Ch.1This Isn’t Right (1)

I looked at the newspaper, and my impression can be summed up in one phrase.

Something has gone terribly wrong.

I wrote this book just to kill time, but suddenly the world was thrown into chaos. In this world where science hasn’t developed enough for smartphones or even radios, newspapers are the only way to learn about current events.

And this newspaper had my book splashed across the headlines. I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

“Hahaha! I knew my eyes weren’t deceiving me! Well done! My youngest son!”

While I was reading the newspaper with a stupid expression, a hearty laugh came from in front of me.

I lifted my dazed face from the newspaper and looked up.

Flame-red hair grown long like a lion’s mane, a well-groomed beard, and golden eyes that shone like those of a bird of prey.

This middle-aged man exuding masculinity like a battle-hardened warrior was Hawk Ducar Mayshall.

He’s my father.

“Dear, please. I’ve been telling you all along. Isaac would be better as a scholar than a knight.”

Next to him, a beautiful woman playfully nudged Hawk’s thick arm.

Long navy-blue hair reaching her waist and delicate, doll-like features. Peculiarly, her eyes were purple.

By now everyone must have guessed, but this woman who looked no older than her early thirties was my mother, Annah Ducar Mayshall.

“Our Isaac is amazing. Everyone wants to meet you.”

Mother smiled elegantly and congratulated me with a happy expression.

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

Those words rose to my throat, but I barely suppressed them. I didn’t want to ruin this harmonious atmosphere.

I could only smile awkwardly like an idiot.

“…Could you please keep my identity anonymous?”

But I needed some kind of shield. I asked my parents in a timid voice.

They had helped me publish my novel anonymously, so perhaps it was still possible.

To be honest, I don’t want to get involved in noisy affairs. The newspapers are already in an uproar, and I can’t even imagine what it’s like outside.

“Well, I’ll do it if you want, but your identity will be revealed soon enough anyway.”

“Why?”

“Your father may be a noble, but I’m just a baron. I’ve heard the imperial family is already looking for you.”

“Ah.”

I understood after my father’s explanation. Though my father is a noble, he’s a “baron,” the lowest of the five ranks.

Moreover, my father was originally a commoner knight who earned his nobility through impressive achievements, so he’s not even considered a proper noble.

This means we’d be helpless if someone higher up was determined to find me.

“Don’t worry too much. I know what you’re concerned about. I’ll shield you as much as I can.”

Reading my anxious expression, my father smiled gently and patted my head. His touch was hard and calloused, but it made me feel at ease.

“I’ll also keep an eye on the situation at my tea parties. I don’t want our Isaac to struggle.”

“Mother…”

What warm affection. I looked at my parents with a touched expression.

This warmth is precisely why I could accept them as my parents.

Eventually, mother smiled contentedly and spoke to me in a gentle voice.

“So, Isaac. May I ask you one thing?”

“What is it?”

“When will the next volume be released?”

“… …”

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

My feelings of being touched instantly evaporated.

I stared blankly at her beaming face before dropping my head.

Beyond feeling touched, there was something I couldn’t bring myself to tell my mother.

‘Jin is the final boss, Mother…’

Among the characters in my “Biography of Xenon,” there are supporting characters involved in a love line. These are “Lily” and “Jin” that my mother just mentioned.

For reference, Jin is a demon, and Lily is a cleric, even revered as the next saint.

This might seem like a poignant love line, but in my previous life, I was known as a professor at Satan University.

In the final arc, Jin is set to become the story’s final boss after accepting the remnants of the great demon to completely destroy it.

The protagonist, with a shaken resolve, defeats him, but Jin’s dying words are that he desperately searches for Lily.

‘…I’m really screwed.’

It’s fine for my family to read my novel. But hearing it spoken aloud makes my heart race.

Should I change it to a happy ending now? But I’ve laid too many hints and foreshadowing to do that.

There’s still time until the ending, so my lifeline should remain intact until then.

“Honey. Isaac will soon enter the academy, so don’t pressure him too much. What if the story takes an unexpected turn?”

“Oh my. Author Isaac? Did I perhaps offend you…?”

“Ah, come on!”

When I finally burst out in embarrassment, my parents laughed in their own characteristic ways. Meanwhile, my face was turning redder by the second.

“I’m sorry, son. Anyway, will you enter the academy for martial studies or literary studies?”

