A few days have passed since it was revealed that the recent incident was a scheme orchestrated by demon worshippers.

    People felt both relieved and outraged upon hearing my proclamation, and naturally, their anger toward the demon worshippers has only intensified.

    Although it was known that demon worshippers regarded human lives and rights as less valuable than worms, this incident added to their infamy with the inclusion of innocent victims.

    [Demon worshippers used necromancy to target Zenon’s life.]

    [Not merely simple necromancy, but a power akin to soul-stealing sorcery.]

    [The hidden powers of the demon worshippers—what exactly do they possess?]

    Ariel didn’t forget to disclose the abilities of the demon worshippers she had found particularly intriguing.

    Although her statements were speculative, her testimony, combined with the presence of malevolent spirits in this world, meant they couldn’t simply be dismissed as nonsense.

    Even though magic is hard to comprehend, sorcery is so vast in its scope that even scholars find it perplexing.

    There is a saying: “I don’t understand magic because it’s too complicated, and I don’t understand sorcery because it’s too broad.”

    As such, there are very few races that predominantly use sorcery, aside from the beastfolk.

    Among humans, it is occasionally practiced, but only in places untouched by civilization.

    [The principles of necromancy align more closely with sorcery than magic, as it defies natural laws.]

    [If so, is the main ability of demon worshippers sorcery?]

    [Elves have used magic, not sorcery, from the beginning, as their powers were granted by the gods. Who, then, passed down the origins of sorcery?]

    With the revelation that the power targeting my life was sorcery, public interest surged.

    Previously, sorcery had been more akin to the folklore my grandfather shared, but this incident spurred many to question its origins.

    Particularly, the beastfolk—Animers—were now the focus of attention, for better or worse.

    On the positive side, scholars began visiting them to delve deeper into sorcery.

    On the negative side, there was suspicion of whether they were secretly supporting the demon worshippers.

    The former offered an opportunity to fill the gaps in the Animers’ knowledge, while the latter was a rather insulting accusation.

    [After humans, the group that suffers the most damage is us, the beastfolk.]

    [Demons are believed only by the weak. Beastfolk are confident in themselves and do not entrust their self-worth to others.]

    [Sorcery is merely a form of respect and hope directed toward the divine. Nature cannot be controlled by anyone’s will.]

    [I’ve heard that the majority of those who believe in demons are humans.]

    So, I delivered a solid rebuttal.

    In truth, most of the races who worship demons are humans.

    Though a few extreme demonkind are included, even Helium has disowned them due to their out-of-control behavior.

    Amidst this uproar about sorcery, events continued to unfold.

    If anything, public sentiment against demon worshippers is now reaching its peak, proving that even the bottom has its depths.

    It’s no longer mere rejection—it has escalated to outright disgust, akin to looking at vermin.

    Even a slight defense of demon worshippers could lead to being ostracized entirely.

    [Why did they fall for the demon worshippers? We must investigate the root cause.]

    [Those deeply devoted to demon worship, almost to the level of a religion, are mostly commoners. The majority are in villages far from cities or outside noble domains.]

    [Over 90% of those living in slums are mesmerized by demon worshippers... They crave material desires rather than the love and affection of the gods.]

    As the events progressed, more truths began to emerge.

    While income inequality exists everywhere across history, this case was particularly severe.

    A survey revealed that nine out of ten people raised in the slums are likely to become demon worshippers.

    The slums, where death at any time and place isn’t unusual, are a primary target for the demon worshippers.

    “Adel, when did you say you first went to the royal palace in Ters?”

    “Was I eleven? Maybe twelve? It must’ve been around then.”

    “Did anything strange happen while you were living in the slums?”

    Adelia, who was born and raised in the slums before going to the palace, came to mind, so I asked her.

    She paused her laundry folding, gazed upward, and seemed to think deeply.

    In the past, her traumatic associations with the slums might have made her reluctant to speak, but now, with most of that resolved, she willingly shared.

    “Well... I didn’t actually live in the slums. I was born in the most famous red-light district of the Teres Kingdom. Do you think royalty would ever visit the slums in the first place?”

    “Ah, that’s true.”

    “You’re not suspecting me of being a demon worshipper, are you?”

    Adelia jokingly asked, to which I playfully and calmly replied:

    In truth, the workload wasn’t overwhelming. Officials dispatched from the royal palace handled most of it.

    Hawk’s exhaustion stemmed from his meticulous personality and his distrust of higher-ups due to past experiences.

    Having spent decades as a knight, he had directly encountered military corruption more than once.

    His naturally detail-oriented nature combined with his mistrust meant he scrutinized every document with extreme care.

    Fortunately, the palace had sent reliable officials to curry favor with the Marshal family, ensuring no issues arose.

    Thanks to this, Anna had been able to manage relatively comfortably, despite the large volume of work.

    ‘Still, the sheer amount is a bit daunting.’

    Today’s workload would only take about an hour. While things were busy now, it would gradually ease as the foundation stabilized.

    As she hurried to finish her tasks and return to Lily, she heard a voice.

    “Lady Baroness?”

    “Huh? Oh, yes, Jace.”

    She encountered a clean-cut young man in the hallway—one of the officials sent from the palace.

    Despite his tidy uniform, his deep dark circles betrayed his exhaustion.

    Jace handed Anna an envelope, speaking politely.

    “A letter has arrived from Lord Zenon.”

    “Really?!”

    “Yes.”

    Anna clasped her hands in joy, looking as excited as a young girl.

    A letter would’ve sufficed, but judging by the thick envelope, it was clear.

    Inside lay the long-awaited manuscript of Chronicles of Zenon, Volume 28.

    The story was nearing its conclusion, and the happy future of Jin and Lily wasn’t far off.

    “Thank you. Is there anything you’d like as a token of gratitude?”

    “Nothing, ma’am. I’ll take my leave.”

    “Take care!”

    Anna cheerfully waved at Jace as he departed, holding the envelope tightly to her chest.

    “My son truly knows how to distract me from work.”

    Gazing at the envelope in her arms, Anna murmured in delight.

    Though she was supposed to send it directly to the publisher, tomorrow would be fine—it was the weekend after all.

    Musk, the publisher, always respected holidays, no matter how busy things got.

    ‘Might as well read it now. Besides, I can proofread it too.’

    Skipping refreshments to avoid accidents with the manuscript, Anna hurried to the office with the precious volume in hand.

    ‘Let’s see how the protagonists will deal with Diabolos.’

    Diabolos had made his grand appearance at the end of Volume 27, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next volume.

    Anna’s excitement quickly faded as she read.

    The final battle was underwhelming—Diabolos’s vessel couldn’t withstand his power, cracking under the strain.

    Zenon’s team exploited this weakness, aided by Lily’s seemingly limitless support.

    The combat scenes were vibrant and displayed great teamwork, but Diabolos lacked the charisma of the Seven Deadly Sins.

    “How anticlimactic.”

    Anna sighed, disappointed by the simplistic progression.

    Still, the prospect of Jin and Lily’s happy ending offered some consolation...

    But as Anna turned the page, her expression froze.

    Diabolos’s shattered vessel unleashed one final, devastating blow—aimed straight at Lily.

    Jin’s desperate attempt to shield her was in vain.

    The narrative ended abruptly, with Lily struck in the heart.

    “...What?”

    Anna flipped through the pages, stunned.

    There were no more pages. That was the end.

    “...Seriously?!”

    Anna’s shocked expletive echoed in the office.