Chapter 65

■ Chapter 64. The Calm Before the Storm (2) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

It had been about ten days since I sent the manuscript and the letter to my home.

Usually, it takes about a week for a reply to come back after sending a letter, but this time it was a bit late. Moreover, the package was quite thick.

‘What’s inside?’

I looked at the unusually thick package with curiosity and tore open the top to open it.

After opening it, I could see that there were quite a lot of letters inside.

They were neatly arranged, like a book, rather than being scattered randomly, as if my mother had organized them.

‘Are all of these fan letters?’

It seems highly likely. I stared at the neatly arranged letters and picked up the one that stood out the most.

Judging by how it stood out, I guessed it was a letter from my parents.

And upon checking the sender, I was sure it was from my parents. Without any hesitation, I tore open the sealed part and took out the contents.

The first one was a letter from my father. As expected of someone who only says what needs to be said, he got straight to the point and conveyed his message to me.

I had already informed my family about the hiatus long ago. Moreover, since I included a note from the author on the last page of this manuscript, the publishing company must have noticed as well.

Although his advice to be prepared is a bit worrying, there shouldn’t be any problem. Surely, people won’t gather in front of the publishing company demanding books.

Right now, I just need to focus on my studies. Even if Lina or Leort ask me to publish one more book, I plan to refuse them all. I’ve been pushing myself hard until now, so I need some time to rest and look around.

‘Mother’s letter… it’s here.’

As always, Mother sent a long letter. Most of it was about whether I did well on my exams and if life at the academy is manageable. It was mostly about my well-being.

Still, it feels good to know that Mother is worried about me. It must be bothersome to send such a long letter every month, but she sends them with care.

This makes me want to be even more filial. I read Mother’s letter over and over again and then looked inside the package.

I saw a lot of fan letters densely packed inside.

‘Is this just a part of it?’

If this is just a selection, how many must there be in total? It seems like it will take several days just to read them all.

I took out a bunch of fan letters and placed them on my desk. Various colored envelopes were scattered.

After pondering which one to choose, I picked one at random. It was a pink envelope with a flower pattern embossed in gold, which caught my eye.

Judging by the middle name, it seems to be from a noble, but the name sounds like it would have a strong scent of cherry blossoms. I recalled who the Roseberry family was and opened the envelope.

The letter was also pink, which seemed to be the family’s unique color.

The first greeting gave a lively impression. It was a different kind of energy from Mary.

I carefully read the fan letter, which was filled with pages. Most of it was about how much they enjoyed the Xenon series and how they wanted to write such a novel themselves.

“Hmm?”

I quickly checked the sending date upon reading that the sender was going to enter the Hailor Academy. Surprisingly, it was sent a month ago.

So, if I become a third-year student, it means this noble lady will be entering the academy. If our paths cross, we might meet. Of course, even if we do meet, I won’t reveal that I’m the author.

‘Still, it feels good.’

There’s nothing more satisfying than hearing that someone wants to write like me. It means they admire me.

I couldn’t hide the pride rising inside me and smiled as I read through to the end. Apart from mentioning her entry to the academy and her desire to write like me, there was nothing particularly offensive.

‘I should keep this.’

It would be good to keep fan letters that praise and encourage my work. Reading such letters when I’m feeling down will surely boost my spirits.

I pondered how to store the fan letters and decided to put them back in the envelopes. I placed the envelopes on the side of my desk for sorting later.

‘Next…’

One thing I noticed while reading the fan letters is that if they were from commoners, they were plain, but if they were from nobles, they had unique colors and patterns.

Moreover, the number of fan letters from commoners far exceeded those from nobles. Although novels are generally more popular among nobles, the Xenon series is enjoyable for all, regardless of social status.

Additionally, nobles make up only about 1% of the total population, so naturally, there are more fan letters from commoners.

Some nobles tried to flaunt their status and bring their family into the picture, but I just read them casually.

Still, I won’t throw them away since they took the effort to write them, even if it was with a bit of pride. It’s the least I can do to show respect.

In any case, it’s better to read the fan letters from commoners later. There are too many to read all of them today.

“… …”

While reading the fan letters, I found one from Mary. I blinked and looked at the white envelope, then curled my lips into a smile.

What kind of content did Mary include in her letter? I’m looking forward to it.

I unfolded the letter and started reading the fan letter Mary had written by hand.

