How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World
chapter-284

Because of the voice amplification magic, Cecily’s voice echoes throughout the entire plaza. Five seconds after dropping an unexpected statement, a dead silence falls over the plaza.

It is quite literally a bombshell. Unlike when Arwen revealed her mixed-blood status, which caused mere ripples on a quiet lake, this was a sign of a massive tidal wave.

“What… did she say?”

“Xenon’s woman?”

“Hey, did I hear that right?”

The unexpected bombshell of calling herself Xenon’s woman stirred the entire venue into an uproar.

Musk and Arwen are the only ones who know Xenon’s true identity. This is what people firmly believed until now. However, that belief was shattered by Cecily’s statement just now. No longer just one or two, but now a third person knows.

Moreover, the fact that Cecily mentioned being Xenon’s ‘woman’ holds a completely different weight than the people previously mentioned.

“What, what is she thinking?”

“… …”

Marie, sitting next to me, is so shocked that her mouth is agape. Cecily’s bombshell statement has left a significant impact. To be someone’s woman means to be officially dating that person, which is what most people would think.

In other words, Cecily just publicly declared in front of everyone that she is dating Xenon, or in other words, me. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but her actions are completely different from the usual Cecily.

“Is it true?”

“No way… could it be? Considering she’s a demon princess, it might be possible.”

“Then really…”

“Is that why demons were portrayed so favorably?”

The murmuring of the crowd grows louder, and the opinions exchanged become more diverse. Initially skeptical, people start to believe it as they compare it to the depiction of demons in Xenon’s Biography.

However, the shock of the bombshell, like a tactical nuclear weapon, still lingered. The atmosphere is still filled with disbelief.

Cecily seemed to notice the reaction, and she slowly scanned the audience. Although it’s hard to see clearly from this distance, she wore a confident smile.

‘She wouldn’t say this without thinking…’

If she was going to say something like this, she should have discussed it with me beforehand.

Saying such things without any discussion could not only affect me but especially deteriorate my relationship with Marie.

Currently, at the academy, Marie and I are officially dating, while I’m secretly dating Cecily.

Although there are times when I hang out with Marie and other acquaintances, there are hardly any instances where Cecily and I openly wander around together.

Therefore, even though Cecily saying such things wouldn’t narrow down the suspect, it still makes me uneasy. I decided to keep calm and watch what she would say.

[You all must have been surprised. It must have been shocking to suddenly hear that I’m Xenon’s woman. But please stay calm and listen to me until the end.]

Cecily continued her speech, maintaining her unique, seductive voice. Thanks to her words, the commotion subsided. It seemed she threw such a bombshell statement to grab maximum attention, and I became curious about how she would resolve this.

[Before Xenon’s Biography appeared to the world, we demons had to live in hiding. Inside Helium, we could laugh, chat, get angry, and enjoy ourselves just like other races. But the world’s gaze was cruel. Not only did they see us as devils, but in the past, this perception led to terrible tragedies.]

The terrible tragedy that the demons suffered in the past. Anyone with a bit of historical interest would know what event she was referring to. It was a massacre caused by humans driven mad with fanaticism.

It wasn’t like the Beastman massacre that occurred during the race wars but a historical fact that happened before that.

The Holy Kingdom of Xavier massacred the demons, claiming to completely eradicate the seeds of devils, in the so-called ‘Root Uprooting.’

The phrase might sound awkward, but the content is extremely atrocious. Moreover, knowing the history and looking back at that name would be chilling.

“Ahem.”

“Hmm.”

Xavier’s representatives in the VIP seats reacted awkwardly, perhaps realizing that Cecily’s speech was targeting them. Even though she openly ridiculed them like that, they have nothing to say. Because the recent scandal of the corrupted cardinal has just erupted.

Currently, Xavier is being held together by Kate’s leadership; if she had also abandoned the Luminous Order, it would have been a major incident where their roots were completely uprooted.

They have little say, and with Cecily delivering historical facts so forcefully, they can’t say anything. That doesn’t mean she’s being rude. She’s not openly mocking them but rather pointing out the tragedies they have faced.

[We demons are a race born from tragedy. Every day, we have to fight the devils hidden deep within our hearts, and sometimes it’s unbearably painful. But we also have loved ones and people to protect. For their sake, we suppressed the evil within us. To protect our loved ones.]

[This hasn’t changed even after Xenon’s Biography came to light. Thanks to him, we demons have stepped into a brighter world, but the fundamental problem remains. Just as no living being knows their future, we demons always face the risk of being consumed by our inner devils. This isn’t just your opinion, we demons think the same way.]

