Chapter 211: Book 16(1)
Chapter 211: Book 16(1)
After discovering the abysmal state of Kate’s sexual knowledge, I headed straight to the Temple of Luminous the very next day.
I demanded an explanation, point by point, asking how they could have raised a child like this. I argued that even if a god only provides guidance, this was crossing a line.
Not only had my perception of Kate almost been shattered, but it was also a serious problem for an adult to have such a pathetic level of basic knowledge. If someone with sinister intentions had targeted her, a major disaster would have surely occurred.
Luminous’s response, however, was enough to leave me speechless.
[This is something beyond my control, my child. I cannot provide her education myself, can I? Even a god is not truly omnipotent.]
'Then are you saying this was all just a coincidence? For someone you’ve bestowed a blessing upon, this is practically neglect...'
[Neglect? How cruel. I have poured so much interest into that child. Of course, I left her sexual education and other schooling to the Order, but...]
Perhaps realizing he shared some of the responsibility, Luminous responded with a somewhat timid attitude.
I had felt this before, but he was a god with remarkably human traits. It wasn't just Luminous; Mora was the same.
Left with no choice, I ended the incident only after telling him I would resolve the matter regarding Kate slowly.
[If it is too difficult, would you like to teach her yourself?]
'Don't even joke about that.'
I heard something terrifying at the very end, but since I hadn't completely refused, he might start rambling about "seeds" again. I planned to leave the task to someone else.
The others had also expressed a desire to take action once they realized the extent of Kate’s ignorance. For now, they weren't close enough and everyone was busy, so the matter had been pushed to the back burner.
'I never imagined someone like that actually existed.'
After returning to the dormitory, I paused my writing for a moment to think about Kate.
Previously, I could only think of her as a pervert or a nymphomaniac, but now that I knew the truth, I felt a bit sorry for her. They say learning something wrong is worse than not learning it at all; I didn't know how the Order had taught her, but her knowledge was in a disastrous state.
'It’s not an entirely impossible story, though...'
Something similar had happened in my previous life. A couple in China consulted a doctor because they couldn't conceive, and it turned out they had no concept of what sexual intercourse actually was. If such things happened occasionally even in a world with advanced civilization and education, there was no reason it couldn't happen here.
Of course, the Church of Luminous was definitely at fault. Kate had received a divine blessing, yet they hadn't provided her with proper knowledge. Whether it was to preserve her "purity" or because there were no suitable educators, the whole situation was a mess.
'The fact that she has no friends probably played a part, too.'
Who would have the courage to "dare" become friends with Kate, who was blessed by God? If she’d had friends, they would have noticed her eccentricities and taught her properly.
I felt my perception of Kate gradually shifting, but I shook off the thoughts and focused on my writing.
My writing time had decreased because the number of humanities students had nearly tripled and I had to consult with Cherry, but I had already filled about two-thirds of the volume. The problem was...
'...Did I write too much?'
I scratched the bridge of my nose as I looked at the thick stack of manuscripts. I said two-thirds, but this was already enough for an entire book. Originally, I thought about splitting it into two volumes, but as I wrote as my heart desired, the pages had piled up. It felt awkward to split it now, so I just kept writing without thinking.
'The more, the better.'
Shrugging my shoulders, I resumed writing with the magic pen I had received from my father. The contents of Volume 16 were roughly as follows:
After Satan took the Grand Chieftain's head in Volume 15, the beastkin nation of Hiktun was plunged into literal chaos. Within that turmoil, two factions argued fiercely. One side insisted that the strongest warrior should become the Grand Chieftain, while the other argued that they needed to change their ways and choose someone with superior political skill.
Even becoming the Grand Chieftain was a problem, as the prevailing sentiment was that one wouldn't be recognized as the true leader unless they defeated Satan. Naturally, this called for a Holmgang.
However, Satan’s martial prowess was great enough to toy with even the former Grand Chieftain. Despite their bold words, no one was willing to step forward and claim the title.
'In order for Caind to become the Grand Chieftain with legitimacy...'
He had to defeat Satan as planned. However, a year-long waiting period was required before one could challenge someone who had already participated in a Holmgang. During that year, Caind trains desperately to somehow bring Satan down, but his naturally frail body makes it an impossible task.
It gets to the point where Xenon, watching from the side, looks at him with pity and suggests he give up. Xenon tells him to rest easy, as he will be the one to defeat Satan anyway.
But Caind refuses, reaffirming his will that he must be the one to defeat him in a Holmgang.
'And here, I reveal Satan’s detailed past.'
In Volume 15, it was only mentioned that Satan was exiled from Hiktun for political reasons. In Volume 16, the details are revealed more closely through Caind.
He was originally an ideal family man and leader who cherished his family and tribe dearly, but he was a man who lost everything due to an external attack. His past was beyond wretched—it was tragic.
Satan did not become a demon of his own free will; the circumstances and the people around him turned him into one. The result of that was his revenge against the Grand Chieftain.
'But he can't bring himself to kill his younger brother.'
Even though Satan and Caind were half-brothers, they cherished each other deeply. Since they were young, whenever the weak Caind was bullied, Satan would step in to handle it, and whenever there was something Satan didn't know, Caind would teach him everything.
If the former Grand Chieftain hadn't been blinded by greed, Satan would have handled the military might while Caind managed the strategy. Their brotherly bond was that strong.
Although circumstances forced the brothers to turn their fists against each other, Satan, aware that he had become a demon, eventually declares his surrender during the Holmgang with Caind.
Immediately after surrendering, he betrays the demons and charges forward, dying a glorious death in battle. Though his journey was miserable, he remains a beastkin warrior until the very end.
'It’s drifting away from the original purpose...'
As I wrote, I fell into thought, wondering if this was right. The original goal was to deliver a message that even beastkin need intellect, not just physical strength.
But as I kept writing, a tear-jerking brotherly bond and some philosophical aspects were added. Of course, the story itself wasn't bad and was quite gripping. It was just that the message I wanted to convey wasn't as concentrated.
'Let's just focus on the significance. Reality is changing faster right now anyway.'
There was still no news of Leona, who had returned to Animus. The same went for news from Animus in general.
Above all, I wasn't a philosopher, and I had grateful critics who would interpret my books for me whenever I released them. I would have to trust them.
'By the way...'
I set down the magic pen for a moment, opened a drawer, and pulled out a bundle of papers. It was the manuscript Cherry had delivered to me after her revisions.
Since it was a newly written manuscript, it was clean and undamaged, but while it had been revised, the content remained the same as before.
I planned to send it to the publisher along with Volume 16 to support her dream, but I wondered if it was truly okay.
'It’s definitely interesting.'
The romance fantasy Cherry wrote, Red Sunset Once Again, was truly entertaining. At least in my eyes. It was a somewhat common plot where a female protagonist who had lived a tumultuous life returns to the past to overcome her hardships.
However, since the concept of "regression" was rare to the people of this world, it would be enough to draw interest. The problem was that the context and grammar were very similar to mine.
I heard she had practiced by copying the Xenon Biography to write as similarly to me as possible, so it couldn't be helped. In my previous life, I also started by writing similarly to the novels I enjoyed before developing my own style over time.
At worst, this novel could be criticized for that. And even one or two malicious comments can deeply wound a person's heart. Above all, Cherry’s mental health was currently so poor it could be called critical, so every single criticism would be fatal. She might even show signs of anxiety upon seeing a critique in the newspaper.
'I’d rather take the insults myself...'
Cherry had been ruthlessly trampled before she could even sprout. This time, I had to protect her somehow, not just until she sprouted, but until she was in full bloom.
I would use a pen name so her family wouldn't find out, but it was best to be cautious and leave no room for suspicion.
'It’s hard to call her my disciple, too...'
If I claimed Cherry was my disciple, I could act as a shield for now. But things could get complicated after I revealed my own identity. If the person who wrote a regression story was said to be Xenon’s disciple? People might actually conclude she was a real regressor.
So, for the sake of the future, it was better to keep the fact that she was my "disciple" under wraps.
'I should ask for her opinion first.'
With that thought, I checked the clock. Since it was the weekend, there were no classes, and I hadn't made a separate appointment with Cherry, so we wouldn't meet until next week. For now, it seemed better to finish the rest of Volume 16 and plan the next story.
'Since the beastkin part is over, Volume 17 should move from Xenon to Jin and Lily. Maybe they meet Gluttony and hear the secret of their birth.'
Thus, shortly after finishing the writing for Volume 16, a thought occurred to me.
'Should I introduce Cherry to the others next week?'
It wasn't a bad option. Meeting in secret like this was strange, so it would be wiser to reveal Cherry’s existence to them. Cherry’s unstable mental state might also stabilize somewhat by meeting female friends. Whenever I saw her in class, she tended to sit alone and lonely, not speaking to anyone.
There were people interested in her looks and figure, but they quickly backed off because of the gloomy aura she radiated.
'It was a bit burdensome how she kept staring at me during all that, though...'
I believed things would gradually improve.
*
The weekend passed, and the weekdays returned. I sent the manuscript for Volume 16, which I had finished over the weekend, to the mansion.
However, I hadn't decided on Cherry’s novel yet, so I left it as it was. I planned to decide after hearing her opinion rather than acting recklessly.
Incidentally, whenever I was at Elena’s laboratory, Cherry always visited. Thanks to that, I didn't have to go looking for her, and we ended up heading to a cafe alone to discuss things.
"Cherry. As I said before, if you truly want it, I can send the manuscript to the publisher. But you will face a lot of criticism. I'm worried about you..."
"It's okay."
"I could act as a shield..."
"It's okay."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
Contrary to my worries over the weekend, Cherry replied that she was fine with receiving criticism and that there was no need for me to be a shield.
Her gloomy expression and the deep shadows in her eyes remained, but the corners of her mouth were turned up, giving her a somewhat sinister vibe. I couldn't tell if I should call that being in a good mood or still being depressed.
"Before that, Assistant Instructor Isaac."
"Yes?"
"When do you plan to release Volume 16 of the Xenon Biography?"
"I already sent it."
"I see."
Nodding at my answer, Cherry stared at me intently before curling her lips upward. Then, she made a request in her characteristic gloomy, listless voice.
"Then, can you send mine in fifteen days?"
"I don't mind. But why fifteen days?"
"It would be unthinkable to release mine at the same time as yours, Sir Isaac."
"Uh... okay."
I decided to just go with it.
"So, what do you want your pen name to be? Let's try to avoid anything related to the color pink if possible. Sharp people might suspect it came from the Roseberry family."
"Ah. I've already prepared a pen name."
"What is it?"
At my question, Cherry stared straight into my face and answered.
"Mary."
The smile she wore then...
"Please make it Mary."
...was a deeply sinister one.
I wore a hesitant expression for a moment but soon nodded. The smile was a bit scary, but using the pen name Mary made sense. It was a manuscript sent from our mansion, and Xenon and Mary were the names of the protagonist and female lead. The publisher would likely notice the connection and take good care of it.
"Alright. I'll send it then. I'm sorry to say this, but it's better not to have too high expectations. It's interesting to me, but that's just my subjective opinion."
"It doesn't matter. That is more than enough for me."
"...Is it?"
"Yes."
It sounded a bit like she was deifying me. Well, considering her dream had been crushed and she had finally caught a lifeline, I could understand why she would say that.
"Ah, and this..."
"Hmm?"
Cherry shyly showed me something. It looked like an ordinary water bottle. When I gave her a questioning look, she spoke to me in a bashful voice.
"Last time... you said you'd give me something better than a meal..."
"Ah. That?"
Come to think of it, I had said something like that. That I would give her something better than a meal as a reward for helping her. To be honest, I had forgotten, but it seemed Cherry remembered.
'Didn't she say it smelled like cherry blossoms?'
I looked at Cherry, who had her head bowed low. Out of embarrassment, she had tucked her hands between her thighs, making her ample chest stand out even more. What on earth had she made that made her so embarrassed? It was a rather rare reaction for her, given her usual gloomy aura.
My curiosity piqued, I opened the cap of the water bottle to check the contents. As soon as I opened it, a thick scent of cherry blossoms stimulated my nose. A strong scent of lilacs came from my own body, but this was... thick? Or maybe sticky?
"What is this? Is it like a perfume?"
"...No."
"Then?"
"It's something you can drink..."
Cherry didn't explain clearly, giving a vague answer instead. Seeing her face turn beet red, she seemed extremely embarrassed. Still, a gift was a gift, so I should accept it gratefully. Since I received it from a colleague and a cute(?) junior, I intended to use it as she wished.
"Thanks. By the way, you said I can drink this?"
"Yes... you can drink it, or use it like a seasoning..."
"Ah. So it's like a sauce."
No wonder the smell was so strong. I thought I had heard somewhere that these kinds of sauces were popular among nobles. And the Roseberry family was famous for having the cherry blossom as their symbol. Naturally, they would have a cherry blossom-scented sauce.
'It's a bit strange to put it in a water bottle, though. She could have just given me the whole container.'
With that thought, I dipped my finger in just to taste it. As soon as I dipped my finger, Cherry, who had been looking down, snapped her head up.
I looked at the white sauce(?) that had a hint of stickiness and immediately put it in my mouth. As soon as it entered my mouth, a moderate saltiness and a thick cherry blossom scent filled my palate.
"Ah. Ahh..."
When I put the sauce in my mouth, an inexplicable moan escaped Cherry’s lips. The corners of her mouth, which had been down, curled up, and joy and ecstasy were etched into her pink eyes.
Was she really that happy? I frowned slightly as the strong cherry blossom scent lingered in my mouth. It seemed I would need to dilute it properly.
"Is... is it delicious?"
"Yeah. It's good. Except for the scent being a bit strong."
At my honest and simple answer, Cherry...
"He-hee."
...let out a bizarre laugh and bowed her head again.
What was with her?
Puzzled, I took another taste of the sauce from the bottle.
'But why does it taste salty?'
It felt like there was a hint of sweetness, too.