July 17th, 2023
Who is the devil? According to literature, the devils refers to invaders from a different dimension who came over 3,000 years ago and committed various atrocities, causing significant and minor impacts. During the Devil War, they fought relentlessly to protect this world, regardless of race, and were barely driven out thanks to the gods who protect this world. However, various incidents occurred during that time.
It is widely known that the origin of demons are the devils, and the gods who felt threatened by the devil’s invasion gifted the World Tree’s seed to the elves. That seed has grown into a great tree, resiliently enduring to the present day, over the course of 3,000 years.
Since then, research on devils has been actively conducted, but as time passed, interest gradually waned. It was an environment where attention naturally shifted more towards other races than devils. Humans, who are forgetful creatures, shifted their focus to other races rather than devils within a span of just a hundred years, and even the long-lived elves found 3,000 years to be enough time to forget the events.
Furthermore, since the incident of the Race War 300 years ago, an event that completely altered the fate of all races, nobody has taken the devil seriously. Only other races have been of concern.
The span of 3,000 years was, without a doubt, exceedingly long. It was an event that could only be recorded in “literature” from the beginning, so it was safe to say that aside from scholars, there were hardly any individuals who delved into it intensively.
[The leaders of countries who have recognized the seriousness of the situation are taking action to identify devil worshippers… Requesting support from various factions.]
[Luminous Church: The devil is an abomination that should never be associated with. We will definitely identify and eliminate them.]
[Meanwhile, efforts are being made to track down the militant demons who have gone into hiding in Helium…]
Until the incidents from Xenon’s Biography gradually became a reality.
The fact that the roots of the World Tree have been contaminated may be attributed to chance, but discovering traces of devils is an undeniable matter. Devils, although regarded as fictional creatures in literature, have a historical record of transforming this world into a sea of flames.
Currently, civilization and military power have advanced significantly compared to 3,000 years ago, but devils remain incredibly powerful foes. Even the elves were forced to be on the defensive, to the point where they had to seek the World Tree’s seed from the gods. This gives you a rough idea of how dire the situation is.
Above all, the most terrifying aspect of devils, according to literature, is the endless quantity and variety they pour forth. There are mentions of the sheer volume being so vast that it eclipsed the horizon with darkness.
Thus, it could be concluded that unless dimensions were sealed off, it is impossible to permanently eradicate demons, regardless of the development of civilization and technology. The Devil War that occurred 3,000 years ago didn’t completely vanquish all the devils but severed the interdimensional connections and sent them back.
Therefore, the news of discovering traces of devils implies that there are people attempting to establish connections between dimensions.
“Sigh…”
While the world was in turmoil due to the devils, I sat on my bed in my dorm and let out a deep sigh. Currently, I was reading the newspaper that was published today.
Usually, newspapers were published once a day, according to regular subscriptions. However, due to the state of affairs, they were practically coming out every 3 to 4 hours.
I had visited Elena’s laboratory today, and as a result, the newspapers had piled up thickly. So, I started reading them one by one, and the content was quite intriguing.
There were reports of traces of devils being discovered somewhere or individuals who were not demons but had used magic related to black mana, and so on.
After delving deep into the incidents that had been easily overlooked so far, detailed evidence was steadily emerging that they were indeed associated with devils. This included peculiar symbols found at ritual sites in obscure caves or on monsters causing havoc.
Taking it a step further, they have even discovered what is known as a “Summoning Circle,” believed to have been performed several hundred years ago. It was difficult to find because the location of the rituals was deeply concealed underground.
Although incidents similar to those in Xenon’s Biography did not occur, the current world was in a state of extreme vigilance against devils. There were concerns that the descendants of devils, known as demons, would be affected, but surprisingly, they have greatly contributed to identification of devil related things.
The black mana used by demons made them even more sensitive, because it was also used by devils. Perhaps due to this reason, the Mora church was said to be collaborating with Helium.
‘I’m going crazy…’
I lamented inwardly as I carefully read the incidents reported in the newspaper. Unintentionally hitting two consecutive home runs, there was nothing I could do about it.
People were speculating that I am a prophet or a person from the future, and even if I protested that I’m not, they didn’t believe me at all.
