Chapter 17
If you asked me what had interested me since I was reincarnated in this world, there would be many answers, but if I had to pick one, it would be history.
Think about it. This world is filled with new histories, not the history I had taken for granted throughout my life.
The First and Second World Wars, which changed Earth's fate, never happened here, and neither did Admiral Yi Sun-sin or King Sejong, who changed Korea's destiny.
Technically, it isn't that they don't exist; it's a phenomenon caused by this planet itself being different. Even so, it's truly fascinating. In my previous life, if there was some history I was curious about, I would search through books as well as the internet.
So whenever I was at home, if I couldn't stand reading novels any longer, I would read history books several times over. Unlike novels, history had clear causes and consequences, and although it was subjective, it contained a wide variety of material, which was more than enough to pique my interest.
'There were an incredible number of books in the library too. I want to read them quickly.'
Tuesday, if I compared it to my previous life—the day after Monday.
While waiting for history class to begin, I scribbled in my notebook. Thanks to yesterday's mistake, I had brought my lecture notebook today.
The notebook contained an analysis of this world's history that I had organized separately. It wasn't simply a record of one particular country's history.
In my previous life, it would have been an analysis of what events had occurred during the Second World War, what battles had taken place, and what figures had distinguished themselves.
This world, too, had a 'Race War,' which arose as tensions between the races intensified. It was an enormous event that had taken place exactly three hundred years ago, involving humans, dwarves, elves, beastfolk, and demonkin alike.
'It's hard to analyze a war between races rather than one fought among humans.'
Although the elves possessed abilities superior to those of the other races, their characteristic elitism, inflexibility, and arrogance often led them to make blunders that hurt themselves, while the dwarves had participated directly in the war but were only half-heartedly on humanity's side.
The reason the dwarves sided with the humans was simple. Humans vastly outnumbered the other races, bought the greatest number of dwarven weapons, and had poor relations with the elves.
The beastfolk had been treated as slaves by humans at the time, so they sided with the elves, while the demonkin split into two factions, 'Wrath' and 'Temperance,' and fired magic at one another.
The one thing they had in common was that both races had once suffered great losses at human hands. Afterward, relations between humans and beastfolk deteriorated as far as they possibly could, and they remained hostile even after the elves underwent a generational change.
Naturally, the most complicated of them all were the humans. Even when they appeared to be united on the surface, all sorts of politics and schemes ran rampant beneath it, and they frequently ended up tearing themselves apart.
A 'hero,' who always appeared in times of turmoil, also emerged and left his mark on history.
'Every race suffered heavy losses, but the dwarves were obviously the ones who benefited the most. They made a great deal of money and suffered few casualties.'
If another race had provoked the dwarves, what would have happened? The Race War most likely would have tipped decisively to one side instead of ending in a draw that left nothing but scars.
'But what on earth happened to the elves that made them collapse all on their own? Did they underestimate everyone that badly?'
The Race War involved numerous large-scale battles, and there were books detailing the events leading up to each one. As I read those books, I couldn't help but have all sorts of questions.
Unfortunately, nearly every history book I had read had been written from the human perspective, so nothing but rampant speculation filled their pages. I couldn't discover why the elves had made such self-destructive choices. Still, judging by the generational change that took place immediately after the war ended, it was certainly connected to that.
'Aiker, who had been one of the elves' main forces, was suddenly arrested for that reason too. No matter where you go, old-fashioned bigots are always the problem.'
After a full ten long years, the war finally came to an end. Since it had lasted a decade, enormous losses were unavoidable for everyone except the dwarves. On the human side in particular, several kingdoms were unable to overcome their financial difficulties and either went bankrupt or were absorbed into the Minerva Empire.
The war between the races had ended, but the war among humans had not.
'When you look at it this way, everywhere humans live is pretty much the same.'
Just as the Cold War broke out between the United States and the Soviet Union after the Second World War ended in my previous life, this world had gone through a similar process. The difference was that science and engineering had not developed, while magic had advanced rapidly.
The problem was that this was the extent to which it had developed now. From the past, one could roughly tell how advanced magic had once been. Humans must literally have been able to use it only if they were among the chosen few.
“Hmm...”
"... ..."
"...Huh?"
While I was distracted by my thoughts and my concentration briefly faltered, I belatedly realized that someone was staring intently at me from in front. I took my eyes off the notebook and slowly raised my head.
My gaze traveled past her impossibly slender waist and prominent chest before finally reaching her face, where I met a pair of intensely curious green eyes behind round glasses. I blinked, then realized who the person facing me was.
"...Professor?"
She was Professor Elena Heavensinger, who taught history.
Professor Elena was a beautiful woman with light-green hair tied back in a single ponytail and glasses that gave her an intellectual air, but her most distinctive feature was her long, straight ears.
By this point, you probably realized that Professor Elena was an elf, the race known as the embodiment of beauty and, among the many races, one chosen by the gods.
You might wonder why an elf was at Halo Academy, but it wasn't particularly strange. As I mentioned earlier, the elves underwent a generational change after the Race War, and that change included active exchanges with other races.
That was why she could work as a professor at Halo Academy. There were also elf freshmen and professors in other departments. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any elf freshmen in Literary Studies.
“Did you write all of this?”
While I blinked and tried to understand the situation, Professor Elena pointed at my notebook and asked me. I followed the finger she was pointing with my eyes.
Because of my terrible concentration, I hadn't even noticed that someone had been watching me from right in front. Still, it wasn't a serious problem since these weren't notes about The Chronicle of Xenon.
I nodded in response to her question. Professor Elena rested her chin on one hand and looked back and forth between my notebook and me before quietly opening her mouth.
“Could I take a look for a moment?”
“Yes. I mean...”
