Chapter 18

■ Chapter 17. Proposal (1) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

If asked what I was interested in after being reincarnated here, there would be various things, but if I had to pick one, it would be 'history.'

Think about it. Instead of the history we took for granted in our previous lives, this world is filled with new histories.

The First and Second World Wars, which changed the fate of Earth, are gone, and there is no Admiral Yi Sun-sin or King Sejong, who turned the tide of the Korean nation.

Actually, it's not that they don't exist, but rather that the planet itself has changed, leading to this phenomenon. Still, it's truly fascinating. In my previous life, I was so curious about history that I would search for it not only on the internet but also in books.

So, when I was at home, I would often read history books in depth whenever I couldn't bear to read novels anymore. Unlike novels, history has clear causes and effects, and although it is subjective, it contains a variety of content, which is enough to spark interest.

'There are so many books in the library. I can't wait to read them.'

If we consider my previous life, it was Tuesday, the day after Monday.

I fiddled with my notebook while waiting for the history class to start. Thanks to yesterday's mistake, I brought a lecture notebook today.

The lecture notebook contained an analysis of the history of this world that I had organized separately. It wasn't just the history of a specific country.

It was an analysis of what events occurred, what battles took place, and what figures played significant roles, similar to the 'Second World War' in my previous life.

And in this world, there was a 'Racial War' that occurred due to deepening conflicts between races, much like the Second World War on Earth. This was a major event that took place 300 years ago, involving humans, dwarves, elves, merfolk, and demons.

'Analyzing a war between races is much more complex than a war between humans.'

Elves, despite their superior abilities compared to other races, often made self-destructive moves due to their sense of superiority, conservatism, and arrogance. Dwarves also participated in the war but were mostly on the side of humans.

Why did the dwarves side with humans? It's simple. Humans vastly outnumbered them, bought the most weapons from the dwarves, and had a poor relationship with the elves.

Merfolk, who were treated as slaves by humans at the time, sided with the elves, and demons were divided into two factions, 'Rage' and 'Restraint,' casting spells at each other.

Perhaps the common point is that both races suffered significant losses at the hands of humans. After that, the relationship between humans and merfolk deteriorated, and even after the generational change among the elves, it remained hostile.

However, the most complex among them is, of course, humans. On the surface, they seem to cooperate, but internally, they engage in all sorts of political and strategic maneuvers, often to their own detriment.

Additionally, a 'hero' always emerges in times of chaos, leaving a significant mark on history.

'All races suffered significant losses, but the dwarves, who benefited the most, must have made a lot of money and had fewer casualties.'

If another race had provoked the dwarves, the Racial War might not have ended in a stalemate but could have tipped in one direction.

'But why did the elves collapse on their own? Did they underestimate the situation?'

The Racial War involved various large-scale battles, and there are books that detail the processes leading up to these battles. While reading these books, I couldn't help but have many questions.

Unfortunately, most of the history books I read were recorded from a human perspective, leading to various speculations but no clear understanding of why the elves made self-destructive moves. However, the generational change that occurred immediately after the war was clearly related.

'The sudden arrest of Aiker, a key force among the elves, must have been due to that reason. Anyway, wherever you go, the old guard is a problem.'

After a grueling 10-year war, it finally came to an end. Given that the war lasted for 10 years, it's inevitable that, except for the dwarves, all other races suffered enormous losses. Some kingdoms on the human side went bankrupt or were absorbed by the Minerva Empire due to financial difficulties.

The war between races may have ended, but the war among humans did not.

'Looking at it this way, human societies are all similar.'

Just as the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union began after the end of World War II in my previous life, this world has also gone through a similar process. The difference is that science and engineering have not developed, but magic has rapidly advanced.

The problem is that it has only developed to this level. In the past, we could roughly understand how high-dimensional a skill magic was. Only the chosen few could use it.

"Hmm..."

"..."

"Uh?"

While I was lost in thought, I belatedly realized that someone was staring at me. I lifted my head slowly from my notebook.

Finally, my gaze reached her face, passing over her slender waist and prominent chest. Behind her round glasses, I met her green eyes filled with curiosity. I blinked and recognized who she was.

"Professor?"

Professor Elena Heavensinger, who teaches history.

Elena, with her light green hair tied in a ponytail and glasses, exudes an intellectual and beautiful aura, but her most distinctive feature is her elongated ears.

By now, you might have guessed that Elena is an elf, a race known as the embodiment of beauty and chosen by the gods among various races.

You might wonder why an elf is at the Hailo Academy, but it's not that surprising. As I mentioned earlier, after the Racial War, a generational change occurred among the elves, which included active exchanges with other races.

This is why she can work as a professor at Hailo Academy. Additionally, there are elf freshmen and professors in other departments, though unfortunately, there are no elf freshmen in the literature department.

"Did you write all of this?"

While I was trying to understand the situation, Professor Elena pointed at my notebook and asked. I followed her finger and realized I hadn't noticed anyone watching me due to my intense focus. Fortunately, it wasn't notes about the Xeon chronicles, so there was no major problem.

