How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

o hear that, but I was more interested in the identity of the impersonator.
What kind of idiot would try to con not just anyone but a high-ranking Duke?

Marie listened to my words and blinked as if belatedly realizing something.
She said, “Ah~ that? I forgot to tell you, Isaac.
My dad said he was an impersonator.”

“What?”

“It was an impersonator.
We investigated because there were numerous suspicious circumstances.
We found out that in the past, he was a well-known con artist.
Now that Xenon’s Saga is so well-known because he attempted to impersonate such a renowned author, that made it easier for him to be caught.”

It was an embarrassing and futile outcome for a scammer like that, but in retrospect, it was inevitable.
If I was a duke, I wouldn’t believe such a claim so easily and would send someone to investigate meticulously.
In other words, the impersonator dug his own grave.
He had hoped to make a lot of money, but even if his opponent, the duke, were a naive fool, it was too late.

Marie went on, “My dad also met the impersonator once, and the kind of calluses that only people who write for a long time have? There was no such thing.
Don’t you have those too, Isaac?”

“This?” I raised my hand and showed her the ‘pen-hooks’ she described.
Marie checked the pen-hook on my middle finger and nodded her head vigorously.

“Yes.
Yes.
That’s right.
My dad also got a callus on that side while doing so much paperwork.
But I think yours are even worse than my dad’s.”

“Well, I tend to study hard.” I’ve already polished my response for this kind of situation, huh.

Marie listened to my answer and looked at my hand with a puzzled expression, then asked in an anxious voice, “…Then won’t you come to our mansion?”

“Huh…?” I thought deeply about her question. I’m sorry to say to you, Marie, but since the invited writer has already been exposed as an impersonator, there is no reason for me to visit your mansion, is there?

‘In other words, there’s no need to take risks and go…’ The duke hired someone to investigate and catch the impersonator, and after listening to Marie’s story, it’s obvious her dad seems to be a keen observer.
Therefore, the moment I meet the Duke and shake his hand, he will likely notice the existence of my so-called pen-hook.

I can tell her dad the duke that it’s because I study a lot, just like I told Marie, but it’s natural that doubts about a person grows quickly from the moment they first creep up.
In particular, since the duke is the kind of person who will keep all possibilities in mind, it is unlikely that he will assume the author of Xenon’s Saga to be just an elderly sage.

Above all, I’m not a pervert, and the tiger’s mouth is wide open, so there’s no reason to risk my head…

I glanced at Marie, who had an uneasy expression on her face, and carefully brought out an answer.
I’m sorry for Marie, but it’s right to reject what might be dangerous.

“…maybe?”

“Ack… you.
Don’t just tell me no.”

Marie grumbled in disappointment, then muttered to herself softly, as if she had a flash of inspiration.
She gently touched her chin, as if she seemed to be planning something, yet her expression was solemn.
What kind of serious scheme is she hatching? I couldn’t help but feel uneasy when I saw her serious face for the first time while I was with her.

Her voice mumbled, far too low for me to hear, “If it doesn’t work, make it happen… If he doesn’t come, make him come…”

“……”

“…All right, fine.
Isaac?” Marie, after muttering in an inaudible voice, smiled as she called me.

I was filled with dread and responded firmly, “…What?”

“I’m not inviting you, but will you decline my dad’s invitation too?”

“…Hey?”

Now she’s using her dad’s back to cast a gabulgi[1]? Even when I realized it with a puzzled expression, Marie only smiled.

She went on, “Though I didn’t say it, my father is also interested in you, you see.
He mentioned how much knowledge a student needs to teach history.
Besides, if I do well in history, he’ll be even more interested, right?”

“……”

“What do you want to do? Will you come when I ask…or when my father asks?”

I sighed inwardly.
“Okay, I’ll go.
We can go.
You’re so mean.”

“Good!” Marie clenched her hands in delight when I replied, with the implication that I was giving up.
I shook my head as I observed her selfish joy.

At the very least, it was still Marie, so I reluctantly accepted it.
If it were someone else, I would reject it completely.
Marie may not have realized it, but the situation at hand was clearly one where she used ‘Noble Authority.’ It was an act far removed from the Requilis family’s ideology of ‘Noblesse Oblige’.

But if I told Marie about it now, she might be shocked.
It would be better for both me and her if I buried this issue in my heart.

Furthermore, seeing Marie wandering around being happy made my most negative thoughts fade away.

“So you’re really coming? If you suddenly say no, I’ll scold you.”

“Okay.
Don’t worry, that will never happen.”

“Okay, good.
Then see you at the gathering tomorrow! Bye~!” Marie waved her hand vigorously and moved to the girls-only dormitory.

I also waved my hand and headed to the boys’ dormitory.
As soon as I got back to the dorm, I threw off my school uniform and dropped myself on the bed.
A soft sensation permeated my entire body after doing so and I felt a strong desire to rest like this.

‘Even if there happens to be a duke, tomorrow at the gathering…’

The Freshman Gathering is an event that brings together not only Academics students but also Non-Academic students.
Nicole said I didn’t have to worry, but I was still worried.

Because Jackson was eager to eat me right now.
I wondered what insults I would receive at the gathering.
Of course, since I’m treating Jackson like an adult, despite his arrogant behavior, it’s okay.
Even if a guy whose head hasn’t matured yet is screaming insults at me, it probably won’t evoke any feelings.
Even being tainted with the ‘Chosen People’ ideology felt like a middle school illness, and it did not resonate with me.

‘By the way, will Leona attend?’ I suddenly remembered Leona, the beastkin girl.
Will she come to the meeting tomorrow? To be honest, given her circumstances, there’s a good chance she won’t show up.

I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling before turning my head slightly.
My clothes for tomorrow were on a hanger in the closet.
That suit alone was worth over 800,000 won.
‘I hope it’s worth it.’

With that thought, I reluctantly jumped out of bed.
It’s a waste to lie here doing nothing like this.
In this case, it is better to work on my manuscript.

Then, instead of the lecture notebook, I sat at my desk and opened a notebook that summarized the current development of Xenon’s Saga.
The story development and episodes were meticulously organized, and the characteristics and rough descriptions of the characters were also recorded.

‘For the Seven Deadly Sins story arc, regarding Anger…let’s go with beastmen.
If I add the setting that a beastman family was massacred by humans, and even betrayed by other beastmen…’

I took the magic pen my father had gifted me from my front pocket and began writing.

[1] The word is used when someone asks an unavoidable, irresistible question.