This Isn't Right (2)

As I mentioned before, my hobby is reading. There are no smartphones, computers, or televisions here, so I naturally took up reading.

You might ask how I could find reading boring and then write a fantasy novel myself, but I was only talking about 'novels.'

This is a fantasy world, so various races and monsters exist, as do adventurers who enjoy exploring the unknown. What's more, 'gods' genuinely exist here, and myths are widespread.

I particularly enjoy reading exploration accounts written by adventurers—in other words, autobiographies or books related to mythology.

An adventurer's autobiography or a myth was enough to give me a feeling similar to that of a fantasy novel. Of course, other people would dismiss them as diaries or boring myths.

'The descriptions are still fucking awful.'

On top of that, every description is complete dogshit. If I were being charitable, I might call them intuitive.

For example, suppose an autobiography said that an adventurer had discovered a monster or some kind of plant. The explanation would merely say what they had discovered, with almost no detailed description.

For that reason, I always read an adventurer's autobiography alongside a field guide. Field guides include illustrations and explanations, making them perfect for filling in the details with my imagination.

"Young Master Isaac. It's time to eat."

"Yeah. Just leave it there and go."

"Um..."

While I was reading, the maid who had brought my lunch on a tray fidgeted. At that, I looked up from my book and said, "Hm?"

The cute, brown-haired maid watched my expression before speaking in a cautious voice.

"The mistress of the house instructed me to stay and watch until Young Master Isaac finishes his meal..."

"... ..."

"She said that reading is good, but mealtimes must be strictly observed."

"Sigh... All right."

Since she looked ready to watch me to the very end, I had no choice but to quietly close my book.

When the maid began placing the food on my desk, I moved aside the manuscript I had been writing. As soon as I moved it, the maid's gaze naturally followed it.

"... ..."

Come to think of it, this maid didn't know that I was the author of The Chronicle of Xenon either. Only my family knew that I had written it.

A secret stops being a secret the moment someone other than me knows about it, but what could I do? Unless my parents made a slip of the tongue, there was no chance of the secret getting out.

To prepare for any possible mishap, I put the manuscript in my desk drawer. I even sealed it securely with a lock.

Mm. Perfect. Now all that remained was to enjoy my meal.

"I'm done eating."

"You have to eat the broccoli too."

"No."

They could at least give me some chogochujang. I hated raw broccoli.

Perhaps she finally gave up when I stubbornly refused, because the maid let out a long sigh. She looked like someone watching a child fuss over side dishes.

"Then you can go. Oh, and today's newspaper?"

"Here it is."

After that, she put the empty dishes on the tray and went outside. The moment she left, I unlocked the drawer, took out the manuscript, and placed it on my desk.

I had nearly finished my book, so I planned to start writing soon.

I would read the newspaper after I finished working.

'It's fortunate there are so many useful books.'

Someone once said that books are food for the mind.

And I completely agree with that.

If not for books, writing The Chronicle of Xenon would have been quite a struggle. The most helpful books in particular were myths—in other words, books related to religion.

This world had a very negative view of fanatics because of some stupid shit a religion had done in the distant past. Of course, anyone would feel offended if their sincerely held religion were portrayed negatively.

So rather than explain it directly, I wrote it subtly enough that anyone would think, Ah, this religion must have been based on that real-world religion.

'Besides, there aren't any saints at all. No one should be able to nitpick over this.'

If anything, I had heard that the number of believers in the religion that served as the inspiration had increased dramatically. I wasn't sure why, but perhaps the supporting characters had played a major role.

I had added a poignant romance between a saint and her guardian knight to The Chronicle of Xenon. As you probably know, that was the story of Lily and Jin.

According to my mother, their story was unbelievably sweet and heartbreaking. I heard it was especially popular with women.

Of course, the fact that Jin was the final boss remained unchanged.

'I'm sorry, Mother. I simply have no intention of letting those two end up together.'

For a moment, I wondered whether she might disown me over this, but I deliberately ignored the thought.

A novel was just a novel. Let's set aside the fact that my novel had completely changed the way demonkin were treated.

"Uuugh~"

How much time had passed? I stretched to loosen my stiff body.

When I looked at the clock, it was already four-thirty. Since lunch had been at one-thirty, that meant I had spent three whole hours doing nothing but writing.

'My concentration really has improved tremendously.'

It helped that there was nothing like a computer or smartphone around to distract me, but my concentration itself had also reached an impressive level.

I think I was ten at the time. It was the result of the training my father had put me through because he wanted to raise me as a knight, just like my older brother and sister.

