Ch.69Storm (4)

Power is a force both simple and complex, intangible yet inseparably connected to “people.”

Power is fundamentally about “strength,” which is only natural. Throughout history, those who possessed strength also wielded greater power, while the weaker side would bow their heads or vigilantly wait for opportunities.

So how does one obtain power? The simplest method is to be stronger than your opponent.

If you’re stronger, it doesn’t matter how much the other side challenges you—it’s meaningless, and they’re likely to suffer the consequences instead. That’s why people bow their heads to the strong and follow them, whether willingly or not.

Rina, the First Princess of the Empire of Minerva, is such a case. She didn’t earn her power—she was born into a position of tremendous authority.

Who would dare touch a princess from the world’s strongest nation? Unless someone has a death wish, absolutely no one.

“… …”

Rina had returned to her quarters after everything was over and was lying blankly on her bed. Despite the darkness of her bedroom without a single light, her golden hair seemed to glow on its own.

Normally, she would be studying or reading, but today she had much to think about. Rina stared at the ceiling, recalling the events of the past three days.

After the hiatus announcement in Volume 10 of the Biography of Xenon, the Empire of Minerva fell into great chaos. Protests demanding explanations erupted across the country, and those in power moved quickly to contain the situation.

In truth, protests weren’t limited to the Empire of Minerva but appeared across all nations, though they were most severe within the Empire.

Other countries blamed the Empire solely because the publisher was located there, and given the Empire’s notorious reputation for cultural appropriation, the criticism was inevitably stronger.

That’s why Rina had stepped forward to calm the situation. If Issac’s hiatus was truly because of her and Leort, an apology would be necessary to defuse the situation.

She had been prepared to accept whatever proposal Issac might make. The Imperial Princess was willing to swallow her pride and bow her head—she would have accepted even the strangest requests.

But Issac had only proposed they speak informally to each other, a suggestion Rina couldn’t comprehend. She would have understood if he’d asked her to prostrate herself before him.

‘I don’t understand.’

Rina was born with the power and authority befitting a princess. She had entered the political arena from her early teens and knew more about politics than anyone her age.

She had learned one truth from this:

There may be people who don’t know the taste of power, but there’s no one who has tasted it just once. Moreover, those who have tasted power once become desperate for more.

She had seen countless such people in the Imperial Palace. People who flattered her endlessly to get even the smallest crumbs of power, or who subtly tried to undermine her authority.

Rina had dealt with such people herself. The education she had received from her mother since childhood proved valuable, and her exceptional observational skills allowed her to detect these attempts early.

This environment forced her to wear a “mask,” which led to major conflicts with Marie.

At the time, she had mistakenly thought Marie was approaching her for power like everyone else, but Marie had approached with pure intentions of friendship. Yet she had betrayed Marie’s expectations without realizing it.

‘Issac is… fascinating.’

Rina thought of the red-haired boy, Issac. The son of Hawk, who had made his name as the Red Lion, and the author of the Biography of Xenon—a boy with truly unique characteristics.

At first glance, he might appear expressionless or taciturn, but that wasn’t entirely true. With her keen observation, Rina knew he was capable of showing various expressions.

And strangely enough, Issac seemed uncomfortable with power. Even at their previous gathering, he could have solidified his position by staying close to her, but he didn’t.

Instead, he firmly expressed his desire to enjoy the gathering normally, stating he didn’t want to get entangled in that aspect (politics). More than finding it burdensome, he genuinely wanted to enjoy the gathering normally.

‘Does he truly dislike power?’

The reason she had separately invited Issac and Nicole previously was for symbiosis or cooperation. It was wrong to pressure them by bringing up tax evasion, but that had given Issac a weapon of his own.

Even without revealing his identity, Issac held untouchable authority in the cultural sphere, while she possessed overwhelming authority due to her status. If these two forces harmonized, they could accomplish anything.

But Issac didn’t do that. Despite having authority, he seemed unwilling to exercise power and went ahead with his planned hiatus. Thanks to that, Rina belatedly realized:

Ah. Issac isn’t someone who can be manipulated. If I rashly challenge him, I’ll be the one in trouble.

Just by announcing a hiatus in his author’s note, the world was thrown into turmoil, even frenzy. For the first time, Rina was bewildered by a major incident that couldn’t be controlled by authority rather than power, and secondly, she was surprised by Issac’s true intentions.

‘Writing with pure intentions, without ulterior motives…’

Issac had said he wrote the Biography of Xenon simply as a hobby. That was clearly not a lie but the truth.

That’s why she couldn’t understand. Someone with such power and authority writing the Biography of Xenon without any purpose, just as a hobby…

‘…No. Perhaps that’s why he could gain such authority.’

Rina smiled faintly. Despite everything, understanding Issac was difficult for her right now.

Even Marie, who was detached from any sense of authority, couldn’t understand him, so how could she? There was a reason those two were so fond of each other.

But that made her want to understand him even more. Why Issac was uncomfortable with power. And why he had proposed they speak informally.

A person who influenced the entire world without flaunting himself. Rina found herself growing increasingly curious about Issac as a person.

At first, she had approached him out of simple curiosity, but today she could make a decision. To learn about Issac himself, not his abilities or background.

‘It’s my first time approaching someone for who they are… I wonder if I can do it?’

Until now, Rina had only approached people for their abilities or potential. That’s why she had readily approached Issac after his presentation in their first class.

But she had never approached someone for who they were as a person. Could she really do it well?

‘I can.’

Although Marie stood firmly beside him, she needed to gather courage and approach to satisfy this curiosity.

Perhaps she might even be forgiven for her past mistakes as she grew closer to Marie. Rina briefly wore a gloomy expression as she recalled the mistakes she had made, but quickly resolved:

‘When approaching Issac, I’ll set aside my power.’

Since he disliked power, shouldn’t she set hers aside too? Now that they were speaking informally, they could break down the walls between them.

‘First…’

The protests occurring around the world needed to end. There was nothing she could do right now.

Issac had said he would send a letter to the publisher himself, as having a spokesperson from the Imperial Palace would cause various problems. Though it would take time, it was a definite solution for Issac, who wanted neutrality.

‘It will end well, right?’

Rina slowly closed her eyes, hoping Issac would resolve the situation well.

For some reason, Issac’s image appeared in her mind.

‘…I should give him a gift later since I’m sorry.’

*****

It had been a full fortnight since the release of Volume 10 of the Biography of Xenon.

The protests around the world showed no signs of diminishing and were actually becoming more aggressive with each passing day.

Not only had the crowd gathered in front of the publisher grown larger, but nobles also frequently came begging for a solution.

This wasn’t limited to the publisher. Town squares, busy streets—anywhere protests could be held, people were holding signs demanding explanations. Leaders were racking their brains over how to handle the protesters but hesitated to take action for fear of triggering another Jeiros Revolution.

Though they had power, using it recklessly now could shatter everything. This forced them to proceed cautiously.

“… …”

The publisher’s president sat leaning back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. His eyes had lost focus, and his expression suggested his soul had departed.

He must have suffered greatly, as his once plump cheeks had become gaunt.

[Let’s see how long you can hold out! Tell us now!]

[Can’t you at least send a letter?! You’re hiding the author, aren’t you?! Huh?! Speak up!!]

The harsh protests reached the president’s ears. These were the voices of protesters who had formed a line in front of the publishing house.

The protesters showed no signs of fatigue, shouting at the top of their lungs for two weeks straight. The president was at his wit’s end, but he no longer had the energy to react.

Until just moments ago, he had been dealing not with protesters but with even more stubborn nobles. Fortunately, they had retreated for now as they had work to do, but he would have to face them again tomorrow.

At that thought, the president shuddered and then sighed. He glanced at the newspaper on his desk.

[The Voice of the Citizens: Will It Reach the Author?]

[Publishers and Leaders Remain Silent: Silence Is Not the Right Path.]

[Concerns Mount About Xenon’s Well-being… Those Who Tried to Visit Were Beaten…]

[Must Prevent Another Jeiros Revolution… Empire of Minerva Also Pleads Ignorance.]

While individuals might struggle against power, when united they could force even an empire to surrender. The president could keenly feel how the Biography of Xenon had changed the world.

Fortunately, nothing like the Jeiros Revolution had occurred yet, but it was only a matter of time. He had heard that troops were being stationed in various places because of this.

And if a revolution truly broke out… the publishing house would be finished. The protesters outside would rush in, and hiring mercenaries would be meaningless.

“Ugh… really…”

The president clutched his head in agony. It had been days since he sent the letter, but there was no reply.

He feared that the author of the Biography of Xenon might truly disappear. He wanted to pack his bags and flee in the night, but he couldn’t bear to abandon the company he had built up over the years.

‘Be patient. Good fortune will come if I just hold on a little longer.’

The president prayed fervently to Luminus. For this situation to end quickly. Only then could he survive.

And as if his desperate prayer had truly reached Luminus…

Bang!

“President! A letter has arrived from the author!”

“W-what?!”

Matthew, his secretary and trusted employee, burst through the door without knocking to deliver the good news.

Normally, he would have scolded him severely, but given the situation, the news was like a sudden downpour on parched land.

The president jumped to his feet and exclaimed:

“Is, is it true? Is it really from Xenon?”

“Yes! A messenger delivered it, so it must be genuine!”

“Quick, give it to me!”

As the president reached out impatiently, Matthew handed it over without delay. The president hastily checked the envelope and quickly extracted its contents.

He confirmed what was written in the letter. Judging by the handwriting, it was indeed from the author of the Biography of Xenon.

[Hello, my beloved readers. This is Xenon, author of the Biography of Xenon. The world seems quite noisy these days. Honestly, I couldn’t help but be surprised.]

“Excellent!”

Nothing else mattered. The first sentence alone was enough to calm the situation.

But there was one problem. Would the citizens believe this letter? Given the circumstances, there was a high possibility they would dismiss it as a lie.

If only there were an original manuscript to compare the handwriting…

“Oh! And in case people wouldn’t believe it, the author also sent the original manuscript! It’s the original for Volume 1!”

“…Sob!”

The president was genuinely moved.