Today has been full of surprises. Meeting a historical figure in person was incredible enough, but to find out that his wife is my academic advisor? That’s beyond shocking.

Especially considering their age difference—over 400 years!

Arwen and Cecily are about 100 years older than me. But since I’m human, our lifespans make the difference somewhat reasonable.

However, Eiker and Elena are separated by four centuries. Even for elves, 400 years is an unimaginably long time.

"Isn’t age a sensitive topic for elves? Over 400 years is a lot... even for elves."
"It is, by elven standards. That would be like a 40-year gap for humans."
"I wasn’t even born yet when he went off to fight in the Species War."

Elena’s clarification made the staggering difference between their ages hit me even harder.

A 40-year gap is less like a father-daughter situation and more like a grandfather-granddaughter one.

So, how on earth did these two end up together? I couldn’t help but be curious.

"How did the two of you meet?"
"Oh, I simply liked his face and confessed," Elena said casually. "As you know, most elves, regardless of gender, have smooth, delicate features. But someone like him, with that rugged, strong look? Very rare. So, I snagged him. Doesn’t he just make you feel secure?"

Her straightforward answer reflected their dynamic perfectly.

Indeed, elves with a rough, masculine appearance like Eiker’s are practically nonexistent. And his beard—elves almost never have beards like that.

"And what about the age gap? Surely that was a concern."
"It was at first. But think about it—at least 300 years with the person you love? That’s plenty. Besides, age doesn’t mean much to elves."
"I did try to refuse, saying she could find someone better than me, but it was pointless. She even said she wanted to study me as a scholar, so I accepted."

His scholarly appeal even factored into their relationship. Well, considering that Eiker is essentially a living piece of history, I can see why Elena, as a scholar, would find him irresistible.

And since he perfectly fits her preferences in appearance and mindset, they must truly be soulmates.

I decided to set aside their age difference and simply wish them happiness.

Who am I to interfere when they clearly adore each other?

"...Yeah, definitely not my place."

Especially considering how many women are already tied to me. Interfering would just make me a hypocrite.

If Eiker is a harmless romantic thief, then I’m practically a collector of relationships.

In comparison, Eiker seems like a much better man. At least he didn’t pursue anyone else once he was with Elena.

"But Isaac, where’s Her Majesty? You wouldn’t have come to The Sanctum alone."
"Arwen went to browse some books. She should be back soon."
"Oh my, have you dropped formalities with the queen?" Elena asked, grinning knowingly.

Her teasing smile revealed that she already knew the answer. I could only respond with a faint smile.

News of my relationship with Arwen had spread across Alvenheim long ago. We hadn’t left the house for three days, except for bathing.

Thankfully, there hadn’t been any mention of Ariel during this time. It seemed Mary and Cecily had handled the situation well before returning.

"Well, yes. It’s a gift from Alvenheim, and I didn’t see any reason to refuse."
"That’s good. What about your fiancée? Have you spoken with her?"
"That’s going well too."
"When do you plan to return?"
"Well..."

I hesitated. With everything going on, it was hard to give a definite answer.

Between strengthening my combat abilities against demonic worshippers and resolving Ariel’s situation, there was still so much to handle.

Not to mention, Zenon’s Biography was nearing its climax, making my return to the academy feel like a distant prospect.

"It seems hard to answer. Don’t worry too much; I’ll wait. If necessary, we can arrange for you to graduate early."
"Would that be okay? I still have a lot to learn."
"Even if you graduate, you can visit the lab anytime. Your situation is unique, after all."
"Thank you."
"But I’d like to ask you one thing. It’s not about whether you’re a prophet or anything like that."

As I bowed to express my gratitude, Elena adjusted her glasses and spoke softly.

Judging by her phrasing, it seemed to be a personal question.

Since I had no reason to refuse, I nodded in agreement.

"The elf hero Rudin from Zenon’s Biography—you know, the one who teamed up with the Dark Elf hero to destroy the World Tree?"
"Yes, of course."
"Did you base him on Eiker? The personality differs, but the betrayal by the council in your story matches my husband’s history perfectly."
"Yes."

Without needing to think, I answered immediately. Rudin’s character was undoubtedly inspired by Eiker.

I hadn’t expected Eiker to be such a bold and jovial man, but the inspiration was unmistakable.

Eiker’s profound love for Alvenheim and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his nation were things I had come to understand through our conversations.

"See? I told you! You’re Rudin!"
"Even if the circumstances are similar, I thought I was too different for it to be me... This is embarrassing."
"You should be proud. Zenon made you his inspiration and even gave you a spectacular finale. I don’t know who the Dark Elf hero is, but when we meet them, I’ll have to thank them."

Elena playfully patted Eiker’s broad back while speaking enthusiastically. Eiker smiled awkwardly in response.

