Chapter 21

After hearing the information Marie gave me, I had no choice but to narrow my eyebrows. I am the author of Xenon's biography, so why does she bring up such a story? For a moment she thought she was bluffing or lying.

But if you really think about it, bluffing is less likely, and if you really meant to lie, you don't need to talk about it as secretly as it is now. Marie decided it was really important information and asked me to lend her an ear.

'…what?'

There is a famous meme from a past life called the Hong-cheol team without Hong-cheol. Everything is perfect, but the most important part is missing. There is a similar word for red bean bread without red beans.

And that's exactly what the situation is right now. The author himself is right in front of me, and I can't help but bewildered that he invited a strange person.

'…Did your father make a mistake?'

I gathered my thoughts for a moment, then met Marie face to face. She has a confident look on her face, smirking to see if she'll never be able to turn down her own offer.

Putting other questions aside, confirmation is the first priority. I kept my composure as much as possible and asked quietly.

"…Really?"

"Yes."

"Are you the real writer of Zeno's biography?"

"That's right. Don't you believe me?"

can't help but believe Because I left the real writer behind and invited the wrong person.

However, since I can't tell the truth as it is, I thought it would be better to figure out how it happened as much as possible.

"Of course. As you know, it's been a year since Xenon's biography came out. During that year, there were only speculations about who the author of Xenon's biography was, and there were no solid clues. I didn't catch it."

"Yeah. That's right."

"But you found it? How?"

"I don't know the details either. The letter only said that they had found the author and that they would invite them to our mansion. Dad accidentally stepped on his tail?"

Hearing that story, I remembered the process of my manuscript reaching the publisher. I don't know the details, but my father said that he had someone deliver the manuscript to the publisher.

He was the former captain of the Navy Knights, so you must have a lot of connections without knowing it. Maybe the tail was trampled on.

Moreover, before coming to the academy, my father mentioned that he had been able to hide well until now, but he would be caught one day.

As I habitually rubbed the pen hoc, I brought up another question.

"Isn't there a possibility that it's an impersonation?"

"Ah. What kind of madman would impersonate a nobleman, or even a duke's family after the Emperor?

"Um… that's right."

Did my father really make a mistake? It's not entirely possible, so I'm a little worried.

However, the world is wide and there are many crazy people, and it may be that common sense is being used against it. As Marie said, no one dares to defraud the Duke, but there are people who sometimes gamble with their lives as collateral to earn a lot of money.

'There is a high possibility that it is an impersonation…'

I wouldn't know if I only said that I found the author, but since I said that I was inviting the author to the mansion, the weight is on the impersonation side.

Therefore, the first thing to do is to send a letter home to understand the situation. It's good to be mindful of the worst-case scenario.

After organizing all my thoughts, I let out a long nose breath. Then, looking at Marie, she quietly opened her mouth.

"Therefore?"

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do with me? Is there anything you want me to ask you?"

The subject circles and turns and returns to the origin. If Marie is enough to give me such top-secret information, she'll have something for me.

Marie looked puzzled for a moment at my question, then smiled mischievously. Where did her confident expression go, only shyness remained.

"…an offer? Will you accept it?"

"What suggestion?"

"When the writer comes to the mansion, I'll take you too. You're a fan of Xenon's biography too. It'd be nice to get a handwritten autograph."

It's a handwritten signature… Come to think of it, I didn't have my own signature in my previous life. If there were, there was only a signature that was roughly scribbled when signing.

But when I heard from Marie, I seriously felt the need for an autograph. At least, you will be able to prepare for the same situation now, that is, an impersonator. I think it would be better to include a handwritten signature from the next manuscript.

'You can't trace it with just one autograph.'

That is difficult even on an Earth with excellent scientific technology. Even if there was magic, it wouldn't be used for such trivial things.

In any case, I decided to accept her offer. I'm not sure if it's an impersonator or not, but I'd like to see at least take the top off.

"Okay. What do you want?"

Marie answered my question in a low voice, keeping her face embarrassed.

"Can you teach me some history?"

"History?"

"Yes."

"Why all of a sudden? You hate history."

"That's it…"

Here's what Marie came up with.

As we all know, you need a certain score to move on to the next grade level. So, Marie is also focusing on the major she is interested in, excluding some majors including history.

It's a concept to review the knowledge learned from her family, so it's easy for her in her own way.

However, after the letter came from the family, the situation changed rapidly. It was her father, the Duke of Requilin, of her Marie who placed one condition on her.

A requirement to score at least 90 points in history. If not, he told me not to even dream of reading Zeno's biography in the future.

I couldn't understand why he was so focused on history that he needed to do well in other majors, but after hearing Marie's explanation, I was able to understand.

"Our Rekilis family is a family that values ​​history. We believe that we can correct the present from the mistakes of the past and take the lead in the future. That's why we tend to teach history from the old days."

"Is this an ideology that has been passed down from generation to generation?"

"yes."

"Hmm…"

I admired myself. I knew from the beginning that the concept was well embedded, but the Requilis family is a wise family beyond that.

This was the reason why the family remained strong even after hundreds of years had passed since the founding of the Minerva Empire.

Instead, it seems difficult to give a good evaluation of home education. Perhaps the reason why Marie hates history is probably because of her rebelliousness.

One of the reasons children dislikes studying in previous lives is because of their parents' coercion.

So, I asked Marie if my guess was correct.

"Is that the reason you hate history? Is it your family's daily stir-fry?"

"Uh! That's right! How did you know?"

