How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World - Chapter 303: Rice Cake (2)

Rumors began to spread from the Kingdom of Ters, rumors about Xenon’s identity that spread like wildfire.

A nobleman, not anonymously but one of high rank, that of a count of great influence in that country, risked his name to provide this information. It was a gamble that could severely damage his reputation or cause him to be vilified for deceit.

Yet, Count Kamar had ample reason to make such revelations. He maintained neutrality during the trial, and although he was cautious, he did not disparage me. Compared to other nobles, he holds a minimal degree of favor, and he has an escape route: he can shift the blame onto me.

The idea that the kingdom might be shaken? Perhaps he has plans to secretly replace the royal power or commit acts of similar magnitude based on that instability.

Of course, this is akin to a coup d’état, so it’s purely speculative and not something I need to ponder. Frankly, whether it’s a coup or not, if the state is on the brink of turmoil, any wise leader should address that first.

In any case, the news that Count Kamar revealed through the newspaper is roughly as follows:

[Xenon is from the Minerva Empire.]

[Xenon is not a sage, but possesses wisdom comparable to a sage.]

[Xenon is a man with red hair and golden eyes.]

Although these three clues seem scant, there are very few people in this world with red hair. Moreover, mentioning golden eyes and his origin narrows it down significantly. However, I don’t know where the claim about wisdom comparable to a sage came from. Perhaps it’s to imply that he has met me in person.

Nevertheless, it’s not a complete lie, so I just need to wait until the bait fully takes hold.

“Hmm…”

“… …”

“Hmmmmm…”

“…Why?”

Three days have passed since the rumors spread to the Minerva Empire and Halo Academy.

I had gotten used to others staring at me, but it was still unsettling when Leona stared at me intensely. Leona and I were scheduled to work together as assistants, which meant we met more frequently than before.

Today was no different. I had met her to treat her to her favorite steak and have a chat, but she just kept staring at me like now.

She would look at me while taking a bite of steak, chew on the bones while looking at me, and lick the remaining sauce with her tongue while looking at me.

“Red hair… golden eyes… hmm…”

“… …”

“Wisdom comparable to a sage… that seems to fit too…”

If you’re that curious, why don’t you just ask directly? I realized what Leona was suspicious about and let out a dry laugh. She is known as a studious person who only focuses on her studies, but in reality, she is quite interested in worldly affairs.

I heard that she reads the same newspaper I subscribe to. Even though she is the third wife’s daughter, it would be odd if she had no interest in politics.

Despite Leona’s suspicious gaze, I leisurely opened my mouth to speak.

“Why? Are you curious if I’m Xenon?”

“Yeah. The description in the newspaper fits you perfectly.”

Leona answered while chewing on her steak. With her animal ears and tail fully visible, she looked truly adorable. I couldn’t help but smile weakly at Leona, who looked just like a pet. As I rested my chin on my hand, Leona swallowed her steak and spoke.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You should finish your steak too.”

“You look so cute eating so heartily.”

“… …”

Everyone knows that Leona is particularly weak to compliments about her appearance. Even now, as I complimented her cuteness, her face turned red, and her ears perked up and twitched. Her tail wagged back and forth, openly expressing her happiness.

‘Come to think of it, she is really bad at hiding her emotions.’

Although Leona presents a cynical personality on the outside, she becomes very honest the moment her ears and tail are visible.

Perhaps the pressure to hide her true identity has made her personality harsher. Unlike me, Leona has to suppress her actual personality, so in a way, she has it worse than I do.

People need to express their desires or show their true selves to maintain mental health. For Leona, eating steak with me is her way of relieving stress.

“By the way, what would you do if I were Xenon?”

“Huh?”

“I asked, what would you do if I were Xenon?”

“I haven’t really thought about it.”

Judging by her blank expression, she seemed to be sincere. After all, unlike others, Leona is connected to me due to that custom. The real issue isn’t her but her mother. I can’t predict what stance her mother would take.

Even though she’s the third wife, it doesn’t mean she lacks political insight. Although I’ve never met her, I remember Leona proudly mentioning her mother’s wisdom.

I don’t know how that wisdom will manifest, but it’s highly likely she will try to separate Leona from me. Leona herself told me that her mother isn’t happy about her becoming my wife.

“Doesn’t your mother disapprove of our relationship?”

“She does. But I like you.”

“In what way?”

“Everything except your face.”

“What…?”

I was about to accept it until I heard “everything except your face” and couldn’t help but be taken aback. It’s embarrassing to say this about myself, but objectively speaking, I’m quite handsome.

Even by the standards of the elves, who are considered the epitome of beauty, I am considered attractive. Not to mention my rare red hair and golden eyes.

Leona seemed puzzled by my reaction but then understood and explained.

