Chapter 412: The Eccentric(3)
Chapter 412: The Eccentric(3)
The place we arrived at was a rest area located at the edge of the garden. Built entirely of white marble, its layout was reminiscent of a traditional pavilion.
Before it, a wide river flowed with a gentle current. As Berit had said, it was the perfect spot for fishing.
I wondered for a moment why such a massive river existed inside the Imperial Palace, but I quickly brushed the thought aside. This was the Minerva Empire, a nation known for its staggering scale; they probably just made it happen.
Furthermore, according to history, the capital of the Minerva Empire was originally a dense forest. The city had been built by slowly reclaiming the land, but traces of the wilderness remained.
This river was likely one of those remnants. In fact, there were still many unreclaimed areas within the empire.
Normally, they would have cleared those areas one by one to transform them into habitable land, but work had been halted due to the rampant activity of demon worshippers.
However, since it had been discovered that the budget for these projects was leaking like a sieve, the pause wasn't entirely a loss.
"I like it here—"
"The Royal 'We,' Your Majesty."
The guard knight asserted his presence once more. Berit let out a deep sigh as the knight handed him a fishing rod while correcting his speech.
"Sigh. We like it best here. One can cast everything aside and simply fish without a single thought."
Whish!
Clearly a seasoned hobbyist, Berit found a good vantage point and cast his line with a powerful swing.
The line arced through the air before descending. With a soft plop, the float began to bob on the surface.
Mary and I watched him quietly from behind. The guard knight had brought over chairs for us, so there was no need to remain standing.
"Isaac. How much do you know about fish?"
Berit asked me casually while we were sitting in silence.
His eyes remained fixed on the fishing line. It seemed like a question meant to break the awkward tension.
"I know a fair amount."
"Then do you know what kind of fish inhabit a river like this?"
I looked at the river as soon as he asked. It didn't flow as sluggishly as a downstream current, but it wasn't as turbulent as the upstream reaches either.
Since the speed was just right, I figured trout or salmon might live here. I recalled seeing something about it in an encyclopedia.
"I imagine trout, salmon, bluebang, and nak-fish live here. There might be eels at the bottom, or if we're lucky, even catfish."
As one could tell, some fish shared names similar or identical to those on Earth. However, while the names were the same, their appearances were vastly different.
"Correct. I thought you wouldn't know, but you surprise me. Few young people take an interest in fish these days."
"I've been fond of books since I was a child."
"No matter how much one loves books, isn't it a bit much to read about fish?"
Berit turned his head slightly, posing a pointed question. As he said, it was extremely rare for someone my age to be a bibliophile.
More specifically, he was likely referring to a bookworm who lived buried in texts. Even such a person would usually delve deep into a specific field of interest rather than consuming everything indiscriminately like a stray dog.
In other words, he was testing me. He seemed to harbor a slight suspicion that I might be a prophet or a regressor.
Of course, that was just a guess. He might have genuinely found it impressive.
‘But I really did just read everything, so I don't know what to tell him.’
I had mastered the script of this world by the age of four or five. I had been reading ever since.
Beyond the books in the mansion, my mother had bought me a wide variety of texts, praising my precociousness.
The excitement of being born into a fantasy world, the extremely limited hobbies compared to Earth, and my natural homebody tendencies had combined to turn me into a total bookworm.
Explaining all of that would only make things weirder, so I gave a concise, plausible answer.
"It's because I read everything I could get my hands on, regardless of whether it was fiction or non-fiction."
"I see. I suppose that's why you were able to write such a book... Hah!"
Snap!
Berit cut himself off and pulled back with force. Judging by the tension in the line, a fish had taken the bait.
Unfortunately, he failed to land it. The fish had nibbled but hadn't hooked properly, and the line snapped upward with a sharp recoil.
The fish inhabiting these waters were naturally agile, making the fishing difficulty quite high.
"Tsk, tsk."
Berit clicked his tongue at the empty hook and began to bait it again. It was a task the guard knight could have easily done, yet he insisted on doing it himself.
He cast the line far out once more, and the float settled into the water with a gentle splash.