"There is such a thing."

Whether I looked at Marie with a great look or not, I continued what I had to say.

"But can a student teach a student? I don't really care. A review concept is enough."

"Maybe it's not cheating, so it'll be fine? If it doesn't work, you can do it secretly."

"What are you secretly doing?"

As we were talking, a familiar voice crept in. It is a voice that is so terrifying that it shakes the hearts of many men.

At that, I, as well as Marie, turned their heads towards the back of the voice. When I turned my head back, Cecily, who did not know when she came, was sitting in the back seat.

Also, he is looking at us with a face full of playfulness with his eyes half-folded.

I opened my mouth with a shaky tone to Cecily, who did not know when he had arrived.

"…when did you come?"

"Just before. I came right away because the back seat of you was empty."

As soon as I heard Cecily's answer, I checked where Lina was. Around Lina, the girls who had been chattering for a long time were sitting around.

I know there were quite a few students by Cecily's side, but I wonder how he got out.

"Anyway, will you answer my question first? What are you doing secretly?"

"Huh…"

I looked at Marie without answering right away. Marie was openly expressing her feelings that she was uncomfortable. If she was Lina, she wouldn't know, and she had to get along well with Cecily, so she couldn't help but wonder.

When I couldn't easily get an answer out of my mouth due to the strangely changed atmosphere, Marie clenched her chin and spoke in a blunt voice.

"It's nothing. Isaac agreed to help me study my history."

"History? Didn't Marie say she hates history?"

Cecily's eyes widened and she questioned. She seems to know very well that even her Marie hates her history.

At that question, Marie took a deep breath and opened her mouth in a slightly lowered voice.

"…My family told me to get a good history score. If I don't get over 90, I'm afraid I won't be able to read Xenon's biography in the future."

"Aha. That's why you asked Isaac? Isaac knows a lot about history."

Marie nodded as if she had no intention of denying it. Confirming her affirmation, Cecily looked at me with her curious look.

I was startled by the strangely shining red eyes. Should I call it the eyes of a beast looking at its prey? Anyway, something was troubling me.

"Then can I wear it too?"

Unsurprisingly, my anxiety was right. She replied with the nuance that even Marie had given up on everything she had expected this unfolding.

"Do whatever you want. Because Isaac allows it, not me anyway."

"Can I wear it?"

"…Yeah."

I can't say no because I'm afraid of the aftermath. Cecily smiled softly when I gave her permission and thanked her.

Although it was a little burdensome, when a beautiful woman like Cecily smiled, her face became hot.

I coughed in vain to barely cool my face, which was starting to heat up. to change the subject.

"…Cecilia-sama? I have a question for you, is it okay?"

"Why did you fight Lina?"

"Huh?"

How did know? Did you really learn mind-reading?

After a moment of perplexity, Cecily grinned.

"You don't know, but Isaac's thoughts tend to show on his face. Does Marie agree?"

"To some extent."

"…Is it so annoying?"

I fumbled as I listened to their conversation. I think I'm good at acting, but I guess I was wrong.

Marie smirked as I groped my face, startled. It's the same expression.

"You gave me a picture by mistake last time? Do you know what your face color was then?"

"Of course, I don't know."

"It's a shame that his face turned blue in an instant and then came back again. Anyone who sees it shows that I was embarrassed, is there anyone who doesn't know?"

"No. That's… ha."

Changing the color of your face is an unavoidable area. No matter how good an actor is, he cannot freely change even the color of his face.

"…Once this is over, Cecily."

"Yes."

"Why did Mr. Cecily fight Lina?"

"It's nothing. And we made up."

"Then why are you fighting?"

Cecily shrugged my shoulders and answered my questions kindly.

"Because Lina has revealed almost all of the contents of Volume 8 of Zeno's biography."

"… …"

"Lina must have thought I had read it. That made me a little angry. It was because of this that we reconciled but sat apart. All I could hear were stories about the eight volumes."

It was an understandable reason.

*****

Time passed and it was time for the humanities lecture to end.

While Isaac went to the bathroom for a while, the white-haired beauty, Marie, was staring intently at a picture. After finishing all her notes, Cecily got up from her seat and invited her to Marie.

"Doesn't Marie want to go to the bathroom?"

"Huh? I'm not sure?"

"Yeah? But what are you looking at now?"

Cecily showed interest in the painting in Marie's hand. Marie glanced at Cecily once, then explained in a calm tone.

"This is an illustration attached to Xenon's biography volume 8. It's a steam locomotive, and it plays a pretty important role in the story. Can you tell me?"

"No. Don't ever tell me. You know what I say?"

"Okay then."

So, Cecily also went out of the classroom. When Marie left even Cecily outside, she concentrated more on painting.

"Hmm…"

The name of this painting, which is nothing but the core of Xenon's biography, volume 8, is the steam locomotive. It is a rare masterpiece invented by a geek dwarf who inherited his master's will and changed his life.

Currently, most people are paying attention to the criticism of the nobility in the beginning, but interest in the steam locomotive was not formidable.

There were many people who said that it was absolutely impossible to manufacture such a means of transportation, and there were evaluations that, if invented, it would advance civilization by several stages.

But aside from everything else, what drew Marie's attention was none other than the appearance of the steam locomotive. It has a cylindrical body with wheels attached to it, and an engine that discharges steam is hung like a horn on its head.

And Marie has seen something similar to this picture.

"It may be similar, or it may not be…"

She scratched her cheek in vagueness.