/
Chapter 99 – Highlight (1)
May 2nd, 2023
To begin with the conclusion… I threw up because I got motion sickness. It was so bad that all the food in my stomach came out.
Because the gravity suddenly disappeared, and Cecily played around with me like a toy, which made me feel dizzy and my body swayed uncontrollably in all directions.
Cecily was familiar with flight magic, but it was my first time experiencing it, so I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
“Ugh…”
“I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Cecily was worried about me as I gagged with a pale face. It was comforting to have a beautiful woman worry about me, but my condition did not improve.
My head was spinning, and my stomach was turned upside down. If I rested for a while in the mansion, I might feel better, but I had to give up the exhibition until the highlight.
“I think I should rest at the mansion.”
“I apologize again. I would like to cast a recovery spell because I feel bad, but I am a demon…”
“Demons can’t use recovery spells?”
“We can use them, but only for demons. As you know, black mana is the ability of demons. If I use it on other races, there will be significant side effects.”
As she explained, black mana was exclusive to demons and completely opposed to the divine power used by priests.
If divine power has a beneficial effect on all races except for demons, then even touching black mana can have a negative impact. The recovery magic wasn’t much different from other magic, but I wondered how the flying magic I just witnessed worked.
“So, what about that magic from earlier?”
“Levitation doesn’t work by sending mana through the body like recovery magic does.”
Indeed, magic is a mysterious and fascinating ability. I couldn’t explain it in detail even in Xenon’s Biography because of my ignorance, but I’ll be able to do so soon. To do that, I’ll need the help of someone like Cecily who has deep knowledge of magic. However, since Cecily is a demon, she’ll probably explain it more like “it’s something like this~” than with official terminology.
“For now, let’s just go back to the mansion…”
I rinsed my mouth with water, but I still felt uneasy, especially the uncomfortable grinding of my teeth when I bit down. I whimpered and slowly lifted my head. When I did, I saw Cecily’s face staring at me with concern.
She must be feeling guilty since she played a prank and things turned out like this. I forced a smile to show her that I’m okay.
“…I’ll go back to the mansion first. What about you, Noona?”
“Let’s go together. At least we have to take responsibility…”
“Who’s taking responsibility?”
As Cecily was speaking, a beautiful voice reached my ears. Without knowing who it was, we both turned our heads in the direction of the voice.
As we turned our heads, my lovely girlfriend, Marie, was staring at us with her arms crossed. She glanced between us before her expression changed to concern upon seeing my pale face. Her sharp cat-like gaze softened and widened.
“Why do you look like that? Are you feeling sick?”
Ignoring Cecily, Marie quickly supported me while looking at me with worry. I glanced at Cecily while being supported by Marie, but it was hard to read her thoughts as she maintained a poker face.
However, when our eyes met, she quickly made an apologetic expression and apologized to Marie.
“Sorry, I was just playing around and didn’t consider the difference in our races.”
“What kind of joke did you make?”
Cecily explained in detail in response to Marie’s question, but she didn’t mention meeting Arwen.
“…That’s ridiculous.”
Marie muttered as she listened to the whole story. Then, she gently stroked my cheek with her soft hand.
Thanks to her kind and warm touch, I felt better, but the dizziness still remained, albeit slightly.
After that, Marie pretended to worry about me by patting my cheek for a while, then she spoke to Cecily.
“Was taking responsibility earlier about going back to the mansion with Isaac?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s go back together. We’ve seen everything roughly anyway, so it should be okay. Besides, the highlight starts in the evening.”
According to Marie, the true start of the festival is when the sun goes down. It’s already noisy now, but the atmosphere will be even more intense when it gets dark.
It’s also okay to view the exhibited works in the evening, since the works will remain on display, except for the highlight.
“Okay, I got it. We can also take care of dinner at the same time. Can you stand up?”
“I’m fine now, I think.”
Even if I feel a little dizzy, I’ll recover after taking a rest at the mansion. During that time, I can also read the new book I purchased.
I gritted my teeth and took a step forward while suppressing my trembling insides. Marie supported me by my side in case I might fall.
However, I don’t know if she doesn’t realize it or if she’s doing it on purpose, but she grabbed my arm and pulled it toward her chest. Thanks to that, the sensation of being soft like sticky rice cake was vividly conveyed.
Am I embarrassed?
There’s no way. It’s actually the opposite.
After being subjected to this kind of behavior for so long, I’ve reached the point where I can enjoy it instead of just letting it pass.
Of course, if it were Cecily, my conscience would have pricked and I would have stiffened up, but Marie is my girlfriend. I can overlook this much.
But I should still say something out of politeness. Feeling my arm that is almost buried in her chest, I quietly called Marie.
“Marie?”
“Yeah?”
“It feels like a lot.”
“Don’t men like this kind of thing?”
