Ch.3Uneasy Beginning (1)

Time passed quickly, and the day of enrollment arrived.

Since I had finished all preparations days ago, I only needed to check my luggage, and I had already reserved a carriage. All that remained was saying goodbye to my parents.

“Our beloved Issac. Do you really have to return the books even when you’re at the academy?”

“…Mother, are the books more important to you than I am?”

“Of course.”

“… …”

“Hoho. I’m just joking. Don’t make such a face.”

It doesn’t seem like a joke. I smiled bitterly. Still, she loves her children dearly, so she gave me a hug.

“Issac. Your father has a gift for you.”

Next was my father’s farewell, and he gave me a pen.

It looked like what was called a “fountain pen” in my previous life, with a black base and gold trim that caught the eye with its elegant combination.

For someone like me who had only used pen nibs until now, it was an impressive sight that made my eyes widen.

As I looked back and forth between the fountain pen and my father, he explained with a pleased smile.

“It’s called a Magic Pen. It has magic embedded in it that converts mana into ink. As long as you can charge it with mana, you can use it for a lifetime.”

“I-Isn’t this expensive?”

In this world, magic has developed instead of science. Complex things like machines and engineering can also be replaced with magic.

However, magic here hasn’t been popularized or made accessible to the public, so it’s mostly used by the upper class.

Moreover, magical items like this require intricate craftsmanship, so they’re usually made directly by dwarves.

So this Magic Pen that my father readily gave me must be unbelievably expensive. It probably costs at least a commoner’s annual living expenses. Even for my father, who holds the title of baron, it’s a significant expense.

“Compared to the money you’ve earned for us, this is nothing. Besides, when I thought about what to give you, this was all I could think of. Your father is sorry.”

“Father…”

“Keep writing diligently when you get there, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your studies. If you have any difficulties, ask your brother and sister for help.”

Father spoke in a warm voice while giving advice and placed the Magic Pen directly in my hand. I could feel his calloused hands, hardened from a lifetime of service as a knight.

Then father gently touched the callus between the first and second joints of my middle finger. It’s the callus I developed from writing so much, commonly called a “pen callus.”

“This too can be considered a scar of glory. Dad is proud of you.”

“… …”

“This is honor you’ve earned yourself, not from anyone else. So act with pride in yourself.”

“…Yes.”

It’s an honor and blessing just to be born and raised under such good parents. There’s nothing more important than growing up under good parents.

Although in my previous life, my family disappeared before I could repay their kindness, this life is different. I shared a deep father-son embrace with my father and then boarded the pre-reserved carriage.

“I’ll be going now!”

“Take care of yourself! Come visit with your brother and sister during the break!”

“Contact us if anything happens! Make sure to stay healthy!”

My parents continued watching even after I boarded the carriage. They went back into the mansion once I was some distance away, but I kept glancing back.

‘Now I’m really leaving.’

I watched the scenery outside from the bumpy carriage. The territory my father manages is so rural it could be called a backwater.

In exchange, there are almost no monster appearances, and the territory’s residents live happily day by day, making it a place full of laughter and vitality. And since my father was originally a knight with impressive achievements, some young men visit him directly for training.

Occasionally, when I’m writing, I hear wailing from outside, mostly from knight aspirants training under my father. I believe some of the exceptional ones were sent to the academy with my father’s recommendation.

‘I won’t be seeing that anymore, will I?’

How should I describe this feeling… It couldn’t be expressed in a single word.

I was excited, but I wondered if someone like me, who had almost no social relationships until now, could adapt well. Moreover, this is a world completely different from what I know.

They say people are the same everywhere, but I’m not sure if that common sense applies here. This is a world where social status exists, so there are too many variables.

‘What’s the point of worrying now?’

I decided to relax. People have no idea that I’m the author of the Biography of Xenon, and I just need to act like a diligent student.

I’m not sure what I’ll learn at the academy, but my goal is to study hard and earn a scholarship. If any trouble arises during my stay, I can tattle to my brother or sister.

‘First, I need to find my brother and sister when I get there.’

My sister has navy blue hair, but my brother has red hair like my father, so he should be easy to find. Red hair is rare in this world. Especially those golden eyes that shine like a beast’s.

I leaned back comfortably against the backrest, but then a question occurred to me, so I asked the coachman.

“Mr. Coachman, how many hours will it take to reach the academy?”

