Chapter 462: Fishing(2)
Chapter 462: Fishing(2)
The new semester at the Academy began simultaneously with the release of World War II: Blood and Iron.
Originally, Clark’s funeral was supposed to take place as soon as school started, but for some reason, he had postponed it. When I asked why he was delaying his departure—especially after he’d been so adamant about leaving when his time came—his answer was a masterpiece.
[This game called 'Go'... it is truly fascinating. I shall stay a while longer to play.]
He had become so engrossed in Baduk that he pushed back his own funeral. His opponents, naturally, were my family. While he didn't play like a shut-in the way Cecile or Arwen did, he insisted on a match every time his training sessions ended.
Even my family, who hadn't been particularly fond of the game at first, gradually fell under its spell. I could only let out a hollow laugh when Dave and Nicole mentioned they planned to introduce the game to their units once their leave was over.
I suppose it can’t be helped, given the lack of entertainment culture here.
Suddenly, a famous card game from my previous life came to mind—a game where players built their own 'decks' to battle one another. At least in my generation, Yu-Gi-Oh! had been the undisputed king, though I wasn't sure what had become of it after I grew up. Still, I remembered how it had been an absolute craze among my friends when we were snot-nosed kids. Back then, I’d scrimp and save my allowance to buy cards, only to tremble with rage at the sheer, soul-crushing RNG of it all.
Later on, a game often nicknamed 'the stone game' became famous, but I never took much interest in it.
Maybe I should try making one?
Since the technology to print images already existed, making cards wouldn't be difficult. I’d have to suggest it to Musk soon. The Xenon Chronicle boasted a massive volume of over thirty books and was a novel rooted in historical realism. I could leave the magic—which I didn't know much about—to the experts and focus on balancing the rest of the mechanics.
I should ask Musk to handle this personally.
He was the perfect man for the job; I would only need to give the final approval. For now, however, World War II was more important.
If I’d known it would be like this, I would have stayed at the mansion a bit longer.
I was currently staying in the Academy dormitory. With nothing to do, I was turning into a literal writing machine. Normally, I would have met with Elena to discuss the upcoming schedule, but as everyone knew, she was currently away on an expedition to the Grey Desert. My supervising professor was also away on business, and since no one dared to bother me anyway, I was living a life of leisure.
"Noona."
"Yes?"
"Should I work as a professor this semester?"
I had become so bored from doing nothing but writing that I threw the question out to Adelia. She blinked slowly, her expression one of confusion at the suddenness of the remark.
"What do you mean? Working as a professor?"
"The President suggested it after I went public as Xenon. He said he’d give me a professorship if I wanted one."
I wasn't sure if he still remembered, but I certainly did. At the time, the President likely knew I was in a difficult position, but the offer was probably at least half-sincere. The famous Xenon becoming a professor to teach students? Not just students, but people from all over the world would flock here. That wasn't arrogance; it was a fact.
The problem was the high probability of unsavory elements—namely, Demon Worshippers—mingling in that crowd. Considering I’d already been ambushed by one while minding my own business exercising, it wasn't an impossible scenario.
"Absolutely not. Especially not while Lady Kate is away."
"Right?"
As expected, I was shot down immediately. As Adelia said, with Kate gone, I couldn't afford to move recklessly. Still, the reason I’d brought it up was the recent behavior of the Demon Worshippers.
Whether it was the influence of the 'Event' or something else, their activity had noticeably decreased. Lately, there had been almost no news of them. However, that didn't mean they had been uprooted. I’d heard they were still operating in the shadows, albeit quietly.
"Besides, if you become a professor, everyone will be clinging to you. You won't have time to write. Didn't you say what you're writing now is more complex than The Xenon Chronicle?"
"I'm almost finished with Volume 2."
"...Already?"
"Yeah."
