How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

Kate and Cherry.

Like Marvel’s Thanos and DC’s Joker, they’re a combination rivaling nuclear fusion.

One is too bright, and the other is too dark.

The one thing they have in common is that both have incredibly low self-esteem.

It’s easy to see that Cherry has a dangerously low sense of self-worth, but it’s surprising for Kate.

However, with a closer look, you’ll notice it too.

From her past words and actions, it’s clear that Kate would even give up her life if ordered by Luminous or me.

She has never once prioritized herself.

Of course, Luminous is a god who personally bestowed blessings, so it’s understandable to revere him.

The problem is that her reverence is so extreme it erodes her self-esteem.

Even if I advised her to live her own life, Kate would undoubtedly reply: that living for Luminous and me is the same as living for herself.

Perhaps that’s why she gets along so well with Cherry.

In a way, Kate could be seen as an energetic version of Cherry.

Like light and darkness, they’re opposites, but they share a strange similarity.

If Kate hadn’t been a guard knight, perhaps she and Cherry would have spent more time together.

Considering they had no friends to begin with, this might actually be for the best.

Occasionally, when there’s some downtime, Kate might invite Cherry to her dorm for a chat.

Looking at this duo, one might think there couldn’t be a more dangerous pair—but they’re not truly a threat.

Unless there’s a series of catastrophic mistakes akin to Chernobyl or I commit a grave error, no disaster will unfold.

‘As long as we do what needs to be done until then.’

With familiar keystrokes, I continued typing, working on the 26th volume of The Chronicles of Xenon.

There had been too many loose ends to tie up, causing some delays.

But after my meeting with Cherry, apart from my teaching assistant duties, I’d have free time.

Since Elena discovered my true identity, I’ve had more free time than before.

That doesn’t mean I take my duties as a teaching assistant lightly.

I do have a conscience, and being Xenon isn’t an excuse to slack off.

Still, I’m not entirely used to the mix of awe and curiosity directed at me every time I teach, especially during second-year classes—Mari’s class in particular.

One of their classmates turned out to be Xenon.

If someone who didn’t know the context heard that, they’d probably dismiss it as nonsense.

It’s that unbelievable.

‘That Jackson guy was quite amusing, though.’

I paused my typing for a moment, recalling what had happened earlier—specifically, how quiet Jackson had been lately.

If you don’t remember, Jackson made a humiliating impression upon enrolling by hitting on Rina and Cecily, only to be harshly rejected.

When those same girls began showing interest in me, he picked unnecessary fights and even made absurd remarks during events.

One infamous claim was that Lily would end up with Xenon, not Jin.

Hearing such nonsense in front of the original creator himself naturally made me furious, and I calmly put him in his place.

His face turned red as he fled.

‘And then came the group project…’

Mari, Rina, Cecily, and Jackson.

That lineup alone is enough to evoke strong feelings.

I almost got stuck dealing with the mess caused by a certain troublemaker, but Jackson truly bore the brunt of it.

Honestly, the first three weren’t the type to properly contribute to a group project.

Mari might manage to some extent, but Rina’s a princess, and Cecily is a demon just beginning to assimilate into human society.

From what I know, Jackson was thoroughly disillusioned back then.

‘Now he doesn’t even make eye contact.’

Time passed, and after my identity was revealed, Jackson’s reaction during my first second-year class was quite entertaining.

When I deliberately glanced at him, he quickly averted his gaze.

Watching him do everything possible to avoid eye contact was amusing.

It made me think about teasing him, but I quickly abandoned the idea.

It felt petty, and there hadn’t been any significant interaction between us since the group project.

Besides, there’s no way Jackson would dare provoke me.

The moment he does, he’s done for, and he knows it.

I also heard that while he’s still arrogant, he’s stopped hitting on women.

They say he learned life’s harsh lessons during that group project.

‘Speaking of which, I’m curious about Ayla’s situation.’

Ayla was the troublemaker during that group project, even earning a scolding from me and being called a “wench.”

Coming from a military family herself, she had made disrespectful remarks about soldiers, showing a complete lack of awareness.

As punishment, she wasn’t made a knight but a common soldier.

I have no idea how she’s doing now, but by imperial law, even members of high-ranking families must serve for two years.

That means she has about six months left before her discharge.

I haven’t cared enough to follow up, but maybe I’ll ask Dave or Nicole about her.

‘Not much has changed, really.’

I haven’t attended every class yet, but almost everything remains the same.

I continue my teaching assistant duties as usual and write The Chronicles of Xenon whenever I find time.

The only difference is that I now have more time to write.

Other than that, there’s nothing significant.

I let my thoughts wander for a moment and glanced down.

The holographic screen displayed everything I had typed.

As mentioned before, the 26th volume of The Chronicles of Xenon revolves around the battle against Lucifer, representing pride.

Although only half-formed, Lucifer spreads his wings and sets foot on the path of transcendence.

While I’ve mapped out the entire battle with Lucifer, what concerns me more is what comes afterward.

Starting with Wrath, followed by Gluttony, Lust, Envy, and now Pride—the Seven Deadly Sins will have been defeated by the 26th volume.

This leaves Greed and Sloth. In this story, Greed is a dwarf, while Sloth serves as the vessel for the soul of the archdemon Diabolus.