“To be precise, it’s from a beastfolk’s perspective. From our perspective, you look like a female, which isn’t considered an attractive look for males. Besides, you don’t look like my brother or Jinai, right?”

“… …”

“But don’t worry, I like your red hair and eyes. It’s just that I’m still more accustomed to beastfolk culture than human culture.”

Surely, beauty standards differ across cultures, so I can understand Leona’s reaction. Nevertheless, I’m still a bit stunned.

“Uh… Isaac?”

“Huh?”

“You don’t dislike me, right?”

While I was still trying to recover from the shock, Leona asked in a cautious voice. As soon as I heard that question, I snapped back to reality. She had asked me the same question before. Back then, I had told her that it was quite the opposite. However, it seemed she still couldn’t shake off her doubts.

“Of course not. Like I said before, what man would refuse a beautiful woman like you?”

“Then when will we mate?”

“Uh… mate?”

“Yes.”

The word “mate” made my mind reel. Just like humans, beastfolk place a lot of significance on mating, or in other words, sexual relations. It’s an act where the male marks the female as his own, a form of branding.

In the somewhat primitive culture of the beastfolk, this is seen as the most effective way to assert dominance over a female. In other words, Leona wants me to assert my dominance over her. This brought up a lot of thoughts.

“See? You hesitate to answer because you don’t want to dominate me.”

“Loving someone doesn’t mean dominating them. That’s not love, that’s possessiveness.”

“Then what do I have to do for you to take me?”

“What?”

“What do I have to do for you to like me and, further, for us to mate? I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Leona spoke seriously, without a hint of joking. She had calmly set down the knife and fork she had been using to voraciously eat her steak.

I met her endlessly serious gaze with a wry smile. How could I persuade her? While I was deep in thought, Leona’s ears perked up. This reaction only happened when she had a good idea. Seeing her tail stand up too, it seemed she had thought of a clever solution.

“Yeah! This method will work!”

“What method?”

Given that Leona’s way of thinking was entirely different from mine, I felt uneasy. Her golden eyes sparkled with excitement as she explained her idea.

“If owning me feels awkward, why not make it so you want to own me?”

“Huh?”

“Make you feel possessive about me. What do you think? Isn’t it a good idea?”

Typical of beastfolk, her simple and direct solution left me feeling dizzy. At the same time, I was puzzled. Why did she choose me over any other man?

Despite the cultural differences, I had indirectly signaled my struggles multiple times, yet she never gave up. Even her mother disapproved, making it all the more perplexing.

“Does it really have to be me? There are other better men…”

“You’re Xenon, right? Is there anyone better than you, man or person?”

“… …”

“I knew you would say that. Just watch. I’ll follow you to the end, even if I have to bite your balls.”

Leona declared boldly, grinning so widely that her fangs showed. Why did I suddenly picture a lioness biting a lion’s testicles? I let out a dry laugh and shook my head. It seemed she was not one to give up easily.

“So, what will you do to make me feel possessive? I’m curious.”

“I’ll think about that slowly.”

“Um… Can I ask one favor?”

“What is it?”

I wanted to see it at least once. I hesitated a little, then cautiously asked Leona.

“Stand up for a moment.”

With a puzzled expression, Leona obediently stood up, her tail swaying, reflecting her emotions. I looked at her unique and beautiful features and then cleared my throat.

It was embarrassing to say it out loud, but since Leona had already declared her intentions, it should be fine. After a moment of hesitation, I stood up as well. Facing her directly, I voiced my request.

“First, raise your hands…”

“Raise my hands.”

“And act like you’re showing your claws.”

“Like this?”

Leona followed my words, making a threatening gesture like a beast showing its claws. I added the final touch.

“And roar like ‘Raaawr!’ showing your fangs.”

“Raaawr!”

The impact of her actions couldn’t be ignored. She took it seriously, but to me, it looked like a big cat trying to be cute. If she was this adorable and lovable ‘pet,’ maybe it was acceptable.

She already viewed herself as my possession. I suppressed the growing possessiveness inside me and cleared my throat again. Any more and I might start making strange requests.

“…That’s enough. This will do.”

“Really? Do you feel possessive?”

“A little.”

“Raaawr!!”

Pleased with my honest answer, Leona repeated the same action without me asking.

Seeing my reluctant expression, Leona also seemed a bit embarrassed. She stuck out her tongue and scratched her head.

“Hehe, maybe that wasn’t the best idea?”

“… …”

I suppressed the urge to pull on her protruding tongue. After revealing my identity to Leona, a few days passed.

[Isaac. Return to the estate immediately upon seeing this letter.]

A message came from my father.

[Everyone is mistaking me for Xenon. Forget about your studies and come back quickly.]

I couldn’t help but laugh at the contents of the letter.

Translators note: