom door. If she really doubts me, I need to be careful with every
word I say.

There may already be spilled water, but I can prevent any further damage from now
on.

“Well, that’s up to the author’s discretion.”

“I hope it comes out soon too. I thought one month was a short time, but it turned
out to be surprisingly long.”

It had a subtle nuance of subtly urging. I tried to endure wanting to give a bitter
smile as much as possible.

‘I’m sorry, but I plan to submit only up to the 10th volume and take a hiatus for more
than a year.’

In fact, submitting the ninth volume in just a month is a remarkable feat for me who
currently has no time.

However, I was able to submit the ninth volume in just a month thanks to the
support of my family, and it will take at least two months to submit the 10th volume,
followed by a hiatus of more than a year.

If Cecily doubts me as the author, I expect there may be some changes after the
hiatus notice. Perhaps she may even ask me directly if I’m the author of Xenon’s
Biography.

I will be ready for that. For now…

‘I should take a break until the end of the exams… ’

I’m planning to loosen up my body, which is accumulating fatigue from consecutive

assignments and test bombs. I pressed my nose and temples tightly due to the
overwhelming exhaustion.

It’s like feeling overheated from running the engine too hard. I have been exercising
steadily every weekend, but it’s still physically challenging to juggle writing and
studying.

Moreover, didn’t I even spill coffee on my manuscript last time? I tend to spill my
coffee easily when tired, so it’s better to be careful in many ways.

“You look very tired. Are you okay?”

Cecily seemed to have noticed that I was tired and asked me with a worried voice. I
nodded and replied.

“Yes, I’m just a little tired. You don’t have to worry.”

“…Still, don’t push yourself too hard. No matter how important your grades are, your
health is the most important thing.”

“I know already. But don’t you still have to do what you have to do?”

Even though I tried to smile, Cecily couldn’t hide her worried expression. For Cecily, I
was one of her few friends, so this was a natural reaction.

But really, I was just a little tired, nothing more. So I extended my hand as if to say,
“Don’t worry.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? It’s no problem if you just take a good nap.”

“…Alright. I guess I should just rest instead of doing something else for no reason?”

“Of course.”
Until then, I thought that my ordinary life would continue as usual.

[Xenon’s Biography, which divides human sins into seven categories. How will the
religious community react?]

[The Luminous Order. The seven deadly sins are enough to reaffirm the foundation
of theology. Numerous scholars are already studying and comparing each subject,
and it’s surprisingly consistent.]

[Each race is responsible for a particular sin… especially the elves, who are in charge
of ‘pride,’ it’s really shocking…]

[What is the strongest sin among the seven deadly sins? We will find out as the story
progresses, but most readers expect it to be ‘pride’…]

Until the seven deadly sins, which were useful in the previous life, had unexpected
consequences.

In response to the reaction that was on a completely different level than the previous
eight volumes, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“…I hope this doesn’t end up being blasphemy and get me arrested?”
‘God’ is a spiritual existence that is more dependable to believers than anyone else.
Even if they don’t appear directly, they firmly believe that they exist and spread the
teachings of the gods widely to make the world a better place.

However, this is only a story of the “earth,” and in this world, one can never deny the
existence of the gods. The moment one directly denies the gods, divine punishment
falls, and through the special power called “sacred power,” they reveal their
existence.

In this way, denying the gods in this world is an impossible thing and has become a
catalyst for the significant development of “theology.” Theology is an essential study
for people in this world regardless of their race, and it is one of the things that
priests must learn.

However, even though theology has developed, there are many shortcomings in
various ways. It deals with how to interpret the divine trust and what teachings the
gods gave to their believers in history.

It can be called chaotic and can also be said to have no “framework.” Historically,
many scholars and philosophers have made numerous efforts to create this
“framework,” but almost all of them have given up.

The history of gods has been with humans longer than anyone can imagine, and it
was challenging to establish the teachings they received during that history because
there were so many of them.

As a result, theology can also be seen as a kind of history, but many clergy firmly
believe that there will come a chance to reestablish the discipline someday. It is not
just about the history of God being with people, but true ‘theology.’

And the fruit of that waiting is just beginning to bear now.

“Is it really a sin to simply have these sins? I do not think so. In fact, even Lumineus
had once been jealous of Mora. But he did not commit the sin directly.”

“Does the sin become established only if you commit an action with that sin?”

“Yes. However, if you continue to hold onto that sin, even if it’s temporary, it will also
become a sin.

Overall, people dressed in white clothes on a white background were discussing

fervently with a round table in between them. Most of them were elderly with white
hair and deep wrinkles, and their clothes bore the symbol of the denomination
embroidered in golden thread.

The followers of the Luminous faith, who possess the greatest power in this world,
were not simple devotees, but rather influential bishops and professors who taught
theology within the church.

It wasn’t particularly unusual for them to gather in one place to discuss, but there
was a difference from before: they were passionately exchanging their opinions.
Usually, the bishops would gather periodically and go through formal procedures,
but there was almost no real gain from it.

However, now it was completely different. Various opinions were exchanged like a
dam burst open, and counterarguments poured out without end.

“Especially, we must pay attention to the sin of pride. As you all know, from ancient
times, those who were prideful inevitably fell. You only need to look at the elves
nearby. This author also put an elf as the demon of pride because they know this.”

“Pride… we need to investigate other sins to be sure, but we cannot deny the sin of
pride. Even the Luminous instructed us not to be proud and to always remain
humble.”

“Regarding pride, that may be so, but how should we explain the other sins?”

The reason why the archbishops gathered in one place to discuss was none other
than the contents of Xenon’s Biography mentioned this time. In the recently
published Xenon’s Biography, demon executives appeared, and Isaac incorporated
the concept of the ‘”Seven Deadly Sins’.

If it had been Earth, it would have been a common concept that anyone would have
overlooked without much thought, but it was quite different here. The concept of the
Seven Deadly Sins was enough to shock the clergy.

The fact that sins were strictly divided into seven categories was surprising enough,
but the problem was that these sins were not limited to humans but applied to all
races.

The concept of the Seven Deadly Sins was like a framework or paradigm presented
to the clergy living in this world. Many theologians have presented various theories
so far, but there has been no concept that everyone can agree on like the Seven
Deadly Sins.

Especially since Xenon’s Biography has a huge impact on the world, it is inevitable
that it attracts attention, unlike just any other novel.

“However, I’m not sure if it’s really okay to borrow the story from the novel… we
don’t know how knowledgeable the author is in theology.”

Of course, there were not only positive opinions but also negative opinions. The
consensus was whether it is right to apply the concepts that appeared in the novel to
academia.

Their opinions were reasonable, but…

“Well, then, can Archbishop Hans present a concept as clear as the Seven Deadly
Sins?”

“…No, I cannot.”

“We know what Archbishop Hans is worried about. The author may not even be a
clergyman. However, he surely conducted in-depth research. Otherwise, he wouldn’t
have presented the Seven Deadly Sins.”

Almost all of their arguments were refuted.

The influence of Xenon’s Biography was strong, but they had mistaken it because the
concept itself was so novel. The author of Xenon’s Biography is knowledgeable in
theology as much as he is experienced.

In addition, people speculate that the author of Xenon’s Biography is an old

philosopher. Not a young blue blooded boy like Isaac.

From Isaac’s perspective, the settings that were useful in his past life were simply
adopted without any paradigm shift, but for others, it was nothing short of shaking
the foundations of theology with a seemingly obvious setting.

“And the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins is not limited to our Luminous Order. It
should be applied to the concept of theology itself.”

“Does that mean we have to collaborate with other denominations?”

One of the archbishops frowned and expressed his dissatisfaction. The Luminous
Order has a wide range of beliefs, so it is not uncommon for them to dislike other
denominations.

Of course, on the surface, they have a good relationship with other denominations.
It’s just that the Luminous Order has the greatest power, not that other
denominations are weak.

When the elderly bishop expressed his dissatisfaction, he shook his head.