I nodded and responded to her question. Professor Elena, with her hand on her chin, alternated her gaze between my notebook and me, then spoke quietly.

"Can I take a look for a moment?"

"Sure. What..."

I handed her the notebook and checked the time; there were about 10 minutes left before class started. She usually arrived about 20 minutes early, so it wasn't unusual. I was just a bit surprised that she was interested in my notes.

While I was slightly nervous, Professor Elena carefully examined my notebook. Occasionally, she would widen her eyes or stroke her chin as if deep in thought.

After thoroughly reading to the last page, Professor Elena gave a brief evaluation.

"The analysis is quite good. It well explains the situations between each race within the framework of the Racial War, and the causes and effects are clear. It's a bit disappointing that it focuses only on human history, but that can be improved over time. With a little polishing, it could be submitted as a paper without any issues."

As she gave her evaluation, Professor Elena seemed to realize something and corrected herself.

"Wait, this wasn't written in the form of a paper, was it? Even so, this is incredibly impressive. You write really well."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"Isaac, right? Who taught you to write like this? Your writing skills are extraordinary."

Professor Elena, holding the notebook in one hand, pointed at it and asked. I thought for a moment and then answered, somewhat embarrassed.

"I learned it on my own."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I couldn't tell her that I learned it in university in my previous life. Elena nodded at my answer and then spoke with a surprised tone.

"From last week and today, sitting in the front row, it seems you're very interested in history?"

"It's interesting."

I meant it. I loved history in my previous life, and now, the more I delve into it, the more stories pour out, stimulating my imagination.

Professor Elena, sensing my sincerity, looked at me with an approving expression.

"Wait a moment."

She returned my notebook and left the classroom, leaving me with those words. I was momentarily puzzled but was brought back to my senses by a voice from the left.

"Isaac, you must be a good writer if you got a compliment from the professor. Your callus isn't there for nothing."

It was Lina. She was looking at me with her chin in her hand, her blue eyes filled with interest.

I flinched at her question but then awkwardly smiled while stroking the callus on my hand. Lina smiled back at my sheepish grin.

"Do you also know the history of our demons well?"

This time, the voice came from the right. I turned my gaze and met the red eyes of Cecil.

I thought about her question and shook my head.

Unfortunately, the demons maintained a closed stance until the publication of the Xeon chronicles, so information about them is limited.

Even if there were history books about demons, they were all from a human perspective and highly subjective.

"No. I only know about the founding process and the indiscriminate slaughter of demons by the Savior Church. As you know, demons had almost no contact with the outside world until a few years ago."

"Hmm... That's true. How about I bring you a few books? I can ask my father later."

"Really?"

I looked at Cecil with wide eyes, surprised by her unexpected offer. Cecil smiled faintly at my reaction and spoke in a playful tone.

"Of course. But there's one condition."

"What is it?"

"Call me 'sister.'"

"Huh?"

When I was taken aback by her unexpected condition, Cecil maintained her playful tone and leaned in.

I couldn't help but flinch as she leaned in.

"Call me 'sister.' Why? Are you embarrassed?"

"Cecil, sister."

"..."

"I did, didn't I?"

Now it was Cecil's turn to be flustered. I'm not sure what reaction she was trying to elicit from me, but calling someone older 'sister' or 'brother' is something I'm used to.

I already have an older brother and sister, so it's not difficult.

Cecil, surprised by my simple response, made a face as if to say, "That's not what I meant," and then pouted. She turned her head and muttered.

"Tch. Boring. Come to think of it, you said you have an older sister?"

"Ha ha."

While Cecil was muttering, Lina, who had been watching the situation, chuckled. Of course, Cecil couldn't have missed it.

"Huh? Lina, are you laughing at me?"

"No, Cecil, maybe you heard wrong?"

"I don't think so..."

While the two women were talking, I waited for Professor Elena to return. By the way, the reason Maria isn't in the classroom, even though Lina and Cecil are here, is that she dislikes history. I vaguely remember her saying that history makes her shudder.

Even Jackson, who tried to give me a hard time during the humanities class yesterday, wasn't there. It seems that history is boring for those who aren't interested, no matter where you go. That's why there were only about 30 people sitting in the classroom.

"Here, take this book."

"What is this?"

A moment later, Professor Elena returned to the classroom and handed me a thick book. It was so old that it smelled musty, and there was no title on the cover.

When I asked about the book, Professor Elena explained.

"It's a translation of the elves' history book into the common language. Elves tend to write books in their own language."

"Really? This is..."

"Yes, it is. It's a history book from the perspective of the elves, not humans. I found it by chance in the library."

"Wow..."

I looked at the old, worn book with sparkling eyes. Despite its shabby appearance, it was a precious treasure to me.

Through this history book, I can understand what kind of race the elves are in this world and decide what settings to add to the elves in the Xeon chronicles. I was already struggling with how to describe the elves, and Professor Elena's timely help was invaluable.

"Thank you, Professor. How can I repay this kindness..."

"You don't need to be so formal. By the way, do you have another class after this one ends?"

She continued with a kind smile.

"If not, can you come see me for a moment?"