Chapter 366: Book 27(2)
Chapter 366: Book 27(2)
Volume 27 of Xenon Biography depicts the all-out war between the Human Alliance and the demons, with each race unleashing its unique personality and full military might upon the battlefield.
The elves and the demon clan make grand entrances via teleportation; the dark elves and devil hunters specialize in ambushes; and the beastkin charge forward without hesitation the moment the order is given.
The humans, meanwhile, faithfully fulfill their role as tanks, demonstrating their characteristic cohesion and grit.
Humans are the only race that can match the overwhelming swarms of demons in sheer numbers. If they fall, the remaining races will inevitably be crushed by the weight of the enemy's quantity.
Finally, there are the dwarves. While they prove to be a formidable force, the most striking element is undoubtedly the "Golem."
A body made of steel, modeled after the human form, with an "energy core" pulsating at the center of its chest.
A tactical weapon that moves according to the user's commands, utilizing its rigid frame for a variety of purposes.
Thanks to my detailed illustrations of their appearance, the readers can easily visualize them.
Furthermore, I poured all my imagination into describing the principles behind these machines and how they are utilized.
For instance, they are enchanted with anti-magic spells, giving them incredibly high magic resistance, and they are primarily used to combat large monsters like ogres.
Most impressively, they aren't piloted or remotely controlled; they act with an autonomous will.
The demons are visibly shaken by the performance of these golems, which they are seeing for the first time. Moreover, a golem is a doll, not a living creature.
In other words, as long as one has the money, materials, and blueprints, they can be mass-produced in a factory.
I decided to position the dwarves as a support force from the rear rather than having them on the front lines. This is how dwarves are generally portrayed in Xenon Biography.
Well, there are the occasional dwarves who charge in with a hammer in one hand and an axe in the other, but those are the extreme exceptions.
Regardless, the reaction from readers grew even more heated with the appearance of the golem, one of the greatest masterpieces ever invented by dwarves.
[A tactical weapon born from the collective dreams and passion of the dwarves.]
[If the steam locomotive was built through the effort and spirit of a single dwarf, the golem feels much more realistic.]
[A steel doll that moves with its own free will. Is such a thing truly possible with magic?]
Men are the same everywhere, it seems. As soon as the steel golems appeared, their eyes lit up, and they began chattering away.
Some expressed a desire to ride one, while others praised the infinite potential for their use if they were ever actually invented.
[Could Machina be secretly developing these right now?]
[Since it appeared in Xenon Biography, there's a high possibility.]
It wouldn't be right to leave out a "Why Is This Real?" moment here. After all, Machina is the place that went beyond mana engines to invent the automobile, even if it was an incomplete version.
The public consensus is that a golem wouldn't be any different.
[Machina's Stance: We don't have anything like that. But we are interested.]
They didn't actually have them, of course. But that short, concise statement perfectly represented Machina's position.
Dwarves are a race that naturally loves to create. The appearance of the golem served as a massive spark for their imaginations.
Now that mana engines have been invented, why not try making a golem? It appeared in Xenon Biography, so there's no reason it can't be done.
They'll likely start working on it soon. It's a matter of great interest not just to the dwarves, but to other races as well.
Though the novel depicts a state of war, the invention of golems would be a massive boon to the development of civilization.
The value of labor is immense everywhere in the world. Unless you live in a land like Albenheim, where plants grow on their own even if you just scatter seeds, farming is essential.
Furthermore, beyond the labor of farming itself, there's the constant problem of monsters raiding for loot.
One might manage to handle goblins or orcs, but the moment an ogre appears, you have to run without looking back.
An ogre is far beyond the capabilities of ordinary soldiers; it takes a knight to barely manage one.
In such a situation, a golem would ensure a perfect harvest, barring a natural famine. It could even double as a scarecrow—killing two birds with one stone.
[The theory of granting autonomous will to inorganic matter is very intriguing. However, there is potential for abuse.]
