Chapter 63

■ Chapter 62. Fan Letter (1) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

As soon as all the lectures ended, I put everything else aside and returned to my accommodation. Today, I didn’t have any plans with Mari, so I could head straight back to my room.

A little while later, after returning to the accommodation, I lay on the bed and took out the letter that was hidden between the pages of my notebook. As everyone knows, this is the letter Cecily gave me during today’s lecture.

Cecily whispered in my ear that it contained her sincere feelings towards her benefactor. Though she spoke indirectly, it was essentially a letter to me.

‘Is this a fan letter? Or what is it?’

I carefully examined the envelope.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary envelope. However, the contents were quite thick. It was clear that there were at least three pages of letters inside.

Since she said it contained her sincere feelings towards her benefactor, it could be considered a fan letter. I’ve never received a fan letter directly because I’ve always kept my identity hidden, which made me feel even more peculiar.

What could Cecily have written in this letter? I scanned the envelope and then suddenly sat up.

It would be better to sit at the desk and read it slowly rather than lying on the bed. Surely, Cecily put a lot of effort into writing it, so I should read it with sincerity and dedication.

And if I finish reading it, I plan to write a reply immediately. After all, I’ve finished writing the tenth volume, so I have a lot more free time now.

Squeak—

I sat at the desk, prepared everything, and carefully tore open the top of the envelope. Inside, as I expected, there were neatly folded letters lying peacefully.

With a mix of anticipation and worry, I slowly unfolded the contents. There were three pages in total, and as soon as I opened the pages, elegant handwriting caught my eye.

From the first line, I could sense an unusual atmosphere. The term "author" was secondary, but the phrase "reverence" caught my attention.

"Reverence" is not a commonly used word in this world, nor was it in my previous life. However, thanks to my extensive reading, I know its meaning well.

—Deep respect and admiration, or to devote one's heart to admiration.

So, Cecily is expressing a romantic interest in me. It felt a bit out of the blue, which made me feel somewhat flustered.

Since she started speaking informally, she has treated me more closely and even played mischievous pranks, but those actions are more like what one would do with a close younger sibling. I’ve been receptive, and I’ve helped alleviate some of her concerns, so I can understand to some extent.

I read the first sentence carefully, twice, to confirm that it was indeed the word I knew. In this world, there is a common language, but different races have words with different meanings.

However, focusing on the first sentence didn’t yield any answers. It’s best to set aside my doubts and read the next part slowly.

As I read, I realized something. As the letter suggests, Cecily is coming across with a very humble attitude.

Who is she? The princess of Helium and the next in line to be the Demon King. Despite my significant influence in the world, there’s no need for her to be so humble. Moreover, Helium is currently in diplomatic relations with other countries, so her position is boundless.

One might ask, "Isn’t it fine for her to treat me as her benefactor?" But it makes me very uncomfortable.

The Cecily I know is playful and has hidden pain inside. I can’t help but wish she would act as she usually does, like joking and chatting with me as she does with Mari.

‘But…’

What is this damp, creeping feeling rising in my chest? I felt the same way when Cecily spoke formally to me last time.

It’s a feeling of exhilaration, yet something that shouldn’t be indulged. It’s a dark emotion that, once tasted, might be hard to escape.

I shook my head vigorously to dispel these feelings. No matter how humble Cecily is, it’s not in my nature to treat her casually.

Most importantly, Mari would be the most disappointed. I don’t want to see her disappointed, no matter what.

“Sigh.”

I took a deep breath, gathered my thoughts, and focused on the letter. The elegant handwriting and Cecily’s beautiful prose were a pleasure to read.

The letter detailed the treatment of demons and how things changed after the Xenon saga.

As I read, I felt my heart warm.

When she whispered in my ear that it contained her sincere feelings, I was a bit anxious, but now all those worries are gone. Cecily truly wrote the letter with genuine sincerity.

And that sincerity is being conveyed to me without any filters. Even if it wasn’t intentional, the positive outcome is something anyone would feel proud of.

‘This is so different from what I read in the newspaper.’

It’s even more impactful coming from Cecily, a demon.

When I heard about it from the newspaper or rumors, I just brushed it off. Even when I talked to Cecily directly, it didn’t resonate as much.

This is because Cecily focused on the fact that I wrote the Xenon saga and never revealed her true feelings. She rarely spoke with such sincerity.

But after reading this letter, I realized how difficult her life has been and how much gratitude she feels towards me.

A seemingly insignificant action on my part could be a source of hope for someone. This is a feeling I never experienced in my previous life.

‘She must have gone through a lot.’

A hundred years is an incredibly long time for a human. During those hundred years, Cecily worked tirelessly to fulfill the wishes of her people.

Naturally, I was completely unaware of this. I had a vague idea from our conversations, but compared to the content of the letter, it was like a drop in the ocean.

Her wishes were fulfilled not by her own hands but by mine, and the joy must have been indescribable. It’s like the liberation of black people who suffered terrible discrimination in my previous life.

I felt my heart warm as I turned to the next page. With three full pages, I expected it to take a while to read.

The second page talks about Cecily’s aspirations. This made me recall her speech at the opening ceremony.

How many people can confidently declare their aspirations in front of a crowd? I certainly couldn’t.

Cecily’s courageous actions are a role model not only for demons but for many people. It’s a side of her I often overlook because of her playful nature.

‘This is what we mean when we say someone is extraordinary.’

I turned the page and started reading the last one. The last page is only about two-thirds full.

The last page is filled with Cecily’s feelings towards me.

If I want, she is willing to offer her body and soul. However, since I have Mari by my side, she won’t do so if I don’t want her to.

Reading the words where she offers everything as a woman made me feel more awkward than confused. I thought she was just trying to seduce me last time.

But the letter is filled with genuine sincerity. Cecily is really prepared to offer herself if I want her to.

“Sigh…”

If Mari sees this, she’ll be furious. I need to keep the fact that Cecily sent a fan letter (or whatever it is) a secret.

Of course, I’m not very good at acting, so I’m not sure if I can keep it hidden. It might be better to live with the mindset that it will eventually be discovered.

In any case, since Cecily took the time to write this letter, it’s only polite to reply. I read the fan letter, which made me smile, once more and opened the desk drawer.

Until now, I thought I had no one to send letters to except my parents, but today that changed.

‘First, I’ll start with a greeting… Yes, this should do it.’

With a joyful heart, I began to slowly write a reply to Cecily.

‘Now that I think about it, this is a fan letter…’

Do other people write fan letters like Cecily? This thought crossed my mind as I was writing.

It would be strange if there were no fan letters, given the worldwide success of the Xenon saga. Perhaps my father blocked them to avoid giving any clues.

In that case, it might not be a bad idea to ask my father to check. I’ll first confirm if there are any fan letters and then make the request.

Even if it causes him trouble due to tracking, it’s fine. I have other people I can ask besides my father.

‘It’s a bit scary, but the result should be clear. He won’t make unreasonable demands over this, I’m sure.’

After reading the fan letter, I realized it felt very similar to reading comments in my previous life. I can confidently say that nothing makes an author feel as much joy, anger, love, and sorrow as comments.

I wished for fan letters as I moved the magic pen gracefully.

‘Maybe Mari wrote one too?’

I can’t help but feel excited.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the same time, in the girls’ dormitory.

“Ahchoo! Eh…”

Mari, who was leisurely eating bread on the bed, was taken aback by the sudden sneeze. As a result, the bed was littered with bread crumbs.

“Ugh… Why did I suddenly sneeze out of nowhere? It’s so annoying.”

She grumbled, and her sharp intuition kicked in as a bonus.