Ch.59Love (1)

The time that seemed eternal always comes to an end. This is a truth and immutable law that even gods cannot change.

My warm romantic escapade with Marie had to come to an end as well. Though I wanted to embrace her for hours, we parted with promises of tomorrow.

Even as we separated, we didn’t forget to share a light kiss filled with longing. What’s surprising is that Marie was the one who leaned in first. I merely responded to her gesture.

And so our time together, sweet enough to cause cavities, ended, but the tingling sensation on my tongue continued well into the next day.

“Hehehe.”

“What if someone sees us?”

“Let them see. We don’t need to hide anything anyway.”

Like secretly holding hands during lectures.

“Let’s go there today! I heard their tiramisu is delicious!”

“What else?”

“There’s a lot more. First, there’s…”

Or sticking together after classes, wandering around different parts of the academy.

“Aang.”

“Ack! Why did you bite me?”

“I just felt like it. I sometimes hear about people who nibble on their lover’s face, and now I understand why.”

Or suddenly nibbling my cheek out of nowhere.

For a new relationship, things were progressing surprisingly fast. But considering we’d already held hands and kissed from the very beginning, I had expected this much.

Of course, I wish she would refrain from biting my cheek occasionally. It might seem playful to her, but it really hurts from my perspective.

“Then I should bite your neck. Ang!”

“Aack!”

Still, each day remains joyful. Marie’s bright smile comes to mind when I’m writing manuscripts in my dormitory, when I’m walking down the street, and when I’m eating.

I’ve dated before in my previous life, but this feeling has become a source of vitality for me. Perhaps because of this, my manuscript writing speed has become frighteningly fast.

The stares from people around us? They bother me a little, but it doesn’t matter. Marie took the position that she didn’t mind if our relationship was discovered, and I could maintain a confident attitude since I had nothing to be ashamed of.

On the surface, it might look like an ill-matched couple—a duke’s daughter dating a mere baron’s son—but if you look at the details, it’s completely different. If anyone gives us such looks, both of us would inwardly sneer.

“…saac.”

“…”

“Issac?”

“Yes?”

I quickly snapped back to reality at someone’s call. I had accidentally fallen into contemplation while thinking about Marie.

Coming to my senses and looking ahead, I saw Cindy, the elf with dark circles and rotten fish-like eyes, staring at me. She blinked slowly and opened her mouth with her characteristic sluggish voice.

“You seemed spaced out again… What are you thinking about?”

“Ah… I just had a lot on my mind.”

“Nothing weird, right?”

“Well…”

I could only avert my gaze and trail off at Cindy’s question. I couldn’t possibly admit that I was recalling kissing Marie just moments ago.

Today, Marie had left early, saying she had something to do with her brother. Taking this opportunity, I came to Elena Heavensinger’s laboratory, which I hadn’t been able to visit recently due to my busy schedule, to teach Cindy about composition.

But Marie kept appearing in my thoughts. This must be what they call being lovesick.

There’s nothing more disrespectful than thinking about someone else while in front of another person, so I quickly erased her from my mind.

“It’s nothing weird. Really.”

“Hmm…”

Cindy stared at me intently with her lifeless eyes before turning her head. A notebook page lay where she was looking.

“So how do I do this again?”

“As I always say, the most important thing in writing is what you’re trying to convey. Especially in the thesis you’re trying to write, this aspect becomes even more advanced…”

It’s been almost three months since I received Professor Elena’s proposal, but the number of times I’ve actually visited the laboratory has been significantly low. This is because various incidents have occurred since then.

So feeling like I was taking advantage, and having some free time today, I visited the laboratory. I also had some information to ask Cindy for the development of the Biography of Xenon.

“First of all, Cindy, your spelling and spacing are fine. It’s just that your grammar is a mess.”

“I’m sorry…”

“No need to apologize. Grammar is simple on the surface but gets more complex the deeper you delve into it. To explain simply, it helps to think of everyday conversations. Doesn’t your hometown have educational institutions like academies?”

“Yes, it does… After all, we elves were the first to establish educational institutions like academies.”

I suppose humans might have imitated elven civilization, including educational institutions. Still, it was somewhat surprising to me as this was new knowledge.

Occasionally, listening to Cindy’s stories, I wonder why elves left humans alone. Was it because of their confidence that no matter how hard humans tried, they couldn’t match them?

In reality, unless they’re knights, it’s very difficult for human soldiers to defeat even a single elf warrior even in large numbers. Given the enormous difference in basic specs, elves might not have bothered.

‘There’s not a single record of them being pushed back during the Racial War.’

The decisive reason the Racial War ended wasn’t because one side was defeated, but because the elves self-destructed. More precisely, their leadership kept making mistakes.

No matter where you go, old-fashioned leaders are the problem, and when those at the top are stubborn, those below suffer. Although there’s been a generational change since then, their influence remains formidable.

‘Humans certainly have more frequent generational changes, so renewal happens faster.’

Anyway, moving on—

“No, you’re doing it again. Is my explanation difficult? I’m telling you to write exactly what you want to say! Think about when you’re talking with me.”

“Umm… I understand…”

Cindy’s learning was truly catastrophic. She barely understood even after the same explanation was repeated multiple times.