Adelia looked at me with a bewildered expression. It had only been three days since Volume 1 was released. It was only natural for her to be stunned that I’d already finished the sequel. Of course, I hadn't whipped it up in just three days. I had nothing but time, and the process of Hitler joining the Nazi Party wasn't particularly difficult to write. Time was the biggest factor here.
For the record, while Volume 1 ended with Hitler heading toward the German Workers' Party—the predecessor to the Nazi Party—I planned to explain the state of Germany in detail.
The Weimar Republic was an absolute mess back then.
The country was in such shambles that the government had essentially split in two: the Weimar Republic and the regime established by the Communists. Because it was a political civil war, the nation didn't collapse entirely, but political thugs ran rampant and purges occurred daily. Naturally, the German people who witnessed this firsthand couldn't view 'revolution' in a positive light, and Hitler was no exception.
I intended to depict those scenes vividly as Hitler walked toward the German Workers' Party.
The Kingdom of Ters is probably going to flinch the most.
Currently, when people in this world thought of 'revolution,' nine times out of ten, they thought of the Kingdom of Ters. In truth, it was a kingdom in name only; it might as well be called the Ters Republic. If I portrayed revolution negatively, how would that affect Ters? I’d have to explain it carefully. Communism itself wasn't necessarily evil in its ideology, but the problem arose because the man at the top happened to be Stalin.
Anyway.
"So, it's a no?"
"...Ask Marie, not me. I'll stay by your side no matter what choice you make."
"Thanks."
I offered my sincere thanks and casually wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her gently toward me. Adelia didn't resist, naturally settling onto my lap.
Marie and the others were in class. Even Clark was resting back at the mansion. In other words, there was no one in the dormitory except for Adelia and me. It was the perfect time for some privacy.
"By the way, wasn't it hard holding back during the break?"
"...A little."
When I whispered the question, Adelia answered honestly, looking bashful. Since she’d spent the break with Leona, she must have been quite pent-up. She had great patience, but that didn't mean her desires were small. On the contrary, as a woman who exercised regularly, she was more vigorous than most.
"You don't have to worry about anyone else now, so you can tell me whenever you want. Like I said, I have nothing but time."
"I understand. Then..."
At my words, Adelia’s face flushed slightly as she began to undress. Watching her remove her maid uniform was a sight that never grew old. Her shoulders, toned from exercise, were revealed, followed by the gradual exposure of the skin beneath.
"Um... Isaac?"
"Yeah?"
Adelia, now half-undressed and in her lingerie, asked tentatively. Her eyes, reminiscent of a clear blue sky, held a subtle hint of embarrassment. As I looked at her curiously, she hesitated for a long moment before speaking in a shy voice.
"You mentioned it before. About your past life? Anyway, if you combine them, you're older than me..."
"Hmm... I suppose so."
"T-Then..."
Adelia stammered, her face turning as red as a ripe persimmon before she spoke timidly.
"In... in times like this, can I... can I call you Oppa?"
"..."
"I-I won't call you that normally. Just... just when I'm in your arms..."
Last time, she had called me that as a joke, which had stung a bit, but this was different. A cute request to call me Oppa while she sat there, half-naked and blushing. Seeing the usually dignified Adelia make such a request felt like a direct assault on my heart.
At the same time, I understood. Looking back at her tragic past, she’d had no one to lean on. Now she had me, but it seemed she wanted to lean on me even more by using that title. It probably felt awkward to fully depend on a 'younger brother,' but now that I’d revealed my past life, the situation had changed.
I stared at the beet-red Adelia for a moment, then chuckled and whispered into her ear.
"Then how about you only call me Oppa when we're alone? I won't even tell Marie."
"...!!"
At the mention of a secret just between the two of us, Adelia flinched visibly. Her ears turned crimson, and her body stiffened. As I’d mentioned many times, Adelia preferred this kind of emotional connection over the physical act itself.
I gently stroked her hair, then took her face in my hands and turned it toward me. She was already looking dazed, on the verge of losing herself.
"Go on, call me Oppa. I'll accept everything."