On the contrary, they were speculating on their own about the reasons why I haven’t revealed my identity. The idea that a deity imposed restrictions received the greatest support.
‘Restrictions, my foot. I just remember my past life.’
Although I was in a different world, I remember everything from my past life. The days of my school years, along with the tragedy of losing my parents in an accident. And even dying from a cardiac arrest while using the computer, just like any other day.
Although I am a reincarnator, I am not a regressor who came back from the future. However, these people simply refused to believe it.
Feeling frustrated, I sent multiple letters, but each time they were neatly discarded. In the end, I had no choice but to decide to remain quiet until the situation calmed down.
‘But the devil problem… It’s quite serious.’
The contamination of the World Tree’s roots was a significant issue, but devils could be even worse. Whether out of curiosity or for a specific purpose, devils are beings that should never be summoned.
If you consider how much damage a devil-turned-demon can cause in the surroundings, the answer becomes clear. The Devil War that occurred 3,000 years ago was the result of such beings pouring out in mass.
As a consequence, various churches, especially the Holy Kingdom Xavier, were actively mobilizing. Other countries, including the Minerva Empire, have also set aside their conflicts for a while and started devil-purging operations.
Even adventurers and mercenaries were doing the same. It is said that they offer substantial rewards if you report the discovery of places or items related to devils.
Naturally, they inspect to see if there are any traces of ‘Black Mana’.
Anyway, currently, the whole world was swept up in the frenzy of devil-purging.
As for Xenon’s Biography, it’s just an added bonus that it is now considered a prophecy.
‘But if I had included Cecily’s illustrations…’
I took my eyes off the newspaper and pondered for a moment. Originally, the illustrations were supposed to be included in Volume 13, but due to time constraints, the plan changed to include them in the full-scale battle with Lilith’s defeat.”
Not only Lilith, but also the other Seven Deadly Sins would be the same. They are important villains, so you could say it’s a kind of bias. However, considering the current situation, I’m worried that including Lilith’s illustrations could harm Cecily for no reason. Since the Xenon Saga was being treated as a prophecy, people might also think of her as Lilith.
‘…I’ll have to put the illustrations in during the death scene.’
Still, Lilith has a heartbreaking situation where she lives on in order to not forget the man she loves. This will be revealed to Xenon just before he strangles Lilith. Of course, I don’t know if this phenomenon will continue until then. The eradication of Lilith is planned to happen after the beastem part.
For now, it’s a priority to wait until the situation calms down while taking care of oneself. Just act as usual.
‘Since I have time, should I meet the kids first?’
I haven’t read all the newspapers yet, but it’s about time for the final lecture to end.
Since today is Wednesday, I have a normal meeting and dinner appointment instead of a date. Wednesday is a time I designated for my personal time, and it seems like Marie felt the need for her own time as well, so she readily agreed.
At that time, she didn’t care about what I did, and even if I went on a date with Cecily, she would only feel a little jealous, but wouldn’t mind. Of course, the next day, we would head straight to the inn without hesitation. In fact, if I were to go on a date with Marie, you could say that the inn was always the final destination.
And so, it happened when I temporarily set aside the newspaper I was reading and made my way to the lecture hall. As if by perfect timing, students were coming out of the classroom one by one. Among them, familiar faces naturally popped out.
Right at that moment, Rina, perhaps having confirmed that I was coming, greeted me with her characteristic gentle laughter.
“Did you come right at the time?”
“Yeah. How was today’s class?”
“Don’t even ask. No matter how much I listen, I still don’t understand what philosophy means.”
That was my girlfriend Marie’s response. As always, she crossed her arm with me and grumbled.
I gently patted Marie’s arm at her cute and lovely behavior and shifted my gaze. When I met Cecily’s eyes, she smiled brightly.
In response to her always beautiful smile, I smiled back.
“Shall we go to the cafe first?”
“Yeah, let’s do that. It’s too early for a meal.”
“Where are we going?”
“The usual place.”
Afterwards, the four of us moved together to the cafe we often visited. In the past, our group might have attracted various gazes, but now, due to familiarity, we didn’t feel any of those gazes.
