Chapter 71: Aftermath (2)

The original manuscript of Volume 1 of Xenon's Biography was stolen. The news alone was enough to turn the world upside down. If it was a publisher's copy or a first edition, one could overlook it, but it was a rough draft - manuscript paper that Isaac had written himself and sent to the publisher.

It was not only a work that left a significant mark in the cultural industry but also an important historical document, so the theft was undoubtedly a very serious matter.

[Shocking! Theft of Volume 1 of Xenon's Biography! Whose doing could it be?]

[They didn't just crack the safe, they tore apart the entrance to the safe...This is definitely not the work of an ordinary organization.]

[The CEO is currently in shock and unconscious. He can be held responsible for carelessly managing the manuscript, but there is room for consideration.]

[Who would have thought they would steal the whole safe? And for what purpose?]

The news spread like wildfire in just three days. It was such a shocking incident that newspapers printed extra editions like factories.

As a result, people gathered again to demand an explanation from the publisher, but it was quickly disbanded. High-ranking officials who sensed the severity of the situation, including an investigation team dispatched from the royal palace, began to investigate the safe themselves.

Although people harbored suspicions that it might cause a problem, they went back to their respective tasks. However, they all shared a common concern deep in their hearts: whether Isaac would be so angry that he would put an indefinite halt to the work.

At this point, we had no choice but to investigate from the top.

[There is no trace of dark mana. Therefore, it is definitely not the work of demons.]

[Parts were easily cut with mana, and then forcibly torn off. Based on this, the culprit must be skilled in handling mana. It is estimated that the job took less than 30 minutes.]

[The investigation results suggest that it was not done by a human. Only a very small number of humans could use mana to steal from magically-protected vaults. Therefore, it is likely that the culprit is either a humanoid with exceptional physical abilities or an elf.]

[It was not done by a dwarf either. They would have figured out the vault's password without resorting to this kind of method.]

As a result of the investigation, the culprit was narrowed down to a humanoid or an elf.

It is unlikely to have been done by a human due to the short amount of time it took and its efficiency, and dwarves, due to their exceptional craftsmanship, wouldn't remove the door like this.

The information that no dark mana, which is typical of demons, was used excluded them from the list of suspects.

Therefore, the remaining suspects were humanoid and elves, who possess unparalleled physical abilities. Furthermore, no other race can match elves in terms of magic, making them even more suspicious.

However, there was one major problem.

What was the purpose of stealing Xenon's Biography manuscript? What gain could be obtained from taking it?

Experts were stumped on this issue, and as a result, no progress was made. For now, they could only look for the whereabouts of the manuscript.

The value of the manuscript is so great that it could be designated as a national treasure. Therefore, there is a high possibility that it will be sold on the black market or flow into an auction through a dark route. The palace knows this and has begun to investigate thoroughly.

[The biggest concern is Xenon's state of mind. If the manuscript disappears, he will definitely feel uncomfortable.]

[What if he declares it necessary to stop instead of just taking a break? Everyone will not only be sad but also angry again.]

The biggest concern here is Isaac. People were anxious because it was his manuscript that he wrote with his own hands that disappeared.

For these reasons, the investigation was intensified, but unfortunately, they left almost no evidence, making it difficult to even find a clue.

[Alvenheim's fierce opposition. We don't do such lowly things.]

[Animers also opposes it... Why would we read a novel where humans are the main characters? It's just not appropriate.]

Not only that, but the elven kingdom, Alvenheim, and the beastman kingdom, Animers, also opposed it. Moreover, it was not an individual but a national opposition.

Both countries had plausible reasons for opposition, and the case fell into further chaos. Naturally, the fans of Xenon's Biography became more and more anxious.

They wonder what Isaac, one of the biggest victims of the current situation, is feeling. Is he angry, sad, or just passing it off lightly until he takes an official position?

His letter arrived at the publisher about a week after the incident.

As always, it's a long letter, but to sum it up, it's like this.

[Please, just search for it. It is my treasure.]

Another big bomb fell.

******

The news that my manuscript was stolen from the publisher's office just one day after I entrusted it to them came as a huge shock to me. I knew that there would be chaos, but I never even dreamed that it would be stolen in just one day.

What's more, I saw in the news that the method of breaking into the safe was incredibly crude. They didn't even bother with the safe's password, they just tore off the door. Rather than angry, I was more dumbfounded by the situation.

I don't know what their purpose was for stealing my manuscript, but one thing is for sure.

"... It's so frustrating."

I was at the point where my frustration was boiling over. As someone who is usually described as unemotional, I tend to keep my emotions to myself.

But to express my feelings like this means that I am really angry. Frankly, anyone in a similar situation to me would be angry.

Xenon's Biography is not a web novel stored on a computer, but a novel that I wrote with my own hands. Naturally, I have an attachment to it.

Furthermore, if you entrust something precious to someone else and it gets stolen, anyone would be angry. However, it's difficult to hold the publisher responsible for this, as they couldn't have imagined that someone would tear off the door of the safe.

So I'm even more angry. It's as if some crazy person broke into the safe and stole my manuscript. The value of the manuscript is ridiculously high, so maybe they plan to sell it somewhere.

