Chapter 22

When I came to the academy, the major I'm most interested in is history, and the major I'm most interested in is 'Anthropology'. Anthropology in this world includes not only humans, but also various races such as elves, beasts, dwarves, and demons.

Therefore, in the anthropology class, we are learning what kind of singularities each race has, and what advantages and disadvantages there are.

However, Halo Academy is conducting an education method that focuses on humans and compares them with other races. This is because it is an educational institution established by humans and most of the students are human.

Still, international students, that is, people of different races who entered Halo Academy, are generally satisfied. The world is wide and there are many different races, but they also know well that humans have always been the center of events.

"According to a recent study, we humans number about 1.6 billion, and the other races add up to only 800 million. Thanks to such a vast population and the ability to develop endlessly, humans have been able to gain the upper hand. And …"

An old gentleman with thick gray eyebrows that was not thick enough was explaining hard in front of the lecture hall. I sat in the front seat and listened to all his lectures.

The old gentleman's name is Professor Roy Magnus. He is, as you can see, a professor in charge of anthropology. As passionate as Professor Beerus, a professor of humanities, he never had a moment of boredom.

"Of course, other races also have their own strengths, so they are always keeping them in check. Dwarves can dominate the arms market, and elves are as powerful as normal warriors and human knights. It's the same with beasts. As a result, demons are as good as elves when it comes to magic. On the other hand, we humans? There is nothing special about them by nature. The event that revealed all these strengths and weaknesses is the race war."

Anthropology is inextricably linked with 'race wars' in its nature. In that war, the light and dark of each race were revealed, and humans took the initiative in earnest. I completely agree on this point.

But more than that, I have a question. I gently lifted his arm as Professor Roy interrupted his explanation to catch his breath. When I raised my arm, Professor Roy looked at me with a smirk.

"Oh, yes. Student Isaac. What question would you like to ask today?"

"… …"

I laughed bitterly at the professor's words. Anthropology was the second most interesting major to me after history, so I asked questions like this from the first class. Because of this, Professor Roy also tends to look good on me.

Of course, in inverse proportion to that, the views of other students were not so good. The more questions you ask, the more points you get. Anyway, I have to ask a question I want to ask.

"Your professor said that the number of humans is 1.6 billion? All other races do not add up to 800 million."

"Right."

"I'll just pick up the elves and tell you. The fertility rate of elves is the lowest among all races. For this reason, it has the smallest population.

"And there are 250 million dwarves, 350 million beasts, and about 100 million demons. If you count roughly."

As Professor Roy explained, the number of elves in the population is quite small, even when considered as a percentage of the total population. Isn't 100 million out of 2.1 billion good enough? It can be said that, but that is only a case of looking at it from the perspective of a previous life.

It should not be overlooked that only 'humans' existed on Earth. Considering the racial characteristics of the elves, they are seriously small.

"Yeah. If you say that elves live long enough, they can live for about 1000 years. Even if humans live long enough, it is a huge number compared to 100 years. Even if you roughly calculate it, it is over 10 times. But even taking this into consideration, elves I think it's strange that the population is small."

"In other words, what you are saying is that despite the number of human deaths during those 1000 years, the small number of elves is strange. Is this what you mean?"

Professor Roy neatly arranged the questions I wanted. As I nodded, he made eye contact with Cecily, who was sitting next to me.

Professor Roy, who met her eyes for a moment, then turned away and looked around. Except for his demon, Cecily, there were only humans in the classroom.

"Um… that's a pretty interesting question. First of all, I've only talked about elves, so I'll tell you about the biological characteristics of the elves, then the cultural characteristics. First of all, Isaac. How much do you know about s*x?"

"…Yeah?"

I was stunned by the surprise question that came in out of nowhere. I don't know if it's any other question, but when I suddenly asked about the holy knowledge, I couldn't help but be embarrassed.

Professor Roy, who asked the question, also hurriedly added additional explanations when the atmosphere in the classroom became strange.

"Oh, everyone, don't think about it strangely. This can only be explained with a piece of sacred knowledge. Anyway, student Isaac. The answer to my question?"

"Uh… I know everything you know."

He answered, but he couldn't stop his face from turning red in real time. I hope this is an explanation worth giving an answer to.

While I had such a heart, Professor Roy coughed and took out explanations one by one.

"Hmm, I'll explain. You'll learn this in biology major, but there are some students who don't take biology, so please listen carefully. First of all, humans, that is, human women, get the opportunity to have children once a month. But elves have a very long cycle. According to research, on average, once a year."

"Wow…"

I was truly amazed by Professor Roy's explanation. This is why the fertility rate has fallen to such an atrocious level. Rather, it is more surprising that the menstrual cycle is not extinct despite such a long period.

"And one more thing. There are cultural characteristics of elves. Elves tend to regard s*xual intercourse as a sacred 'ceremonial' unlike humans. Elf men's s*xuality is also mild compared to humans. Oh, in this case, human s*xuality It would be more appropriate to explain that I am stronger than this other race."

"… …"

"The reason why the elves' population is small is that these parts are combined. How do you understand?"

He nodded slowly at Professor Roy's question. As a mysterious race, the reason for the low birth rate was also mysterious.

Most of all, I felt strange. When I described elves in my previous life, I only told them that the fertility rate was low, nothing more. No one was curious as it was a kind of 'common sense' concept without any explanation. It was the same for me too.