Even while heading to the cafe, we engaged in small talk, and it continued even after arriving at the cafe. Since it was a room with thorough soundproofing, there was no need to be cautious of other people’s attention.
In other words, it was an opportune moment to bring up a difficult question to answer.
“Isaac, you also read the newspaper, right?”
“Of course, I do. An extra edition comes out every three to four hours.”
“What do you think? Lately, they’re calling you a prophet, a seer of the future.”
Marie, who was sitting next to me, asked with curiosity and intrigue. Silently, I responded with a wry smile, and Cecily across from us chimed in.
“I’m curious too. The stories in the book are coming true one by one. Are you really a prophet or a person from the future? Or maybe a reincarnator?”
I chuckled at that question and immediately refuted it. While I am a reincarnator, I can deny the other possibilities since I came from a different world.
“Absolutely not. If I were either of those, I would have invested in stocks instead of making money through writing novels. I wasn’t capable of that in the first place, and the book wasn’t that significant. It’s all just a coincidence.”
“For a coincidence, it’s quite precisely fitting, isn’t it?”
Rina elegantly sipped her coffee and interjected quietly. If you only looked at her gaze, it was full of mischief, but her tone carried a hint of seriousness.
A mixture of playfulness and sincerity, you could say. Of course, I found it somewhat unfair.
“It’s really just a coincidence. And the traces of the devil appearing everywhere just make the story quite realistic. It’s been 3,000 years, yes, 3,000 years. Experts have been ignoring it until now, but the warnings themselves have existed even before Xenon’s Biography. They pretended not to know because their attention was diverted elsewhere.”
“Well… that’s true. I heard there were incidents that were overlooked in the reports due to inconvenience. In reality, nobody cared about the devils, but the threat itself was present. Cecily, how is the situation in Helium right now?”
“Helium is no different from anywhere else. However, we’re currently searching for traces of the militant faction of demons that were hostile to the Human Union 300 years ago. The investigation results will probably be out soon.”
The extremist faction of demons, known as the “Hardliners,” was hostile to the human alliance even during the tribal war 300 years ago. True to their name, they despised humans and went so far as to commit war crimes.
Typically, devils succumbed to despair and sadness, tragically becoming devils out of dark emotions. However, in the case of the Hardline demons, they frequently become devils for the sake of revenge.
As a result, they posed a significant challenge to the human alliance during the race war. Fortunately, with the help of the moderate faction of demons, known as Helium, we managed to survive unharmed.
Despite the near extinction of the Hardline demons due to the race war, a small number of them managed to escape and hide in various parts of the world. Due to the potential severity of the situation, Helium has taken charge since humans may face excessive casualties.
“The world is truly unpredictable. While pollution of the World Tree is one thing, devils appearing… Could there really be a Second Devil War in the distant future?”
“It’s not entirely impossible. After all, it’s a span of 3,000 years. In fact, even if a Second Cataclysm had occurred during that time, it wouldn’t be surprising. Devils ruins estimated to have been constructed 500 years ago have been discovered. We were oblivious, but there were many dangerous situations. Fortunately, they all ended up unfinished, but as time went on, the magical runes installed in the hidden chambers were improving.”
“At least they remained unfinished, otherwise…”
“It’s possible that a catastrophe could have struck. Connecting dimensions is a difficult task even for elves and demons, so it’s a good thing it didn’t happen sooner, otherwise, we would have been invaded long ago.”
The current world was rapidly becoming more focused on devils, much like the conversation between Marie and Rina. Things that were once considered legendary are now appearing one by one in reality, so it’s impossible not to take an interest.
As a result, research related to devils was also being actively conducted. However, books related to devils have faced a lot of time as most have been lost.
Perhaps the only intact ones are in the Sanctuary. However, I have heard that the Sanctuary is currently in a state of over-saturation.
“Oh, by the way, Isaac.”
“Yes?”
“When are you planning to include illustrations? I’m ready whenever.”
During the conversation between Rina and Marie, Cecily asked me. It was a question about the inclusion of Cecily’s drawings, which means illustrations for the release.