But the possibility of that is significantly low. Just based on the investigation alone, the culprit who stole the manuscript is not just an ordinary thief.

Perhaps they are part of some powerful force that even the higher-ups would have trouble dealing with.

'Why on earth?'

I sighed deeply, unable to understand the culprit's intentions. If they get caught, not only will they receive condemnation from the nation, but they'll also suffer various consequences.

I felt increasingly depressed about the unknown intentions of the culprit, as this was the manuscript I wrote for the first time after my reincarnation and it disappeared so futilely.

"Uh...Isaac? Are you okay?"

"... ..."

When I sighed in frustration, Marie, who was sitting next to me, asked me with a worried voice. As soon as I heard her voice, I turned my head. When I turned my head, I saw Marie's face with sincere eyes, looking at me with concern.

"Marie."

"Yeah, Isaac?"

"Come over here for a moment."

Although it was a classroom, there weren't many people yet. Besides, there was no one who didn't know about me and Marie.

When I called Marie in a low voice, she looked briefly puzzled but then followed my words with enthusiasm. As I stretched out my arms, Marie also caught on and spread her arms with a smile.

Hug-

Hugging was said to be the most certain and simple way to relieve depression. As soon as I hugged her, I felt all the gloom in my heart wash away.

As expected, when I hugged Marie, it was healing. I hugged her and rubbed my face against hers like a child.

I wish we could stay like this forever, but there were too many eyes around, so I had to reluctantly step back.

"Are you feeling better now?"

After hugging, Marie asked with an expression that couldn't contain her curiosity. Her cheeks were slightly red, perhaps a little embarrassed by the unexpected affectionate gesture.

I smiled softly and nodded my head. Honestly, I wanted to kiss her, but we were in a classroom, so I restrained myself.

"There's no need to worry too much. The palace is investigating the case firsthand, so we'll soon be able to catch the culprit. I want to help too, but it's difficult for me to do anything while I'm not in the palace."

"Just stay by my side."

"Wow... hug me again."

Marie must have been moved because she asked me to hug her again with her arms wide open. I readily agreed and hugged her once again.

So the two of us shared our warm hearts with each other only in the classroom for the second time. We didn't care about the murmurs around us. It was a bit embarrassing, but still felt good.

"Now you're openly advertising yourselves as lovers, huh?"

Just as we were getting a little shaky, a familiar voice pierced our ears from behind. When we turned our gaze, Cecily was looking at us with a seductive look, chin in her hand.

At first glance, it seemed like she was having a good time, but as someone who exchanged letters with her, her gaze felt strange.

"Jealous? Jealous? Even if you're jealous, our Isaac will never give up on me."

After Marie grabbed me tightly and teased Cecily while hugging me tightly, she seemed to think that Cecily had asked such a question because she was envious.

Cecily shrugged her shoulders and silently stepped back. However, her pupils, which were still tinged with red, remained fixed on me.

'By the way, where's Rina?'

Even though the class time was almost over, Rina's figure was nowhere to be seen. She might have taken a self-scheduled break due to the recent theft incident.

Since such a major incident occurred shortly after the end of the protest, she must be busy with many things. She won't be able to focus on her studies even if she wants to.

'She'll do well, won't she?'

No, she has to do well.

If they don't want to prove their incompetence even in the palace, they must find the culprit. Moreover, from Rina's perspective, she would have to work day and night to improve her relationship with me, which was on the verge of collapse.

For now, all I can do is ask Rina about the situation every few days. This case is something even my father cannot solve, so we'll have to wait patiently.

'But who the hell took the manuscript?'

If I ever find the culprit, I want to see their face at least once. They would have to pay for touching other people's belongings so recklessly.

*****

"Did you hear the news? The manuscript for Xenon's Biography was stolen."

"What? What are you talking about? Wasn't it announced yesterday?"

"Yes, it was. But apparently it was stolen in just one day. I don't know who did it, but they completely tore open the entrance to the safe."

"Gosh, what a crazy person. This is getting out of hand."

"I heard that the palace even dispatched an investigation team. The situation is getting more serious."

The tavern always came alive in the evening. Many people would gather to talk about the day's events or get drunk to the point of being unable to speak properly. Amidst this lively atmosphere, there was a person sitting alone in silence.

They wore their robe pulled over, making it difficult to see their face clearly, but their elegant physique and slightly visible features showed that they were refined.

As such, one could vaguely guess that she was a woman, and her skin was a unique purplish-grey color. Sitting alone at a table, unlike the others, she quickly scanned her surroundings while sipping on her beer.

'Luckily, there are no pursuers.'

What kind of crime did she commit? She breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and patted her right chest.

The "treasure" that she had obtained today, even though it might have been created by a dwarf and had magical properties and was made of tough material, it didn't hold much meaning for herself.

Although, she had to rip off the door like a brute because it was difficult to work with mana at the end. Still, the results were good, so it was okay, right?

'The queen will like it, won't she?'

She absentmindedly played with her long, pointy ears, imagining the smile of the queen she served.

Interestingly, unlike a normal elf, her ears were cut halfway.

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