As I handed her the notebook, I checked the time and saw that there were about ten minutes left before class began. She had arrived about twenty minutes early last week as well, so there was nothing particularly strange about it. I was just a little flustered that she was interested in my notes.
While I waited, feeling slightly intimidated, Professor Elena examined my notebook closely. Every now and then, she would widen her eyes or stroke her chin as though deep in thought.
After reading carefully all the way to the final page, Professor Elena offered a brief assessment.
“Your analysis is quite thorough. You explain the circumstances of each race well within the broader framework of the Race War, and the causes and consequences are clear. It's a little disappointing that you focus only on human history, but you can gradually fill that in. With a little polishing, this would be good enough to submit as a thesis.”
As Professor Elena gave her assessment, she seemed to realize something belatedly and corrected herself with an “Oh.”
“No, wait. This wasn't written in an academic-paper format to begin with, was it? Even so, this is incredible. You're an excellent writer, aren't you?”
“Th-thank you for the compliment.”
“Your name is Isaac, right? Who taught you this? Your writing ability is anything but ordinary.”
Professor Elena pointed at the notebook in her hand with one finger and asked me. I thought about how to answer, then spoke as though I were embarrassed.
“I figured it out myself.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
I couldn't say that I had learned it at a university in my previous life, not even if my mouth were torn open. Elena nodded at my answer, then spoke in a voice filled with genuine surprise.
“You sat in the very front last week and today too. You must be very interested in history, huh?”
“It's interesting.”
Whatever else might be true, I meant that sincerely. I had liked history in my previous life too, but now, the deeper I dug, the more stories poured out and stimulated my imagination.
Professor Elena seemed to sense the sincerity in my answer as well, because she looked at me with an approving expression.
“Wait here a moment.”
She returned my notebook, then left the lecture hall after saying only that. I barely had time to wonder about it before a voice from my left snapped me back to reality.
“Seeing even the professor praise you, Isaac must be an excellent writer. That pen callus isn't there for nothing, I suppose.”
It was Rina. Resting her chin on one hand, she was looking at me with blue eyes full of interest and curiosity.
I flinched slightly at her question, then awkwardly smiled as I rubbed the raised callus on my middle finger. Rina gave me a small smile despite my awkward grin.
“Do you happen to know a lot about the history of our demonkin too, Isaac?”
This time, the voice came from my right. I followed it with my eyes and met a pair of red eyes that were the perfect opposite of Rina's. Naturally, it was Cecily.
I thought carefully about her question, then shook my head.
Unfortunately, the demonkin had maintained an isolationist stance until The Chronicle of Xenon was published, so very little information was available.
Even if there were history books about the demonkin, they had all been written from the human perspective and were therefore extremely subjective.
“No. Aside from how the demonkin were founded and the fact that the Savior Holy Kingdom indiscriminately massacred them, I know almost nothing. As you know, the demonkin barely interacted with the outside world until a few years ago.”
“Hmm... I suppose that's true. Then should I bring you a few books? I can ask my father later.”
“Really?”
I widened my eyes and looked at Cecily, surprised by her unexpected kindness. Cecily gave me a faint smile at my reaction, then spoke in a playful tone.
“Of course. But on one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Call me big sister.”
“Pardon?”
When I was left speechless by her outlandish condition, Cecily leaned toward me, still speaking in that playful tone.
As she leaned in, I had no choice but to instinctively take a step back.
“Try calling me big sister. What? Are you embarrassed?”
“Cecily, big sister.”
"... ..."
“But I did?”
Now it was Cecily's turn to be flustered. I wasn't sure what reaction she had wanted from me, but I was used to calling people older than me big brother or big sister.
I already had an actual older brother and older sister, so what was so difficult about it?
Cecily wore an expression that said my overly simple answer wasn't what she had wanted, then gradually grew pouty. She sharply turned her head away, clicked her tongue, and grumbled.
“Tch. Boring. Come to think of it, you said you had an actual older sister?”
“Pfft.”
While Cecily grumbled, Rina, who had been watching the situation, let out a small laugh. Naturally, there was no way Cecily hadn't heard it.
“Huh? Rina. Don't tell me you were laughing at me?”
“No? Maybe you heard wrong.”
“I don't think so...”
While the two women chattered with me between them, I waited for Professor Elena to return. Incidentally, the reason Marie wasn't in the lecture hall despite Rina and Cecily being there was that she hated history. I had heard that she practically shuddered at the mere mention of it.
Even that bastard Jackson, who had tried to mess with me during humanities class yesterday, was absent. History must be boring everywhere unless someone was genuinely interested in it. Perhaps that was why only about thirty students were seated in the lecture hall.
“Here. This is the book.”
"...What's this?"
A short while later, Professor Elena returned to the lecture hall and handed me a thick book. It was so old that it gave off the smell of musty paper, and there wasn't even a title on the cover.
When I asked about the book, she answered.
“It's a history of the elves translated into the common tongue. Elves have a strong tendency to write books in their own language.”
“What? Y-you mean this really is...”
“Yes. That's right. It's a history book seen through elven eyes rather than human ones. I happened to find it in the library.”
“Wow...”
I examined the ancient book with shining eyes. Its exterior was old and unremarkable, but to me, it was a treasure more precious than any other possession.
Through this history book, I could learn what the elves of this world were like and decide what traits to add to the elves who would appear in The Chronicle of Xenon. I had already been wondering how to portray elves, and Professor Elena had given me exactly the help I needed at the perfect time.
“Thank you, Professor. How can I ever repay this kindness...”
“Thanks aren't necessary. By the way, do you have another class after this one?”
She continued with a kind smile.
“If not, I wanted to ask whether you could come see me for a moment.”