"What was I saying?"
"You said he was able to write the Xenon Biography because he read a wide variety of books," the guard knight answered on my behalf.
Berit nodded and resumed speaking in a relaxed, quiet tone.
"When that book first came out, I was truly astonished. Literature was considered the exclusive domain of the nobility, and my head would ache every time I saw books filled with nothing but difficult vocabulary. Even when the words were familiar, they required a level of interpretation that was exhausting."
"I sympathize deeply with that sentiment."
"Did you write it so simply because you found that aspect annoying?"
"I can't say that wasn't a factor."
I wasn't just being polite; I meant it. While my instincts as a writer from my previous life played a part, the decisive factor was the feeling that I'd rather just write it myself.
Berit let out a hearty chuckle at my prompt response. He fell silent for a moment before speaking with words that carried significant weight.
"As it should be. By rights, one must master the written word to grow closer to books, but until now, the system was designed to keep people away. Language is no one's exclusive property."
"..."
"Thanks to the Xenon Biography, the number of people becoming literate has increased significantly. The fact that the number of literature students among Academy applicants has surged is also due to its influence."
I scratched my head, feeling a bit embarrassed by the high praise. Glancing to the side, I saw Mary wearing a proud, confident smile.
In truth, by the standards of my previous life, the Xenon Biography was far from what one would call "pure literature." Strictly speaking, opinions were divided on whether it even qualified.
However, works like The Lord of the Rings, Sherlock Holmes, A Song of Ice and Fire, and even the Cthulhu Mythos—all of these are hailed as masterpieces despite being far removed from pure literature.
The Xenon Biography in this world should be viewed similarly. I believed that serving as a bridge to pure literature was more than enough.
More importantly, the Xenon Biography was creating another side effect.
"However, I believe it's a problem that it has become too famous."
"Why is that?"
"There is no one else writing in a style similar to the Xenon Biography. Even if they do, they often put down their pens out of fear of being seen as disrespectful, or they face external pressure."
In Cherry's case, she could write because I had personally vouched for her, but others were walking on eggshells.
The publisher had tried to host events like contests for the sake of the future, but the plan fell through due to backlash from none other than the Holy Nation of Savior.
If Savior and various other organizations were protesting based on the idea of "How dare they," one could only imagine the pressure on the publisher.
Sculptures, plays, and even films were being produced, but anything involving the written word was met with absolute opposition.
"Are you saying you wouldn't mind if others wrote in a style similar to the Xenon Biography? That prose is your unique signature, is it not?"
Berit turned his head slightly, his tone suggesting he found my stance unexpected. He was asking if I was truly okay with people diluting my "brand."
Before it was spotlighted as a book of prophecy, the Xenon Biography was acclaimed for its unique prose. That potential truly exploded and gained massive popularity starting from Volume 5.
In a sea of books as difficult as CSAT questions, a style that allowed for immediate visualization had emerged.
That prose had become my hallmark, and since the work was now treated as a holy scripture, people were naturally hesitant to imitate it.
"Did you not just say that language is no one's exclusive property?"
"Language is not, but that specific style is yours alone."
Hearing his calm response, I was certain. This was a test.
Just moments ago, he had said language belonged to everyone, yet now he was making a contradictory statement.
I fell silent for a moment to organize my thoughts, and as soon as I was ready, the words flowed out smoothly.
"Your Majesty. I merely made good use of the characters that already existed. It is much like cooking. Even a brilliant chef cannot produce a proper result if the ingredients are spoiled. The person who uses language for evil is the one at fault; using it cleverly is no crime."
The person who commits verbal abuse is the one who is bad; the language itself is innocent. Furthermore, using language playfully should never be seen as defiling it.
If anything, playful use of language should be encouraged. It increases "diversity," which is the most vital aspect of any language.
Even in my previous life, despite hundreds of years passing since the creation of Hangul, new words were constantly being invented. One could understand the sentiment through that.
"Language is something that no one can truly restrain. Even the one who created it would find it impossible."
"Even a god?"
