Chapter 20: The Steam Locomotive(2)
Chapter 20: The Steam Locomotive(2)
It had been about fifteen days since Volume 8 of the Xenon Biography was published. Before starting another refreshing day, I picked up the newspapers left in front of my door.
There were two types: one from the Hoytor Newspaper Company and the other from the Tuteli Newspaper Company. The difference was that Hoytor focused primarily on humans, while Tuteli provided a broad range of news regardless of race.
Since I subscribed to two different papers, the subscription fees were a bit high, but it wasn't a problem. The living expenses my parents sent me were more than enough.
"Hmm..."
After finishing a simple breakfast, I spread out the papers and began searching for the news I wanted. As you might guess, I was looking for reactions to the recently released Volume 8 of the Xenon Biography.
I started with the Hoytor Newspaper Company, which focused on humans. As soon as I opened it, the news I was looking for was right there on the front page. I leaned forward slightly to check the details.
[The Xenon Biography, which kept countless subscribers on the edge of their seats, has finally been revealed. However...]
As expected, a wide variety of reactions were listed. Some critics took the opportunity to lash out directly, while many others offered evaluations that looked accurately at the bitter reality. Criticizing the nobility was likely a sensitive and provocative topic for them, so the reaction was natural.
Still, there didn't seem to be any major issues. To be honest, I had wondered at first if I should really include it, but I was able to firm up my resolve after hearing Leort's story. If someone decided to come after me, I could just go into hiding or seek refuge with the Imperial Family.
Well, it's not like I only wrote about the dark side.
If Count Crost, who trapped Xenon, was a character who revealed the dark side of the nobility, Count Kay was his opposite—a character who showed their bright side.
Perhaps because of that, there were quite a few evaluations of Count Kay. Most praised his character as the virtue that all nobles should aspire to.
It would have been dangerous if the Jayros Revolution hadn't happened.
In this world, there was an event similar to Earth's French Revolution. Perhaps because of that, I rarely saw nobles "openly" intimidating or discriminating against commoners. While the bad habit of nobles looking down on commoners persisted, I hadn't witnessed such a situation yet.
Moreover, as the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the bunch, but there are also many nobles with a solid sense of decency. You don't have to look far—the Rekilis Duke family, Mari's family, practices noblesse oblige.
When a Duke, the highest rank after the Emperor, lives by such a motto, the nobles beneath him have no choice but to mind their manners.
I looked through the reactions from various countries one by one before turning the page. Since the Hoytor Newspaper Company was based in the Minerva Empire, evaluations from other countries were in the back.
"Hmm..."
As expected, the Ters Kingdom was showing the most intense reaction. Since the Ters Kingdom was where the Jayros Revolution broke out, they would be even more sensitive to such stories.
The interesting part, however, was that almost everyone was enthusiastically bashing Count Crost. Commoners, nobles, and even royalty were no different. They were all of one mind, delighting in Count Crost's miserable end.
I heard there isn't much of a gap between commoners and nobles in the Ters Kingdom, right?
The Ters Kingdom operates under a system close to a constitutional monarchy. It doesn't mean they reign but do not rule; it's closer to the idea that they shouldn't rule however they please. Perhaps because they went through such a turbulent period, any noble caught discriminating is severely punished.
I kept flipping through the paper before checking the time. It was almost time for my lecture. I had finished the Hoytor paper, but I hadn't even turned a page of the Tuteli one yet.
I'll just read it after class.
I left the newspapers on the bed and got ready for my lecture. I didn't forget to check if I had my lecture notes before heading out. One fatal mistake like that time was enough.
As I stepped out the door, the fresh morning air greeted me. I walked toward the classroom with a light step.
By the way, how do people even buy the Xenon Biography at the Academy?
As soon as the news broke that the Xenon Biography was being published, a massive crowd had gathered in front of the bookstores.
Seeing that, I was more bewildered than shocked; I was speechless. By now, they've probably all been swept off the shelves.
My parents have the first edition, so they'll have no trouble reading it, but my older sister and brother are the problem. Even the author himself can't buy the book right now except for the first edition, so I wonder how those two will get their hands on it.
It's a mystery how they've managed to buy them until now.
Lost in thought, I soon arrived at the classroom. As soon as I entered, various conversations reached my ears.
"Did you see Volume 8?"
"Of course I did. It's a bit bitter, but they say it's exactly as expected."
"With a commoner achieving such feats, there's no way the nobles wouldn't try to keep him in check. I wonder what would have happened if that actually occurred?"
"Hey, did you buy the new volume? If you did, let me borrow it."
"No way. I haven't even finished reading it yet."
These were topics I could now let go in one ear and out the other. I'd heard them so much that I just brushed them off. My priority was checking if my acquaintances were in their seats.
I sat down in a random empty spot and looked around the room.
"Lady Cecile. Lady Cecile, have you read Volume 8 of the Xenon Biography?"
"No. I haven't even been able to buy it yet."
"Ah, I see. I can lend you mine if you'd like?"
"It's alright. I'm curious about the story, but I can wait."
The first face I spotted was Cecile, but she was surrounded by a cluster of female students.
Cecile was answering the barrage of questions from the girls one by one with an awkward expression. She clearly seemed overwhelmed by the situation.
I wondered for a moment why Lina wasn't with her, only to realize a bit later that she was sitting separately. Looking over at where Lina sat, I saw that she was also surrounded by a large group of female students.
"What do you think, Lady Lina? Even if it's just a novel, don't you think it goes too far?"
"Hmm... I wonder. If we don't commit any wrongs, we can hold our heads high. If it were me, I would try to recruit a hero like Xenon. Such cases are actually quite frequent."
"Then why do you think Xenon won't accept a noble title? Even Count Kay suggested he could become a noble if he joined his knights."
"Given Xenon's personality, he probably decided that the status of a free adventurer suits him better than being a noble."
Unlike the struggling Cecile, Lina was handling the students with a calm and elegant tone.
It looked like an adult telling an interesting story to children, and I almost let out a small laugh.
Why are they sitting apart?
Cecile and Lina were usually inseparable. I had never seen them apart, at least not to my knowledge.
But now they were split up, and quite far apart at that. Having only seen them together, I couldn't help but be curious.
Did they have a fight?
I looked back and forth between the two, who were being drained of energy by the groups of girls, before turning my gaze forward. It wasn't something I needed to worry about right now.
But where did Mari go—
Just as that thought crossed my mind, someone sat down next to me and gave a bright greeting.
"Hi!"
Speak of the devil.
Mari waved at me with a radiant smile. I waved back and gave a casual greeting.
"...Yeah. Hi."
"What's with that reaction?"
"It's nothing."
I was a bit curious why she, who usually arrived early, was coming in at this time, but I didn't pry.
Since Cecile and Lina were sitting separately and surrounded by girls, she might have just sat next to me for that reason.
Meanwhile, Mari asked how I was doing in her characteristically energetic voice.
"What did you do over the weekend?"
"I read a book."
"What book? Don't tell me it was Volume 8 of the Xenon Biography?"
"No. A history book."
"Ugh. A history book?"
Hearing my answer, Mari made a face as if she'd heard something repulsive. As I've mentioned before, Mari hates history so much it makes her skin crawl.
When I gave a silent nod, Mari spoke in a tone that suggested she couldn't understand me at all.
"Why would you go out of your way to read something so boring? Especially when the Xenon Biography is out."
"I find it interesting."
Besides, Professor Elena's laboratory was filled with history books and papers I'd never encountered before. Lately, I've been living for the joy of reading them.
Though teaching Cindy how to write was like pulling teeth. Her comprehension was so disastrous that I had to practically chew the information for her and help her digest it before she could barely understand. Still, she wasn't lacking in passion, so I couldn't bring myself to scold her.
"Fine. Everyone has different tastes. Anyway..."
Mari trailed off, glancing slightly behind her. Her gaze was fixed on Cecile and Lina.
Then she shook her head and spoke with a nuance of 'they're at it again.'
"Those two are still like that."
"Did something happen?"
"Ah, you wouldn't know. They had a fight at a cafe yesterday."
So they did fight. I had more or less expected it, but it was still surprising.
I looked back and forth between Lina and Cecile, who were still surrounded by students, and asked Mari.
"Why? What did they fight about?"
"I don't know. I just happened to see them while passing by."
"Hmm..."
Was there even a topic those two would fight over? No matter how much I thought about it, nothing came to mind.
"Anyway, did you read the new volume of the Xenon Biography?"
While I was deep in thought, Mari asked me in a slightly excited tone. I snapped out of my thoughts and faced her.
Her eyes were slightly crinkled in a smirk, which for some reason felt a bit annoying. It was as if she was feeling superior. I raised an eyebrow and answered.
"No. Did you?"
"Hehehe."
She let out a strange laugh instead of answering. As soon as I saw that reaction, I could guess that Mari had managed to get a copy of Volume 8.
And sure enough, as soon as Mari opened her mouth, the answer I expected came out.
"Of course I got it. And not just that, I got all the ones I couldn't buy before. My dad pulled some strings."
"Is that so? You didn't do anything illegal, did you?"
"As if! I just used some connections. It's definitely not illegal, okay?"
Is it really necessary to use connections just to buy a few books? Especially for a Ducal family with power second only to the Emperor.
While I was inwardly dumbfounded, Mari spoke with a teasing expression.
"Jealous? If you're jealous, just say so. If you really want, I could even lend it to you."
"I'm fine. I can just buy it later, even if it takes some time."
More importantly, I'm the author. It was just as I was waving my hand and answering bluntly.
Mari saw my response, made a 'look at this guy' face, and let out a deep sigh.
"Phew... If that's how you're going to be, I guess I'll have to bring up a story you won't be able to refuse."
"A story I can't refuse?"
What kind of story could it be for her to say that? While I wondered, Mari looked around. She seemed to be making sure no one else was listening.
Then she beckoned me to come closer. With curiosity blooming in my chest, I leaned my face in. Mari suddenly looked flustered and whispered urgently.
"Hey, hey! Not your face, your ear! Your ear!"
"Ah."
Only then did I turn my head to show her my ear. Mari let out a sigh, then cupped both hands around my ear to keep the sound from leaking out.
"Don't be shocked when you hear this. Actually, my dad told me something truly surprising."
"Something surprising? Did the Duke send a letter?"
"Yeah. And do you know what was written in that letter...?"
Mari paused for a moment and looked around once more. Then she whispered into my ear.
"My dad said he found the author of the Xenon Biography."
"... ..."
With those few words, I felt my heart drop into my stomach.
"He even said he's inviting him to our house. He said the author readily accepted."
"...What?"
I couldn't help but frown at her following explanation.
Because I was wondering what kind of absolute bullshit this was.