“If the weather is good, it will take about 10 hours.”

“That’s shorter than I expected. I thought it would take at least a day.”

“The territory managed by Baron Mayshall is close to the capital. Besides, this territory is just undeveloped for now, but full-scale development will begin in five years.”

10 hours… just right for reading a book or taking a nap. Still, it’s a very long time.

When I first reincarnated, I wondered how to spend the unnecessarily abundant time meaningfully. The result was books.

But sometimes I wish science had advanced a bit more. Even dwarves, who have better craftsmanship than humans, focus on creating superior weapons and items, not transportation.

‘Should I include this in the Biography of Xenon? As a masterpiece created by dwarf craftsmen working together.’

That wouldn’t be bad. Coincidentally, dwarves are full of eccentrics who create not just innovative but bizarre magical weapons. So with a goal of transportation and supply, and a suitably tragic backstory, there’s enough plausibility.

Especially among dwarves, the relationship between master and apprentice is like parent and child, and I’ve heard from my father that when a master passes away, the apprentice continues their work as tradition.

Even if it’s something that everyone points fingers at, they endure it to the end. This explains why there are so many eccentrics among dwarves.

‘That’s enough for a tragic backstory. I can set it up as a steam locomotive that moves by burning mana.’

I scribbled in my notebook with the Magic Pen my father gave me. The habit of recording things so I don’t forget was something I had in my previous life too, so now I use a notebook instead.

‘It’s not like I know how it works either, so who would actually try to build it?’

Let me clarify, I’m a liberal arts person. What would I know about machines?

I just need to express it enough to imagine it in my head, and if it’s too difficult, I can add illustrations.

By the way, I’m actually quite good at drawing. When I first published the Biography of Xenon, I included a world map for readers’ easy understanding.

Of course, my drawing skills aren’t exceptional, but they were sufficient for immersion. I enjoyed drawing myself, so I included several illustrations with each book publication.

‘It has that old novel feel.’

Before web novels became popular in my previous life, paper books contained several illustrations to help understand the world. That made it more immersive.

I recorded the settings for the steam locomotive in my notebook and checked if the ink had dried. True to its expensive price, the ink dried quickly.

I felt good thinking about how my father had given me something so nice. After that, I focused on reading until we arrived.

“Sir?”

“… …”

“Sir?”

“Yes?”

While I was focused on reading, the coachman called me. I briefly closed my book and looked up.

“We’ll soon arrive at Halo Academy.”

“Huh? Already?”

“Hahaha. What do you mean, already? It’s been 10 hours. Your concentration is impressive.”

The coachman laughed heartily. I scratched my head awkwardly and glanced out the window.

“Wow…”

As expected of a city, and the capital at that. The streets are clearly different.

In my hometown, when you go out, you mostly see fields or farmland, but here everything is filled with buildings. Both the architectural style and the pedestrians walking on the streets give the feeling of being in Europe.

Occasionally, I saw knights wearing iron armor and wizards holding staffs, who seemed to be in charge of security.

“If you look ahead, you’ll see Halo Academy.”

“Where… Oh.”

As the coachman said, looking ahead, I saw a building with a distinctly different structure. My impression upon seeing it:

‘…Is that Hogwarts?’

No lie, Hogwarts from Harry Potter was standing right there. The castle-sized building with conical roofs. It had the exact appearance of the Hogwarts I knew.

Of course, it wasn’t completely identical, with slight differences, but not significantly so.

‘Surely the magic spells aren’t something like Abracadabra?’

Having never seen a wizard with my own eyes, such thoughts suddenly occurred to me.

“We’ve arrived. Have a good stay.”

“Thank you. Good work.”

As I got off the carriage, the coachman greeted me like a gentleman. I also greeted him according to the etiquette I learned at home.

The coachman smiled once more before turning around. I watched him leave before turning around myself.

“Whoa…”

Even though I tried not to show it, admiration naturally escaped my lips. Anyone who lived on Earth would understand my feelings.

Who wouldn’t be amazed when a fantasy civilization that only existed in comics or novels is right in front of them? As I felt from a distance, it looked exactly like a castle, not a university.

“…This isn’t the time.”

I quickly gathered my wits and looked around. People who appeared to be new students were already heading towards the main gate.

Occasionally, I saw people in uniform, presumably current students. Uniforms are only given to new students after all.