My father stopped laughing and asked me. I calmed my excitement and thought about the academy I would soon enter.

The academy, or “Halo Academy,” is the country’s finest educational institution.

As the top educational institution, it boasts an impressive curriculum, just like a university from my previous life.

It’s simply divided into martial studies focusing on physical strength and literary studies focusing on intelligence.

‘Why would I enter martial studies?’

This world is filled with monsters that make tigers, lions, and even elephants seem like “mere animals.” And unlike protagonists in other novels, I have no talent for combat.

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

“Yes. I prefer literary studies over martial studies.”

“Hmm… I understand. But daily physical training is still mandatory. Understood?”

“Of course.”

I’ve been diligently doing physical training. It builds not only physical strength but also endurance.

I used to be unable to sit at a computer for even 30 minutes, but now I can concentrate on writing for 3 hours. That’s how I managed to publish one book every month.

Though my fingers developed calluses from writing with a quill, I didn’t mind.

“Do you plan to continue writing at the academy?”

This time my mother asked. She seemed concerned that I might focus on my studies at the academy.

While a child should naturally focus on academics, my mother was more worried about my novel.

Though a bit absurd, it’s understandable considering the impact of my novel.

“Well… I’ll have to write. I’ll have free time. But it might take one or two months per volume.”

“That’s a shame. Still, focus on your studies. Your brother and sister will be there, so call them if you need anything.”

“Yes.”

Halo Academy is a place all nobles must attend, so my siblings are there.

However, they’re not students but teaching assistants. Being a teaching assistant is a position only a few outstanding students can hold.

Moreover, they’re already being watched by numerous knightly orders as exceptional talents.

“It’s strange though. Your brother and sister both became knights, but you became a writer.”

“He must take after me. I was quite good at writing in my youth.”

“Should we have another child? I’m curious how they’d turn out.”

“Oh my. Dear! Isaac? Dad and Mom are going out for a bit, so we’ll see you later~”

My parents left my room arm in arm. I blinked at the situation, as if a storm had just passed through.

“…Sigh.”

I could only sigh deeply. I still couldn’t grasp how this had happened.

I had simply used my skills from my previous life to write, but the ripple effect was tremendous.

‘No writing today, I guess.’

Muttering that, I unfolded the newspaper I had neatly folded. As soon as I opened it, it was filled with news about my work.

Occasionally there were criticisms from some famous figures saying it lowered the quality of literature, but these were completely buried.

‘…Is this really worthy of such praise?’

Setting aside the positive reviews, I couldn’t believe how the treatment of demons had changed.

Demons had devoured the world 3,000 years ago, and the history of discrimination against the demon race spans well over 1,000 years. It’s hard to believe that such discrimination disappeared because of a novel I wrote.

In reality, it’s more plausible that my father pulled some strings behind the scenes to make me feel better about my work that would have otherwise been buried.

The impact is so unbelievable that I can’t help but think this way.

“Sigh… I should just finish it quickly and then… Huh?”

As I was listlessly flipping through the newspaper, a piece of news caught my eye.

-Princess Cecilly Drat Isillia Vin of Helium to enter Halo Academy… Empire of Minerva gladly approves.

-With discriminatory views toward demons easing due to the influence of “Biography of Xenon,” for the friendship between countries…

“… …”

Don’t mess with me, damn it.

******

“Are you really sure about this? Cecilly, before being the king of demons, I am your…”

“It’s fine, Dad. I’ve already made all the preparations.”

In a dimly lit space with only a faint glow, a man and a woman were conversing.

Pitch-black hair, blood-red eyes that shone even in darkness, and finally, horns protruding from their heads like demons.

They were demons.

“This is what I’ve chosen. And you know as well as I do that now is the perfect time to establish friendly relations between different races and demons.”

The woman with ebony hair reaching her waist spoke to the man in front of her.

Matching her seductive voice, her beauty was fatal—elegant and beautiful—and her figure was mature enough to stimulate the lustful hearts of men.

Because of this appearance, she exuded an atmosphere that could enchant people even when she was still.

“That may be true, but…”

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

Though they don’t seem to have much of an age difference, demons naturally live longer than humans. So it’s not unusual for demons to have relatively youthful appearances.

The woman’s father, known to the world as the “Demon King,” Deskall Drat Isillia Vin Helium, looked at his daughter and replied.