It’s both sad and happy that I can’t deny it. While I was experiencing this ironic feeling, Marie spoke with her characteristic playful smile.
“And you’re a pervert, so you like this kind of thing even more, don’t you?”
“Why am I a pervert?”
“Your eyes are glistening.”
“…Anyway, try not to talk about this kind of thing when Cecily noona is right next to us.”
“Then stick close to me. Like this!”
Marie grabbed my arm and pulled me towards her strongly. Naturally, my body leaned towards Marie, and our cheeks stuck together.
For a moment, I was surprised by her bold action, but I looked at Cecily to see if she might be uncomfortable…
“Hmm.”
Contrary to my expectations, Cecily shook her head full of black hair and raised the corners of her mouth. Her mischievous expression made me uneasy in various ways.
Marie must have felt similar because she hugged my arm even tighter, burying it completely between her breasts.
Eventually, Cecily alternated her gaze between us before gently grabbing my arm, which was still somewhat free. Then she opened her mouth in a slightly coquettish voice.
“Is this how you do it?”
Squirm-
Like Marie had done before, Cecily buried my arm between her own breasts. My two arms started shouting (out of happiness) to be saved while being squeezed between the two beauties who felt similar yet different.
I closed my eyes tightly and prayed to God in my heart to prevent my male instinct from taking over. But I couldn’t help but reveal a sly grin that matched the corners of my mouth. Eventually, I lowered my head to hide my expression.
“Hey! Can’t you let go of that hand?”
“Why? I’m just messing around like you are.”
“This is something lovers can do. You said it was a test of patience at the last event!”
“That was then, and now we’re just fooling around. I can’t stand it when you keep doing that next to me.”
“Hey…!”
Is the sparking between Marie and Cecily just an illusion, or is it real? The problem is that I’m in between them. Like a doll with a broken string, I was being pulled towards them, and I glanced up to catch Cecily’s eye. As I did, I noticed the overwhelming presence of her chest, as well as my arm, which was trapped and on the verge of suffocating.
When I raised my gaze even higher, I saw Cecily’s attractive face, which seems to be growing redder by the moment, along with her two increasingly flushed horns.
‘It looks like she’s reaching her limit.’
Cecily is acting particularly mischievous today, as if she’s up to something. I turn my gaze away from her and look across to the other side, where I see Marie’s pretty face, with her fur standing on end like a cat’s and her eyes narrowed sharply as she glared at Cecily. Seeing Marie so jealous makes her even cuter.
Still, I have a feeling I’ll hear about this later. I dropped my head again and took slow steps away.
‘You’re really enjoying yourself…’
I thought to myself. Finally, I arrived at the mansion and my arms were freed.
“Isaac, come here.”
“Why?”
“Just come here. I want to bite you. Grrr!”
“Ah!”
Marie bit me like she was marking her territory.
*****
Marie bit my cheek and then kissed me before I was able to break away from her embrace.
…Honestly, I think we hugged for at least 30 minutes. There really is no better remedy than the sweet and powerful effects of an embrace between lovers.
Anyway, I returned to my bedroom for some rest. On the way back, I ran into Adelia and Nicole, which was a nice bonus. Although my dizziness improved as we returned to the mansion, my upset stomach required some stability.
“Phew.”
To calm my stomach, I drank some cold water and lay down on my bed. The experience of flying around in the sky was new to me and just the thought of it made me feel dizzy.
It felt like my balance system had malfunctioned. It was a spectacular experience for me, albeit a bit overwhelming.
‘If only we hadn’t played around.’
There’s no better view than looking down on the village from the sky. I thought about asking for it again later, but given Cecily’s personality, there’s a good chance she’ll play a prank on me.
More than anything, I felt hesitant to ask her for anything lately because Cecily’s behavior has been a bit strange. Her horns had more red than black, which meant that her evil cycle was approaching. Perhaps she had become more faithful to her desires as the cycle approached. I knew she would pass through the evil cycle safely, which happens once every 100 years, but I couldn’t help but worry.
“It’s okay.”
What’s the use of worrying like this? I got up from my bed and walked over to my desk. It was my personal break time until dinner, so I could spend my leisure time reading a book then.
Luckily, I had a book that I had bought at the bookstore, so I could read it. Marie said she would fix her makeup and spend some time with her family in the guest room, so I could also enjoy my break.
Knock, knock, knock.
“It’s Cecily. Can I come in?”
I was just about to sit down and read my book. With the knock, Cecily’s voice came through the door into the room. Come to think of it, Cecily had asked me before we came to the mansion if she could visit my bedroom for a moment. I didn’t mind, so I gladly allowed her in.
I put the book on the desk and gave her permission to enter.
“Please come in.”
“Thank you for your permission.”
