Ch.365Volume 27 (1)

Today has been a series of surprises. Not only did I meet a historical figure, but his wife turns out to be my supervising professor.

Especially shocking was learning that their age difference is over 400 years – beyond surprise, it was astonishing.

Arwen and Cecilly aren’t even 100 years apart from me. But unlike them, I’m human, so considering our lifespan differences, it’s relatively reasonable.

Meanwhile, Icare and Elena have a 400-year gap. Even for elves, 400 years is an extremely long time.

“Aren’t elves sensitive about age? Over 400 years is… well, that’s a lot even for elves.”

“It is quite a large gap, even considering we’re elves. In human terms, it would be like a 40-year difference.”

“When he was fighting in the racial war, I wasn’t even born yet.”

Elena’s additional explanation made me truly grasp how significant their age gap was.

A 40-year difference isn’t just like father and daughter – it’s more like grandfather and granddaughter.

So how did these two end up meeting? I suddenly became curious.

“How did you two meet?”

“I just liked his face and confessed. As you know, elves generally have smooth faces regardless of gender. Elves who look rugged like him are rare. So I snatched him up. He looks dependable just at a glance, doesn’t he?”

As the saying goes, like husband, like wife – Elena candidly revealed her connection with Icare.

Indeed, there are hardly any elves with such masculine features as Icare. Especially the way his beard grows is extremely rare.

“What about the age difference? Honestly, that must have been the biggest obstacle.”

“It was an issue at first. But we can still live together with the one we love for at least 300 years, right? That’s enough. Besides, age doesn’t mean much to elves.”

“She rejected me saying she could find someone better, but it was all meaningless. Plus, she said she wanted to study me as a scholar, so I accepted.”

There’s that scholarly side showing again. Well, Icare is beyond living history – he’s practically a fossil, so from Elena’s perspective, he must be a mouthwatering specimen(?).

Plus, his face matches her taste perfectly, and he’s quite open-minded too, so they must have been a match made in heaven.

I decided to put aside their age difference and wished them happiness.

When they clearly like each other so much, who am I to judge?

‘…No, absolutely not.’

Considering how many women I’m connected with, it would be hypocritical of me to comment.

If Icare is a thief in the purest sense, then I’m just a scoundrel and a collector.

Mine is worse. At least Icare hasn’t been involved with other women while with Elena.

“By the way, Issac. Where is Her Majesty? You wouldn’t have come to the sacred ground alone.”

“Arwen went to look at some books. She’ll probably be back soon.”

“Oh my. Are you on informal terms with the Queen?”

Elena already knew everything but asked with a mischievous smile. I just smiled at her smooth talk.

The news that Arwen and I are together has long spread throughout Alfheim. We hadn’t gone outside for three days except to bathe.

Fortunately, there was no news about Ariel. Marie and Cecilly must have handled their return well.

“I suppose so. It’s a gift from Alfheim, and there’s no reason to refuse it.”

“How are things with your fiancée?”

“That’s going well too.”

“When will you return to your duties?”

“About that…”

It seems like it will take time. This was difficult to answer definitively.

After the demon worshiper threat, I needed to build up my strength and sort out Ariel’s situation.

With the Biography of Xenon also reaching its final stages, returning to my teaching assistant position seems far off for now.

“It seems hard to answer. Don’t worry too much though, I’ll wait. If it really doesn’t work out, we can even arrange for early graduation.”

“Is that allowed? I still have more to learn.”

“It’s just called graduation – you can visit the lab anytime you want. You’re a special case, so it can’t be helped.”

“Thank you.”

“In return, just tell me one thing. This isn’t about you being a prophet or anything like that.”

As I bowed my head in gratitude, Elena pushed up her glasses and spoke quietly.

Given how she phrased it, this seems to be a personal curiosity.

I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded in permission.

“The elf hero Ruden in the Biography of Xenon – you know, the one who merges with the dark elf hero and blows up the World Tree?”

“Yes, of course I know.”

“Is he modeled after my husband? Despite the personality differences, being betrayed by the Senate in the Biography of Xenon makes it obvious it’s him.”

“That’s right.”

The answer came immediately without much thought. There’s no denying that Ruden was modeled after Icare.

I had no idea Icare was such a cheerful and hearty person, but a model is still a model.

Also, Icare truly loves Alfheim and is a patriot willing to sacrifice himself for it. I realized this through our conversation.

“See? I told you! You are Ruden!”

“Even though the circumstances are similar, I thought I was completely different… this is embarrassing.”

“You should be proud. The great Xenon used you as a model and even created a magnificent end for you! I don’t know who the dark elf hero is, but we should greet them if we ever meet.”

Elena excitedly patted Icare’s sturdy back. In response to her reaction, Icare could only smile awkwardly.

She usually only says what needs to be said, but she seemed quite excited in front of her husband.

Seeing their good relationship made even me feel warm inside.

