Kate and Cherry—a combination as explosive as Marvel's Thanos and DC's Joker.

One is overly bright to the point of being overwhelming, while the other is engulfed in a shadow of darkness. However, their shared trait is their incredibly low self-esteem.

Cherry's lack of self-worth is glaringly apparent, but Kate’s insecurity comes as more of a surprise. Yet, a closer look at her behavior reveals it.

Her devotion to Luminous—and to me—runs so deep that she would willingly sacrifice her life without hesitation. Not once has she prioritized herself above us.

While devotion to a deity like Luminous, who grants direct blessings, is understandable, the extent to which it erodes her sense of self is troubling.

Even if I advised her to live her own life, her response would undoubtedly be that serving Luminous and me is her life's purpose.

Perhaps this is why she and Cherry get along so well. In many ways, Kate is like an extroverted version of Cherry.

Light and shadow, polar opposites with an uncanny overlap in their core traits. If Kate weren’t bound by her duties as a bodyguard, they might have spent time together more often.

In a way, it’s a good thing. Neither had any real friends, so their companionship fills that void. Kate might even invite Cherry to her dorm for conversations during her free time.

From an outsider's perspective, their dynamic might seem dangerous, a potential recipe for disaster. But unless a series of catastrophic events occurs—or I make a colossal mistake—things won’t escalate to that point.

"I just need to focus on what I have to do."

With practiced fingers, I continued typing out the 26th volume of The Chronicles of Zenon.

I had been delayed by too many unresolved matters, but with my meeting with Cherry concluded, the only remaining obligation was my assistant role.

Even Elena, after learning my identity, had granted me more free time than before.

That doesn’t mean I take my duties lightly. My conscience wouldn’t allow me to slack off just because I’m "Zenon."

However, the reverent stares and whispers I receive during lectures remain unnerving, especially in the second-year classes where Marie attends.

The fact that one of their peers turned out to be Zenon must seem absurd to them. If someone had told me such a story, I would’ve dismissed it as nonsense too.

"Jackson, that guy was pretty amusing."

Pausing my typing, I recalled my interactions with Jackson, who had become unusually quiet lately.

For those who don’t remember, Jackson made a name for himself early on by unsuccessfully flirting with Rina and Cecily, only to be brutally rejected.

When those same women showed interest in me, he went out of his way to pick fights and even made bizarre comments during the academy events.

Who could forget his infamous declaration that Lily would end up with Zenon rather than Jin? An outrageous claim to make in front of the author himself.

Angered by his audacity, I calmly but firmly rebutted him, leaving him red-faced and fleeing the scene.

"And then came the group project..."

Marie, Rina, Cecily, and Jackson—what a legendary lineup.

While I narrowly avoided getting stuck with all the work thanks to a certain troublemaker, Jackson wasn’t so lucky.

Marie may have pulled her weight, but Rina, being royalty, and Cecily, newly integrated into human society, contributed little. I heard the ordeal left Jackson thoroughly disillusioned.

"Now he doesn’t even look me in the eye."

When my identity was revealed, and I attended a second-year lecture for the first time, his reaction was priceless.

The moment I glanced at him, he immediately averted his gaze, doing everything in his power to avoid eye contact.

I briefly considered teasing him but decided against it. It felt petty, and after the group project, we hadn’t interacted much.

Besides, Jackson isn’t foolish enough to provoke me now. Doing so would be self-destructive.

Rumor has it that while he’s still arrogant, he’s mostly stopped flirting with women. The group project, it seems, was a harsh but valuable lesson for him.

"Speaking of which, I wonder what’s become of Aira."

The infamous troublemaker from the same group project, Aira, had sparked my ire with her arrogant remarks, even earning herself the label "brat" from me.

Despite hailing from a military family, her disrespectful comments about soldiers were appalling. As punishment, she was conscripted as a regular soldier rather than a knight.

Imperial law dictates that even members of noble families must serve a mandatory two-year term. With about six months left in her service, I might ask Dave or Nicole about her progress.

"Not much has changed, huh?"

Despite my newfound freedom, little has actually changed in my daily routine. I continue to fulfill my assistant duties and write The Chronicles of Zenon during my free time.