With this, I calmed my racing heart and walked towards the main gate. As I moved, my luggage-filled carrier made a dragging sound.

“Oh my! Oh my! Look over there! Isn’t that Crown Prince Leort?”

“It really is. He’s always so handsome…”

“Is that Princess Rina next to him?”

“Probably? The princess is beautiful too. I’m envious.”

Suddenly, the atmosphere became noisy. People heading to the academy entrance stopped midway and looked in one direction.

I also turned my head, wondering what the commotion was about. And there were two people, a man and a woman, walking side by side, radiating dazzling beauty.

“…Oh.”

So people can look like that too. I pride myself on having a fairly handsome face, but I’d have to concede to that man.

And what about the woman walking beside him? Wearing a pure white dress, she exudes beauty no less than elves who are called incarnations of beauty.

What’s peculiar is that both have blonde hair and blue eyes, and although their impressions are somewhat different, they were clearly siblings to anyone who saw them.

“…Wait, did they say crown prince and princess?”

The two who said they’d capture me and beat me up in the newspaper? Just as I was thinking that, someone clung to them.

It was a girl with wavy brown hair and round, cute eyes, with a relatively petite build that made her look like a squirrel.

“Lord Leort! It’s been a while!”

“Hmm? You are…”

At that moment, it wasn’t my imagination that Leort’s expression cracked.

Regardless, the brown-haired girl clung to Leort even more. She even subtly linked arms with him, seemingly trying to emphasize her closeness with Leort to those around.

But Leort remained indifferent even as the girl linked arms with him. Meanwhile, the girl spoke in a clear voice.

“I’m Sophia! Do you remember me?”

“…Ah. Lady Sophia. Of course I know you.”

That’s a lie. Anyone can tell from his artificial smile. The crown prince is very displeased right now.

Well, anyone would be angry if a stranger clung to them while walking. Especially if the motive was so obvious.

Unfortunately, Lady Sophia either lacked awareness or had two lives to spare, as she pressed her body even closer.

Her expression of being moved was a bonus.

“Y-You remember me! Honestly, I thought you wouldn’t…”

“How could I not recognize such a small and cute lady like you?”

“Aah…!”

Wow. Look at him lying so shamelessly without even batting an eye. Still, with that voice and that face, anyone would fall for it.

Of course, acting must not be an easy task.

‘The crown prince doesn’t have it easy either.’

I chuckled inwardly with an inexplicable sympathy before moving on. It’s a distant story for me, and unnecessary interference would only be harmful.

“Oh, that’s right! Lord Leort, have you read the newly published Biography of Xenon?”

That was until Sophia asked such a question. I stopped in my tracks and looked back at Leort.

Leort’s expression brightened more than before as soon as the Biography of Xenon was mentioned. It’s natural since he liked it enough to threaten to lock me up in the palace.

“Of course. Have you read the new volume too?”

“Of course! But the ending… it felt like the author was playing with people’s hearts, which made me angry. Don’t you agree, Lord Leort?”

“That just means the author is skilled enough to move people’s hearts. I was also angry after reading the ending. My sister was the same.”

“Princess Rina too?”

Sophia’s gaze turned to the princess, Rina. Rina smiled and answered.

But her gaze was directed at Leort, not Sophia.

“Brother. Do you really need to say such things? It’s embarrassing.”

It sounds like: Why are you making trouble for me?

But Leort was no pushover.

“Hobbies are more fun when shared.”

It sounds like: Let’s suffer together.

Despite their gentle tone and elegant language, the essence of siblings doesn’t change no matter where they go.

“How did you two feel after reading the ending? Is it really like what was in the newspaper…”

“Ah, that? That was written in the heat of the moment, so don’t worry too much about it.”

“I feel the same. Lady Sophia doesn’t need to worry about it.”

That’s fortunate news for me. I sighed in relief, feeling like a burden had been lifted.

Well, who in their right mind would write such things in a newspaper…

“Well, wanting to lock the author up in the palace is half serious though. Hahaha.”

“… …”

I should absolutely avoid getting involved or even meeting those bastards.

Feeling there was nothing more to hear, I quickly moved my legs.

‘Wait a minute. Don’t tell me the princess is enrolling too?’

Thinking about it, the situation seems even more fucked up.

I must absolutely not be discovered.