“Ah, I’m asking just in case, but has this caused any problems for you, Icare? Since you’re actually the person who inspired the character, there must be some people who bother you…”

“You needn’t worry about that. I’ve hardly done any public activities since the racial war. As you know, I’m a figure confined to history. There’s nothing more uncouth than dragging such a person out and exploiting them. I’ll maintain this lifestyle in the future too.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Well, a few people, including my adjutant, did ask to confirm. Most were just teasing, so it passed as a light incident.”

“You know it’s all meaningless now, right, Mr. Ruden who perishes with the World Tree?”

At Elena’s playful teasing, Icare shuddered as if disgusted.

Judging by his reaction, he must have been teased quite a lot by those around him. They probably asked if he was really the model for Ruden.

Somehow it feels familiar. I’ve been bombarded with questions about being a prophet or a regressor myself.

“You two seem to have a good relationship. It might be impertinent to ask, but do you have children?”

“Not yet, but we plan to have them soon. In about 30 years?”

As expected of elves, their concept of time is transcendent. Thirty years is equivalent to three years for humans, so it’s not that long.

“Originally we planned to have them after her business trip ended, but we postponed it. Thanks to the Biography of Xenon, hidden history is being discovered one after another, so she can’t rest even for a day.”

“Is… that my responsibility too?”

“It’s not so much your responsibility as it is because I’m a scholar. But maybe half of it is.”

“Icare?”

While we were having a pleasant conversation, a familiar female voice wedged between us.

Turning my head, I saw Arwen, who had just gone to find books.

As if determined to read all the books she hadn’t been able to before, she was barely holding a pile of books stacked up to her chin with both hands.

Seeing this, I immediately got up and helped her with the books.

Her legs were already weak, and if I had known this would happen, I should have gone with her.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty. Have you been well?”

Icare rose from his seat and politely greeted Arwen’s arrival.

Normally, he would have used all sorts of flowery language, but this isn’t a formal setting.

Also, Arwen is far from authoritarian, and Icare himself has his own reputation, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.

“I’m fine. But did you come with your partner?”

“Yes. We were briefly visiting the sacred ground and happened to meet Xenon.”

“I see. Perhaps, what were you talking about… No. Never mind.”

Arwen spoke with a pleased expression, but soon shook her head as if realizing something.

Then, with a gentle smile, she looked at Icare and Elena and spoke warmly.

“Just being with me might be harmful to you. Issac?”

“Yes?”

“I think it would be better if we went somewhere else with these books. Just as we have our own enjoyment, they should have theirs too, shouldn’t they?”

I understand what she means. As Icare mentioned himself, he’s a figure confined to history unless there’s a crisis.

The news of his seclusion is widely known, and if someone sees him chatting amicably with us, it could cause various headaches.

Of course, there wouldn’t be a big problem for Arwen. As long as I’m around, she’s virtually immune to political crises.

Instead, it would be quite troublesome for Icare. Especially since his reputation is still intact from what I know.

“I understand. That would be better. It was a good conversation, Mr. Icare. And Professor Elena.”

“It was a pleasant time for us too.”

“Contact me when you return to the academy.”

Just as we were about to leave with only good impressions of each other…

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad to see you’ve found a good partner.”

Icare gave his blessing with a warm smile. Given Icare’s personality, this wasn’t just a pleasantry but sincere.

Arwen seemed to know this too, as she smiled brightly like a child being praised and gently grabbed my arm.

Since I was holding the books with both hands, I silently pressed my face against her head.

“Ho ho ho.”

Icare laughed heartily as he watched the two of us.

It was the kind of laugh that suited an elderly grandfather watching a well-matched couple.

*****

Even while Issac was enjoying his honeymoon-like days in Alfheim, the writing of the Biography of Xenon didn’t stop.

Volume 27 had already been completed before heading to Alfheim, and was only delayed because the name of the planet hadn’t been decided.

After several days passed, when the long-awaited manuscript was due to reach the publisher…

“Hmm…”

Musk let out a groan as he looked at the “letter” that had arrived with the manuscript.

The way he repeatedly grabbed and released his elegantly grown gray mustache showed that he was currently deep in thought.

Normally, he would have been smiling at the arrival of a manuscript, but since not only the manuscript but also a letter had arrived, he couldn’t help but be lost in thought.

And the contents of that letter were as follows:

[Hello, Director Musk. Along with sending Volume 27, I have news to share. As I mentioned before, the Biography of Xenon is gradually heading toward its conclusion. I think the final volume count will probably be around 30.]

The conclusion of the century’s masterpiece, the Biography of Xenon. This alone made his heart heavy, as if a weight had been attached to it.

Of course, even if the Biography of Xenon concludes, people will still read it in the future, and furthermore, the current population is gradually increasing.

Moreover, the profits earned through the Biography of Xenon are so vast that even nobles couldn’t imagine them.

It’s no longer a goose that lays golden eggs but a gold mine. Even now, gold bars are piled like mountains in secret warehouses.

‘He said he’ll release other works after the conclusion anyway.’