But not now. Thanks to the easy-to-understand and clear explanations, I realized once again that I was reincarnated in a fantasy world.

"Thank you. It makes my head feel clearer."

"Rather, I'm grateful. I've never seen a student asking such an interesting question like this.

"Then what about Suing?"

"Well?"

This is not my question. It wasn't a question from Cecily, who was sitting next to me. At this I turned my head.

I looked to the side where the sound was heard and saw a beautiful woman with auburn hair raising her hand. The point is the expressionless expression that doesn't show any emotion like her hard tone.

Meanwhile, the woman with auburn hair brought up the question she wanted once more as her attention was focused on her.

"I would also like to know why the number of beasts is small."

"Your name is… Leona. Are you a Leona student?"

"Yes, it is."

"What are you curious about?"

"Beasts have a strong s*x drive just like humans, and their menstrual cycle is similar to that of humans. However, the number of beasts is only 200 million. I wonder why."

Leona's question is also valid. Beasts have an appearance that looks like a mixture of human and animal, and they insisted on a primitive life in the past, but they founded their own nation about 300 years ago.

But even so, compared to humans, the number is surprisingly small. Although the country has not been established for a while, it is quite rare to even consider it.

After listening to Leona's story, Professor Roy seemed to think for a moment, then touched his chin and answered as if it was a little vague, unlike before.

"It's a fairly complex matter. There are cultural characteristics of beasts, but during the racial war, beasts were as if they were slaughtered by us humans. At least tens of millions of beasts must have disappeared. Because of that, we still have a bad relationship with humans."

Professor Roy speaks of the worst war crimes ever committed by humans during the Tribal Wars. Although there is a history of indiscriminately massacred demons by the holy nation 'Savior', that is only limited to one country, and that case is a crime committed by the 'Human Alliance'.

The Human Alliance killed the people they saw as slaves when the prisoners they had used as slaves became attached to the elves. In my eyes, it was several times more serious than the Holocaust, the genocide committed by Nazi Germany in World War II. Even more worrisome is that they even paid a reward for killing the prisoner.

Due to this maddening incident, the number of the Suing population was cut in half and dropped to a quarter of the level. It is a piece of history that shows just how vicious humans can become.

"Besides, beasts are a race that has been passionate about battles since birth. From a human point of view, they can be said to be savage, and from a beast man's point of view, they consider themselves an honorable warrior. There are many. Even beasts who die naturally have a tendency to despise them for not being able to die with honor."

"… …"

"However, compared to 300 years ago, the population growth rate is similar to or higher than that of humans. The answer that Leona student wants is a work in progress, so I can't give you a definitive answer. Keep that in mind."

"Okay. Thanks for the explanation."

Leona took a seat after the characteristic blunt answer. When I heard her story, I suddenly remembered what the relationship between humans and beasts was like.

'It's quite dangerous… on the side.'

The relationship between humans and beasts can only be defined by one thing.

Iron foes and slaves.

The beasts unilaterally hate humans, and humans consider them insignificant. In particular, I have heard at first glance that prisoners are often sold as slaves on the black market.

Simply put, humans regard beasts as beings inferior to themselves. Since there were demons who were public enemies, this phenomenon seems to be rare, and if you look closely, discrimination against beasts is not easy.

"Isaac. Are humans and beasts on the bad side?"

Cecily asked me in a whisper if she was curious about that part too. Her red eyes were full of curiosity.

To that, I looked into Professor Roy's eyes and answered quietly.

"Yes. Humans regard the beasts as inferior beings, and the beasts treat humans as demons who slaughtered their own kind without mercy. As I said before, this is a vicious cycle that has continued since the incident that occurred during the racial war."

"Like we demons were treated as time bombs by all races?"

"Even though they are similar, unlike demons, beasts treat only humans as slaves."

"I see."

As a demon who has been severely discriminated against since birth, did he feel a sense of unity? Cecily nodded her head with her subtle gaze.

Then he lowered his gaze to think about it for a moment, and then opened his mouth with a tone of voice.

"Then, wouldn't it be possible to reconcile when the story of humans and beasts comes out in Xenon's biography? It's enough to completely change the perception of us demons, but there's nothing wrong with that."

"I do not know…"

I gently rubbed the pen hoc and thought hard. According to her words, it is true that the perception of demons has changed through Zeno's biography, but that was unexpected even for me.

Much less between humans and beasts, they are bound by a chain called 'hate'. As the saying goes that revenge begets revenge, it is very difficult to break the chain of hatred. Even if it were Zeno's biography.

"Is Suing really reading Xenon's biography? Because humans are the main characters, there are reviews of dwarves and elves in the newspapers, but no matter how much I search for Suing, I can't find them."

"You don't know. Maybe you're just having fun reading it, not just talking?"

"Then what…"

I replied with a groan.

"It's going to be a pretty interesting story."

Contrary to the words that came out of my mouth, my intentions were like this.

'What if I really read it?'

Cecily never knows, but there is a story in which Zeno and the Prince of Beast develop trust and develop into friends.

It is the story of a human being to deliver a sincere apology to the beast through the development and forming a coalition to fight the devil.

'There is no reality…'

nope There is a living witness right in front of the reality. A demon who was despised not only by humans but by all races.

Cecily tilted her head as I glanced at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that? What did you put on my face?"

"…No. Nothing."

"You know that your face is red again, right?"

"… …"

"Be honest. Did you think I was pretty?"

I just kept my mouth shut.