"O-Oppa..."
"Yes, Adel."
"Oppa. Isaac... Oppa."
Once the line was crossed, there was no more hesitation. Adelia spoke as if possessed and leaned her face against my chest. I held her, patting her slender back until she calmed down. It felt a bit awkward, but I’d have to get used to it. Marie always said I was like a child, but at times like this, I had to show a more reliable side.
I shouldn't be the one being protected anymore; I should be the protector.
This was a resolution I’d made while finishing The Xenon Chronicle and releasing World War II. There was no point in hiding anymore. Even if the Demon Worshippers were a concern, continuing to hide would only give the impression that I was afraid of them. It was better to be active and show my strength; that way, they wouldn't dare act recklessly.
And there are things I'm curious about.
More than anything, my thoughts had shifted slightly after meeting Clark. How did the Demon Worshippers become what they are? Truth often resides in the deepest, darkest places, so it was necessary to make contact at least once. I was well aware that I might get hurt in the process.
For now, I'll keep releasing the books...
I pulled myself out of my thoughts and looked down. Adelia was still burying her face in my neck. I continued patting her back, then stopped. My hand had reached the hook of her bra.
Click—
With a practiced flick of my fingers, the hook came undone, and Adelia flinched. She was hugging me tightly enough that it didn't fall down immediately.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah."
"Can we... keep doing this from now on?"
Her question sounded almost pitiful. I stroked her hair gently and answered softly.
"Of course."
"..."
"I'll always be by your side."
The moment I said those words, the strength in Adelia’s embrace began to fade.
Slide—
Naturally, her lingerie slipped down.
Inside the empty dormitory, Adelia and I confirmed our love for each other for the first time in a long while. Perhaps because it felt so different from our first night, our passion continued until the students' classes ended...
"I was going to do it today! It's been so long! How could you go first! It's my turn starting today!"
"S-Sorry. It just kind of happened..."
"Ahem. Cough."
Naturally, we were caught by Marie. I cleared my throat awkwardly and avoided her gaze. But what was this about it being her 'turn'? Had they actually set up a schedule?
Regardless, an apology was in order. I spoke up cautiously to soothe the fuming Marie.
"It's not Adelia Noona's fault. I was the one who suggested it first."
"Really? Then we can just keep going."
"Keep going...?"
Whether I had questions or not, Marie began roughly unbuttoning her shirt as she slowly approached the bed.
"You still have energy left, right? No, actually, you must have been pent-up too. Otherwise, you wouldn't have touched Adelia Unnie first."
"...Marie?"
In that moment, she wasn't a small, cute polar bear cub.
"Shut up and get it up."
She was a polar bear, the apex predator.
*
The World War II novel, Blood and Iron, was extraordinary from the very first volume.
The mere absence of mana and magic was enough to draw attention, but the fact that the only race was the fragile human race also played a significant role. Above all, the fact that science was extremely advanced—unlike in this world—captured people's imaginations. It felt like a completely different world, yet it was strangely similar.
However, Volume 1 didn't focus on 'science' but rather on the events of the time, Hitler, and 'society.' Consequently, people focused on the character of Hitler, and various opinions were exchanged.
While the analysis of Volume 1 was still ongoing, Isaac released Volume 2 immediately, as if to show off his incredible writing speed.
The content of Volume 2 described the situation of the Weimar Republic—that is, the German Empire. To put it simply, it was a total disaster. It was only natural for a nation that had lost a war to be in social turmoil. However, due to the 'Treaty of Versailles,' the Weimar Republic spiraled further into chaos, becoming a society rife with political civil war.
In this situation, Hitler, acting on orders from the military, headed to the German Workers' Party—the predecessor of the Nazis. As everyone knows, Hitler delivered passionate speeches at the Workers' Party, praising Germany and proclaiming the superiority of the Germanic people.
People who read this content reached the same conclusion.
[A patriot.]
They called him.