"A god might be able to take language away. But making it disappear entirely would be impossible even for a god. For humans would simply create another."
"Hahaha!"
Berit let out his signature hearty laugh, seemingly amused by my words. He then slowly began to reel in his line, even though no fish had bitten.
Once the line was fully retracted, he handed the rod to the guard knight and turned his body around.
Since the chair had no backrest, he was able to face me directly as soon as he turned.
The corners of his mouth were turned up in amusement, and his deep-set eyes gazed at me intently.
After staring at me for a long time, he glanced at Mary beside me and spoke quietly, as if he finally understood.
"How fascinating. I doubt you seduced Mary with that silver tongue of yours... As you know, this child despises pretension."
"We simply found each other's hearts and formed a bond. That was even before I revealed my identity."
"Ho. I didn't know that. Though, I suppose she would have disliked it even more if you had revealed yourself and then made advances."
Berit nodded, seemingly satisfied. At the same time, Mary shifted her weight and pressed herself close to my side.
I, too, leaned my shoulder against hers without a word. We leaned on each other.
Berit watched us with a warm smile, though his tone carried a hint of regret.
"It seems there is no room for Lina to intervene, even if she were to go to you. Still, please do not leave her too lonely."
"That will never happen. I know exactly what Lina likes," Mary answered.
On the surface, her words were meant to reassure Berit, but the underlying meaning was quite different.
As she said, we would never leave her lonely, and more importantly, we had long since grasped Lina's true inner desires.
No matter how much of a father he was, he would never know about his daughter's secret tastes.
The same went for the Emperor, Berit. Perhaps because the words came from Mary rather than me, he seemed to find them more credible, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a deep grin.
"Thank you. Sitting in this position, I find myself in a situation where I don't even know what my own children enjoy... From now on, I shall leave Lina in your hands."
"We won't let her shed a single tear."
"Indeed. That alone would be enough."
Berit rose from his seat as he spoke. It seemed he was preparing to return.
I wasn't sure if exactly fifteen minutes had passed, but the time seemed to have flown by. I felt a bit foolish for having been so incredibly tense.
"You two should look around a bit more before you leave. I believe I must go see my daughter for a moment."
"Understood."
"Yes. Ah, is there perhaps anything you are curious about? We will have much to discuss during the banquet soon, but if there is something on your mind now, speak."
Berit questioned me just before he left. As soon as he said it, one question immediately came to mind.
"I am curious about the nature of your connection with my father."
"Hmm... Lord Maishal... I did indeed owe him quite a bit."
Berit stroked his beard, not appearing surprised at all, as if he had expected the question. It seemed their connection was far from simple; it was likely quite complex.
I already knew that my father had lived a tumultuous life in the past. However, I had no idea his connections reached as far as the Emperor.
After a moment of organizing his thoughts, he turned to me and gave a clear answer.
"For a brief time, he was selected as my guard knight. At the time, I was the third son among five sons and two daughters, so it felt very much like he was just tossed my way. He was a commoner who had graduated from a knight training center rather than the Academy."
"I see..."
"And in that short interval, he became embroiled in an imperial power struggle and was dispatched to the border region."
"...Pardon? What?"
An imperial power struggle. Just hearing the words gave me a strong sense of the complex, tangled politics involved.
While I stood there dazed, Berit rubbed the back of his head, as if the memory was somewhat awkward, and spoke in a low voice.
"It is a bit of a complicated story, so I shall tell you later. Regardless, I owe Lord Maishal a debt. That is why I attempted to grant him an earldom, though he refused it himself."
"I... I understood my father was part of the Navy Knights."
"As I said, before that, he was a commoner who had not graduated from the Academy. For such a man to be transferred to the Navy Knights at a young age without any prior proof of merit? And to the border region, which was in utter chaos? Think for a moment about what that implies."
"..."
"Well. I shall end the brief explanation here. We shall meet again soon."
With those final words, Berit walked away with his guard knight. I stared blankly at his retreating back before letting out a hollow breath of disbelief.
‘...That must have been a total nightmare.’
I think I finally understood why he loathed politics so much.