Ch.43Crisis (2)

After reading the letter from my father, I couldn’t help but blank out for a moment. The characteristically short and direct writing style confirmed it was definitely from him.

But looking at the content, it carried a sense of gravity as if we were in some kind of spy movie. It took me a while to understand, but soon I had to harden my expression.

‘…So my trail has been discovered?’

The reason I was able to submit manuscripts to publishers anonymously was thanks to my father’s help. I’m not sure exactly what process he uses, but I can roughly guess that he’s utilizing his connections.

Thanks to that, I was able to maintain my anonymity even after Biography of Xenon became a massive hit and everyone was looking for me. In exchange, Father emphasized that I should remain vigilant since he said I was being sought by not only the imperial family and nobles but various other parties as well.

And today, it seems my trail has been discovered. I stared blankly at the letter while stroking my chin.

‘Do you not know who it is?’

With the subject neatly omitted, I couldn’t tell who had discovered my trail. Given Father’s personality, even if he wrote briefly, he would have included all important details. The fact that this information was missing suggested he likely didn’t know who it was.

Well, whoever discovered my trail would have hired someone to do it, so it would be stranger if he did know who it was. Regardless, the fact that I need to be careful remains unchanged.

‘…I should at least remain vigilant.’

I don’t know who discovered my trail, and just because they found something doesn’t mean my identity has been completely exposed. Still, it’s best to follow Father’s warning just in case.

To be honest, there’s nothing I can do right now. At present, I can only hope that Father cuts off the trail that was discovered.

If I become overly conscious of it, it could cause problems with my writing and make others suspicious. So the right approach is to act as usual while maintaining vigilance.

‘But is there only one letter?’

Usually, my parents send letters together, so if Father wrote a letter, there should be one from Mother as well. While Father wrote briefly to convey news, Mother would have written a long letter to check on my well-being and progress.

And sure enough, just as I expected, there was another letter neatly placed inside the envelope I had torn earlier.

Taking out the letter and smoothing it flat, I immediately noticed the beautifully written handwriting. This was indeed Mother’s letter, characterized by her delicate writing style unlike Father’s.

[Isaac. Since your father seems to have written only what he needed to say without asking about your well-being, I’m sending a letter too. After reading your last letter, I’m relieved to see that you’re adapting well to academy life. However, the weather seems to have gotten quite hot lately, and I worry about you since you’ve always been sensitive to heat. I still remember when you collapsed during training with your father. While I’m playfully asking when the next volume will be released, remember that health is always the most important thing. I know academy life is busy, but please take care of your health…]

Reading the sentences that filled the A4-sized paper made my heart feel warm. Whether in my past life or current one, mothers are clearly angels who think of their children before themselves.

Sometimes, the mistresses of certain noble families treat their children as political tools, but not my mother. She was simply an ordinary mother of a family.

I smiled sincerely as I slowly read through the letter my mother had written. The elegant cursive handwriting was a joy to behold.

[Your father wrote to tell you to be careful, but you don’t need to worry too much. Even if you’re discovered, our family will protect you. Especially—though you may not know this—your father was once the captain of a famous knightly order. So even if you’re discovered, even the imperial family wouldn’t dare touch us easily, so don’t worry. If necessary, your father will directly confront the imperial family.]

I couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of person he must have been in the past if even the imperial family couldn’t easily touch him. Well, Rina did tell me that he declined the title of count and became a baron instead, so he’s certainly not an ordinary person.

He’s like the epitome of a reclusive master straight out of a novel. But the fact that he deliberately accepted a lower title suggests he definitely has a dark past. Especially since he said he announced his retirement at a considerably young age.

[…So our family is always supporting you. Don’t push yourself too hard and steadily do what you want to do. From your loving mother.]

Even after finishing the letter, the lingering feeling remained. Mother once said she used to write well, and reading this letter, I could tell that was no exaggeration.

From the beautiful, flowing handwriting to the touching phrases—nothing was lacking.

‘…I mustn’t disappoint them.’

While Jin and Lilly might jokingly press me about when the characters will get together, it’s just that—a joke. Mother actually dislikes when stories take strange turns due to external pressure.

After reading Mother’s letter once more, I folded it neatly and placed it in my desk drawer. The first drawer contained manuscript paper and spare notebooks, while the second drawer stored the letters my parents had sent.

‘First…’

Having finished all my tasks for the day, I sat in my chair and began writing a letter—not for Biography of Xenon, but a reply. Since their letter was full of concern, I needed to reassure them.

Of course, it would be good to mention that due to circumstances, the next volume of Biography of Xenon would come out at least two months later.

‘As for the discovered trail… there’s nothing I can do about it, so I’ll just focus on writing.’

With a mind eased by Mother’s letter, I wrote my reply.

******

The Empire of Minerva is one of the strongest nations in human society. Not only is its territory vast, but its military and economic power are also unparalleled.

As a result, every statement made by the empire has a significant impact on the entire world, to the extent that even other races cannot ignore it.

However, even the Empire of Minerva has had an eternal rival since ancient times—the Kingdom of Teres.

Compared to the Empire of Minerva, the Kingdom of Teres has lower military and economic power, but one aspect is overwhelmingly superior: soft power, or “culture.”

Music, literature, education, science, technology, magic, even the cultures of other races—it would not be an exaggeration to say that all cultures of this world are included in the Kingdom of Teres, boasting such vastness.