Though usually straightforward, she seemed more lively in front of her husband.

Seeing how happy they were together made me smile as well.

"By the way, Isaac, did this cause Eiker any trouble? Being the clear inspiration for Rudin, I imagine some people might have been a bother."
"No need to worry. Since the Species War, I’ve hardly been active publicly. It would be uncouth for anyone to exploit a historical figure like me. I’ll continue to remain low-profile."
"That’s a relief."
"Well, a few colleagues asked me out of curiosity, but it was nothing serious."
"And now everyone knows you ‘disappeared with the World Tree,’ right?"

At Elena’s teasing, Eiker shuddered slightly, as if recalling a lot of similar comments.

Judging by his reaction, it seemed like he’d been asked countless times whether he was really Rudin’s inspiration.

Somehow, I could relate. I’ve had my fair share of people asking if I’m a prophet or a time traveler.

"You two seem really close. Forgive me if this is intrusive, but do you have children?"
"Not yet, but we’re planning to. Maybe in 30 years?"

Ah, elves and their skewed sense of time. Thirty years to them is like three to us—practically nothing.

"We had planned to after my current projects, but we postponed. Thanks to Zenon’s Biography, forgotten histories are resurfacing every day. There’s no time to rest."
"Uh... Is that my fault?"
"Not entirely. It’s mostly because I’m a scholar. But I suppose you share some of the blame."

As we chatted, a familiar voice interrupted us.

"Eiker?"

Turning, I saw Arwen returning, balancing a mountain of books stacked to her chin.

Without hesitation, I got up to take the books from her.

Her legs looked ready to give out—if I’d known, I would’ve gone with her.

"It’s been a while, Your Majesty. Have you been well?"

Eiker greeted her politely as he stood.

Under normal circumstances, he’d have used flowery language, but this wasn’t an official setting.

Given Arwen’s down-to-earth nature and Eiker’s reputation, a more casual approach was acceptable.

"I’ve been well. Did you come with your wife?"
"Yes. We were visiting The Sanctum and happened to run into Zenon."
"I see. May I ask what you discussed? Actually, never mind."

Arwen smiled warmly but quickly changed her mind.

Then, turning to Eiker and Elena, she spoke kindly.

"Being near me must be inconvenient for you both. Isaac?"
"Yes?"
"Let’s take these books and go somewhere else. Just as we deserve our joys, they deserve theirs."

I understood immediately. As Eiker had said, he’s a historical figure.

If anyone saw him casually chatting with us, it could cause unnecessary complications.

"Got it. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Eiker, Professor Elena."
"We enjoyed it too."
"Reach out when you return to the academy."

As we were about to part ways, Eiker spoke again.

"Your Majesty."
"Hmm?"
"I’m glad you found such a good partner."

Eiker’s warm smile made it clear he meant every word.

Arwen, blushing at the compliment, grabbed my arm gently.

With both hands occupied holding her books, I leaned my head toward hers in response.

"Haha!"

Eiker’s hearty laugh echoed behind us.

It was the kind of laugh you’d expect from a grandfather watching a young couple in love.

***

Even though Isaac was enjoying his not-so-honeymoon life in Alvenheim for a few days, the writing of Zenon’s Biography continued without interruption.

In fact, volume 27 had already been completed before heading to Alvenheim; it was simply delayed due to the inability to settle on a name for the planet.

Several days passed, and it was time for the eagerly awaited manuscript to arrive at the publisher.

"Hmm..."

Musk muttered as he looked over the "letter" that had come with the manuscript.

His hand repeatedly grasped and released his well-groomed gray mustache, clearly showing that he was deep in thought.

Normally, he would have been grinning ear to ear just from receiving the manuscript, but with the letter that came along with it, there was much more to ponder.

And the contents of the letter were as follows:

[Hello, Mr. Musk. Along with sending volume 27, I have news that should be shared. As mentioned previously, Zenon’s Biography is slowly heading toward its conclusion. I think the final volume count will be around 30.]

The completion of the century’s masterpiece, Zenon’s Biography. Just this news alone made Musk feel the weight of it all.

Of course, even if Zenon’s Biography ends, there will still be readers, and with the increasing population, it’s clear that demand won’t cease.

Moreover, the profits earned from Zenon’s Biography are vast, beyond what even the nobility could comprehend.

It’s no longer a goose laying golden eggs; it's more like a gold mine. Right now, secret vaults are filled with mountains of gold bars.

'Well, Isaac did say he’s planning to release other works after the conclusion.'

Although Musk didn’t know exactly what the new work would be, given that it was Isaac’s, it was bound to be a hit. It might not have the same impact as Zenon’s Biography, but it would undoubtedly be valuable.

By announcing the estimated final volume count, Isaac was likely signaling Musk to prepare accordingly.

That’s all Musk needed to focus on—preparation. However, his eyes soon fixed on something else in the letter.

'Questions and Answers...?'

A Q&A section, where readers could ask questions, and the author would include answers in the book.

This had been an event Isaac had wanted to do before concluding the series, but due to his busy schedule, he hadn’t been able to manage it.

However, given the current situation, where he had some free time while handling the demonic worshipper issue, this event seemed to be a perfect fit.

And, of course, Isaac’s true intentions were clear—he likely wanted to delay the conclusion, but his sincerity toward the fans remained genuine.

'The important thing is, I will reject any questions unrelated to the work. The problem is... if I just announce this straight away...'

Musk imagined the trouble it would cause. He knew that countless lobbying attempts would follow.

Even before Isaac revealed his identity, bribes and threats were common. Thankfully, over time, that aspect had faded... or so Musk thought. In reality, it hadn’t changed a bit.

Isaac’s relationships, as everyone knew, were quite narrow. But those few relationships were unbelievably strong.

And for someone like Musk, who was easily accessible, this would certainly create trouble. After all, he wasn’t a prince or a princess, just a wealthy commoner.

'This man has a tendency to act recklessly sometimes, doesn’t he?'

Though Musk had only met Isaac a few times, this was a rather accurate assessment. Isaac likely saw this event as just a way to engage with fans, without considering the massive chaos it could cause.

If he had thought about it, he probably would have underestimated the scale of the problem.

Either way, it was clear that trouble was brewing. Musk couldn’t even make suggestions to avoid it.

After finishing the letter, Musk looked up. He noticed his secretary, Matthew, who had brought the manuscript.

"Anything else that came in?"
"Yes. We also received the manuscripts for Mary’s works. Volumes 2 and 3 were sent together."
"Oh! Really?"
"Yes."

Musk’s face lit up at the news that the manuscript from the rising star writer, Mary (or Cherry), had arrived.

While not as successful as Zenon’s Biography, Mary's work was gaining popularity for its warm writing style and unique setting.

Where Zenon’s Biography was almost like a divine force to Musk, Red Sunset was, once again, a masterpiece in its own right.

It had become particularly popular among women, and thanks to its setting, many men were also subscribing.

There hadn’t been a new volume in some time, but with both volumes 2 and 3 arriving together, Musk didn’t mind the wait.

"Great. I can already hear the sound of money rolling in. Let’s send these to the printing press right away."
"Uhm... Mr. President, there’s one more thing I didn’t mention."
"Hmm? What’s that?"

Matthew hesitated, then, in a cautious voice, spoke.

"Well... about the printing press in the Belua Principality..."
"Why? What’s happened? Is there an issue?"

Musk felt an immediate sense of unease. The Belua Principality played a key role as a neutral country that facilitated global trade.

If anything went wrong there, it would cause massive disruption to international trade. Musk knew this well, and as soon as he had the funds, he had set up a printing press there.

Rather than dealing with constant back-and-forth, it was more cost-effective to establish one in Belua. That decision had paid off handsomely, earning a huge profit.

"Yes. The ground was completely destroyed by a terrorist attack."

Just as Musk feared, his concerns proved correct.

Hearing this, his neck tensed, but he knew he had to get the full story.

In a shaky voice, he asked,
"...Who did this?"
"A demonic worshipper self-destructed."
"...Heh."

The intention was too obvious, and all Musk could do was chuckle bitterly.

Since they couldn’t target Isaac directly, they likely wanted to stop the spread of Zenon’s Biography. It seemed like a petty motive.

The consequences would fall squarely on Musk. The fact that a branch of his press in the Belua Principality had been hit made his head ache.

"...What about the staff?"
"There were five casualties. Two of them, unfortunately..."
"Send three gold bars as compensation and a letter. I should’ve predicted this kind of thing... But..."

Money can solve many things, but not everything. No matter how many gold bars he sent, the families of the deceased would only grieve their loss.

But the real problem was that this was just the beginning. There was a strong possibility that other branches would be targeted in the future.

If they couldn’t cut off the head, they would target the limbs. If the limbs were neutralized, they would go after the body.

This couldn’t continue. It was practically a declaration of war.

The conclusion was clear—action had to be taken. Musk jumped to his feet and issued orders to Matthew.

"We need to go to the mansion. This isn’t something I can handle alone."
"Do you have any plans?"
"No. None."
"...Huh?"

Matthew, confused, followed silently as Musk motioned him to come along.

"Don’t worry, though."
"...?"
"I’ve got money."
"......"
"So, just follow me without asking any questions."

What could he possibly be planning? Matthew couldn’t help but wonder, but he remained silent as he followed Musk.