“No. It would be best to conduct research within our denomination for now. We don’t
know how Mora and Hirt will react.”

“Well… I understand. Then, what do you plan to do about finding this author?”

The archbishop asked if they were going to find Isaac, the author of Xenon’s
Biography. The bishop looked down and pondered.

Isaac, who presented the framework that was so difficult to propose, even if it was
just a misconception. He wanted to ask him right away what the concept of the Seven
Deadly Sins was exactly.

But at least for now, they couldn’t do that. It was because of his health condition, as
mentioned in the newspaper.

“It’s not possible right now. I heard his health is not good, so it might be burdensome
if we visit him for no reason.”

“Ah, you the manuscript this time? They simply said it was a nosebleed.”
The seven deadly sins mentioned this time have caused a great impact, but people
were more concerned about Isaac’s health, which was revealed by the publisher.

Although the blood on the submitted manuscript was just a nosebleed, people were
worried about the author’s health, especially considering that he is the author of
Xenon’s Biography.

“Some may argue that artists often neglect their health and overwork themselves.
There are countless examples of artists who have collapsed due to exhaustion after
spending three days and nights drawing or writing novels.”

Is that so? I’m not an artist, so I’m not sure.”

In reality, many artists harm their health by being too absorbed in their work. They
often stay up all night, neglect exercise, and as a result, their stamina decreases.

Isaac wrote as a “hobby,” so he had a relatively free stance, but recently he has
tended to overwork himself due to the pressure. Fortunately, he is now on the mend
thanks to his family’s comfort.

“Anyway, until more stories about the seven deadly sins come out, it would be good
to reestablish the discipline. Unless we meet the author in person, we won’t be able
to hear a more accurate theory.”

“I see. But do you know how the elves reacted? Since the sin of pride was committed
by the elves, there should be some reaction.”

The old man who was leading the discussion snorted at the bishop’s question and
opened his mouth.

“They’ll probably try to find out who the author is. They already caused a great war
during the racial war because of their pride, so they’ll be targeted for that.”

***

The 9th volume made its appearance in the world, and people were excitedly
discussing the Seven Deadly Sins and the new paradigm it presented, claiming that it
had advanced theological research like never before seen in such detail.

For me, it was a completely unexpected reaction. I simply brought over the Seven
Deadly Sins that had been frequently used in my past life, so it’s quite absurd.

However, what’s even more ridiculous is that the publisher posted an article
expressing concerns about my health after seeing the coffee stains on my
manuscript. Furthermore, since artists tend to harm themselves in order to complete
their works, people started gossiping about me. Various hypotheses were circulating,
but the most overwhelming one was that my life was nearing its end.

As I mentioned before, readers speculated that I am an old sage, but in conjunction

with that, they also assume that my life span is not much longer.

I was amazed by their misconception of my life expectancy as a terminally ill patient

at such a promising age of 17, but there was something more important than that
now.

“Isaac, are you really okay?”

“Why do you ask? I’m perfectly fine.”

I replied, swallowing the food in my mouth. I looked at Cecily, who was sitting across
from me. Her pretty face was full of worry and anxiety.

After the incident that happened, Cecily’s frequency of worrying about me has
increased significantly. When we were with others, she used to give me anxious
glances, but now that we were alone, she asked me openly.

Currently, the two of us were having lunch at the cafeteria. Rina left earlier, claiming
to be busy, and Marie didn’t attend the class with us.

‘She really has her doubts.’

Last time, it was just a guess, but I could be sure now after seeing Cecily’s reaction.
She suspects that I am the author of Xenon’s Biography.

As soon as an article expressing concerns about my health came out, she asked me
that kind of question, so I couldn’t help but be certain. I looked at her, who couldn’t
hide her worries, and spoke in my usual blunt tone.

“What makes you think I’m sick? I’m perfectly fine.”

“Just in case. Have you had any nosebleeds recently?”

“No, I haven’t.”

She asked me outright like that. I barely managed to suppress a wry smile.