Surprisingly, it had a simple writing style. The content was solely about praising my work.

Well, that’s fine. I had a different goal in mind.

‘What if I take this and read it out loud?’

What would happen?

“Don’t read it! I said don’t read it?!”

“Ouch! Don’t hit me! I got it! I won’t read it!”

I got hit on the back.

* * *

As I mentioned before, some nobles are bribing the publishing company that has the publishing rights to the Xenon series. Most of their requests are to find out who the author is or to get new books secretly.

Of course, the publishing company never reveals who the author is and only gives out the latest published books. From their perspective, it’s better to give out the golden eggs early rather than cut the goose that lays them.

Even high-ranking nobles only complain about this but don’t hold any grudges. If they stir things up, the author might go into hiding, causing them significant harm.

So, they put the search for the author on the back burner and receive the latest issues as soon as they come out. Thanks to this, they can read the Xenon series without fierce competition, even before it’s officially announced.

“Hmm~ Hmm~”

Lina, the princess of the Minerva Empire, was in her quarters, whistling while carefully opening a package.

From her whistling, it was clear that she was in a very good mood. Unlike her usual ‘mask,’ her smile was genuine.

The reason for her good mood was in the package she was opening.

“Ta-da~”

Lina held up the book from the package and raised it to the ceiling. Although no one was in the room, it was an exaggerated gesture.

This clearly showed how good her mood was, and there was a good reason for it.

Because the book she was holding up was the 10th volume of the Xenon series, which the publishing company hadn’t officially announced yet.

Thanks to the royal family’s lobbying, she received it before anyone else.

‘This is when power is useful. Hehe.’

If anyone saw her, they might think she was wasting her power on trivial matters, but Lina didn’t care. For someone who entered politics at a young age, using power is a matter of common sense.

She looked at the 10th volume of the Xenon series with loving eyes and slowly placed it on the desk.

‘Isaac is truly a genius.’

Looking at the Xenon series, she naturally thought of Isaac. Although she still mistakenly believes that Hawk provides the story and Isaac writes it, she can’t deny Isaac’s excellent writing skills.

Lina couldn’t even imagine how someone could have such writing ability. It’s a skill that doesn’t fit someone of her age.

‘I must keep him in the empire. Before that…’

First, I’ll read the story. Lina smiled and opened the book.

She was excited to see what story would unfold and bring her joy.

‘Wow. A love story between a human and an elf? This won’t be easy.’

The story didn’t disappoint. A love story between a human and an elf is a topic that could cause a stir worldwide. She naturally wondered how the elves would react.

Moreover, the readability and description, which allow her to imagine the scenes in her head, were always impressive. The conflict and struggles between Xenon’s teacher and the elf queen were vividly felt.

Not only that, but the story was vast, beyond her imagination. She marveled at how each plot point, often called ‘foreshadowing,’ unfolded.

‘Ah, I’ve already finished. What a pity…’

Before she knew it, she had read to the end. It was especially disappointing because the teacher had infiltrated an area managed by a demon officer.

‘What will happen between the teacher and the elf queen? It will surely turn out well.’

Although the teacher left some unsettling words, it’s best for them to be together for the sake of dreams and hopes. There’s nothing more tragic than something happening to one of them.

Moreover, the teacher is a rare loyalist who only has eyes for the elf queen. Although he seemed stubborn when teaching Xenon, her perception of him changed today.

Even his reason for becoming stronger, to extend his lifespan, is a truly touching story. His efforts to transcend the limits of his race and win love are a model for many.

‘It will turn out well. Yes, it will.’

But what is this unease in my heart? I have a bad feeling that something will happen to the teacher.

Lina forced down this feeling and turned to the next page, a habit to check if there’s anything left after finishing the story.

“Huh? Author’s note?”

And on the last page, a new section titled ‘Author’s Note’ appeared. Lina widened her eyes in surprise and started reading the text in the author’s note.

At first, it was just a simple introduction. Moreover, it was unexpected that Isaac started using the pen name ‘Xenon.’ Revealing his pen name means he’s willing to communicate with the world.

But…

‘…Huh?’

Soon, a thought crossed her mind.

‘Annual… announcement? Is he struggling mentally?’

Something big is happening.

‘And for two years…?’

A big storm is coming.

“…Huh?”

Lina looked at the author’s note with a bewildered expression.