[However, thanks to the sincere depiction in Xenon’s Biography, we demons could finally stand as individuals rather than devils. Just like me, enrolling in Minerva Empire’s Halo Academy and actively interacting with neighboring countries. Moreover, we showcased the strength of Helium’s culture at the exhibition.]

[Nonetheless, our true enemy still lies within. Like the plan of Gluttony depicted in Xenon’s Biography, there is a chance that the inner devil could turn all Helium demons into true devils. Such a terrible tragedy won’t happen again thanks to our benefactor, but the fundamental problem hasn’t been solved. Yet, unbeknownst to us, the answer was already present in Xenon’s Biography.]

[Lilith, who appears in Xenon’s Biography, is a woman who became a devil due to a tragic past and is responsible for Lust among the Seven Deadly Sins.]

That’s a setting error. I could only smile wryly as I listened to Cecily’s speech. I wish I could confess in a letter that it’s a setting error, but readers praise it as a wonderful foreshadowing, so I can’t.

I’m not even sure they’d believe me if I denied it. For now, let’s just let it slide as it’s better this way.

[Lilith became a devil after losing her beloved, but surprisingly, she maintained her sanity. It’s normal for demons who became such to lose their reason and become monsters consumed by rage and despair, but she didn’t. People might naturally assume this because she switched sides, but this alone signifies a significant change for our demons.]

[Since then, Jin has subdued his inner devil and made it his power, and with Lilith’s description being rediscovered, Helium has become noisy again. There’s a division between those who believe they can subdue their inner devil and those who think it’s impossible no matter what. It’s an internal conflict with the fate of Helium at stake, so neither side is willing to concede.]

As Cecily mentioned, Helium may seem peaceful on the surface, but it is quite tumultuous.

Unlike Alvenheim or Animers, Helium has rarely fallen into political turmoil, and the current situation has significant implications beyond politics.

This is not just about the fate of a nation but the entire race. With the release of Volume 21, a new ‘ideology’ has emerged, posing various risks.

Will Cecily choose ‘moderation’ or ‘control’? This issue is the crux of her speech and will determine the future of not just Helium but the demons as a whole.

[I, Cecily Drat Isilia Vin, will… follow the benefactor’s prophecy.]

And Cecily chose ‘control’ over ‘moderation,’ which had been maintained since the founding of Helium. While other races might not understand, within Helium, this could lead to the formation of a massive political opposition.

As if to reflect this situation, the nobles of Helium in the front seats were whispering among themselves. Some even crossed their legs, full of discontent.

In this increasingly serious atmosphere, I wondered how Cecily would navigate through this. If the speech ended like this, it could be seen as a colossal failure.

Instead of preventing division, Cecily’s position could be jeopardized. What was she thinking, dropping such a bombshell from the start?

[You probably do not understand. What does what I said have to do with being Xenon’s woman, and furthermore, why did I choose control?]

Despite the uneasy atmosphere, Cecily did not lose her confident smile. Her face brightened as if to indicate she was approaching the climax.

Eventually, she slowly scanned the audience whose attention was fixed on her and then made direct eye contact with me.

Her red eyes, filled with love, affection, warmth, and kindness. As soon as I met her gaze, I understood her intentions.

[And this is…]

Cecily, who had trailed off, slowly closed her eyes.

[My answer.]

Flap!

From her back, demon wings spread wide. Simultaneously, the horns on her head began to grow and turn red.

The ability she gained by completely subduing her inner evil, demonization. Literally accepting the full power of a demon and becoming one.

“What, what is this?!”

“Th-th-th-this…!”

“A, a devil? Is the princess a devil?!”

As expected, Cecily’s devilization elicited a predictable reaction. Her devilization was known only to me, her father-in-law, and mother-in-law.

“Isaac?! What’s going on?! How did this happen?!”

Therefore, it was not surprising that Marie, sitting next to me, was shocked. I should probably pretend to be surprised as well…

“Hurry up and explain! How did this happen?!”

“Ugh… this is a bit…”

Can you let go of me so I can speak properly? I understand she’s shocked, but it’s hard to talk when she’s grabbing me by the collar and shaking me like this.

I needed to act somehow, but it was difficult due to Marie’s intense reaction.

In the meantime, I tried to check the reactions of others. Generally, people were beyond surprised and almost in shock, with the most extreme reactions coming from the Xavier’s side.

I couldn’t hear well because of the surrounding noise, but I caught snippets like “We must eliminate her quickly,” and “This is a serious matter.” The clergy were pleading with Kate.

However, Kate remained firmly seated, calmly telling them to relax.

I always thought she had quite a formidable personality.