The only notable difference is that I now have more time to dedicate to my writing.

Lowering my gaze, I reviewed the holographic screen displaying my work.

Volume 26 centers on the battle against Lucifer, the embodiment of pride. Even with his incomplete wings, he exudes the authority of a transcendent being.

I’ve outlined the progression of the battle, but what concerns me most is what comes after.

By this point, five of the Seven Deadly Sins—Wrath, Gluttony, Lust, Envy, and Pride—will have been vanquished.

This leaves Greed and Sloth. Greed is represented by the dwarf Mammon, while Sloth is a vessel for the soul of the archdemon Diabolos.

"Mammon’s character practically writes itself."

Mammon’s descent into greed is straightforward. Once someone gets a taste for money, it’s hard to let go, and Mammon exemplifies this.

During the Great Race War, the dwarves amassed unimaginable wealth, their craftsmanship in high demand.

But their reputation as opportunistic profiteers soon followed. The saying "dwarves will make any weapon for the right price" became a stereotype.

While dwarves inherently love crafting, their creations require funding.

As one unfortunate inventor once said, "The most critical factors in any creation are budget and time."

This principle applies to Mammon, whose obsession with wealth and creation culminates in his ultimate masterpiece: Sloth.

A vessel capable of containing the soul of a transcendent being—such an achievement would drive any dwarf mad with ambition.

However, as the saying goes, greed unchecked becomes self-destructive. Mammon meets his end at the hands of his own creation, consumed by Sloth upon its awakening.

"Up to this point, everything fits. The challenge lies in what comes next."

With the story approaching its conclusion, the greatest hurdle remains Jin’s transformation into the final boss.

From the beginning, I envisioned Jin, not Diabolos, as the true final adversary. Diabolos serves as a false climax, a prelude to the true conflict.

To prevent Diabolos’s soul from spreading chaos, Jin consumes it, mirroring the fate of his father, Gluttony.

"But what’s the justification for him consuming Sloth? It has to be compelling and logical."

The false climax is simple: the protagonists battle the vessel housing Diabolos’s soul, only for Jin to step in.

The fight itself will be anticlimactic, designed to set up the narrative twist of Jin’s transformation.

For this, I need a powerful justification, one that resonates with readers.

"The answer lies with Lily, doesn’t it?"

Lily, gravely wounded by Diabolos, becomes cursed, her life hanging by a thread.

But a simple curse isn’t enough. Lily, being who she is, would willingly sacrifice herself. To truly elevate the stakes, the curse must be something insidious.

Perhaps the "seed of a demon" begins to take root within her, threatening to transform her into a full-fledged demon.

As a saint, Lily barely resists the transformation. If she were an ordinary person, she would have succumbed instantly.

"The curse’s potency comes from its demonic origin, rivaling divine power."

Yes, this works. A story designed to shred the readers’ hearts.

Excited by the prospect, I jotted down notes in my notebook. However, this development would delay the story’s conclusion.

Jin, now seeking the scattered fragments of Diabolos’s soul, embarks on a global journey. Meanwhile, Zenon and Mary tend to Lily, searching for a solution.

Their quest ultimately leads them to confront Jin, who leaves messages for them at every step.

"But where should this confrontation take place?"

I paused, considering the possibilities. Tracking Diabolos’s soul would be challenging, especially with the vessel destroyed.

For this, consulting Luminous, the one who experienced the Demon War firsthand, seemed prudent.

Having finalized my notes, I stretched and turned to Adelia.

"Adel, what time is it?"
"It’s 3:30 in the afternoon."
"Still a while before dinner."

Feeling peckish, I glanced at her again.

"Do we have any cookies left?"
"No, and we’re out of ingredients. I’ll need to buy some, along with milk."
"Let’s go together, then."

Adelia immediately refused.

"No, I’ll go alone. If something happens while we’re out, it’ll be a disaster. Plus, we’d have to bring Kate too."

While I appreciated her concern, her reasoning made sense. My presence would double the need for security, drawing unwanted attention.

Reluctantly, I agreed. Watching her leave, I threw myself onto the bed.

"Are the demon worshippers even targeting me at this point?"

As time passed, the question lingered in my mind.