As soon as the permission to enter was granted, Cecily opened the door and came in slowly. Gartz, the escort knight, was gone somewhere, and Cecily was alone. I got up from my seat when Cecily entered the room. Marie had come to my bedroom once, but it was the first time for Cecily. So it was better for me, the owner of the room, to accompany her rather than just standing there.
“Oh, no need to stand up. I can go to you,”
When I just got up from my seat, Cecily extended her hand and stopped me, using honorific language unlike before when she used informal language. I blinked while still in a daze. Come to think of it, she had said something like this at the Academy, that she would use formal language as a sign of respect when there were only two people present. I had completely forgotten since I hadn’t been alone with her recently.
“This must be the room where the benefactor lives.”
Cecily said, surveying the bedroom. To the eyes of the princess of Helium, it would be nothing more than an ordinary room. I felt uneasy and nervously smoothed my back when Cecily’s gaze became fixed on my desk. On top of the desk were a book and unused manuscript paper.
“And before you entered the Academy, you wrote Xenon’s Biography here, right?”
“Yes.”
“I see. This place…”
Cecily’s eyes twinkled as she slowly walked towards the desk. I bowed my waist as I remembered what I had to show her. When I did so, I could see a locked drawer, so I used the key I always carry to easily unlock it. As I opened the drawer, old, discolored manuscripts were revealed. These were drafts of Xenon’s Biography except for the first volume. I thought Cecily would like it and wanted to show her.
“Would you like to take a look at this, Noona?”
“This…”
“These are drafts of Xenon’s Biography. I think Noona will like it.”
“Ah…!”
I expected that she would just like it, but Cecily’s reaction was unusual. It was like she had received a treasure. She looked back and forth between the manuscripts in my hand and me, then nervously took them from me. She then checked the condition of the manuscripts by flipping through each page one by one.
“It’s really… a perfect match with what I read.”
“Now, do you believe that I’m the author of Xenon’s Biography?”
Of course, Cecily had known that I was the author of Xenon’s Biography all along. This was just a confirmation. I had originally planned to show her the manuscripts at the Academy, but I didn’t get the chance, so I showed them to her now.
“Yes.”
Cecily blushed slightly and nodded her head when I grinned and spoke. After looking back and forth between the manuscripts and me again, she asked cautiously.
“Um… can I ask you one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Can I store these manuscripts in Helium…?”
“No, you can’t.”
What can’t be done, can’t be done. Maybe because I remember the time when the first draft was stolen, I want to manage the other drafts just as carefully. If the situation really becomes impossible, I will hand it over to the country, but not now. It’s nonsense to entrust it to someone when I don’t know what might happen even with just one draft. Even if it’s Cecily. I don’t think she would use the draft for political purposes, but it’s too risky even if it’s just a timing issue.
“… I’m sorry. I was too hasty.”
When I firmly refused, Cecily apologized with a sulky expression that was completely different from her usual self, and my heart fluttered slightly as I thought of my girlfriend, Marie.
“It’s unavoidable now, given the circumstances. I’m not sure exactly what value this draft has for the demons, but there are many things that could go wrong. Noona also knows roughly, right?”
“Yes. But we demons will never use this draft. Xenon’s Biography is like the salvation that God has given us, and this draft is nothing less than a sacred object given to us by God.”
“Ahem…”
Is this what they mean to put gold on one’s face?
I coughed again for no reason and felt embarrassed. Meanwhile, Cecily looked at the draft with regretful eyes and returned it to me. I put the returned draft in a drawer and sealed it tightly with a lock.
“Are you sure it’s okay to keep it there? Shouldn’t you at least put it in a safe?”
“In the first place, except for a few people, no one knows that I am the author of Xenon’s Biography. If they were stored in a safe, it would attract even more attention.”
Furthermore, even though the manuscript was stored in a high-performance safe at the publishing company, it was still easily stolen. With that level of ability, any ordinary safe would be meaningless.
“Really, truly, if my true identity were to be revealed to the world, I’ll think about it then. Helium has less pressure compared to other countries.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Even just looking at Noona, the answer is clear, isn’t it?”
Rina and Leort have a criminal record, making it uncomfortable to entrust them. As for the Ters Kingdom… I don’t know much about politics, but I don’t like their character.
Even if I entrusted it to Marie’s family, the Requilis, there is a high probability of unrest since there is a royalty above them. The Requilis family is also concerned about this, so they will probably entrust the manuscript to another place.
Therefore, Helium is the only option left. If Cecily treats this manuscript as a relic, no other country can easily touch it.
Above all, demons have a much longer lifespan than humans. This means that Cecily can keep it even after I die.
‘As I think about it, Helium is in a neutral position.’
I was thinking that when Cecily heard my response, she made a subtle expression and then smiled softly. It was a charming smile that could shake any man’s heart.
“Benefactor… I always feel this way, but it’s amazing. Even when you wrote this manuscript, you must have had a favorable impression of demons… Didn’t you?”
“I just thought of you as a human. Even if demons were to turn into devils, there are more humans in this world who are worse than devils.”
There is a representative example of ‘humans’. There was a famous meme from a past life where a demon shouted at God like this.
Why did you create humans when you made us demons?
It’s a symbolic meme that sometimes portrays human wickedness as worse than that of demons. In fact, there is a folk belief that angels and demons represent the inner world of humans.
Lastly, I have witnessed countless people on the internet who are worse than demons. Sometimes it was so bad that I wondered if they were really capable of such things.
“You thought of us as humans… Sometimes I feel like you’ve lived longer than me, Benefactor.”
“Haha. That’s an amusing joke.”
I was a little embarrassed, but I laughed it off. I plan to keep the fact that I’m a reincarnated person a secret until I die.
“It would have been nice if you had lived longer…”
“Yes?”
“Nevermind. Benefactor, can I ask you one thing? I thought of something after reading your recently published Kair side story.”
“What is it?”
I crossed my arms. She hesitated for a moment, then looked straight into my eyes and spoke.
It felt like a tense yet hopeful voice.
“Does the Benefactor really think… you can connect elves and humans?”
“Hmm…”
“I’m curious if you think they can be connected despite the severe difference in lifespan. Even if they love each other, fate decided by the gods is inevitable.”
Cecily mentioned the essential issue of love between races, the “lifespan.” I listened to her question and sank into thought.
I always mentioned it, but lifespan is no different from fate determined by the gods. Humans barely live for 100 years, while elves boast a lifespan of over 300 years on average.
So even if these two love each other, separation is inevitable. Humans may not know, but elves will have to carry that pain for their entire lives.
‘Even Elisha…’
After the death of Kair, Xenon’s master, the Elven Queen Elisha fell into great despair. They both confirmed each other’s feelings, but regretted not expressing them.
Not only that, I have seen many poignant love stories in past lives due to the difference in lifespan. Most of them regretted not continuing, and in serious cases, they took their own lives.
And there’s always a saying that’s mentioned here. If you can’t decide anything, it’s better to make a choice and regret it than to not make any choice at all.
I looked at Cecily, who was waiting for an answer in a daze. Her red pupils were filled with tension and worry.
So, facing her for a while, I quietly opened my mouth and spoke my thoughts.
“As Noona said, lifespan is determined by God. Even if we love each other, sometimes we have to part ways. Humans may not understand it, but elves fear that parting. In a way, you could say that humans are selfish. Then, should we give up?”
After my response, Cecily looked sad. She must have felt sorry that Kair and Elisha couldn’t be together.
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should say this or not. This scene was directly linked to the moment when the heroine, Mary, awakened after seeing Elisha fall into despair following Kair’s death. As predicted by Eddie at the school event, Mary is an elf. She is currently developing feelings of affection for Xenon, who has experienced the ups and downs of life with her.
Although she worries while watching the tragedy of Kair and Elisha with her own eyes, she eventually gathers her courage and approaches Xenon. While mourning Kair, who was like a father to him, Xenon listens to Mary’s confession.
“No, there’s no need to give up.”
“Then what should we do?”
“It’s simple. Just miss them.”
“… …”
“Isn’t it better to remember someone and miss them than to live your whole life buried in regret?”
Originally, making memories is the happiest and most beautiful time, but when those memories remain as memories, it becomes the saddest thing. If Elisha had received Kair’s heart, those memories would have been left with longing, not regret. And you can either hold onto that longing for a lifetime, or bury it somewhere else and make new memories.
“Separation is inevitable, but it’s up to you whether you fill that short time with happy longing or sad regret. Still, if it were me, I would choose longing.”
“…That’s a very wise answer.”
Cecily gave me a gentle smile as she faced me. Then, she reached out and lightly grabbed my hand.
“Thank you so much for listening to my worries.”
“Why wouldn’t I…uh, yeah?”
What is she saying? I sensed something strange after hearing Cecily’s words of gratitude. While I was still surprised, she let go of my hand and took a step back, carefully retreating one step at a time. As she glanced over at the bed beside her, she spoke softly while looking at me.
“Come to think of it, the bed is quite wide. It wouldn’t be a problem if two people lay down on it.”
“… …”
“Then, I’ll see you at mealtime in a little while.”
kiik-
Cecily reached the door before I knew it and opened it. But her gaze was still fixed on me.
While I was making a dumbfounded expression at this, Cecily said her last words while maintaining a bright smile on her face.
“My lovely benefactor.”
Thud!
The door was firmly closed.
Translators note:
My tl quality fell recently. Seems I got quite relaxed with checking but will improve it back up. Sorry about that.
Completed world 6 in simulated and now I’m stuck at lvl 33…