Ch.285Bombshell Statement (4)

The tactical nuclear-level speech had ended, but the heat in the square showed no signs of cooling down.

Like during the previous speech in Alfheim, the nobles and I were engaged in conversation to strengthen our connections.

Most of the talk centered around Cecilly’s speech and discussions about how the political landscape might change going forward.

After all, clear evidence had emerged that the shackles binding the demon race could be removed, which would be quite troublesome from other countries’ perspectives.

The demon race was already several steps ahead in magic and culture. While elves might compete in magic, comparing cultures was a more ambiguous situation.

Now that they had the potential to remove the shackles that had been binding them, Helium’s influence would only continue to grow.

However, this didn’t mean Helium had gained the upper hand. Showing potential was good, but it also meant giving time to those who might become enemies.

Thankfully Deskall Isillia Vin had laid a solid foundation; otherwise, Cecilly might have faced all sorts of political attacks as soon as she ascended to the Demon Queen’s position.

Still, this was an optimal situation for strengthening internal affairs. No matter how well Cecilly had subdued her inner evil, it wouldn’t be an easy path.

Public notices would probably be issued after this. Particularly for demons, there’s a puberty phase called “little devil.”

From a demon parent’s perspective, it’s the most dangerous period of child-rearing, causing endless headaches. The children don’t listen, and their inner evil runs wild, causing all sorts of trouble.

As if raising children wasn’t hard enough already, if they start causing chaos claiming they want to subdue their inner evil too, it becomes an even bigger headache for parents.

While I was briefly thinking about how the difficulty of demon parenting would skyrocket, I shifted my gaze toward the citizens of Helium who had been watching Cecilly’s speech.

“Our light found in the twilight!”

“We shall never fall. Farewell to our shadows!”

“Let us march toward the light once more!”

They were singing Helium’s national anthem with their arms around each other’s shoulders. Cecilly’s speech had given the demons not just hollow hope, but certainty.

She had also kindly demonstrated how to subdue one’s inner evil, so there was no hesitation.

All that remained was to make a great leap forward as members of humanity, not as demons.

The inner evil that had constrained them from birth was no longer something to fear, but something they could overcome.

Although there would likely be many incidents and controversies, I believed they would manage well.

‘There’s no worry about my identity being discovered, but…’

While conversing with nobles who had approached to build connections with Marie, I glanced elsewhere.

The object of my gaze was neither Rina nor Leort, but Hyria.

As always, she was neatly dressed in her uniform, talking with nobles who approached her, but occasionally glancing in my direction.

I couldn’t understand why Hyria showed such great interest in me, but the most likely reason was my identity.

Whether due to some petty revenge against Adelia or not, she had been watching me even during Cecilly’s speech.

‘There’s nothing suspicious about me… hmm…’

Although Cecilly had called herself “Xenon’s woman,” she was merely stating that she was the person who had become his motif.

Some high-ranking nobles might press her, asking if she truly had no relationship with Xenon, but as I mentioned earlier, Cecilly hadn’t lied. Even the gods would confirm this.

Hyria had nothing to grasp onto. The only thing was that one time when Cecilly looked at me and Hyria happened to be watching both of us simultaneously.

Even then, there was no certainty that Cecilly had been looking directly at me.

‘I’ll need to be careful.’

I should avoid Hyria for the time being. If she approaches me, I’ll need to find a way to leave.

For that, I’ll need to spend more time with Marie.

Cecilly won’t be able to come to the academy for a while due to state affairs, so my time with Marie will naturally increase.

Moreover, since I need to work as an assistant instructor, it would be difficult to encounter Hyria unless she specifically sought me out.

“But do you all really think Princess Cecilly is Xenon’s woman?”

While I was lost in thought, someone’s question caught my attention. I immediately shifted my gaze forward.

The person who asked was a young lady with curly blonde hair and striking blue eyes.

Objectively, she was certainly beautiful, but perhaps because Marie was beside me, she didn’t particularly stand out.

“Hmm… I’m not quite convinced. It could be used for propaganda, but…”

“Shouldn’t we hear what Xenon has to say first?”

“That’s right. We can determine based on what Xenon says. If Xenon denies it, then Princess Cecilly would have lied in front of everyone.”

Watching them discuss the topic, I realized I needed to write a letter.

It’s absolutely true that Cecilly is the model for Lust, Lilith. Her seductive appearance, atmosphere, and even her combat style.

All of these were incorporated through Cecilly, so it’s clear that she’s the model.

Still, I need to write a letter for Cecilly’s sake. I could openly confirm it, so I need to write the letter carefully.

“But could Princess Cecilly really be Xenon’s woman?”

Of course, not everyone believes circumstances easily. The man in front crossed his arms and expressed his doubt.

Yes, as that man said, not everyone believes Cecilly’s speech. There will certainly be people who investigate further.

Although she didn’t lie, the subtle truth hidden between her words will raise people’s suspicions.

Cecilly isn’t a fool, so she would have prepared for such cases, but it doesn’t change the fact that she’ll have a tough time ahead.

“No way. If that were the case, she would have shown proper evidence rather than making such an announcement.”

“Evidence like what?”

“Well… there could be various things, but the most definitive would be…”

“A child?”

*Flinch*

As someone mentioned such definitive evidence, Marie’s body noticeably flinched. Since we were holding hands, I felt it vividly.

I had already been intimate with Cecilly more than ten times. Fortunately, we had been consistently using protection, so the chance of an accident was close to zero.

Thus, while there wasn’t any concrete evidence, Cecilly had provided one solid piece by demonstrating her demonization.

She claimed to be the motif for Lilith and showed that one could subdue their inner evil.

Negatively put, it could be called wordplay or a deception strategy, but let’s praise Cecilly’s eloquence and oratory skills.

After the brief meeting among nobles ended, Marie and I moved to a different location. Adelia, who had been watching from a distance, also returned.

Since we couldn’t enter Helium’s palace now, we planned to stay at a noble-exclusive inn.

“Hmph. Xenon’s woman… she’s openly advertising, I tell you.”

As soon as we entered the inn for rest, Marie grumbled. Since it was a noble-exclusive space designed for couples, the soundproofing was thorough.

This meant Marie’s grumbling wouldn’t leak outside. Hearing her complaints, I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“It should be fine since she was ambiguous, right?”

“You might be fine with it, but I’m not. This is like a declaration of war against me. I need to let everyone know that I’m Issac’s first. She seems to be slowly creeping up lately, and now I know why.”

As she said this, Marie began to remove her dress. Adelia stood beside her, assisting to make the undressing process easier.

The dress, worn for formality, was difficult to put on and take off without help.

Adelia had initially struggled, but after getting used to it during the vacation, she was now assisting more easily.

“Don’t you have something to say to Cecilly too?”

“A little? I should mention that she acted without consulting us.”

Although she might have had a plan, the statement about being “Xenon’s woman,” which was equivalent to a tactical nuclear bomb, had many problematic elements.

If she had slipped even slightly, showing her demonization might not have saved everything; it was a high-stakes gamble.

Also, announcing it without consulting me could have negative effects like this.

“Don’t scold her too much. Cecilly must have had her reasons. And…”

*Slide*

Having changed into comfortable attire, I gently grasped Marie’s slender shoulders.

Then, bringing my lips close to her ear, I whispered:

“Even if I reveal that I’m Xenon, I’ll still say you were the first.”

“…Make sure you keep that promise.”

“Of course.”

As I moved my face away from her ear, I saw Marie’s snow-white skin had turned bright red.

Her prim reaction was so adorable that I almost proceeded to the main event, but I managed to restrain myself.

With Adelia present, it would be awkward to proceed here.

Besides, dinner time was approaching, and it wouldn’t be right to sully our bodies beforehand.

‘My father-in-law is probably nearby too…’

Though we hadn’t met directly, Marie’s father and my father-in-law, the Duke of Reckyless, was also here.

Being of a much higher rank than us, he was likely still conversing with other nobles.

I felt guilty about rolling around with his daughter while he was working diligently.

What about Deskall when we were at the palace, you ask? Deskall encouraged me to enjoy my time with Cecilly and not worry about him.

From his perspective, I was a treasure bestowed by the gods, so he wouldn’t mind whatever I did and would even support it.

In fact, when I spent my first night with Cecilly, Isillia personally prepared a “dessert,” so no further explanation is needed.

*Knock knock knock*

[Issac, it’s me. May I come in?]

While Marie and I were changing into comfortable attire, a familiar voice was heard from outside the door.

Not Rina’s, but Cecilly’s voice. All of us, including me, looked at the door with surprised expressions upon hearing her voice.

Why had she come here when she should be busy after the speech? Did she have something to say?

I was bewildered but gestured to Adelia to open the door. Adelia, upon receiving my signal, walked toward the door with measured steps.

*Click*

As soon as the door opened, Cecilly appeared, still in the same attire she had worn during the speech. Seeing that Gartz wasn’t with her, it seemed she had come alone.

There was no worry about being discovered. She would have used either an invisibility spell or teleportation with her magic.

Cecilly thanked Adelia for opening the door and slowly approached us.

Her face wore a happy smile, and her steps were very light.

“What brings you here?”

As Cecilly stood before Marie and me, I asked with curiosity. Adelia remained by the door, observing the situation.

Cecilly, still smiling, looked alternately at Marie and me before opening her red lips.

“You must have been very surprised during the speech, right? You were probably very surprised. I said such things without consulting you.”

“Surprised is an understatement. ‘Xenon’s woman’? Don’t you think you went a bit too far, even for you?”

As soon as the expected topic came from Cecilly’s mouth, Marie crossed her arms and retorted curtly. Her tone suggested she had caught Cecilly red-handed.

I felt similarly but remained silent, just staring at Cecilly.

Cecilly looked at both of us with deep eyes, then bowed deeply, bending not just her head but her waist. It was a clear sign of apology.

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I was indeed greedy about that part. I didn’t consult because I didn’t want to reveal my ugly desire.”

“Ugly desire?”

“Yes.”

Straightening her waist, Cecilly smiled bitterly. It was a sad smile, distinctly different from the one she had worn just moments ago.

“At first glance, it might not seem harmful to Issac, but that’s just a possibility. There will be people who investigate me behind Helium’s back. That could put Issac in danger.”

“…”

“So, to make people focus solely on me, I said those words while demonstrating my demonization.”

“Why?”

“Because if I had consulted Issac, he would have told me not to worry about it.”

Cecilly knows me too well. As she said, even if she had consulted me, I would likely have given my permission readily.

Is it a kind of guilt? Perhaps she feels she’s only receiving from me and not giving anything in return.

Just as she knows me, I know her. Cecilly’s devotion to me is that strong.

“And as I achieved demonization, I learned about my true desire, the ugly desire I mentioned.”

“Desire?”

“Yes. To push Marie aside and stand by Issac’s side. It’s what my inner evil whispered to me, but in a different sense, it’s also the desire I had been suppressing.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes slightly. But at the same time, it made sense.

As I grew closer to Cecilly, she had shown signs of jealousy toward Marie.

Saying she wanted to bear a child first, that the battle for the position of the first wife wasn’t over, and so on.

Although she said these things jokingly, there was probably some genuine feeling mixed in that she herself wasn’t aware of.

When she subdued her inner evil, she had to face these genuine feelings directly, which must have made her feel disgusted with herself.

She was by my side due to my choice and Marie’s mercy, yet she harbored such ungrateful intentions.

Not consulting me before dropping the bomb was also partly to distance herself emotionally.

“So I’m telling you both. Now that I’ve faced my true feelings, I can no longer…”

“Oh, please. Stop saying such nonsense.”

Just as Cecilly was about to make another bombshell statement with that meaning, Marie cut her off with an annoyed tone.

Looking at her, I could see Marie’s expression filled with dissatisfaction.

Cecilly, having her words cut off, looked at Marie with wide red eyes.

“Don’t tell me you’re saying something ridiculous like you’re going to distance yourself after all the intimate moments we’ve shared?”

“Well, yes, but… Marie, I tried to push you aside…”

“How frustrating. You should have said this during your speech! ‘My inner evil whispered to me. But that was my true heart. The courage to face that truth…'”

Just as Cecilly had demonstrated earlier, Marie continued her speech in an oratorical tone, speaking continuously without pause.

She must have been quite frustrated to speak without stopping. As Marie’s mock speech was coming to an end, she asked Cecilly:

“Are you saying you’re going to leave Issac’s side?”

“I have to. If someone sees me with Issac…”

“Sigh… Issac.”

“Yes?”

“You didn’t accept Cecilly without being prepared for this, did you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

This is where the dignity of the first wife comes in. I answered Marie’s question without a moment’s hesitation.

In the future, Cecilly might not be able to stay close to me due to political issues. If someone were to see us together, they would certainly be suspicious.

When bodies grow distant, hearts naturally follow. Having achieved demonization, she wouldn’t become a demon due to the pain of unrequited love.

From Cecilly’s perspective, watching over me from a distance might have seemed like the best option. But to Marie and me, it seemed foolish.

“Noona.”

“Y-yes?”

“Are you really trying to leave me over something like this?”

So I told her, enunciating each word clearly. I have no intention of letting her go.

I’m willing to accept any political attacks or whatever comes. It was my fault for not noticing Cecilly’s feelings in the first place.

Moreover, regardless of her “dark intentions,” Cecilly wants to be by my side. This is her undeniable true feeling.

“Noona, you can’t give up. If you distance yourself, I’ll come to you. Understand?”

“…”

As I spoke with a determined voice, making a declaration, moisture began to gather in Cecilly’s red eyes.

Perhaps because she had only recently achieved demonization, Cecilly was showing emotionally unstable behavior.

This was probably why she made such a choice and came to confess to us.

Her reason told her to leave my side, but in reality, she wanted to be with me. The conflict between these two feelings had created an extremely confused state.

“Hic…”

Finally, Cecilly began to sob, tears flowing. Without saying a word, I embraced her small shoulders and patted her back.

As I patted her back, she hugged me tightly, as if she would never let go.

Her horns pricked my chest, causing a slight stinging sensation, but mentioning it now would be inappropriate.

“Sigh. A princess, crying like this.”

Marie looked at the back of Cecilly’s head with an expression that suggested she couldn’t help it.

When our eyes met, she shrugged, which made me think she was truly herself.

Then, she brought her lips close to Cecilly’s ear and made a joke to lighten the mood.

“Then don’t even think about the position of the first wife, okay? I’ll have the first child too, understand?”

And Cecilly’s response came immediately.

“N-no…”

“What?”

“I’ll… be first…”

It was hard to understand clearly because she was sobbing, but being close, I could make it out.

And Marie’s reaction was…

“This girl?”

She was dumbfounded.

Thus, after this situation which strengthened our relationship with Cecilly even more…

[Queen of Alfheim. If the motif for Lilith is the Princess of Helium, then the motif for Elisha is herself.]

Another bombshell statement came from an unexpected place.