How to Live as a Martial Arts Writer in a Fantasy World

8 – 08. It’s Unfair!

08.

Professor Quiros was in a good mood.

While it made him happy that the number of students choosing humanities as their major or minor had significantly increased this semester, what pleased him most was that among them was a heretic who directly challenged the imperial literature world.

Allan, a noble who showcased more unconventional techniques than anyone else.

The fact that he used a subject named Kunryung, that no one else had dared to try, was interesting. He was a young author with the ability to be a topic of discussion not just in the empire of novels but also in the royal court.

That was what delighted Professor Quiros.

“You seem unusually cheerful, Professor Quiros.”

As Quiros moved, a voice floated across from the other side and he turned his head to look.

A striking beauty with golden hair and a hint of black in her lenses was looking at him, a broad and large hat on her head.

She was a professor of astrology in the Department of Magic.

“Meeting new students is always a delightful thing.”

“Last year, you critically claimed that there were only idiots. Did any impressive student enroll this year?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, that’s very interesting. An individual who could capture the elusive Professor Quiros.”

“You should really change your habit of saying such things in front of them, Professor Teia.”

“Oh, my mistake.”

As if she was tracing her voluptuous chest with her hand, it stopped at her lips.

Professor Teia chuckled, lightly tapping her lips with her forefinger.

“I’ve heard rumors. There’s a notorious heretic among this batch.”

“You must’ve heard his name, too.”

“Of course, he’s not from just any family, but from the ‘Müller’ family.”

The youngest son of the Sword King.

His name alone was enough to stir up conversation. His older siblings – the eldest son, Albert Eling von Müller, and second daughter, Alice Scarlet von Muller – held substantial prestige within the Bersa Royal Academy.

It was only natural that Professor Teia was interested.

“The Duke of Bernhardt seems to be watching him as well.”

“Well, they’re from the same three Ducal Houses.”

Professor Teia chuckled.

Teia Myronell von Bernhardt.

The most exceptional magician in the current generation of the Duke of Bernhardt, a family known for their magic, and a professor of astrology at Bersa Academy, famous for having the least number of students.

Despite being a prominent magician, she is known as an eccentric for choosing to teach astrology – a subject with few classes.

All professors at the academy knew of her quirky character, driven by her interests.

The fact she had chosen to teach astrology because she needed time to idle around, best exhibited her characteristic eccentricity.

‘Normally, she would be teaching at this time.’

However, not many choose the subject of Astrology in the Department of Magic.

Among those who major in magic, astrology is seen somewhat like a superstition. And this is despite the fact that the uncertain power of magic is openly used, with the aura of knights considered on par with such magic.

Professor Quiros clicked his tongue lightly and moved on.

“Don’t get up to any useless mischief. You’re from the Humanities anyway, so there’s no need for you to attend classes in the Department of Magic.”

“Astrology classes are part of the Magic Department’s liberal arts. I would be interested in attending classes in the humanities side as well. If a new course is created, I might even take it on.”

“Don’t go stirring up trouble for nothing.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Professor Quiros shook his head slightly, then left.

Watching the empty spot where the old professor had stood, Professor Theia bit her lip gently.

Chewing on her lip, Professor Theia cast a glance in the direction from which Professor Quiros had come.

“Allen Edgar von Müller… this should be interesting.”

***

At that moment, in the classroom where lessons had just ended, Allen was sweating profusely, blocked by Felicia.

It was what one might call a classic “back-against-the-wall” situation.

Unable to touch the body of a princess so easily and trapped between her arms, Allen was sweating buckets.

“How long has it been since we’ve seen each other like this, Allen?”

“…Five years.”

Allen sighed inwardly.

Five years ago, at a ball hosted by the Bernhardt family, one of the other three great ducal houses, he had met Felicia. Back then, he thought it was best to flee immediately upon encountering royalty to avoid getting entangled in any sort of trouble.

Little did he expect that this year, Felicia would enroll in the academy.

‘I didn’t sign up for this?! If I’d known the princess was enrolling, I would have run away…!!’

Of course, he got a major scolding from the Müller family for running away then, but he did not regret it. After all, who knows where you might get dragged into when you get involved with such high-ranking nobles.

He had no intention of courting favor with the royalty, and he didn’t expect to end up like this, believing back then that it was enough to live a moderate life and then die ──.

Allen could never have imagined that the karma of that time would come back to him like this.

‘After five years, shouldn’t she have forgotten by now… Why does she remember?’

This isn’t some kind of pure love comic cliché with a ‘you’re the first’ line, what’s going on?