It’s like having to chew information into tiny pieces and force-feed it to her. I’ve heard that other races learn slower than humans, and it seems to be true. Moreover, according to Professor Elena, Cindy is duller than other elves, so it’s frustrating.

“Sigh… I’m sorry for losing my temper. I should have come more often…”

“No, no… You don’t know, but for an elf, this is actually quick progress…”

When I sighed and lamented, Cindy squirmed with genuine remorse. Seeing this, I felt my anger, which was about to boil over, gradually subside.

It’s not like she lacks willingness; she’s just slow-witted, so getting angry would be counterproductive. I might inadvertently break her spirit.

‘There’s still plenty of time. I’ll visit the laboratory regularly when I become a third-year student, so I just need to be patient until then.’

The time perception of elves should never be compared to that of humans. A year for an elf is only about a month for a human.

I watched Cindy scribbling on her notebook with a pen and then spoke. As I mentioned earlier, teaching Cindy composition can be done slowly.

“Cindy.”

“Yes?”

“Did you read the book I mentioned last time?”

“Biography of Xenon? I read it… It was really interesting… It helped me a lot…”

If this is what “helped a lot” looks like… While I’m glad she enjoyed it, I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.

Anyway, the reason I mentioned the Biography of Xenon is because of an elf who will play an important role in the future of the biography.

Also, the executive on the demon side who represents “Pride” among the “Seven Deadly Sins” is an elf. I want to check Cindy’s reaction since I haven’t had the chance to ask Professor Elena directly.

Of course, I should first confirm if she’s read up to volume 9. I nodded and asked Cindy the next question.

“How many volumes have you read?”

“I read them all… When I asked the professor, she gladly lent them to me…”

“Then what do you think about an elf representing pride among the Seven Deadly Sins?”

“Hmm…”

At my question, Cindy stopped scribbling in her notebook and pursed her lips. She seemed to be pondering my question carefully.

Uniquely, Cindy tends to answer my questions diligently without any suspicion. She probably doesn’t realize it herself, but she naturally enjoys explaining things to others. She even explains things well.

Although transferring those explanations to writing is extremely difficult. If that part was perfect too, Professor Elena wouldn’t have sighed.

“Well… I’ve been away from home for so long, so I’m not sure… But they’re probably seriously considering it? Even during the Racial War, our elves collapsed from within due to pride rather than external pressure… They would reluctantly admit it…”

“So there’s no reaction…”

“That’s definitely not the case… Even though there’s been a generational change, internal conflicts still exist… Fortunately, the Queen is moderate, so there shouldn’t be any problems for now…”

In other words, there are people on the elf side who are eager to catch me. The Queen’s moderate temperament is holding them back, but if the issue grows larger, word might leak out.

I recalled the future developments after hearing her explanation. If volume 9 introduces the Seven Deadly Sins, then volume 10 will deal with the story of elves.

More specifically, it’s about the story of the Elf Queen and the “Master” who taught Xenon. Originally, I would have written it without much thought, but considering the influence of demons and the Seven Deadly Sins, it was difficult to write carelessly.

“Um… Cindy.”

“What?”

“How do you feel about elves forming deep bonds with humans?”

“Huh?”

Cindy looked at me after hearing my question and blinked a couple of times. A questioning look settled in her hazy expression.

The reason I’m asking this is because of the relationship between the Elf Queen and the “Master.” A love story between a long-lived elf and a short-lived human. How poignant a story is that?

But strangely, such stories are nowhere to be found in this world. Even in other romance novels, love stories between elves and humans are non-existent.

I don’t know if there’s a taboo against elves loving other races, or if there’s another reason, but it’s a very important matter to me. This way, I can prevent potential future incidents.

After the triple hit of demons, steam locomotives, and the Seven Deadly Sins, I had to take a cautious approach. If this also has a severe impact, I’m prepared to boldly exclude it.

“Why suddenly ask that? Are you interested in me?”

Cindy, who had been quietly staring at me, suddenly expressed such a doubt. It could be alarming, so I immediately waved my hands in denial.

“No, no. That’s not it. It’s just something I’ve been curious about, and I already have a girlfriend.”

“Is that so? Hmm…”

Cindy withdrew her suspicious gaze and began to ponder. After thinking for a while, she tilted her head and answered.

“For us to form bonds with humans… it’s almost impossible… Human lifespans are extremely short compared to elves…”

“What about other races, not just humans?”

“Well… As you know, we elves tend to look down on other races… Although such views have decreased with generational changes, they still remain… Unless it’s someone they acknowledge, they don’t treat them as equals…”

As expected of the race of pride. But considering the root of that pride, it’s not incomprehensible.

While I was thinking about this, Cindy paused briefly before adding more.

“Even if they did form a bond, the elf side would reject it… What could be sadder than living with the memory of someone you loved for your entire life? Rather than living with regret forever, it’s better to reject it…”

“Indeed, lifespan seems to be the biggest issue.”

“But why are you asking? Could it be that your girlfriend is an elf?”

“No, that’s not it, but…”

I answered Cindy’s question with a genuinely happy smile.

“She is as beautiful as an elf though.”

“…Ugh.”

At that, Cindy made a face as if she had heard something utterly bizarre.