Originally, we had decided to include them in Volume 13, but due to time constraints, we postponed it. I plan to visit Helium during the upcoming vacation, so it seemed like a good opportunity to draw the illustrations then.
“Illustrations? What illustrations?”
Marie next to me tilted her head in confusion. Come to think of it, I hadn’t told Marie about it.
Just as I was about to respond, Cecily smiled brightly, as if proudly, and answered clearly. It was as if she was bragging.
“Yeah. You know Lilith, who appeared in Volume 13? As I’m the model for the Seven Sins, Isaac would refer to me when drawing the illustrations. Originally, I wanted to include them in Volume 13, but it was difficult due to time constraints.”
“Ah, I see. I get it now.”
After listening to Cecily’s story, Marie slowly nodded her head and then turned her head to look at me. I couldn’t muster the courage to meet her eyes and kept my head stiffly raised, but…
“Isaac?”
“… …”
“Is that true?”
Unable to bear Marie’s chilling question, I had no choice but to close my eyes. When I quietly opened them again, I saw Cecily lightly laughing with her hand over her mouth.
Honestly, I almost burst into laughter at her mischievous rather than demonic appearance, but I barely managed to suppress it because Marie was glaring at me.
Marie alternated between looking at me and Cecily in the slightly subdued atmosphere, then she soon broke into a deep smile. It seemed like she had some thoughts.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, my situation is similar to yours.”
“Huh? You too?”
“I’m not talking about putting in drawings like you. Instead… let’s include the intense relationship we’ve had so far…”
“Pfft!”
Before Marie could finish her sentence, Rina burst out laughing, spewing coffee everywhere. Naturally, all eyes turned to her.
“Cough! Cough! Oops!”
Rina, who continued to cough and choke, quickly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the area around her mouth that was covered in coffee stains.
Just as she was about to get up from her seat, thinking that she should pat her back or something, Rina coughed and asked, as if questioning if it was really true.
“Cough! Well, that… Cough! Is it true?”
“About putting my night affair with Isaac in the book?”
“Cough! Cough! Can you put that kind of thing… in?”
“Why not? There’s nothing that can’t be done, right?”
Marie asked in a subtle voice, holding onto my arm. Deliberately or not, she slipped her arm between her clothes and mine, and I felt a soft sensation.
While I was only managing to give a wry smile, Sessily patted my back, calming me down. Then Rina asked cautiously.
“In which volume… Does it appear?”
“Huh?”
“I’m asking in which volume. It will appear later, right?”
Why was she asking such a question? I looked at Rina, whose face had turned red, perhaps because of the cough, and replied.
“There’s no set plan yet. It’s intended to be used in the later part, but…”
“No, you can’t.”
“Huh?”
“You absolutely can’t.”
For some reason, Rina strongly opposed it. She was usually someone who would brush off whatever I said, but this time she was firm about it. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, I felt curious. Perhaps Marie had a similar thought, as she asked with a puzzled voice.
“Why can’t we do it? Is it because minors might see it?”
“It’s not that, but…”
“Not that, but?”
Surprisingly, Rina seemed to have a conservative personality. In response to Marie’s consecutive questions, Rina cleared her throat once and stared at us intently. Then, her face rapidly turned red, and she covered it with both hands, speaking in a voice as if an ant was passing by.
“…Keep it mild.”
“Huh?”
“Write it in a mild way… Write it mildly, then it’ll be fine.”
“… …”
“If you write it wrong… If you give them strange knowledge… you have to consider the influence of your book…”
Was that the reason? Even in my past life, many problems arose from not receiving proper sexual education and relying solely on pornography. Moreover, this place was a medieval era where sexual education was underdeveloped. The nobles might have had diligent parents or household tutors to teach them, but the commoners did not.
Currently, me and Marie were becoming more and more passionate. Even on the first night, we enthusiastically intertwined their bodies, but now that we have grown accustomed, there’s no need to say anything.
“Well… I guess that’s true. But don’t worry. We won’t be too crazy about it.”
“Okay, I got it.”
“By any chance, do you think there will be censorship or something?”
“That’s up to the publisher’s discretion. The government doesn’t directly censor culture unless it’s something extraordinary. Maybe the publisher will attach a warning message on the first page.”
