While the world, including Isaac, was in a frenzy due to an unexpected fandom clash, there were always people who remained calm despite the commotion.

    For example, those uninterested in the Chronicles of Zenon...

    “Do you think something like this will truly harm him?”

    Or those who were quietly enjoying the downfall of the Chronicles of Zenon.

    In a pitch-black space where only a single candle illuminated the surroundings, a man asked cautiously.

    His voice suggested youth, but the darkness made it difficult to discern more than a vague silhouette.

    However, as the saying goes, even shadows hint at the beauty of the handsome, and the high nose bridge and sharp jawline suggested his striking features.

    “This kind of thing always starts from within, chipping away little by little.

    Like dropping a single spot of ink on a blank sheet of paper—slow and silent absorption is enough.”

    The figure opposite the young man was enigmatic, with a voice hard to place as male or female, and cloaked entirely in a robe.

    Their suspicious appearance didn’t seem to bother the man; such transformations were easily achieved through magic.

    After clasping his hands in thought, the man cautiously addressed the figure.

    “May I speak honestly?”

    “Go ahead.”

    “To me, this feels incredibly trivial. After all the effort and time spent, it’s just this...!”

    The rumors surrounding the Chronicles of Zenon spreading across the world felt childish to the man.

    They weren’t directly attacking Isaac but merely causing division among his fandom, spreading rumors secretly and anonymously.

    Given the resources and manpower they had, the man found it incomprehensible why they were resorting to such trivial acts instead of launching a full-scale offensive.

    “Your youthful inexperience shows,” the enigmatic figure chuckled, exuding an air of superiority.

    “Or perhaps this is simply your first time dealing with something like this?”

    The condescension made the man twitch in irritation. But losing his temper would gain him nothing, so he steadied himself and asked tersely:

    “Isn’t this your first time as well? There’s no historical precedent for a work like the Chronicles of Zenon.”

    “True. But I’ve orchestrated the silent downfall of countless heroes.”

    “.....”

    The chilling reply rendered the man silent.

    Before the current era of relative peace, this world had been one of heroes, dominated by mana and magic, where individual strength often equated to power.

    With countless wars before and after the racial conflict, heroes had been indispensable.

    Yet, here was someone claiming mastery in the silent assassination of such figures—a stark reminder of the danger posed by the demon worshipers he was aligned with.

    “Heroes inevitably attract followers. While followers can serve as shields, they can also turn into poisoned daggers.

    And heroes are far from perfect. Even Eiker was manipulated by the Senate and ultimately imprisoned during the racial war.”

    “Eiker? But elves...”

    “You think elves lack greed? Arrogance is the ultimate sin. You don’t even need to infiltrate deeply to exploit them—they’ll destroy themselves.”

    Though demon worshipers had been eradicated over the generations, there were no known cases in Alvenheim.

    Even Ferencio, who had openly clashed with Arwen, wasn’t part of their ranks, rejecting their power with disdain.

    “Elves are an easier species to manipulate than humans. Their rigid mindset means they’ll cling to a belief once swayed.”

    Indeed, demon worshipers had meddled during the racial war, provoking Eiker into open conflict with the Senate—a metaphorical spark in a powder-filled room.

    “This situation is no different. If you can’t breach their defenses, lure them out or collapse them from within. For an artist, honor is everything. If that honor is tarnished, their defenses will naturally falter.”

    “Even so, Isaac has formidable protectors by his side, like Cardinal Kate and the nations supporting him, including Helium. Moreover, one of your grand schemes already failed, didn’t it?”

    “That was... an entirely unforeseen development.”

    Even cloaked, the stranger’s voice carried an infinite seriousness.

    Laughing at this moment could very well cost him his life.

    “The heart is the source of life. When a mortal’s heart is damaged, they typically die. Lily is no exception.”

    “But couldn’t she, like Jin, ascend as an angel?”

    “A mortal cannot ascend to a transcendent. Their bodies are fundamentally different.”

    “Then could her soul be extracted to become a transcendent...?”

    Ssssshhhh—

    Before the man could finish his sentence, a menacing aura began to seep out from the stranger.

    Feeling the overwhelming pressure, the man immediately shut his mouth.

    If he uttered even a single word, he felt his neck would be severed.

    It was merely the release of energy, yet the illusion of impending death was enough to terrify him.

    Just how powerful is this being?

    As the man swallowed hard, the stranger spoke in a low, chilling voice.

    The tone was filled with unmistakable ‘anger’ and ‘hatred.’

    “Watch your words.”

    “... ...”

    “Life cannot be born without a father. Even nature cannot bear fruit in barren land without a ‘seed.’ This is the true order of things, a truth hidden from ignorant mortals by false gods.”

    A profoundly logical statement.

    Without a father, a child cannot be born, and the opposite is equally true.

    The man felt cold sweat running down his back in response to the stranger’s anger but decided he had to speak his mind.

    “But Zenon is a writer. He can write whatever he pleases.”

    “... ...”

    “If he writes it that way, how would you respond?”

    “False gods do not lie. Or rather, they cannot. Before the Creator left, he imposed that restriction on them. They may conceal the truth, but they cannot fabricate lies.”

    Isaac once posed a similar question to Mora: Could Jin, whose soul had fallen to darkness after devouring Diabolos, be purified and reincarnated as a transcendent?

    Luminous had not given a direct answer but instead explained how angels are born.

    It was as if he wanted Isaac to deduce the answer on his own, yet it was essentially an evasion.

    This, in turn, led Isaac to naturally abandon the idea of reincarnating Jin as an angel—a decision laden with implications.

    “If we resurrect him, it’s all the better for us. Someday, when the truth comes to light, his honor can be tarnished completely.”

    “...I see. Then why spread the rumor that Zenon killed Jin? Isn’t it enough to simply say they won’t end up together?”

    “To ensure division, it has to be absolute. Don’t worry about their tricks to force them together—they’ll handle it.”

    But was he aware of this?

    “Even if they’re not true devils, if they’re torn apart, they won’t be able to handle it.”

    The shocking developments that were completely unforeseen.

    “Or perhaps it’d be better if Jin stayed by Lily’s side to care for her, and they died together.”

    That Isaac is worse than a demon.

    “Even that would cause an uproar, wouldn’t it?”

    “It just shows how significant their influence is.”

    At this point, no one knew.