With those thoughts, Allen opened his mouth.

“…It’s been a long time, Your Highness. I see you remember.”

“You’re the first person who ever stood me up and ran away.”

‘Damn it, is this really following the cliché….’

Of course, at this stage, there’s no way to tell if these feelings are a manifestation of love or a determined resolve to make sure you end up utterly ruined—but the chill running down my spine was real.

The three great ducal houses and the imperial family share a symbiotic relationship but, in effect, it is that of sovereign and vassal.

If the imperial family commands, even the three great ducal houses must comply.

Felicia is a princess. If she sets her sights on utterly wiping out Allen, she could disadvantage him in myriad ways.

As a child, I hadn’t even considered this.

‘Was I an idiot, back then?!’

If only I had chosen differently!

“How could I forget? The person who stood up the empire’s princess.”

“…I apologize. I have nothing to say in my defense.”

“Well, I didn’t come here to hear apologies, anyway.”

Felicia looked up at Allen from below.

Her eyes, the color of fresh sapphires, sparkled like gems.

“I never expected you to avoid me for five whole years. I did want to hear an explanation, but it would be too petty to revisit something from five years ago. So, let’s just get over it.”

“Thank you for your understanding…”

“Again, it would be petty to dwell on something that happened five years ago.”

“Princess, where did you pick up such language…”

“Is it a prejudice to think that a princess can only be bound by etiquette?”

Allen felt a headache coming on just by listening.

“Anyway, I never expected to hear your name again in this manner.”

‘I also never imagined meeting the princess again like this…’

Allen scratched his cheek.

“Princess, could you please move your arm…”

“Trying to run away again? Do you think that will work?”

‘She’s onto me.’

Allen clicked his tongue inwardly, sensing how quick-witted she was.

It made sense that Felicia was holding him in place, preventing his escape. After all, it was true that he had spent the last five years avoiding and fleeing from her.

She had already realized that if she moved her arm away, Allen would simply run off again.

“You never gave me a chance for such a candid conversation for five whole years, so it’s your fault, Allen.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t come here to hear such things. The Schrein Chronicle, is it truly written by you?”

“Is that what you were curious about?”

At Alan’s response, Felicia rounded her eyes as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Of course. I had no idea you could write so well.”

‘Well, of course…’

He had only been reading all this time, never writing.

Alan was born the youngest son of a Ducal house so wealthy that he could live comfortably without worrying about the necessities of life. He had no ambition to become the head of the house.

He never even considered the fierce secret battles among siblings striving to become the house heir that one might read about in novels.

‘I didn’t want to end up stabbed to death.’

Besides, being one of the top three Ducal houses of the Empire, the stress that came with such a position was expected to be substantial. Alan disliked the idea of holding such an important office.

His relations with his family were naturally harmonious, with no sense of competition against his brother Albert or his sister Alice.

If only his father, Duke Mueller, hadn’t declared a short while ago that if Alan wouldn’t wield a sword, he should become a great literary figure, he would never have ended up trapped like this by Felicia.

Matching her gaze somewhat reluctantly, Alan replied.

“What I’ve written is indeed mine. But a novel is nothing more than fiction, pure and simple.”

“That might be the case, but it was so vivid. I thought for a moment you must have lived in Kunlun.”

Alan scratched his cheek.

“I’ve been living in the ducal lands since I was born. Never even been to Kunlun.”

Although he had tasted tea imported from Kunlun, Alan added.

“It’s purely my imagination, nothing more. I’d prefer it if you didn’t attach too much significance to it.”

“Alan, even if you say that, you’ve already become too famous. There are very few novelists who have caused such a sensation across the empire with just one volume. Do you know that?”

“How could I not?”

Alan smirked wryly.

The moment the literary giant of the Empire took a public shot at him, his unintended noise marketing was a roaring success.

He had anticipated a reaction, but he never expected an open attack to the point of utilizing newspapers.

What they call the literary circle—if you turn it inside out, there’s no place more foul.

The literary cartel of the Empire wouldn’t be much different, he thought.

As Alan was about to continue, the door of the classroom opened.

“Your Highness, it is time to proceed to the next lecture room…”

The guardian knight and fellow student’s eyes blazed with fury upon seeing Alan cornered against the wall by Felicia.

“Alan Edgar von Mueller! What are you doing with the princess?!”

Alan’s expression crumpled at the sight of the knight’s reaction.

“No, no matter how you look at it, this isn’t a situation I should be dealing with?!”

It’s so unfair!!