Volume 16 was released, and about a week had passed. Leona, who had headed to Animers, also returned to the Academy. However, as soon as she returned, she urgently sought me out, saying that she could become a great chieftain and asking for my help, seemingly out of the blue.
Fortunately, there were hardly any passersby around, but if there had been more people, it would have been a dangerous moment in many ways. Of course, it was dangerous for Leona, not me.
In response, we urgently visited a quiet place, a suitable cafe, and I slowly listened to Leona’s situation.
“Before we go into the details, have things been resolved in Animers? That’s what I want to ask first.”
Did she run around looking for me? Sweat beads formed on Leona’s forehead. In general, the fact that even the most robust species in terms of hardware was sweating meant that it was urgent.
Thanks to the lilac scent emanating from my body, finding me should have been easy. However, I could roughly sense how dire her situation was.
“Phew… First of all, I apologize for calling you out of the blue. It’s a very urgent matter…”
“I think I can tell that it’s urgent. So, what’s the outcome?”
“Ultimately, it went well. Just as you said, when people laughed or pretended not to listen, I gently provoked them, and they naturally got involved.”
“So, does that mean the sacred duel is really going to be held in a tournament format?”
Leona nodded her head firmly in response to my confirmation question. I was honestly surprised by her reaction.
Changing traditions and culture in our era was a very difficult task. Especially since the sacred duel made a crucial contribution to the founding of the country, it would likely be considered integral to the country, and tampering with it would be a courageous act in itself.
However, judging by the result, it seems they themselves recognize that the tradition of the sacred duel was barbaric and a major obstacle to leading the nation.
“It’s in the plans for the future. It won’t happen immediately, but we’ll establish rules and slowly make plans. But to make it public, we need a Great Chieftain…”
“You can’t issue a decree because there’s no regent.”
The only one with enough authority to change tradition is the ruler. And a regent must maintain authority even if someone doesn’t occupy the throne.
If someone declares themselves a king the moment they feel like it, it’s no different from what happened before. Leona mentioned having many siblings, so it’s almost like a power struggle has already begun.
“Why not just pass the chieftain’s position to the eldest son of the first wife? Are beastmen different?”
“It’s a bit more complicated. Normally, the chieftain should make the selection personally, but the problem is that this happened before a proper succession could take place, and they returned to Harte’s arms. Because of this, it’s not an easy task to choose the chieftain hastily. Furthermore, the faction that wanted to abolish the sacred duel is also insisting on choosing the chieftain themselves…”
“It could potentially lead to a division into two factions.”
“Yes.”
It’s common for different groups with varying ideologies within a country to elect their own leaders. In my past life, there were examples like South Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and so on.
This means that Animers, which Hick founded with great effort, could potentially become a divided nation. If we don’t take action quickly, the probability of a civil war breaking out will increase.
I was momentarily taken aback by the apparently more serious state of Animers’ internal affairs and asked a question about the part that had piqued my curiosity.
“So, what’s the deal with you possibly becoming a Great Chieftain again? Regardless of whether you’re the daughter of the third wife, you still have the chieftain’s bloodline.”
“…First, we need to understand the ideologies of the opposing faction in detail. It’s closely tied to their reason for wanting to abolish the Sacred Duel. They want a chieftain with intelligence, not just military power, someone who can handle politics, diplomacy, and state affairs. Until now, lions have been in charge of state affairs simply because they were Hick’s descendants. On the other hand, we believe we cannot nominate those who are not lions as a Great Chieftain.”
It was something that could be found everywhere, but it was very interesting. While the royal family considered lineage important, it was necessary to focus on the opposing forces.
When you think about it, it could be considered the first step toward democracy. Of course, it wasn’t a proper democracy like in my past life, but it emphasized the selection of the monarch. If power is vested in the opposing forces here, the concept of ‘voting’ may emerge.
Moreover, the Sacred Duel is also undergoing significant changes that are suitable for this. If used wisely, it could take a step towards democracy. It’s a bit amusing that the beastmen who were collectively called barbaric across all races are the first to head towards democracy, but in this world, anything is possible.
Anyway, getting back to the point.
“When there is such a tense confrontation between each other, Volume 16 of Xenon’s Biography was released. Have you seen it by any chance?”
“Of course, I’ve seen it.”
I’m the author, after all. Leona nodded seriously as she swallowed her follow-up words. Subsequently, she seemed embarrassed, and her cheek turned slightly red, and her ears that had stood up above her head dropped weakly. In that state, Leona hesitated and opened her mouth, not in a cynical tone, but in a very timid one.
“Um… you might not remember, but didn’t I say something like this to you last year? I absolutely don’t read things like Xenon’s Biography that humans write.”
“Did you say that?”
I gingerly searched through my memories, tilting my head. The day I accidentally discovered Leona’s true identity, as far as I can recall, was that day.
She called me a red penguin that squawked without fear, so her views on humans couldn’t have been positive. Perhaps even Xenon’s Biography written by a human seemed uninteresting.
Of course, I’ve long forgotten all of that, but it seems she’s still kept it close to her heart.
‘She’s secretly timid.’
On the surface, she tried to appear fierce and strong, but now, seeing her like this, there’s a timid side. I can’t confirm which is her real self. Maybe the timid side is genuine, and the fierce personality is just a front. She was a daughter of the third wife, but perhaps she wore that facade not to be underestimated.
“…Actually, that’s not true. I really like it, you know. Even my siblings enjoy reading it.”
“Your siblings? Doesn’t seem likely.”
“I recommended it to them. To read it at least once. No matter what, you should read a book, right? So reluctantly, they read it. But a problem arose after Volume 16. Do you know what Volume 16 is about?”
Of course, I know. I’m the author, after all. It would be strange if I didn’t.
Leona nodded as I did, then hesitantly began to reveal more about the story.
“As you know, Volume 16 doesn’t exactly have Cain defeating Satan… well, not clearly. Anyway, toward the end, Cain, who may be physically weak but mentally strong, becomes the chieftain.”
“I know that.”
“Here is the problem. Xenon’s Biography is currently being treated as a prophecy. Because of this, there is a growing voice that says someone like Cain, who excels in intelligence rather than brute force, should become the clan leader.”
“…Do you believe that?”
Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t seem right to follow the book’s contents blindly. The contamination of the World Tree’s roots, the devil worshippers, and the Reapers were events that have already occurred, not the future.
But Animers are currently trying to follow the contents of Xenon’s Biography. They’re just trying to fit it in forcibly.
“Of course, there was resistance at first. People questioned whether we should follow something that’s just in a book. But thanks to Xenon’s Biography, we found out that our situation at Animers is complicated. So everyone believes. Because Xenon knows the future, Animers should also change.”
“Not at all…”
“Huh?”
“Not at all.”
It was so absurd that I almost made a slip of the tongue. Leona blinked her golden eyes when she saw me disagreeing and continued her explanation.
“Really? But it’s also getting involved in political issues here. I’m smart enough to get admitted to the Academy, and I even have the bloodline of the Lion Tribe. There are no issues with my bloodline, and I meet the desires of the opposing faction.”
“So they’re nominating you as the next Great Chieftain. Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s right! I have no intention of becoming the Great Chieftain, not even a bit!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Was the current situation frustrating for her? Leona, filled with anger, slammed her fist onto the table forcefully. However, whether it was a failure of strength control or not, her fist left a clear mark on the table.
I’ll have to ask about that later. Leona seemed to realize her mistake belatedly and started to give me a hot look.
“…I’ll compensate separately, so just keep talking for now.”
“Sorry… Anyway, not only our family but even the opposing forces are choosing me as the Great Chieftain, someone who is intelligent and has no issues in terms of bloodline. Moreover, they think it’s right for me to become the Great Chieftain because I also proposed the changes to the Sacred Duel.”