“I’m still finding it hard to believe. I know that since that book appeared, the view toward our kind has changed. But the wounds of emotion don’t heal easily.”

As Deskall said, discriminatory views toward demons had significantly decreased, but the deep conflicts that had occurred over time still remained.

There are still demons who have turned into devils, and people who have been harmed by them. Even if it wasn’t intentional, problems arise the moment harm occurs.

To this, the Demon King’s daughter and Helium’s only princess, Cecilly, smiled brightly and spoke in a gentle tone.

“Dad, you’ve read ‘Biography of Xenon,’ right? Do you remember what Sacran said at the end of volume 5?”

“… …”

Deskall didn’t answer.

That scene had left a deep impression even on him, the Demon King.

At the same time, it had imprinted on readers that demons were not “devils” but a “race seeking to prove themselves as human.”

There are evaluations that at that moment, no one else but Sacran was the true protagonist.

Meanwhile, seeing no response from Deskall, Cecilly spoke first.

“In his final moments, Sacran looked at the people he had protected and said: ‘Do not fear becoming a devil for the sake of your loved ones. That is the true courage and sacrifice of being human. I die not as a devil, but as a human.'”

“… …”

“Though it’s fiction, I don’t think it’s fiction at all. The author must have received great kindness from our kind in the past. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have written such a moving story that fully reveals the sorrows of our race.”

Cecilly spoke with an enraptured expression, her hands tightly clasped together. She was so moved that she wasn’t aware of the expression she was making.

But if Isaac were to see this, he would think:

I saw that in a game. I wrote it without thinking because it was from my previous life, so there’s no plagiarism issue.

Unfortunately, Cecilly had no way of knowing this. She was simply deluding herself.

Deskall looked at Cecilly, who was lost in her imagination, with a complicated expression before quietly adding:

“…Moreover, Sacran is the leader of the ‘Devil Hunters,’ who execute fellow demons who have turned into devils. As you know, we have a secret organization in Helium with the same mission.”

In “Biography of Xenon,” there’s a secret organization that executes fellow demons who have become devils due to uncontrollable desires.

They’re called “Devil Hunters” and have powers far stronger than other demons by partially accepting the power of devils.

The issue here is that Helium also has a similar organization with the same mission.

“You mean the ‘Reapers’? Of course I know. I suspect the author of this book must have received a favor from a Reaper member.”

Cecilly nodded and fell back into her own delusion.

If Isaac were to see this situation, he would say the same thing as before.

That too was from a game. He wrote it without any meaning or intention.

But as mentioned earlier, they have no way of knowing Isaac’s thoughts, which is simply unfortunate.

“Because of this, people outside are questioning if Devil Hunters really exist. Thanks to that, we have an opportunity to come into the light.”

Demons executing fellow demons who have turned into devils. This alone shows how strong the Reapers are and how sacred and noble an organization they are.

Additionally, Reapers suffer terrible mental anguish every time they execute a devil who was once their kin. That’s why Reapers are much more likely to take their own lives due to mental suffering than to become devils intoxicated by power.

Due to the special nature of their mission, they had been operating in the shadows, but after the release of “Biography of Xenon,” they gained an opportunity to come into the light.

Furthermore, some high-ranking demons who read the book suggested officially establishing the organization. This is an unprecedented opportunity for the Reapers, who accept their sacred destiny without any compensation.

“Anyway, if that’s your will, I won’t stop you. But don’t be certain that the author is in the Empire of Minerva. Judging by the anonymous publication, they’re likely a reclusive sage. Even if you happen to meet them, be sure to show proper respect.”

“Oh, Dad. I’m an adult now.”

Cecilly waved her hand and joked in response to Deskall’s worried words. Still, Deskall couldn’t hide his expression.

Not only because she was his only daughter, but also because Cecilly was known for her mischievous nature, which made him anxious as a father.

Would lustful hands reach out to her, attracted by her beautiful appearance? There’s no need to worry about that.

Cecilly possesses enough strength to easily blow away a mountain. It’s not for nothing that she’s mentioned as the next Demon King of Helium.

“Ah~ I can’t wait to meet them. Our demon race’s benefactor…”

Cecilly clasped her hands together, eagerly anticipating meeting the author.

Deskall shook his head at her obsessive behavior.