Still, it wasn’t so bad to have a beautiful woman like Cecily worry about me
personally. In fact, it made me feel more at ease knowing that she cared about my
health.

But I didn’t think it would be good to continue on this topic. So, I put down my fork
and asked her a question.

“By the way, did you read the 9th book that just came out, Cecily noona? They
printed a lot this time, so it’s somewhat better.”

“Of course, I read it. Remember that I bought the last copy at the bookstore? How
about Isaac?”

“I read the one noona bought.”

Xenon’s Biography always sells out within a day when a new volume is released.
Especially last time, it set a record by selling out in less than half a day.

And the publisher knows it very well, so this time they printed a lot from the
beginning. I heard they introduced new technology, but I don’t really know what that
means.

Anyway, thanks to that, the 9th volume of Xenon’s Biography was easy to obtain.
Even if all copies were sold out on the day of release, new books would be available
in two days, so as long as you were patient enough, you could buy them.

“Then you must know about the Seven Sins too, right?”

Cecily erased the dark expression on her face and spoke brightly. As expected, a
bright expression suited her well.

“Of course, I know.”

“Do you know about the demon in charge of lust, too?”

Cecily asked me with a glint in her red eyes. I nodded in agreement.

Then, she raised the corners of her mouth slightly and rested her chin on her hand.
With just that gesture, a subtle sensuality flowed out, and the atmosphere changed
in an instant.

Afterward, Cecily looked at me intently with her charming gaze and spoke quietly. It
was her own seductive voice, unlike the last time when she had worried about my
health.

“Her name was Lilith, right? A descendant of a succubus and a demon who became a
devil.”

“Yes.”

“She had black hair that fell all the way down to her waist and red eyes. The
description also mentioned that her voice was full of sensuality. Her figure was also
sensual. But…”

Cecily blurred her words for a moment before saying abruptly in a subtle voice.

“It could be my imagination, but every time I read that description, I somehow come
to mind?”
I looked at Cecily without saying anything. She was looking at me with a seductive
smile, chin propped up.

When a mature beauty like Cecily speaks with that kind of pose and voice, it’s hard to
describe how devastating it is. She already had a sexy appearance, but the
combination of her pose, expression, and voice made me feel like I was falling into a
trance.

If it were another man, he would have fallen for her without regaining his senses.
Fortunately, I had built up some immunity from spending time with her. Of course, I
couldn’t help my face from turning red and my heart from pounding.

“Ahem… hem…”

I cleared my throat to maintain my composure as my face heated up. It was partly

due to the sudden ambush question, but also because Cecily’s atmosphere was so
seductive that it was hard to stay focused.

Still, I managed to calm down somehow. I opened one eye slightly and met Cecily’s
gaze.

Cecily remained in the same pose as before, as if she would stay that way until I
answered. Just looking at her made my heart race even more.

‘…Is she really a succubus descendant?’

Anyway, I thought it would be best to answer the question. I calmed my pounding

heart and spoke calmly.

“…I want to say you’re excessively self-conscious, but I can’t.”

In reality, the appearance of the executive in charge of lust, Lilith, is remarkably

similar to Cecily’s. Lilith’s setting is that exudes a sensual figure due to her revealing
clothing and black hair, her clothing may not be as revealing as Cecily’s.

Of course, it’s not exactly the same as Cecily. There may be a tear mole that adds to
her charm, different hairstyles, a pair of devil wings on her shoulders, and, last but
not least, Cecily’s clothing isn’t as revealing as Liliths.

I’m not sure if it’s not the same dress I saw at the last gathering.

Anyway, it’s true that I used Cecily as a reference, but there are some significant
differences. If I had to make an excuse, it was like Lilith in my head was in front of me
right now, not Cecily.

‘By the way, why is she saying that? Is she teasing me?’

I opened one eye to confirm Cecily’s face. I noticed her laughing with delight, finding
something amusing.

As I mentioned before, Cecily is halfway convinced that I am the author of Xenon’s

Biography. However, since she is not entirely sure, maybe she is trying to gauge my
reaction by bringing up such a question.

While I pondered this question, Cecily responded with a brighter smile than before
and spoke with her seductive voice that could stir any man’s heart.

“Is that so? Too similar, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

With a smile on her face, Cecily looked at me intently despite my blunt response. I
averted my gaze from her overwhelming gaze, which was truly burdensome.

For some reason, the more I met Cecily’s red eyes, the more my mind became hazy.
Although I thought I had become accustomed to it by now, her beauty was still at a
level that could be considered unfair.

“Okay, I see. I feel good about something.”

Cecily grinned and then opened her mouth with an expression that seemed relieved.
Did I just get caught judging by her reaction? I wondered to myself, but it didn’t seem
like it.

Anyway, the attractive atmosphere that she was emitting gradually diminished. My
burning face subsided, and my heart, which had been beating recklessly, gradually
became calm.

I heaved a sigh of relief inwardly and asked her with a slightly tired voice.

“…Why would you ask that?”

“I just asked. I wondered if I was the only one who thought that way.”

“I said it before, but if it was someone else who said that, I would have called them
out for an overblown ego.”

“Hmm.”

Cecily let out a faint hum and narrowed her eyes halfway. Her red pupils shone
brightly between her narrowed eyes.

Just when I felt a slight unease in my heart, Cecily leaned forward slightly and
whispered to me.

“Isaac thinks of me as a succubus with a charming appearance and body, right?”

“……”

Trying to avoid revealing the secret somehow made me reveal my true thoughts. I
couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh when I saw Cecily’s slightly pouting
expression.

Is this the experience of a demon princess who has lived for over 100 years? The
more we talk, the more I feel like I’m sinking into a swamp.

As I was lost in such pointless thoughts and unable to even respond, Cecily nodded
her head in affirmation of my awkward laughter and leaned forward.

Then, she looked around and quietly informed me that there were hardly any people
in the restaurant. Her smile remained on her face.
“Isaac, did you hear any rumors when you entered the school? About me being the
descendant of a succubus.”

“Of course, I did.”

I was able to calmly answer, my tension easing as my true feelings came out. It was
more embarrassing to reveal my true thoughts than to reveal a secret.

Cecily looked around again after hearing my answer, as if to see if anyone was
listening to our conversation.

Then, she put a hand by her mouth to prevent any sound from leaking out and
opened her mouth quietly.

“If that rumor were true, would you believe it?”

“Um…”

I stared at Cecily’s face intently.

Her smirk seemed like a joke, but her tone was very serious. This made it more likely
that it was true

But whether Cecily really was a descendant of a succubus or not, I was somewhat
skeptical. There was a difference between hearing it as a rumor and hearing it from
the person themselves.

After a brief moment of surprise, I nodded my head.

“I probably would believe it. But even if you’re a descendant of a succubus, that
doesn’t really change anything, does it?”

But nothing has changed. Even if she inherited the thick blood, Cecily is not a devil
but a demon.

In literature, succubi are depicted as gaining power by absorbing men’s vitality,

similar to my past life. However, here, they don’t suck the vitality until the victim dies
like true devils.

In other words, from a man’s perspective, it is like being drained of his life force.
Of course, it is forbidden to think of it as a good thing. In recorded history, there are
instances of continuing the intercourse even if blood came out of the genitals, as well
as reports of tearing off the testicles. It is truly dreadful.

“There are many different things, for example…”

Cecily’s speech trailed off, and she began to occasionally glance at me, blushing on
her cheeks. It seemed like an embarrassing topic for her to talk about.

What kind of secret could it be that makes her hesitate, even though she usually
doesn’t hesitate to make suggestive jokes? I couldn’t help but wonder.

After a while, she hesitated before finally opening her mouth with an embarrassed
tone, twisting her jet-black hair.

“…like having an explosive sexual desire during menstruation?”

“……”

“Maybe it’s because I inherited the blood of a succubus, but I have a particularly hard
time resisting it. So… I’ll stop here.”

Her face rapidly turned red, as if she was embarrassed to even say it. I also stared at
her blankly, my eyes wide open.

