CH 120

It seems that everything has been settled, and everything that followed proceeded smoothly. First, starting with the pact between Cecily and Arwen, they even received hair from Siris for summoning. Although it was white hair like Marie’s, Siris’s hair had a faint red hue.

The pact between Cecily and Arwen was also made through magic, but as someone who is not familiar with magic, I don’t know what they were doing together. Cecily summoned a piece of paper into the air after moving her fingers gracefully, and Arwen signed it.

Anyway, the pact must have been concluded. Before Arwen and her party left, I reassured her, as if to say not to worry too much.

“I know it’s easy for me to say this, but don’t worry too much. I’m not the kind of person who leaves things unfinished.”

“Thank you for your consideration. I will never forget your kindness.”

“Never? Well, I can’t even live for 100 years as a human. For me, it would be better to forget and live on.”

“… …”

Arwen looked at me with a complex and subtle expression in response to what I said. I met her gray eyes in silence.

Then she smirked and let out a bitter laugh before quietly opening her mouth.

“It feels strange to hear such words from someone who wrote a love story between a human and an elf.”

“The lifespan of each species is a problem that not even the gods can change. Well, the fact that a story in a novel can’t come true in reality is never absolute.”

As I said that, I turned my head to Cecily. When Cecily faced me and smiled, nodding her head in agreement, I could tell that she understood the meaning behind my words. The slight flush on her snow-white cheeks indicated that she had caught on. She had promised to live longing for me, rather than living in regret, as I had suggested.

Of course, this may not be the correct answer, but it would still be better than living a life filled with regrets.

“…The more I see you, the more I realize how amazing you are. Knowledge gained through books may have its limitations, but you have the ability to create another world. It even seems like you’re not bound by any restrictions.”

‘That’s because I’m a reincarnated being from another planet’, I wanted to reply, but shrugged my shoulders instead. On Earth, there were so many cultures and things to see that could destroy all of Arwen’s common sense.

I was just a reincarnated being who knows Earth’s culture, and on Earth, I was just an ordinary web novel writer, although I might be a best-selling author here.

As a result, Xenon’s Biography could be enjoyed purely as a hobby without any specific purpose.

“Your Majesty.”

“The conversation has become quite lengthy. Let’s go now.” 

Siris said, and Arwen respectfully bowed her head and we bid farewell to the departing elf party, along with Cecily, who also followed proper etiquette.

After a momentary shimmer of light, it seemed like magic had been activated, and all three of them disappeared without a trace. I was in awe of how easily they used such high-level magic, teleportation.

When will humans be able to use such magic freely? Humans had been able to use magic since the era of the racial war, so perhaps it would take about a hundred years.

As I stared silently at the place where Arwen and the others had disappeared, I turned my head to the side. Cecily was staring at me with a bright smile on her face.

“Isaac.”

“Yes, Noona?”

Before I could even open my mouth, Cecily called out to me first. I responded nonchalantly. However, the words that came out of Cecily’s mouth were enough to startle me.

“Did you sleep with Marie by any chance?”

“…Huh?”

“Before I left the mansion, I asked Marie if you two did it. Last time, I threatened her, saying that if she didn’t do it with you soon, I’d do it with you first.”

So, that’s what Cecily said to Marie at the mansion. It was impressive how she made Marie feel a sense of crisis and pushed her to get things done. Did Cecily want to do it with me that badly? I thought of the deep night in the mansion when my heart was beating fast.

Because of this, my face turned slightly red, and Cecily nodded her head as if understanding my reaction.

“You did it?”

“…Yes.”

“Mm-hmm.”

As I answered in a voice filled with embarrassment and shame, Cecily’s eyes curved like a crescent moon. She even let out a tantalizing hum, causing my heart to race, and the tension to grip me even tighter.

Did she want to claim me now that I had slept with Marie, as she mentioned before? But with Gartz still around, if she said something like that…

‘…Where is this person again?’

I turned around to look back, avoiding Cecily, and was taken aback. Just a moment ago, Gartz was behind me, but now he couldn’t be seen anywhere. I suppose I should say his perceptiveness was unnecessarily sharp. His quick actions in secretly vacating his seat left me slightly bewildered.

As I was lost in thought, Cecily seemed to be thinking deeply about something, then slowly leaned in towards me, with a slight smile on her lips. As a result, the distance between Cecily and me became so close that I could hear her breathing, and her beauty filled my entire field of vision.

I took a step back and swallowed my saliva. My heart pounded heavily as a completely different beauty from Marie’s leaned in close.

Moreover, I had already made up my mind to accept Cecily, so I accepted her completely without denying my feelings.

“Was it good?”

As we exchanged glances for a long time, Cecily asked me in a soft voice. Just as I was about to answer while swallowing my saliva, I could tell that her cheeks had turned red.

It was a subtle and somewhat awkward gesture for her to ask a question and then feel embarrassed about it.

Feeling a strange sense of confidence, I carefully pushed Cecily’s shoulder. She didn’t resist and slowly withdrew as I wanted her to. Finally, the distance between us slightly increased, and when I looked at her like this, I could see that her face was as red as the setting sun.

‘…She said she had no experience with men, right?’

Cecily, despite her usual playful behavior, had no experience with men. Even though she has lived for over 100 years, her position has made it difficult for men to approach her recklessly. In addition, she once said that there are practically no men who can take her jokes as jokes due to her mischievous personality. That means the action I just took was somewhat courageous.

I cautiously grabbed her shoulder and replied.

“It was great.”

“Oh, I see…” 

Cecily avoided my gaze and muttered with embarrassment, then asked another question in a quiet voice. 

“What about Marie? What did Marie say?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to ask the person involved directly?”

“Yeah, that’s probably better. Got it.” 

From her use of “probably,” it seemed like she was also considering asking Marie herself. She held my hand, which was still on her shoulder, with both hands and slowly lowered it. Then, she awkwardly laughed and wiggled my long, slender fingers.

“Um… Can I talk to Marie after I hear what she has to say? I’m feeling a bit embarrassed about doing it now… Plus, it would be better for you to be with Marie for a while…”

“I don’t mind. Whatever is comfortable for you, Noona.”

“Really? Do you really want to do this with me?”

“What man could refuse a beautiful woman like Noona making a request like this?”

I thought I was being a bit cheeky, as I normally would have politely refused, but I willingly accepted because I wanted to make sure the confirmation was done properly.

“Isaac…!”

However, Cecily’s face showed a look of emotion, then she ran straight into my arms, overjoyed.

For a moment, I was a little surprised, but I gently stroked her hair as she hung onto me, extremely happy.

Cecily’s black hair felt as soft as silk.

“I’ll make sure you’re happy! I’ll work hard with Marie until then. You understand, right? I’ll do my best to make Marie happy too.”

“Didn’t you say you would do it whenever I wanted?”

“That was true, but I heard from my mother that whether it’s a man or a woman, the more experience they have, the more pleasure they can give to their partner. I’ll wait until you’re fully ripe like a fruit, and then I’ll pick you.”

It feels weird to be “picked,” but it’s actually a pretty good plan.

They say practice makes perfect, and even though this isn’t something you normally say in this situation, it should work.

Marie was shocked when she saw my pillar on the first night. Fortunately, Marie was receptive, or else I wouldn’t have even tried.

“Isn’t it me who’s going to do the picking, not my Noona? By the way, Marie fainted halfway through.”

“R-really? My mother said it wouldn’t be that bad on the first night…”

Seeing Cecily looking embarrassed made the wickedness inside me wriggle.

I almost blurted out, “You can check here,” but I managed to hold back when I remembered that Gartz was watching from somewhere. I looked at Cecily, who didn’t know what to do, with a loving gaze and slowly embraced her. Cecily flinched for a moment, but soon wrapped her arms around my back while stroking me.

The feeling of her ample chest and the faint fragrance stimulated my senses. It was such a beautiful scent that it made me want to indulge in the moment and forget about everything else.

“Isaac.”

“Yeah?”

“Can we…kiss now?”

I gently released Cecily from my arms at her question. Soon, her face filled with anticipation and tension caught my eye. I looked at her with a helpless expression, then smiled.

“As you wish, Princess.”

Cecily, who seemed to be swept away by her desire, held my face with both hands and brought her lips to mine.

As Cecily attempted to kiss me, I slowly closed my eyes. It was true that she had no experience with a man, and even the act of kissing was awkward for her. However, since she was descended from a succubus, her tongue naturally started moving to explore the inside of her mouth without anyone teaching me.

As our tongues met, Cecily’s body trembled slightly.

The tips of our tongues didn’t mix, and only the ends collided with each other for a few minutes. Cecily carefully pulled her lips away, and the silver thread connecting our lips didn’t continue since it wasn’t a greedy, exploratory kiss.

“Haa…”

Cecily exhaled a sweet breath and looked at me with hazy red eyes and a noticeable blush.

Unlike usual, she was so cute in her confusion from our first kiss that I gently grabbed her cheek. When Cecily felt my hand on her cheek, she held my hand with both of hers. It wasn’t because she wanted to pull away, but simply because she wanted to hold onto it.

I chuckled and asked Cecily in a low voice. 

“How was it? The feeling of your first kiss.”

“It feels like I’m going crazy.” 

Cecily replied in a small voice with the same dazed expression. I could tell from her occasional hot breaths that she was very excited from the kiss.

It would be better to stop now to avoid going too far, as there was a risk of going too fast. When I let go of her cheek, she also released my hand.

“Let’s wait for what’s left for another day, okay?”

“Yeah, I can wait.”

“Okay…”

While looking at the shy Cecily, I smiled and made a request. 

“Can you show me around Helium?” 

With Cecily’s help, I spent the whole day exploring Helium and returned to the mansion. Hurriedly preparing for the reopening of the Academy two days later, I closed my eyes and waited for the reunion with my loved ones. 

After that, the delayed reopening of the Academy due to an exhibition took place … 

“Isaac! Let’s go there quickly! I heard it’s clean and nice there!” 

“Right away?” 

“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting? Be nervous because I learned some techniques from my mom! I’ll win today!” 

“Hahaha…”

As soon as the Academy reopened, I spent all my time sharing love with Marie, who had become the incarnation of sexual desire. It seemed that it would take a little longer for it to be Cecily’s turn. 

‘I hope there’s still time to write.’

I was being dragged by Marie towards a building that looked like a motel. I was worried that we might be mixing our bodies every time the class ended. Oh, by the way, Marie, who confidently declared that she would win, ended up losing badly. No matter how advanced the software (skills) is, it means nothing in front of the hardware (body and physical fitness). 

“…Should I exercise too?” 

“Do you want to do it together on the weekend?” 

“I don’t like exercising…” 

“Let’s at least do some stretching. You need to develop flexibility.” 

Happy days continued.

*****

Xenon’s Biography resumed after a hiatus of about two months. Although many readers had waited for a long time, they patiently endured the wait. Isaac had previously announced that the series would be delayed due to personal reasons, and since Xenon’s Biography had almost been on hiatus for over a year, readers were understandably anxious. 

During that time, they passed the time by enjoying various pastimes such as visiting the Michelle region where an exhibition was held, or creating various fan art, which were rare hobbies in this world.

How much time had passed during this time of patience?

[Breaking news! The manuscript for Volume 11 of Xenon’s Biography has arrived at the publisher!]

When this news was published in the newspaper, cheers erupted. They exclaimed that the end of the wait had finally come, and they were once again immersed in Xenon’s Biography. 

The publisher resumed the printing of Xenon’s Biography Volume 11 by restarting the printing press that had been idle for some time. Thanks to the integration of new technologies, Xenon’s Biography Volume 11 was generated as if it were being produced in a factory.

Many people bought The Xenon Chronicles Volume 11 to their hearts’ content, and bookstores had to deal with an overwhelming influx of customers. However, this was only temporary.

[Shock! The death of Xenon’s mentor, Kair. He sacrificed himself to his former student ‘Envy’ from his past…]

[The reason for the Kair prequel was here. A cornerstone to provide greater sadness and tragedy.]

[Elven Queen Elisha, who indirectly felt Kair’s death through the description of a falling star. What will her reaction be?]

Something that readers had never imagined could happen actually did, and it gave them a tremendous shock. Kair, who had been releasing ominous hints (flags) all along, had made them feel uneasy, and their unease turned out to be justified.

Moreover, Kair and Elisha’s touching love story had moved many readers, making the shock all the more unbearable. In the final moment, Kair’s dying words were enough to bring tears to the readers’ eyes. 

-Just once… if only I could see her smile once more…

With this dying soliloquy, readers could understand what kind of life he had lived. He had strived to be with the person he loved all his life, but it ended in tragedy. If it had been human with a human, it would have happened much earlier, but unfortunately, he had his heart set on the Elven Queen, and he missed his chance.

[Many readers are mourning Kair’s death, with some even experiencing symptoms of shock and fainting…]

[Is it really impossible for a love that transcends one’s lifespan to be realized? News of Elisha and Xenon’s actions in response to this question is being closely watched.]

[It’s inevitable that Xenon will conquer the ‘Envy’, but how will he triumph over it if even his master could not defeat it?]

As seen in Sakran’s sacrifice, Kair’s death was not any less impactful. The vast majority of readers mourned and grieved Kair’s death with sincere sadness. This phenomenon began to manifest not only in newspapers but also in reality.

“Mathew.”

“Yes, sir?”

“What am I looking at right now?”

“A memorial procession, sir. Readers have been leaving flowers in front of our publishing house in tribute to Kair’s death.”

“No, this isn’t Michelle territory. Why our publishing house?”

“The procession is also ongoing in Michelle territory. I heard that there are even more flowers in front of the artworks related to Kair than are there now.”

“… …”

People presented flowers as a sign of mourning not only in front of the publishing house but also in front of the artworks displayed in Michelle territory. Even though Kair is a character in imagination, the impact was so strong, and the character was so appealing that people have taken action themselves.

One might wonder if this kind of thing happened during Sakran’s sacrifice. However, there was no exhibition at that time, and the demons couldn’t move freely. But now, Xenon’s Biography has been elevated to a cultural phenomenon. The death of a character means that they will no longer be seen in the Xenon’s Biography, so the shock is inevitable.

Moreover, Kair steadily gained popularity as Xenon’s mentor, and his popularity skyrocketed through a prequel. He died just as people began to show interest in “otaku” culture. Anyway, Kair’s death was unexpected from Isaac, but it brought about another culture. Michelle territory could only be taken aback by the unexpected influx of tourists. And…

“…what is this again?”

Isaac, who had been registered as a recommended student to Professor Elena and had some free time, blinked as he read the newspaper. 

“If this continues, there will be a riot when the truth comes out…?” 

He had a sense of impending doom.