Chapter 148: CH 144

July 5th, 2023

The villain should be charming. This applies not only to novels but also to other forms of media. If the villain is ordinary and unremarkable, defeating them will not bring much satisfaction to the protagonist, and it will be taken for granted in most cases. Typically, third rate villains fall into this category.

On the other hand, a charismatic villain, even when defeated by the protagonist, leaves a lasting impression and is evaluated from various perspectives. Why did the villain end up resorting to such actions? Why did they cross a point of no return?

Lastly, what beliefs did the villain hold, and so on. Especially when a villain emerges who perfectly opposes the protagonist, their popularity increases significantly.

Among the countless villains in history, there are those who are recorded for their impact. Examples include Darth Vader from Star Wars, the Joker from The Dark Knight, notorious tyrant kings in the gaming world like Arthas.

Villains must be as captivating and multidimensional as the protagonists, especially if they have a significant role like the Seven Deadly Sins.

The mention of their past in the novel and the readers’ acceptance alone could be considered sufficient for success.

‘Organizing each and every detail is quite a task.’

As the Seven Deadly Sins were being revealed in full, even establishing the setting was a task. Since I can gradually write the 13th volume, I’m thinking of starting with the past of the Seven Deadly Sins.

If we were to categorize the races within the Seven Deadly Sins, we have the arrogant Elves for Pride, demons for Gluttony, succubi for Lust, humans for Envy, beastmen for Wrath, dwarves for Greed, and lastly, Sloth as a kind of fragment.

As a common point, excluding the artificial Sloth, is it safe to say that they all have miserable pasts? To unfold this, it should be mentioned in various parts, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to write it as a separate story.

‘First and foremost, who will be the first to be eliminated…’

In order to prevent the protagonist and their group from returning to Elvenheim, Lust, Lilith appears. Modeled after Cecily, she is a succubus who simultaneously wields swordsmanship and magic.

With sensual and decadent beauty, she seduces indiscriminately through every movement, but, as befitting a demon, carries a tragic past.

Once, she loved a human man, and that human also sincerely loved Lilith, but due to the low reputation of demons, she lost them right in front of her eyes.

Since then, like many other demons, she couldn’t control her anger and sadness, becoming a devil herself.

However, uniquely enough, she didn’t lose her rationality and sought revenge with cold hatred, catching the attention of Diablo and taking the seat of Lust.

The reason she didn’t lose her rationality was because she was a first-generation hybrid of a demon and a human, just like Jin.

‘It turns out she’s also a pure-hearted girl.’

I have already considered all the ways in which the Seven Deadly Sins will retire. Lilith will fall, calling out the name of the man she loves, even until the moment of her death. It is truly heartbreaking and saddening that even the reason she became a demon and lived in agony was to remember the man she loves for a little longer.

‘I hope this doesn’t lead to demons being recognized as the Sunflower race, right?’

(TL: I have no idea what sunflower race is)

Currently, the recognition of demons is skyrocketing. It is not an exaggeration to say that the number of people who have become involved with demons and entered into relationships with them has been increasing day by day since Volume 12 was released.

Demons are also moving away from the perception that they are just evil beings and are expanding their areas of activity. Furthermore, they are gaining diverse experiences. Of course, as seen in the incident at Alvenheim’s immigration, minor discrimination still exists.

However, this is also clearly being treated as blatant racial discrimination.

“Phew~!”

After establishing all the settings for the Seven Deadly Sins, I stretched and yawned. The sound of my bones cracking could be heard as I’ve been sitting at my desk for a long time.

Referring to Cecily’s battle, I write a combat scene for Lilith, but it is not the part of the story when she confronts her opponent in earnest. In Volume 13, she will engage moderately with magic before leaving.

Xenon and his group would be completely overwhelmed by Lilith, and the reason is simple. Lilith has wings, while Xenon and his group do not.

The difference in merit between someone who fights in the air, using magic bombardment, and someone who fights on the ground, like a dog, is enormous. If you were to see how a tank gets mercilessly destroyed by a helicopter, you’ll roughly understand.

‘The aftermath of the invasion of Elvenheim is the biggest problem…’

I leaned back on the chair’s backrest and looked up at the ceiling. Elvenheim, as the name suggests, is the Alvenheim in Xenon’s Biography, with just a letter changed so that anyone can recognize it.