“But it was me who first proposed the improvements to it. Didn’t you say you won’t lie to your family members?”
“That’s also an issue. It seems they were impressed by the idea that a wise monarch, not a strong one, should rule the country. They even seem to suspect you might be a sage.”
“Huh.”
I let out a bitter laugh. Why do they all call me a sage?
I pondered for a moment about what to say and then spoke in a calm voice.
“We’re just friends.”
“Uh… Friends?”
Leona seemed to put on a cold expression when I casually mentioned that we were friends. The word “friend” seemed somewhat awkward for her.
Well, she had to keep her identity hidden most of the time, so there probably weren’t many people she could comfortably call friends. Recently, others had come to know her true identity, but they weren’t particularly close. I was likely the only one she could consider a friend, given her role as the model student who always had to act and pretend.
“Why. Is it strange that I call you a friend?”
“Oh, no! Absolutely not! Don’t misunderstand.”
“What’s there to misunderstand?”
The more I talked with Leona, the more I felt like I was getting to know her true self. It seemed like her current demeanor was her real personality, unlike her usual cynical facade. Perhaps she had been harsh before because I was essentially a stranger. She might have had a mindset that it didn’t matter how she treated me since I wasn’t really her friend.
I watched Leona, who blushed with embarrassment, in silence for a moment and then took a sip of my coffee. Summing up our conversation so far, it went something like this:
In Xenon’s Biography, Cain, who was more intellectually gifted than physically strong, became the Great Chieftain, and Xenon’s Biography was currently treated as a prophecy worldwide.
So, it seems that Leona, who is brilliant enough to be admitted to the academy, is speculated to bring a good outcome to Animers if she takes on the role of the Great Chieftain. Moreover, having established connections with a wise sage(?), who is wise enough to propose improvements for the Sacred Duel, she could reap many benefits.
‘At least that would be the case in a book…’
In fiction, Animers would achieve tremendous progress after Leona became the Great Chieftain and created an era of peace. They would establish alliances with neighboring nations, and in future major wars, they would play a significant role.
However, one must distinguish between fiction and reality. Whether Leona has the qualifications of a Great Chieftain is uncertain. She could become a tyrant, an even more formidable military leader, or even make history as an unparalleled Great Chieftain.
“Ultimately, you don’t want to become the Great Chieftain, is that it? Why don’t you want it?”
“I’d rather be a chief aide supporting the leader than the leader myself. Besides, it’s already tough enough studying, so becoming a Great Chieftain seems like an absurd idea.”
“You lack confidence, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
Leona confidently replied as if she felt no need to deny it. It must have been quite a surprise for her to receive the offer of becoming the Great Chieftain so suddenly. Of course, from my perspective, it doesn’t matter whether she becomes one or not.
However, I can’t just pretend not to know when she’s making such a request.
Oh, there’s one thing I’m curious about. They probably assume I’m a sage over there, so it will undoubtedly have an impact on me as well. I know from the culture of the beastmen that they believe in repaying kindness.
Didn’t Leona even declare in front of Mari that she would become my wife last time? Although it was a mishap caused by a difference in common sense, if Leona becomes the Great Chieftain, she might bestow an even greater honor upon me. Of course, from their perspective, it may be an honor, but it’s extremely embarrassing for me.
“Come to think of it, do they consider me a sage over there? If you were to become the Great Chieftain, would it affect me?”
With a coffee cup in hand, I asked Leona. After posing the question, I sipped my coffee and waited for her response.
“Since you brought a proposal for the Sacred Duel and even gave me advice, probably…”
Leona, who had been pondering my question, cautiously glanced at me and replied in a hushed tone.
“…We might have to have a child, even if it’s against the customs of the beastmen. It’s none other than because you’ll be carrying on the Great Chieftain’s bloodline.”
“… …”
Drip
The coffee that was in my mouth returned to the coffee cup.
Translators note:
1/4
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