[It's similar in context to necromancy, so we need to be cautious.]
[Ultimately, it's only possible by delving into necromancy, but all mages who researched necromancy have been exiled.]
While the golems themselves were popular, the theory of granting them autonomous will seemed to cause some discomfort.
As the comments suggested, giving a golem free will is essentially the same as necromancy, just with a different target.
The difference is that necromancy is an act against humanity because it raises corpses, whereas a golem is inorganic from the start.
Because of this, the decision to invent the golem in the story was only made after extensive debate. It seems the association with necromancy was the sticking point.
This was something I could understand, so I just let it be. I only provide the suggestions; the choice belongs to others.
[Lucifer, who grew wings by borrowing the power of a demon. Yet, his wings were broken by a human, the lowliest of beings.]
[The scene where the fallen angel plunges to the earth was incredibly impressive.]
Even without the golems, there are plenty of highlights. In particular, the battle between Xenon, Pride, and Lucifer is likely the most memorable.
Lucifer, having received a "blessing" from Diabolus to gain black wings, looks down at Xenon on the ground and arrogantly declares that he will ascend to the heavens just like his ancestors.
To top it off, he mocks his ancestor who tore off his own wings to descend, calling him a fool who threw away the chance to become a god.
Lucifer was a being consumed by pride, yet ironically, it is that very pride that leads to his defeat.
It might be a common cliché back on Earth, but in this world, where such tropes don't exist, it must feel incredibly cathartic.
[Good riddance.]
[An end truly fitting for the sin of Pride.]
[A being that deserved to die.]
Perhaps because Lucifer's reputation had already hit rock bottom, readers cheered at his death.
Even Albenheim went so far as to sharply declare, "We don't have anyone like that," which gives you an idea of just how terrible he was.
With Lucifer's death, the war seemed to be heading straight for victory, but it was just one mountain after another. There was still one left.
[Diabolus emerging from the egg. The next volume will be the final showdown.]
[I can feel the finale approaching.]
[Greed met his end at the hands of his own creation. A disappointing exit, but it served to highlight Diabolus's cruelty.]
That was the resurrection of Diabolus, the fake final boss and the catalyst for the tragedy.
The moment Diabolus is resurrected, every living being stops what they are doing and looks toward the spot where the World Tree once stood.
Everyone focused on the war felt it simultaneously: a great evil that should never have been born had entered the world.
Volume 27 ends with a giant hand crushing Greed like a bug.
[Xenon Biography is reaching its climax. What will happen after?]
[I wonder if he'll release a new work or go on a hiatus.]
The readers, sensing that the story was nearing its end, were curious about what would come next.
Some predicted a new work, while others guessed a long hiatus.
Most leaned toward the latter. Having serialized a long-running series for nearly 30 volumes, the prevailing opinion was that he deserved a rest.
Furthermore, given the threats from demon worshippers, they suggested it would be best for him to keep a low profile for a while.
While these opinions were pouring out, I was currently...
"Hello, President Musk. It's been a while."
"Ho ho. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."
I was meeting with Musk at the mansion, not the dormitory. As usual, he wore a benevolent smile.
After enjoying a peaceful time with Arwen in Albenheim, I had stopped by the mansion to see my mother before returning to the dormitory, and Musk happened to visit.
Since Ariel was at the dormitory, I might have refused the meeting there, so the timing was quite good.
Moreover, the news of my brief visit to the mansion had already reached the dormitory. In other words, my guard knights, Adelia and Kate, were by my side.
They couldn't come to Albenheim because I needed to be alone with Arwen, but that was no longer the case. My "newlywed" life, so to speak, was over, and I had returned to my original duties.
"Here you go, Young Master."
"Ah, thanks."
I thanked Adelia as she brought out the tea and cookies she had prepared in advance.
I picked up a cookie studded with chocolate chips and took a bite.
The characteristic nuttiness of the cookie and the sweetness of the chocolate filled my mouth.
"So, what brings you here today?"
I asked Musk while munching on the cookie. Normally, I should wait until I've finished chewing, but since it was Musk, it didn't matter.
He didn't seem to mind either, maintaining his pleasant smile with his hands clasped as he spoke.
"Well... it's closely related to Xenon Biography. To be precise, you could call it a distribution issue."
"Distribution?"
"Yes."
It seemed the issue wasn't with the work itself, but with the business side of things. As everyone knows, I had long ago delegated all matters related to publishing.
I didn't really care if Musk skimmed off a few gold bars. I was making far more profit than that anyway.
Above all, the trust built between Musk and me couldn't be measured in mere money. That's why I trusted him implicitly.
And yet, for him to come to me personally to talk about publishing... it was clearly something serious.
I swallowed the cookie and leaned forward slightly.
"Has a problem occurred?"
"To summarize briefly, it's because of the demon worshippers. A printing press in the Duchy of Bellua was destroyed in a suicide bombing by them."
"..."
Perhaps it was because the demon worshippers were mentioned. Kate, who had been casually reaching for a cookie, flinched and froze.
She slowly put the cookie back down and spoke in a voice that was chillingly cold.
"Those... vermin did that?"
"Yes. Not only was the printing press destroyed, but there were five casualties. I have already sent letters of condolence, along with compensation, to the families of two of them."
"...Luminous, grant peace to the innocent."
At the mention of casualties—specifically, deaths—Kate crossed herself and offered a prayer.
My heart felt heavy as well, and I couldn't hide my distress.
Technically, these people had been harmed because of me. At the same time, I quickly realized why the demon worshippers had carried out such a terror attack.
"...The Duchy of Bellua is called the world's bridgehead. That means..."
"It means if they can't aim for the head, they'll cut off the limbs. Rebuilding a printing press isn't a problem. However, the demon worshippers are unlikely to just sit back and watch. Moreover, there's a high probability that other branches will be targeted as well."
It wasn't like we were at war, yet they were trying to cut off the supply lines. I could only let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.
With Kate, the ultimate counter, by my side, it was virtually impossible for them to get to me.
The previous incident happened because of my own complacency; now that I was fully aware, the chances of being caught off guard were zero.
So, as Musk said, since they couldn't target the head, they likely shifted their strategy to cutting off the limbs.
"That is why I have come to see you, Isaac. Money can buy many things, and rebuilding a ruined building is no great task. But money cannot buy human lives or time."
"..."
It was certainly a noble sentiment, but coming from Musk, whose greed was legendary, it left me a bit stunned. Still, I was glad he wasn't a money-obsessed miser like Mr. Krabs.
"If this continues, the demon worshippers will only get more desperate. People will become afraid to work at the printing presses."
"I understand your point, Mr. Musk. So, what is your main point?"
"I would like to make a proposal. It concerns the contents of the letter you sent me. Specifically, the questions and answers."
"What does that have to do with this? If you're suggesting we give Q&As to people who catch a lot of demon worshippers, I refuse."
Demon worshippers aren't exactly common street thugs; they aren't targets that can be easily suppressed.
Even if Kate, who was sitting next to me, could squash them like bugs, not everyone in the world is a Kate.
Furthermore, the Q&A is something I do purely because I want to. There's no reason to make people risk their lives for it.
However, Musk seemed to have anticipated my response. He chuckled and gave an unexpected answer.
"Haha. It's not that. I've already decided to offer monetary rewards to those who catch demon worshippers. The most important thing isn't the amount, but the reward."
"The reward?"
"Yes. For example..."
He paused for a moment, then smiled brightly and looked me straight in the eye.
"A private audience with you, Isaac, in a room with no one else present?"
"...?"
While I was blinking in confusion at the incomprehensible reward...
"Oh..."
Beside me, I heard Kate let out a sound of genuine admiration.