Of course, my father realized that I had absolutely no talent as a knight and gave up after a year. In exchange, though, my concentration and patience improved dramatically.

Crack-crack—Crack—

I must have been sitting at my desk for too long, because even a slight twist of my waist produced a rhythmic chorus of popping bones.

I loosened up with some simple stretches before heading over to the full-length mirror. My face, newly acquired through reincarnation, was reflected in the glass.

Flame-red hair and golden eyes that gleamed like a wild beast's. I had inherited those traits entirely from my father, but not my facial features.

My features were small, neat, and distinct like my mother's, making me quite cute. The description that suited me best was that I looked pretty, like a doll.

The owner of this snow-white face was Isaac Duker Maishal.

I was no longer 'Kim Yuhwan' from my past life. I was who I am now.

"Thank goodness I was born handsome."

I was still growing and had only barely passed 170 centimeters, but they say the face makes the outfit. I was perfectly satisfied with this face.

My only real complaint was that I looked rather delicate, like some pretty boy, but I could overlook that much. Wanting anything more with this face would be pure greed.

After examining my face from every angle to see whether there was anything I needed to take care of, I moved to the bed and threw myself onto it.

'I'll be going to the Academy tomorrow.'

I had experienced university life in my previous life, but I was still looking forward to it. What kind of life would I lead at the Academy?

According to my older brother and sister, who had enrolled first, no one could predict what would happen. Then again, even a university from my previous life could bury you if you made one wrong move, so how much worse would it be here, where social status actually existed?

At least I was the son of a baron, so I would be fine. The commoners who had passed difficult examinations to enter would probably have a much harder time.

'And on top of that, Helium's princess...'

After hearing that Helium's princess, Cecily, would be enrolling at Halo Academy, I gathered information about her.

I could describe her in a single word: the perfect daughter.

She was said to excel in both the martial and academic arts, and her beauty was so extraordinary that her fame had spread throughout the world. I had heard in passing that she had succubus blood, but I wasn't sure if that was true.

The only blemish on her record was that she was demonkin, but even that had become meaningless now.

"Hmm..."

Perhaps this was actually fortunate. If all the attention focused on her, my Academy life might be considerably more peaceful.

Besides, critics were estimating that the author of The Chronicle of Xenon was an elderly sage. They had no idea that the author was a fresh-faced youngster who wasn't even twenty.

So all I had to do was be careful not to arouse any unnecessary suspicion and enjoy life at the Academy. And, as a bonus, make sure no one discovered my manuscripts.

"First, I should build up as much of a stockpile as I can."

Today would probably be my last chance to write at my leisure. I sprang up from the bed and sat down at my desk again.

"Ah. Right. Come to think of it..."

The latest volume had been released three days ago. I was about to take up my pen when I remembered and unfolded the newspaper the maid had brought me.

'I wonder what kind of reaction I'll get today?'

I hadn't used my 'Cliffhanger Technique' in a while, so I figured the reaction probably wouldn't be too extreme...

-Leort, Crown Prince of the Minerva Empire: The author of The Chronicle of Xenon is to release the next volume immediately. If they refuse, I will find them myself and lock them in the imperial palace.

-Princess Rina has also urged the author to publish the next volume as soon as possible...

-Xenon is in mortal danger. How will he escape this situation? A companion's sacrifice? Or perhaps...

-Every reader is eagerly awaiting the next volume, and the author's identity must be revealed as soon as possible...

... ...

I quietly closed the newspaper.

I had received comments like these in my previous life too, but I could laugh them off. They were only jokes from readers who found my work entertaining.

'But here, they really look like they'd do it. Fuck.'

This was fucking terrifying.

*****

"Aaaaaaagh!!"

The imperial palace of the Minerva Empire was filled with so much gold that even calling it magnificent seemed inadequate.

A man's bellow rang out from within that palace. Since it was the imperial palace where the members of the royal family lived, not even the smallest matter could be overlooked—let alone a scream.

Naturally, there should have been a commotion, but no one reacted. The room where the man had shouted was thoroughly soundproofed, and, more importantly...

"You bastard! Why did you stop there?! Huh?! Why the hell did you stop at that point?!"

He wasn't shouting in pain, but in unbearable fury.

As the man glared viciously at the book he had hurled away and huffed angrily, the woman sitting across from him quietly spoke.

Her voice also contained a faint anger, though not nearly as much as the man's.

"This... this was obviously deliberate. How could he stop at such a critical moment...?"