If that’s the case, then it’s fortunate. It seems like the issue lies with the Council of Elders in Alvenheim. While I was thinking about that, Marie suddenly thought of something odd and asked Lena a question.
“But Rina, do you know how we do it and talk about it?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“When I listen to you, it feels like you know and talk about us being aggressive. Maybe…”
“No, absolutely not! I’m not a pervert, and why would I want to watch what you guys do?!”
Rina vigorously denied, fidgeting her hands. But because fierce denial can sound like strong affirmation, suspicions only deepened.
Still, I should trust her denial for now. Besides, we only engaged in those activities in a well-soundproofed place where no one else could see.
“…Rina.”
“Yeah?”
“…Never mind.”
Seeing Cecily’s pitiful expression was just an added bonus.
******
It was after all the meals, including tea time, had ended, and everyone returned to their respective accommodations. Isaac had hoped to enjoy a date with Marie, but for some reason, Marie immediately went back to her room.
Initially, Isaac was puzzled, but when she mentioned that he had personal matters to attend to, he returned without saying a word. Naturally, before parting ways, they didn’t forget to exchange a kiss filled with love.
Afterward, Marie returned to her room, changed into comfortable clothes, and threw herself onto the bed. Even in the darkness, her white hair, tinged with a hint of blue, emitted a glow.
She stared at the dim ceiling for a while before reflecting on what had happened today.
‘…he lied.’
Cecily asked Isaac if he was truly a prophet, a person from the future, or someone who had been reincarnated.
Isaac chuckled and firmly denied it, but she could tell. She could tell that Isaac had lied.
As someone who could instinctively grasp the truth of a person, Marie could sense that Isaac had lied. However, it was somewhat ambiguous. It felt like a strange mixture of lies and truths, even for Marie, making it difficult to discern. Perhaps it was a feeling of truths being mixed within the lies.
Moreover, she couldn’t determine which of the three categories—prophet, person from the future, or reincarnator—he belonged to. However, one thing was the “truth”: everything currently appearing in this world was no mere coincidence.
‘What is it?’
Marie pondered over Isaac. Despite his well-mannered behavior that seemed out of place for someone her age, he had a deep sense of consideration.
At just 17 years old, he was far from being a troublemaker. Moreover, he was the author of Xenon’s Biography, a work that everyone assumed was written by a sage or a renowned scholar. Each aspect of him had its suspicious corners.
Isaac could be trusted, and he was even her fiance but he seemed to be hiding many things.
‘Will he eventually tell me?’
However, Marie decided to wait. After all, everyone has their secrets, and Isaac wasn’t the kind of person to have a dubious character. Most importantly, he believed in her. Wasn’t it him who revealed his identity as the author of Xenon’s Biography when he confessed?
As Marie envisioned Isaac’s gentle smile, she giggled and twisted her body. If she had known it would turn out like this, they could have just gone on a date and headed straight to the inn, but today was different. Why?
‘I didn’t expect Rina… to be such a pervert.’
She quickly realized that Lina was voyeurizing them. Rina usually hid her true feelings well, making it difficult to discern her true intentions. But today, there was a gap, and through that gap, Marie could glimpse Rina’s true emotions. Upon reflecting, there were quite a few suspicious aspects.
If their relationship had been at its worst, Marie would have snapped. But…
‘How adorable.’
Marie found that Rina was really cute. She wanted to tease her and play with her so much. All the thoughts of how to unmask Rina felt useless. There was a very simple and straightforward way, but why didn’t she know it before?
‘Not yet. Let it ripen a little more…’
While waiting for the future event, Marie gradually formulated a sinister plan. She would never give Isaac to Rina, but at least she should receive some kind of “punishment.”
As if mocking the situation, she buried her face in the pillow and chuckled.
[Helium side. We actually have a faction similar to demon hunters. They are called Reapers, like the hunters in Xenon’s Biography…]
“… …”
Isaac read the newly released newspaper and once again lost his words.
‘Why are you doing this to me?’
It was the moment when he was hit by three consecutive defeats instead of three consecutive victories.
