Chapter 65: The Calm Before the Storm(3)
Chapter 65: The Calm Before the Storm(3)
[Volume 10 of Xenon Biography. One day until release.]
The newspapers carried the news that the publisher had set a release date for Xenon Biography. Other than that, there wasn't much else to report.
It seemed the publisher intended to break the news of my hiatus on the very day the volume hit the shelves. Not that it mattered much to me.
A person tends to feel much more relaxed once their work is finished. With exams over, I spent my days happily attending lectures or enjoying sweet dates with Mari afterward.
Of course, that didn't mean I was just idling my time away. There was about a month left until summer break, and final exams were still on the horizon.
Fortunately, there weren't many group assignments, and they weren't particularly important anyway. I had no intention of aiming for a scholarship; I was perfectly content as long as I didn't flunk out.
More importantly, the real challenge at Halo Academy begins in the third year. Even if your grades are a bit lacking, you can still advance if you're favored by a specific professor.
"Come find me as soon as your first year is over. I'll write you a recommendation letter."
For instance, someone like Professor Elena, who had taken quite a liking to me.
As usual, while I was taking a break from teaching Cindy composition in the laboratory, Elena made that offer.
I blinked in confusion, pausing mid-sip of the tea Cindy had brewed for me.
"A recommendation letter?"
"Yes. A recommendation."
At Halo Academy, the value of a recommendation letter personally written by a professor is immense.
To exaggerate slightly, even if you completely botch your grades up until the second year, you can still advance to the third.
However, there is one condition: it must be for the major taught by the professor who wrote the letter, and your grades in that specific subject must be excellent.
But since a recommendation letter means the professor is taking personal 'responsibility' for the student, they are never handed out lightly. A professor must choose someone they truly believe is a talent among talents.
It was highly likely Professor Elena was saying this for that very reason. For me, it was a bit of a startling proposition.
"I'm just a freshman who hasn't even reached summer break yet. Aren't you being a bit too hasty?"
"To others, perhaps. But lately, students with your level of passion for history have been rare. And for the record, I'm using my standards, not human ones."
Coming from Professor Elena, who was an Elf, those words carried a completely different weight. Just how few people were actually interested in history?
Regardless, it was true that Professor Elena was showing a great deal of interest in me. As someone who genuinely enjoyed history, it was a pleasant development.
I had been struggling with studying other subjects when my path was already set, so this felt like a slight weight off my shoulders.
"I'd be honored. Especially since it's history and not some other major."
"I'm glad to hear that. For your information, the recommendation I write will be quite special. It will allow me to take you to Albenheim under my companionship."
"Albenheim?"
My eyes widened at her words.
As mentioned before, Albenheim is the nation of the Elves and the site where the first civilization was established.
Its capital, Yggdrasil, is home to the sacred World Tree, and as the cradle of the first civilization, it is a place where living history breathes.
"Yes. The Albenheim you're thinking of. If you wish, we could even visit during the break."
"Isn't the entry process for Albenheim incredibly difficult?"
Albenheim opened its borders after the Race War, but it still boasts a notoriously strict immigration process.
It’s so rigorous that an ordinary person needs direct certification at the national level just to visit once.
From the Elves' perspective, it’s only natural; they can't look kindly upon humans who not only lack civilization but try to mimic them in every way. Moreover, they fought a bloody conflict against humans during the Race War.
Professor Elena nodded at my question and took a sip of her tea, just as I had.
"True. As you say, humans require a tedious process to enter Albenheim. But if you accompany me, the story changes. We Elves are merciful to those we have personally acknowledged. We grant qualification as a sign that the individual is noble enough to be recognized by us."
"That's a bit..."
"Yes. It's a very Elven mindset. They haven't changed a bit, even after getting their pride bruised in the Race War."
Despite being an Elf herself, Professor Elena was biting in her criticism of her own race. I didn't have much to say in response, so I settled for a bitter smile.
"Anyway, just keep in mind that receiving my recommendation means you can visit Albenheim. I plan to take you there eventually."
"I'm not really that great of a student..."
"Perhaps. You might not be as great a student as I think. But your love for history is genuine, isn't it? And you're a deep thinker. Didn't you say that history repeats itself?"
Professor Elena quoted the very answer I had written on my history exam. I met her glowing lime-green eyes behind her glasses.
My conscience pricked me since I had simply copied a famous quote from my previous life, but explaining that wouldn't achieve much. In times like this, silence was the best answer.
Professor Elena seemed to interpret my silence in a different way, as a subtle smile played on her lips.
"Seeing that made me think quite a bit. In fact, history has repeated itself countless times, just as you wrote. So, why does history repeat itself? What do you think?"
"Well... honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself. It's just that when you look at history, similar patterns always emerge. For example, if you look at the process of how wars break out, they are strikingly similar. Nations clash, they try to resolve it, and when nothing works, it inevitably leads to war."
Historically, the reasons for wars between nations often share similarities. If you dig deep, there are various factors, but ultimately, war is an extension of politics.