Since she had lived for over 100 years, maybe during that time…

“Oh, just in case there’s any misunderstanding, I have never had such an experience.
If I meditate all day, I can control my desires.”

Just before I was about to think in that direction, Cecily hastily cleared up the
misunderstanding. It seemed like she had read my thoughts by looking at my
expression, which was even more surprising since a century is an unimaginably long
time. Even compared to my age combined with my past life is less than 40 years, yet
Cecily had lived for over a hundred years. It was difficult to believe that she had
never been in a relationship considering all the things that must have happened
during that time.

I stared at Cecily, who was rarely flustered, and cautiously asked her in a careful
tone, “You’ve never had any experience with men in over a hundred years? Is that
even possible?”

“As I’ve mentioned before, besides my father, there were hardly any people who
would treat my pranks lightly. Plus, I’m a princess of Helium, so any scandal
involving me would be politically inconvenient.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense.”

If you were the child of a ruler like Cecily or Rina, you would have to be even more
careful with your behavior. In my past life, if a negative rumor arose about a
politician’s child, the parents were often caught up in the scandal as well.

Furthermore, Cecily is the next demon king of Helium, which makes her position
even more delicate. Even a small rumor about her could put her in an embarrassing
situation in many ways.

“Is it okay for me to be with you, then?”

Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind, and I couldn’t help but tilt my head in
confusion. During our last meeting, Cecily said that linking arms was a form of
reward, but something didn’t quite add up.

It could be due to cultural differences, or maybe something else entirely. As the

question arose in my mind, I asked Cecily about my curiosity.

“Is it okay to link arms like we did during our last meeting?”

“Huh? Oh, that? I don’t mind it since I consider it a reward. However, anything
beyond that is not allowed. For example, touching my horns or holding hands.”

Cecily explained while fanning herself to calm down the heat on her face. It was even
more surprising for me as a human to hear that linking arms was acceptable, but she
brushed it off as a cultural difference.

At the moment when our conversation seemed to be cut off with no more exchanges,
Cecily carefully looked around before opening her mouth in a quiet voice. There was
a faint redness engraved on her face, indicating that her mind was not yet calm.

“…Isaac, do you have any secrets like this?”

“Secrets?”

“Yeah. Secrets that are hard to tell others. The reason I have no experience in love is
because I am a succubus descendant. As you know, succubi have to absorb a man’s
vitality until they die. Because of that rumor, Helium’s men tend to avoid me,
thinking that I am like a poisonous flower.”

“Oh…”

It was an interesting story. I exclaimed with my lips round in admiration.

As for me, I didn’t care whether Cecily was a succubus or a descendant of one, but it
seemed that demons were sensitive to such matters, probably because they were
themselves descendants of the devil.

Even I, as a human, could easily understand it. But that’s not important now.

“A secret…”

I lowered my gaze and muttered softly while holding my chin with one hand. Cecily’s
face across from me was tense.

Does her telling me a secret mean that she trusts me? Cecily isn’t prying until I
speak, unlike Rina.

However, she’s already convinced that I’m the author of Xenon’s Biography.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have created this situation. Secrets are meant to be revealed
by one’s own mouth to have any authenticity.

‘Can I really trust her?’

It’s been two months since I met Cecily, but there are still many things I don’t know
about her. Even if she reveals a secret herself, it doesn’t mean that I can trust her.

But what if I’m hesitant to speak when she’s already halfway convinced? She might
be disappointed that I don’t trust her enough to reveal the secret she already
believes in.

I pondered for a while before lifting my gaze up. Cecily was waiting for my answer
with a tense expression.
“…Noona.”

“Yeah, Isaac?”

“Do you tend to keep secrets to yourself?”

Cecily nodded in response to my serious question. Her expression was very grave,
and there was no sign of joking.

I took a deep breath and looked around. There were hardly any people, but I felt like
we should speak in a quiet place at least.

With a slight smile, I whispered to Cecily.

“Should we go somewhere quiet for a moment?”

“Okay!”

Cecily’s face lit up with a smile at my suggestion.