Her golden hair shone so brilliantly that it reflected the light. Her blue eyes were as beautiful as sapphires.

Finally, her facial features looked as though a master artisan had painstakingly carved them one stroke at a time. Her beauty was so radiant that she could have been mistaken for a work of art.

Her name was Rina Urmi Christine, the First Imperial Princess of the Minerva Empire.

Rina was also an avid fan of The Chronicle of Xenon, but she had never been this angry before.

"Brother. Do you really not know who this author is?"

Rina urgently asked the man before her in a trembling voice.

The man—in other words, Rina's older brother and the Crown Prince, Leort—exhaled sharply through his nose before slumping into the soft chair.

If Rina had a face as cute as a puppy's, Leort had a somewhat fierce, tiger-like face, though their hair and eye colors were identical.

"...Even when we went to the publisher, they said they couldn't tell us. The author submitted the manuscript through several intermediaries, so it's difficult to trace. Still, we'll be able to find them eventually."

"Can't you find them sooner? I've wanted to see them for a while, but after pulling a prank like this, I absolutely want to see what the author looks like."

"I'd like to as well, but we can't waste manpower on something like this. Besides, even if we find them and the author runs away, we'd be the only ones to lose out. Do you want The Chronicle of Xenon to end here?"

"Tch..."

Rina clicked her tongue in disappointment. As an avid fan of The Chronicle of Xenon, she wanted more volumes too.

Since The Chronicle of Xenon had a male protagonist, one might assume that most of its readers would be men, but in reality, its readership was split exactly fifty-fifty by gender.

The story itself was entertaining, and the heroine who always stayed by Xenon's side was incredibly charming.

"Surely Xenon isn't going to die here, right? I absolutely can't stand the thought of Mary being sad. The two of them have to get married and have children."

"As if I wouldn't feel the same. If he turns Xenon into half a cripple, I'll find him somehow and do the same to him."

If Isaac had heard this conversation, he would have rushed to publish the next volume. In fact, the Crown Prince had the power to make that happen.

Rina sighed as though the earth were about to cave in before speaking in a troubled voice.

"Sigh... For now, we should express our feelings in the newspaper. If the author sees it, they'll at least realize how serious this is, won't they?"

"Who knows? Do you really think this person will change their mind? I doubt it."

"But they're probably a sage who has experienced everything the world has to offer, so they'll at least pay attention to the warning."

They, too, assumed that the author of The Chronicle of Xenon was an experienced sage.

Given their education—far superior to that of commoners and ordinary nobles—they had no choice but to assume so, considering the novel's readability and expressiveness.

There had never been a novelist with prose so powerful that the story played out directly in the reader's mind.

"In any case, all we can do is wait for the next volume. The Chronicle of Xenon has been coming out once a month so far, hasn't it? At best, a new volume comes out once every two weeks."

"Yes. The one fortunate thing is that the Academy's opening ceremony is tomorrow. You and I will both be much busier, so we won't be as bored as we are now."

"Ugh... What a pain. Come to think of it, you're enrolling too, aren't you?"

"Yes."

The fact that Rina, the First Imperial Princess, was enrolling at the Academy was already an open secret. Again, an open 'secret.'

Isaac had only been learning about the outside world through newspapers, so he had no idea. It wasn't as though he had ever gone outside.

What's more, Isaac was the son of a baron whose father had risen from commoner to noble, so his connections were fairly limited. Even if his mother gathered information at tea parties, there were still clear limits to what she could learn.

"A lot of troublesome things are going to happen. Most of the people there are sycophants who fawn over others based solely on their status."

"Do you really think I don't know that? I've already gone through it so many times I'm sick of it."

Halo Academy was certainly the finest educational institution in the Minerva Empire, but that didn't mean only people with no prior connections enrolled there.

Commoners usually had one or two friends they had met before entering the Academy, and nobles were even more connected. Unlike commoners, nobles were guaranteed admission, so most of them followed their parents' guidance and built up their connections in advance.

That was right. Isaac, who had never gone outside apart from basic physical training, was the unusual case. Even when his parents suggested that he go out, he stood firm and refused. His doting parents eventually had no choice but to give up.

In other words, Isaac currently had no one he could call a 'friend.'

"And I heard Helium's princess is enrolling too. Apparently, she's also an avid fan of The Chronicle of Xenon."

"Demonkin couldn't help but be. Their treatment changed completely after this book came out."

"Hmm..."

Rina habitually poked her cheeks—poke, poke—before smiling brightly and speaking.

"Perhaps she could become a good friend."