[You must all be shocked. Anyone can see that my current appearance is that of a devil. But look at me. I am looking at you with my own eyes, and I am maintaining perfect sanity.]

Cecily’s voice, clear despite the chaos, seemed even more seductive than usual, perhaps due to her devilization. As a result, people gradually regained their composure and focused on her. However, judging by their expressions, they still appeared uneasy.

That was understandable, given that a devilized demon was before them. Even after the publication of Xenon’s Biography, there were occasional reports of devilized demons causing trouble.

As the noisy square gradually quieted down and calm returned, Cecily began to explain immediately.

[Look at me. I have wings of a devil, my sclera has turned black, and my horns have grown large. I look indistinguishable from a demon. However, I am clearly maintaining my sanity. Doesn’t this remind you of someone?]

“…Lilith?”

Someone answered Cecily’s question as if entranced. Though the voice was small, it was loud enough in the now-quiet square.

Nodding, Cecily continued confidently, maintaining her demonized state.

[Yes, that’s right. The reason I introduced myself as Xenon’s woman, the reason I chose control over moderation. I have directly shown you this reason.]

So that’s what it meant. Cecily did not mean that she was Xenon’s woman in the way everyone thought.

Many incidents had occurred, but none involved real-life inspirations for characters appearing. However, with Cecily showing her devilization, the story changed. People would now claim that there were real-life inspirations for the characters!

The decisive evidence was Cecily herself, who revealed herself as Xenon’s woman for this reason.

‘She really used her head well.’

When Cecily said she was Xenon’s woman, she was referring to being the inspiration for a character in Xenon’s Biography. In other words, she was declaring herself as the person Xenon based a character on!

This declaration had a high chance of being accepted because of the significance of Xenon’s Biography and the fact that she demonstrated devilization.

Furthermore, the social culture of this world is more rudimentary than that of Earth. Therefore, as long as the front and back of the story are plausible, everything will be accepted.

The possibility of a lie? Ask the gods. The gods would side with Cecily.

Why? Because Cecily didn’t lie. Saying she is Xenon’s woman means she is my woman, so there is no lie.

Of course, they might ask if Cecily knows Xenon. However, even Kate received a vague oracle to find me, so there’s no way the gods would provide a clear oracle.

Society, politics, ideology, and the truth of the matter. Cecily has captured every possible rabbit.

She didn’t consult with me separately because of this confidence. I can let this slide.

‘… By the way, she’s essentially made Xenon’s Biography into a holy scripture.’

This part makes me smile wryly. I am willing to tolerate this since she informed me about her demonization.

In three days, all sorts of articles will emerge. I can vividly hear the increase in my father’s workload from here.

[I, Cecily Drat Aisilia Vin, princess of Helium and Xenon’s woman, declare. Our demon race no longer needs to fear the inner devil. There is no reason to fear our darkness to protect our loved ones. As I have just shown, we no longer need to be confined in a cage. Birds are safest in a cage, but they are not born to die there.]

As she said this, Cecily slowly released her devilization. The clarity of her returning to her original form elicited gasps from the surroundings.

The mere act of undoing her devilization proved her words were true.

[Our demon race now has only the future to move forward to. Lastly, we will soar high into the sky with our wings. Even if they are not pure white angel wings, we will fly with these wings stained with pure darkness. Thank you.]

With those words, Cecily bowed politely and stepped down from the podium.

As she descended, the square was enveloped in a heavy silence…

Clap clap clap

Starting with my applause.

Clap clap clap clap clap!

The square was soon filled with thunderous applause and cheers.

The demons, in particular, were more enthusiastic than anyone else, which was understandable given Cecily’s speech.

It could indeed be a day of liberation, freeing them from the fate that had tormented them until now.

It will take a long time and effort to remove the shackles that bound them like slaves, but the mere possibility was akin to salvation for the demons.

“Princess Cecily! Thank you!!”

“Blessings to the princess and Xenon!!”

“Xenon! Thank you so much!!”

Oh, how embarrassing. Mixed in with the praises for Cecily were also praises directed at me, making my face heat up.

Amidst the roaring applause, I cleared my throat, blushing at the praise I heard.

I wanted to cool down the heat on my face, but it wasn’t easy. I needed to get out of here.

“Marie. We should get up and…”

Just as I was about to call Marie, I suddenly felt a piercing gaze from another direction.

As I turned my gaze, I couldn’t help but flinch in surprise.

Hiriya was staring at me without any change in her expression.

“… …”

“… …”

I met her gaze silently, then quickly turned my head without even greeting her.

For some reason, I felt chills all over my body. Surely she wasn’t watching me throughout the speech.

‘…No way, right?’

Hiriya wouldn’t give me that much attention.

Translators note: