Chapter 127: Hidden Sincerity(1)
Chapter 127: Hidden Sincerity(1)
Even though I had decided to seek advice from Cecile, my research didn't stop. On weekends, I made it a point to watch Nicole and Adelia spar at the public training ground. Afterward, I usually joined them for a meal.
My father had praised my combat scenes, saying the historical accuracy was excellent even when I wrote from pure imagination, but I preferred to be thorough. It was better to have a concrete understanding of how people actually fought.
Humans, in particular, were different from other races; their individual combat power varied wildly across a vast spectrum. There were those like my father, who had a history of slaying dragons, and then there were those like me, who were mere commoners.
Furthermore, the vast majority of humans were civilians, and even the knights within the military showed significant disparities in skill. Therefore, balancing power levels in the Xenon Biography wasn't just an option—it was a necessity. It had to maintain a certain level of plausibility.
The most striking factor among humans was what one might call 'talent.' While talent wasn't strictly necessary to reach a certain level of proficiency, it was indispensable for ascending to the highest echelons of mastery.
Elves, demons, and beastkin were born with many innate advantages, but humans were not. Perhaps that was why, unlike other races, humans tended to categorize skill levels so rigidly.
For instance, there had been some debate regarding Xenon's talent, but that was mostly glossed over. Currently, the readers' greatest interests lay in how strong Xenon actually was and just how much martial might the Seven Deadly Sins possessed.
‘Will it be like that certain pirate manga, where the sky splits just because two weapons clash?’
I sank into deep thought while reading books related to the Race War. Since the Race War was a massive conflict where the Elf Union and the Human Alliance clashed head-on, a significant number of records had been preserved.
For example, when a human mage unleashed a spell of mass destruction toward an elven base, the descriptions claimed the heavens and earth shook while fire cascaded from the sky like a waterfall. Elven records described thunder and lightning pouring down like rain.
In essence, 'mages' were the equivalent of asymmetric assets, much like missiles in my previous life. Honestly, no matter how I described magic, people would likely just accept it, so that wasn't the issue.
The biggest problem was melee combat—the kind of battle where experts gripped their weapons and fought tooth and nail.
Most history books simply recorded who fought whom; they rarely mentioned the collateral damage. My father had told me that when the truly powerful clashed, the battle could last for days, and the surrounding environment would be utterly devastated.
Because of this, armies would often pull back and wait for a victor to emerge. This was also why detailed records were scarce. Only the victor would truly know how the battle had unfolded.
I rested my chin on my hand, agonizing over the power balance issues that were surfacing as the story progressed. In the distant future, Xenon would defeat Jin—who had absorbed the soul of a Great Demon—in a one-on-one fight, but the journey to that point was far from easy.
How could I structure the balance in a way that would satisfy the readers? Since this was a growth-focused story, it was incredibly tricky.
‘First, among the Seven Deadly Sins... Pride and Gluttony should obviously be the strongest.’
Pride was a fallen elf, and Gluttony was Jin's father and a demon; these two would pose the greatest threats to Xenon’s party. Until then, they would have to take down the Seven Deadly Sins one by one.
As a side note, the first of the Seven Deadly Sins to be retired was none other than 'Wrath.' I had already mapped out the circumstances of Wrath's exit, but as I’d mentioned before, I needed to consult a beastkin.
The only beastkin I could ask right now was Leona, but I wondered if she would even agree. It might arouse unnecessary suspicion.
How could I get her to help? Would she accept if I told her I was investigating something and needed her assistance? I was lost in thought while staring at my book.
"Hey, Cutie. What are you reading?"
"Huh?"
While I was sitting quietly, someone called out to me in a friendly voice. It was a woman's voice—husky like Siris's, but with a much more energetic tone.
As expected, it was Adelia, who had just finished her sparring session. She was looking at me with her sky-blue eyes sparkling, a wooden training sword resting on her shoulder.
I flinched slightly at the pungent scent of sweat wafting from her, but I closed my book and answered calmly.
"Just reading. Are you done with your match, Noona?"
"I'm done. Only Nicole is left. Phew."
Adelia let out a heavy breath and plopped down right next to me. She sat so close that our arms were pressed together, but she didn't seem to mind.
Part of it was her boisterous personality, but Adelia also felt like an older sister to me, much like Nicole did. If Nicole was a mix of calm and strict, Adelia was more like a mischievous, immature older sister.
Regardless, considering how she had visited our mansion without hesitation during the exhibition and her relationship with Nicole, she was practically family. She was a pitiful person who craved affection because she had been abandoned by her real family.
Thinking that her energetic personality might just be a mask to hide her scars made me feel even more sympathetic toward her.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is it because I'm so pretty?"
"..."
I take it back. I let out a small laugh and shook my head as Adelia fanned her clothes like a mischievous brat.
"You are pretty, but saying it yourself really ruins the mood."
"Really? You think I'm pretty?"
"If you have a conscience, look in a mirror before you say things like that."
"My, how do you always pick such lovely things to say?"
Adelia spoke with delight, lightly pinching my cheek. If she hadn't been covered in sweat, she probably would have pulled me into a hug or rubbed her face against mine.
Her characteristic heavy skinship was her way of showing affection, so I wasn't particularly moved by it anymore. She did the same thing to Nicole, so I didn't consider it special.
"Alright. Today, I'll give you the special privilege of going on a date with this Noona. How about it? Amazing, right?"
"You know I have a girlfriend, Noona."
"Oh, come on, just once. I'll treat you well."
"Stop joking around."
Sometimes she would subtly ask me out on dates, which could be awkward. She knew I was dating Mari, so she usually meant it as a joke.
Adelia was so playful and acted so young for her age that it was sometimes hard to tell if she was being serious or not. However, based on her tone and expression, it seemed like a joke, so I was able to handle it with a chuckle.
"It's because of your girlfriend, right? Don't worry. If she catches us, I'll just tell her boldly that I'm joining as a concubine."
"Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden? I'm not even married yet."
"If you don't want a concubine, can I be your guard knight?"
"Talk to me after you graduate."
In truth, graduation was already a given for Adelia. Her skills were exceptional enough for her to serve as a martial arts assistant instructor; all that was left was for her to be scouted by a knight order.
However, given her status, joining a knight order was a bit complicated. Would she return to the Kingdom of Ters, or would she remain here?
It was a sensitive question, so I couldn't bring myself to ask.
"Graduation... I'd like to put it off as long as possible, actually."
Perhaps Adelia was thinking the same thing, as she muttered softly with a bittersweet smile. Her hand, however, was still pinching my cheek.
Recalling her unfortunate family history, I spoke cautiously.
"...Is it because of your family?"
"There's that, but..."
Adelia lifted her gaze and stared at me intently. I looked back at her face, struck by the impressive bridge of her nose.
Then, she let out a giggle and suddenly pulled my face into a tight embrace. Startled by the unexpected move, I could only struggle in her arms.
"The biggest reason is that I won't be able to see my Cutie anymore! You've grown so dependable in just a few months; I want to see how much bigger you'll get!"
"Ack, hey..."
The sweat was one thing, but having my face buried in her chest was incredibly embarrassing. Though she was born an illegitimate child, she had clearly been well-fed and well-rested at the palace, as Adelia boasted an impressive presence.
Moreover, her scent was soft and floral, despite the sweat. Mari also smelled pleasant even when she perspired; I wondered if all women were like that.
"Get off! Please! I can't breathe!"
"Just a little longer~ It's my wish."
"What kind of wish is that...!"
Regardless, Adelia held me tight for a while, fulfilling her 'wish.' As a mere commoner, there was no way I could overpower her stubborn strength, so I eventually had to let her have her way.
Ah, of course.
"Have you lost your mind?! I told you before! Mari isn't just his girlfriend anymore; she's practically his fiancée! They've already shared a bed!"
"S-sorry... Isaac was just so cute..."
"I agree he's cute, but wrong is wrong. If you keep this up, I'll slap a restraining order on you so you can't get near him. Got it?"
"N-no! Not a restraining order! He's the only healing I have in my life!"
Nicole caught us red-handed and gave her a thorough scolding. I looked back and forth between Adelia, who was on her knees begging for mercy, and Nicole, who stood before her, reprimanding her harshly.
Perhaps because Adelia had hugged me so tightly, her scent lingered on me. I was worried that Mari might notice when we went on our date after the meal.
"Then stop playing those kinds of pranks on Isaac. What if a bad rumor starts?"
"Well... couldn't I just take responsibility? We can keep Mari as the wife and me as the concubine?"
"Listen to yourself... and why would you take responsibility when Isaac is the one who'd have to? Don't get the direction of responsibility mixed up."
"..."
Nicole picked apart Adelia's excuses one by one, showing how absurd they were. Adelia seemed to realize her words made no sense, as she let out an awkward laugh.
"R-right? That's... ridiculous, isn't it? Haha..."
"..."
Watching Adelia's laughter, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dissonance. It was closer to an artificial, forced smile.
The corners of her mouth trembled slightly, as if she were trying to suppress a surge of emotion.
‘...Come to think of it, she looked really happy when I told her she didn't have to return the handkerchief, didn't she?’
Was she being serious, or was she just testing the waters? Given her usually lively personality, it was extremely rare to see her make an expression like that.
"Exactly. And you came here to become a knight. You need to graduate soon and start looking for a knight order to serve in. Understand?"
"...Nicole."
"Yeah?"
"By any chance..."
Still on her knees, Adelia glanced at me once and bit her lip hard. Then, forcing another smile, she spoke to Nicole.
"N-never mind. Keep going."
"..."
Had Nicole noticed something as well? She shifted her gaze to me, her expression hardening, and then spoke to Adelia.
"You. Follow me for a second."
With that, they left me alone at the training ground and moved elsewhere. I watched their retreating figures and scratched my head.
‘I have a feeling...’
I had a feeling things were about to get complicated.