However, the Empire of Minerva didn’t just stand by watching; they pressured the Kingdom of Teres and plundered its culture on numerous occasions. A prime example is the Halo Academy, acclaimed as the world’s finest academy.

When the Empire of Minerva established the academy, they recruited all the professors and related craftsmen who belonged to the Kingdom of Teres. From the kingdom’s perspective, it was like having their nose cut off right before their eyes, so they protested fiercely and began to strictly prohibit such practices by law.

In any case, while the Empire of Minerva was strong in outwardly visible power like military and economic might, the Kingdom of Teres had solid internal strength. Its nickname was even “the country of culture,” which even elves acknowledged.

However, there were side effects. The cultural organization was so solid that major incidents like the “Jeiros Revolution” occurred. But they grew even stronger using that as a stepping stone, so it wasn’t entirely a bad outcome for the Kingdom of Teres.

“So, you caught the trail, but it’s difficult to trace it further up.”

Inside an office that exuded both antique and sophisticated atmosphere.

A middle-aged man with sky-blue hair tied tightly in a ponytail spoke to a man standing opposite him. Despite his seemingly gentle face, his sky-blue eyes were sharp, and his tone was equally serious.

The man in a black uniform standing opposite him bowed deeply, clearly expressing his regret.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. It’s entirely due to my lack of ability.”

“No, it’s fine. Catching the trail is enough. How much information can you extract from the trail?”

“I’m embarrassed to say this, but there’s virtually nothing. He’s just an errand boy who receives money and carries out requests, and it’s difficult to track the client.”

“Hmm…”

Fredrick Ducard von Curtures, the king ruling the Kingdom of Teres, placed his fist against his chin in deep thought.

They had truly caught the trail by chance, but unfortunately, it was merely a lizard’s tail—the kind that detaches itself when caught. When they first caught the trail, they thought it might provide clues to find the author of Biography of Xenon, who was as enigmatic as a riddle, but it turned out to be just a useless errand boy. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

Fredrick sighed in regret and then asked the man before him.

“What about the movements of other countries? They must know that we’ve caught a trail.”

“They won’t make a move right away. They also know well that catching a trail is not the end.”

“I see. In any case, we need to find him first.”

People all over the world are looking for the author of Biography of Xenon, namely Isaac, but the most passionate among them is undoubtedly the Kingdom of Teres.

In the Empire of Minerva, the imperial family and high-ranking nobles are also mobilizing manpower to search, but not as much as the Kingdom of Teres.

From the Empire of Minerva’s perspective, they’re taking a passive stance because they fear the author might flee if provoked too much, whereas the Kingdom of Teres is gathering clues indiscriminately without such concerns.

If you’re wondering why the Kingdom of Teres is looking for Isaac, the answer is simple.

“I want to find him quickly and give those Minerva bastards a big blow.”

“I agree. It’s infuriating how much they’ve taken from us.”

As seen in the example of Halo Academy, they’ve lost too many cultural assets to the Empire of Minerva. Although they’ve now blocked it by law, the empire has been stealing their culture bit by bit for a long time, causing numerous losses.

After all, “money” is the most important factor in developing culture, and the Empire of Minerva has taken away many craftsmen and artists using their enormous wealth as bait. It wouldn’t be strange if the Kingdom of Teres harbored deep resentment.

“Moreover, historically, there has never been a case like the author of Biography of Xenon who changed the world simply through a novel. It’s unprecedented.”

“Yes. It’s surprising enough that a demon princess has enrolled in Halo Academy, but now she’s sending a delegation to our country soon… It’s truly an unbelievable reality.”

“If that author were to write something criticizing our country, it would be terrible just to imagine. Though I doubt that would happen.”

Above all, Isaac himself is of immense value. He has already completely changed the perception of demons with Biography of Xenon, so what if he writes something criticizing a specific country?

On Earth, with the internet widely available to the public, such a book might be dismissed, but not in this world. It could literally be exploited as a “weapon” for brainwashing.

And from the perspective of national leaders, they fear internal collapse more than external invasion. Once the pillars crumble, there’s nothing they can do.

The Kingdom of Teres, having suffered greatly through the Jeiros Revolution, knows this better than anyone.

“I understand for now. I’ll provide all the support you need, so make sure to find the author. But if you do find him, bring him in ‘respectfully.’ Understood?”

“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll bring good news as soon as possible.”

“Good. Any other news?”

“Regarding Princess Adel…”

Fredrick frowned deeply when the aide mentioned a specific person. It was a reaction suggesting he didn’t even want to hear the name.

“Enough. She’s someone I’ve already cast aside, so why should I need to know?”

“But Your Majesty, Princess Adel is…”

Before the aide could finish, Fredrick extended his hand forward, signaling him to stop speaking.

“Stop. If she were my child, I would have enrolled her in Teres Academy, not Halo Academy. I only have four children. Remember that.”

“…Understood.”

The aide couldn’t continue in the face of Fredrick’s resolute statement.

Perhaps he had some conscience after all. Fredrick stroked his chin thoughtfully before giving an order to his aide.

“Well… it would be good to let her know. Tell her that we’ll soon find the author of Biography of Xenon, which she was so fond of.”

“…Why would you specifically inform her?”

“So that she won’t easily take her own life. We should give her some hope.”

“…”

What a twisted taste, the aide thought, barely restraining himself from frowning.