Furthermore, Elvenheim is not only under attack by demons but also the location of the World Tree. As evident from Cecily’s allergic reaction, the mana emanating from the World Tree is deadly to demons, but Lucifer of Pride nullifies its effects.

If you ask me how, I don’t know either.

However, it is mentioned that when the arrogant elves let their guard down, Lucifer temporarily contaminated the “roots” of the World Tree. I don’t even know if that’s really possible, and the Council and the Queen, Arwen, probably wouldn’t know either. Although it’s a pity, novels are just novels, and they rarely have real-life implications.

My novel is a bit of a peculiar case, though.

‘Will it really be censored?’

The Council is strongly determined to censor it, but honestly, it’s a story that could be subjected to censorship. Even though it’s a novel, Elvenheim being occupied by demons and even the World Tree being transformed into nourishment for the resurrection of a great devil is unacceptable for the elves who take pride in being chosen by the gods. There is nothing more uncomfortable than having the blessings and gifts from the gods ruthlessly snatched away by demons.

But if you think about it, it also serves as a warning. The long-lasting peace can dull even the sharpest swords.

‘Let’s ask Arwen about it gradually.’

What’s most important is what happens afterward. The conflict and cooperation between the elven hero and the dark elven hero, and furthermore, the emergence of beastmen as the story progresses and evolves.

In reality and in the novel, the relationship between humans and beastmen is more than just bad. There are significant conflicts, but as they subdue demons and gradually resolve them, they eventually become friends. That’s the kind of story it is.

However, it bothers me that I know very little about beastmen. I know the origins to some extent through various papers and history books at Elena’s laboratory, but that’s about it. Beastmen established civilization, which is Animers, just 300 years ago, and there are still beastmen living in primitive conditions in various places. Books and papers provide insufficient information.

‘Do I really have to ask Leona?’

Considering that she was admitted to the Academy, Leona must have had an exceptional status. It’s almost certain, considering that she mentioned she’s not a mere cat but a lion in a previous encounter.

If you really think about it, lions are also part of the cat family, but let’s not dwell on that. After all, to me, a human, they’re all just animals.

“Hmm…”

I bit the pen in my mouth and stared aimlessly at the ceiling. Beastmen don’t appear until the latter half of Volume 14, and the real conflict starts from Volume 15.

So, I still have a few months of spare time, but time flies quickly. Moreover, if I want more solid evidence, I’ll have to consult not only Leona but also other people.

‘Should I ask her once?’

From Leona’s perspective, she might be flustered, but if I explain it’s for research purposes, she should stop being suspicious. Instead, she might have something she wants, so I’m willing to listen if possible.

Coincidentally, the next lecture is about history, so maybe I can ask her then. I turned my head slightly to check the time. There was about an hour left until the history lecture.

During that time…

Snap!

I should call for Siris. I took out the summoning scroll from the desk drawer and tore it in half.

The torn scroll turned into blue particles and dispersed into the air, and I waited quietly until Siris responded.

I waited for about 10 seconds like that.

“Did you call?”

Siris appeared out of thin air and spoke bluntly. Unlike last time, she was dressed neatly in armor, not in underwear.

Of course, while it’s not underwear, it still was the revealing armor commonly referred to as bikini armor. As dark elves specialize in ambushes rather than direct confrontations, they need to be light and have more exposed skin for better stealth.

I closed my eyes tightly at the dark elf’s culture that I could never get used to and then slowly opened them. Although she covered the area around her mouth with a mask, it was still difficult to hide her dazzling beauty.

“Have you been well? Anything special happened?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what Arwen is up to these days?”

“Nothing special. However…”

As I leaned my face closer, curious, Siris responded in his characteristic dry voice.

“Her Majesty asks multiple times if there really needs to be no repayment. Are you truly okay with that?”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t a particularly difficult task. Just let her know that even a simple speech would have been sufficient.”

“I understand.”

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“And the reason I called for Siris is to confirm something.”

“Confirm… what do you mean?”

“This.”

I handed Siris a partially written manuscript. She blinked her golden eyes, similar to mine, and received the manuscript with a bewildered expression.

She alternated his gaze between the manuscript and me, seemingly unable to grasp what I wanted.

“I asked for your advice on writing the dark elf battle scene, right? I’m curious about your thoughts after reading it.”

“Does that mean I’ll be the first one to read it?”

“Even though it’s in the middle, you could say so, if you want to be picky.”

“Ah…”

Siris’s eyes sparkled at the idea of being the first to read. I thought this person would be as blunt and emotionless as Gartz, but surprisingly, she has a rich expression of emotions.

Perhaps Siris rarely has the need to reveal her emotions, and she might not feel the necessity to do so, which might have made their personality stiff. I chuckled as I watched Siris, with eyes shining like a child who found a new toy.

“Um…”

“… …”

I dozed off while waiting for Siris to check the manuscript. I noticed her golden eyes rapidly moving from side to side in my field of vision.

Honestly, I felt a bit nervous. It’s a combat scene involving a different race, and not just any race but the lesser-known dark elves. I wondered if she, who possesses exceptional skills even among dark elves, would find the scene satisfying.

One could argue that it doesn’t matter since it’s not well-known among dark elves, but precisely because of that, I need even more solid evidence.

If some strange frame were to be imposed, I would not only feel sorry for that race but also face criticism. So, I want to be thorough in preserving the authenticity.

Flutter… 

“… …” 

“… …” 

“Um… Siris, when will you finish reading?”

The battle scenes of the dark elves aren’t that frequent, but I heard the sound of turning pages more often. I suspect she was pretending to read the battle scenes without actually reading them all.

When I mentioned this, Siris covered the manuscript and looked at me with her typical expressionless face. I don’t know why, but it seemed like a disappointed expression.

Just as I was slightly tense, Siris spoke in a disappointed tone of voice.

“The battle scenes themselves are not lacking. Especially when they defeat the devil giant, starting with the Achilles Tendon Shot to disrupt the balance and then targeting the vital points one by one, it’s excellent. In fact, it’s a technique we often use when facing giant monsters.”

“Thank you.”

“But this is a human approach, not a Dark Elf’s approach. If we were in stealth, we would eliminate everyone and attack the critical points, including the neck. Even if it’s a giant over 5 meters tall, we can instantly move to the neck using spatial leap. Moreover, unless there’s a lich on the devil’s side, there’s no way they can detect us.”

“Oh…”

“Keep in mind that we value simplicity over flamboyance.”

I exclaimed in awe, my lips forming a round shape. Indeed, it seemed like a wise decision to seek advice.

At the same time, my thoughts started to lean towards seeking advice from Leona. With all these insights coming together, I could boast an even better level of completeness.

“And…”

“Is there something else?”

She waited with a slight inclination of her upper body, as if she wanted to say something. Then, Siris asked, with a disappointed expression apparent on his face, as if probing.

“Why am I not included?”

“What?”

“You clearly said that I would be included…”

“… …”

“Will I appear next time?”

Upon hearing those words, my eyes widened in surprise, and I checked Siris’s ears. Despite being partially cut, they were still longer than those of a human.

And those ears were drooping downwards. As she was a dark elf, it seemed like her ears were not as capable as an elf’s.

“You will appear soon.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I believe you.”

As I said that, Siris’s ears perked up slightly, and her expression brightened a little. I couldn’t help but smile at that.

Since the successor of the Dark Elf’s hero is scheduled to appear anyway, why not include her there? I saw Keir, the successor of the Elf hero, during the immigration screening.

‘Mr. Gartz seems to secretly want in too…’

I’m sorry, but I can’t include more demons because they already had a presence. Just be satisfied with a mention.

“Is this what you wanted?”

“Well… if possible, please ask Arwen to send me books related to beastmen. They’re expected to appear in the future.”

“Understood. Are you sure you don’t need any separate compensation? The queen has mentioned it several times.”

“It’s okay, so let it be.”

I chuckled and extended my hand. Just by admiring Arwen’s figure while delivering the speech, I had already received my reward without asking for it. However, I couldn’t say it outright, so I vaguely circumvented the topic.

“I mentioned it before, but just the sight of her delivering the speech was enough. I was able to see a different side of Arwen.”

“A different side, you say…”

“‘I already knew you were beautiful, but to think you could become even more beautiful?’ Just convey it like that.”

“Hmm…”

Siris looked at me with a strange gaze. Unlike before, I couldn’t read her inner thoughts from her ears.

She tilted her head curiously and expressed her doubt.

“Why?”

“No, never mind. Can you just deliver it as it is?”

“Yes.”

Siris nodded at my blunt response.

“Understood.”

Translators note:

1/5

Longest chapter I translated til now.

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