I’m not sure what kind of work it will be, but since it’s Issac’s work, it’s bound to be a hit. Even if it doesn’t have the same impact as the Biography of Xenon, it will certainly be valuable.

The fact that he’s informed about the final volume count means he’s telling me to prepare for it now.

So all he needs to do is make the necessary preparations. But what caught Musk’s eye wasn’t just the conclusion.

‘Questions and answers…’

A Q&A where readers ask questions they’re curious about, and the author answers them in the book.

It’s an event he wanted to do before concluding the series but couldn’t because he was too busy.

But recently, due to issues related to demon worshipers, he’s been confined to the dormitory.

With the ability to prepare manuscripts in advance and an abundance of free time, this is a suitable event for the current situation.

Of course, there’s also Issac’s genuine desire to somehow delay the conclusion. Still, his respect for fans is sincere.

‘The precaution is to reject questions related to anything outside the work. The problem is if this is announced as is…’

It would be difficult for him. There would definitely be all sorts of lobbying attempts.

Even before Issac revealed his identity, there was chaos with bribes and even threats. Fortunately, that has faded now… or not at all.

As everyone knows, Issac’s human relationships are very limited. But those limited relationships are incredibly strong.

Among them, the only person who could be easily approached was himself. He was just a wealthy commoner, not a prince or princess of any country.

‘This guy sometimes acts without thinking, doesn’t he?’

Although they hadn’t met many times, it was quite an accurate judgment. In reality, Issac was thinking of this event simply as something for the fans.

He hadn’t considered at all how much chaos would ensue in the process. Even if he had, he would have underestimated it.

Anyway, it’s undeniable that a troublesome situation has arisen. He can’t even suggest not doing it.

After reading the letter, Musk looked up. As he did, he saw Matthew, the secretary who had delivered the manuscript.

“Did something else arrive besides this?”

“Yes. Merry’s work also arrived. She sent volumes 2 and 3 simultaneously.”

“Oh! Is that true?”

“Yes.”

Musk brightened at the news that the manuscript of the rookie author Merry (Cherry), who had appeared like a comet, had finally arrived.

Though not as much as the Biography of Xenon, it’s gaining popularity with its unique warm writing style and distinctive settings.

If the Biography of Xenon is a god and dignity itself to Musk, “One More Red Sunset” is a filial work.

It’s especially explosively popular among women, and given its setting, many men are also subscribing.

Recently, for some reason, new volumes hadn’t been coming, but now two volumes arrived simultaneously, so it’s fine.

“Good, good. I can already hear the sound of money rolling in. Send it to the printing house immediately.”

“Um… Director? There’s one thing I haven’t mentioned yet.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

Matthew hesitated a bit at the director’s question, then opened his mouth in a very cautious voice.

“Um… you know the printing house in the Dutchy of Bellua?”

“What about that printing house? Has something happened?”

Musk couldn’t help but feel anxious upon hearing Matthew’s words. The Dutchy of Bellua is a neutral country that faithfully fulfills its role as the world’s bridgehead.

If minor problems occur there, it causes major difficulties for world trade. Musk knew this well, so he established a printing house there as soon as investment funds became available.

Rather than going back and forth, setting up a printing house in the Dutchy of Bellua would save a lot of money. In fact, this thought proved correct and brought in enormous profits.

“Yes. The ground completely collapsed due to terrorism.”

And sure enough, Musk’s anxiety was confirmed.

As soon as he heard this, he felt a pain in the back of his head, but he needed to hear the full story first.

So he opened his mouth with a trembling voice.

“…Who did it?”

“A demon worshiper committed suicide bombing.”

“…Haha.”

The intention was so obvious that he could only laugh hollowly.

Unable to directly target Issac, they’re trying to prevent the Biography of Xenon from spreading widely. This seemed to be their mindset.

And he would have to bear all the damage. It wasn’t just anywhere, but the branch set up in the Dutchy of Bellua that was hit, so his head was starting to ache.

“…What about the employees there?”

“There were a total of 5 casualties. Among them, 2 unfortunately…”

“Send 3 gold bars as condolence money and a letter too. I should have predicted this earlier…”

Money can solve many things, but not everything. For instance, money can’t bring back the dead.

Even if he sends a few more gold bars, the bereaved families who lost their loved ones won’t care. They’ll just grieve.

But the biggest problem is that this is the first incident. There’s a high possibility that other branch printing houses will collapse due to terrorism in the future.

If they can’t cut off the head, they’ll cut off the limbs instead. If the limbs are neutralized, they’ll target the torso.

This can’t continue. What they did is essentially a declaration of war.

With that conclusion reached, all that remains is action. Musk rose from his seat and instructed Matthew.

“Let’s head to the mansion for now. This isn’t something I can discuss alone.”

“Do you have something in mind?”

“No, I don’t.”

“…Pardon?”

While Matthew was dumbfounded, Musk reassured him.

“But I have money.”

“…”

“So just follow me quietly.”

What on earth is he thinking? Matthew wondered, but silently followed behind.