An absurd pretext can be fabricated out of someone's greed, or a major incident that enrages an entire population can trigger a conflict.
In this way, war is not something easily decided upon, yet ironically, it is the simplest method to resolve complex problems. Even in my previous life, where social civilization was highly developed, wars broke out at the drop of a hat in the past.
"And war doesn't just involve physical force. The cultural struggle currently happening between the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Tayros can be seen as a type of war. If that intensifies, it can degenerate into physical violence."
"Hmm. That certainly makes sense. The Race War was also a conflict born from cultural differences between the races."
Professor Elena nodded as if she understood my explanation. While there were several major incidents that led to the Race War, it was fundamentally rooted in cultural differences.
The Elves looked down on humans, seeing them as weak yet greedy, while humans detested the Elves' tendency to act noble while secretly despising them.
These ideological differences gradually swelled until the Race War erupted. The war ended only after massive casualties on both sides, but the aftereffects linger to this day.
"Then, in your opinion, what kind of war is most likely to break out in the current climate?"
"Hmm..."
I looked upward, pondering Professor Elena's question. Currently, this world is home to various nations, each with its own unique culture and characteristics.
While there are conflicts here and there, things are relatively peaceful. There are no glaring issues or obvious catalysts for war.
If I had to pick, perhaps the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Tayros? The two had been trading verbal barbs over culture until very recently.
Of course, a war wouldn't break out just because of that. If they were going to seriously attempt to seize cultural dominance, they would come up with all sorts of ridiculous pretexts.
"I'm not really sure. What do you think, Professor Elena?"
"There is one possibility. I don't know if it should be called a war, but Xenon Biography would be at the center of it."
"Pardon?"
Why was Xenon Biography suddenly being mentioned in a discussion about war?
Whether I was bewildered or not, Professor Elena took another sip of her tea. Judging by her serious expression, she seemed to be in earnest.
"As you know, Xenon Biography is currently soaring in popularity worldwide, not just among humans but across all races. The problem isn't just its popularity; it's the fact that it's popular regardless of the nation. That's the biggest issue."
"A war breaking out over a mere book?"
I knew my own value. It would be strange not to know when everyone around me kept reminding me.
But I thought 'war' was a bit of an exaggeration.
"Not the book, but the person who wrote it—the author. Currently, the publisher that holds the copyright for Xenon Biography is in the Minerva Empire, but they aren't completely subordinate to it. Even if Xenon Biography is distributed outside the Minerva Empire, they can't impose tariffs. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Aha. So if the author were to become subordinate to a specific country, that country could potentially drop a tariff bomb on Xenon Biography depending on the situation?"
Even if physical force isn't used, a trade war can inflict massive economic damage.
Imposing tariffs on a mere book might seem like a laughable situation, but it's a different story when a nation gets involved.
Imposing tariffs on a specific item can, in some cases, block its distribution entirely. It's obvious what the result of that would be.
"Exactly. The moment tariffs are imposed, that country will see significant economic growth. Not to mention the diplomatic advantages."
"Hmm..."
"Think about imposing tariffs even on items that cost less than 3 silver each. Tariffs are a complicated business."
To be honest, it didn't quite hit home.
I had heard from Mari that my value was so immense that even the Empire couldn't easily touch me. In fact, I heard the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Tayros were currently engaged in a secret struggle behind the scenes.
"It's just my opinion, so don't take it too seriously. While it's true that Xenon Biography generates enormous commercial profit, it's likely only a fraction of their exports. Besides, as long as the author keeps his identity hidden as he is now, nothing will happen."
"... ..."
"As you know, wars break out for all sorts of bizarre reasons. It's even worse when the powers involved are evenly matched."
Come to think of it, in my previous life, a war once broke out over a soccer match, and conversely, a war was once stopped because of one.
When Côte d'Ivoire secured their spot in the World Cup finals, Didier Drogba knelt before the cameras and pleaded for the war to stop.
As a result, the civil war that had been brutally tearing the country apart miraculously came to a halt. If a soccer player could wield that much influence, there was no reason I couldn't do the same.
If a war really were to break out, I would simply say I was too anxious to keep writing. Of course, if it was just a trade war, I'd stay quiet, but I would make such a plea if an actual armed conflict occurred.
Or I could publish a novel about war to show people its horrors. Given that my fame was worldwide, I should be able to help resolve minor disputes between nations.
'But I'm still going on hiatus.'
I needed a break too. I wanted to travel around here and there while I was at it.
It was about a day after I had made that peaceful resolution.
[Volume 10 of Xenon Biography Finally Released. However...]
[Shocking! Xenon Biography to go on Hiatus for at least a Year and a Half! Fans in Utter Dismay.]
[Crowds Begin to Gather in Front of the Publisher... Demanding an Immediate Explanation.]
[Ominous Message Left in the Author's Note. What Happened to Author 'Xenon'? Is This the Work of the Nobility?]
In less than two days, a fierce storm descended upon the world.
"Wow."
This was a bit beyond my expectations.