As for their names: Greed is Mammon, and Sloth is Belphegor.

‘Mammon’s character is modeled entirely after a dwarf.’

Mammon, representing Greed, turned to the demon side for a simple reason.

Once someone gets a taste of money, it’s hard to turn back, and Mammon exemplifies this perfectly.

During the racial wars, the dwarves amassed enormous wealth.

Their craftsmanship, whether for weapons or construction, was unmatched.

However, this also led to a negative stereotype: dwarves would make any weapon for the right price.

Though dwarves are naturally inclined toward crafting, it inevitably requires money.

As one unfortunate inventor once said, the most important things in creation are budget and time.

Without one or the other, it’s impossible to produce quality results.

This is why dwarves have an exceptional sense of money management.

Occasionally, this obsession creates friction.

“Isn’t it telling that Machina is the most hated nation among merchants?

The Dwarf Empire might guarantee quality, but their trading practices are extremely rigid.”

‘And their pride in their creations is unmatched.’

Mammon can be described as a being that embodies the extremes of greed and creative passion among the Seven Deadly Sins.

His magnum opus was none other than Sloth.

A vessel capable of containing the soul of a transcendent being—just that one creation was enough to spark the desire of any dwarf.

However, as with all things, excessive greed can be toxic.

Mammon’s end was tragic, as he was fated to be consumed by his own creation, Sloth.

As the name suggests, Sloth never moves on its own. But when it absorbs Diabolos’s soul, it slowly begins to awaken.

The first words it utters upon awakening are “I’m hungry,” leading it to devour Greed, who was standing nearby.

‘Up to this point, everything works fine. It’s what comes next that’s the real challenge…’

Although the story’s end is approaching, ironically, the critical details of Jin’s transformation into the true final boss are still underdeveloped.

As I’ve said before, the final boss of The Chronicles of Xenon isn’t Diabolos—it’s Jin.

Diabolos is more of a decoy boss.

To prevent Diabolos’s soul from scattering into the world, Jin absorbs it.

In doing so, he consumes the soul of his own father, much like Gluttony devours souls.

‘But I need a compelling justification for Jin to absorb Sloth. Something solid and convincing.’

The decoy final boss battle is straightforward: the protagonist and their party fight Sloth, which holds Diabolos’s soul.

That’s the end.

The fight will be deliberately anticlimactic compared to the previous battles, but it’s a necessary setup for the twist that follows.

That means I need a solid justification for Jin’s transformation into the final boss.

‘Honestly, who else but Lily could serve this purpose?’

Lily falls after being struck by a critical attack from Diabolos.

This causes her to be afflicted with a fatal curse.

The curse ensures her inevitable death unless Diabolos’s soul is completely destroyed.

No, that alone isn’t enough.

Knowing Lily, she’d willingly sacrifice herself, so it has to be something more malicious.

For instance… perhaps the Seed of a Demon.

If the Demon Seed were to germinate, she wouldn’t just become a demon; she’d transform into a full-fledged devil.

It’s only because Lily is a saint that she hasn’t succumbed already.

If it were anyone else, they’d have turned into a devil long ago.

‘The reason it’s incurable is because the curse stems from a demon as powerful as a god.’

Hmm.

Yes, this justification works. It’s a story that would shred the readers’ emotions to pieces.

Excited, I jotted down my ideas in my notebook instead of on the typewriter.

However, this will inevitably delay the completion of the story.

Jin will now roam the world in search of Diabolos’s soul, while Xenon and Mary take care of Lily.

Eventually, after much deliberation, Xenon and Mary, following Lily’s request, will pursue Jin.

Jin, anticipating their actions, will leave messages for them along the way.

After a long journey, Xenon and Mary will finally reach…

‘Where should it be?’

I can’t decide.

I also need to explain how Jin tracked down Diabolos.

If Sloth were still intact, it’d make sense, but since the vessel is destroyed, Diabolos’s soul would be wandering the world.

The method of tracking it down is crucial.

Fortunately, there’s someone perfect for this task.

‘I should ask Luminous directly.’

I’ll need to consult the gods.

After all, Luminous, who experienced the Demon War, should know something.

After finishing my rough notes, I stretched and turned to Adelia, who was standing behind me.

“Adel, what time is it?”

“It’s half past three in the afternoon.”

“Dinner is still a long way off, huh.”

Though dinner was hours away, I was feeling peckish. I licked my lips and asked Adelia.

“Are there any cookies left?”

“No. We’re out of ingredients, and we’ll need to buy more milk as well.”

“Really? Then let’s go together.”

“No, I’ll go alone. What if something happens while we’re out? Besides, we’ll need to bring Kate along too.”

When I suggested going with her, Adelia immediately refused.

She knew that if I went, the need for additional protection would double.

Not to mention, if I went out, Kate would also have to accompany us, which would be mentally taxing for everyone.

Who knows when, where, or how demon worshippers might strike?

Even if it’s not demon worshippers, venturing outside would expose me to all kinds of dangers.

“It’s just down the street. Can’t I go?”

“No. If you need something, just tell me. I’ll handle it.”

“I know, but…”

Adelia might be my personal maid, but I don’t want to treat her like a servant.

After all, she’s a woman I’ve shared intimate moments with.

Commanding her for trivial tasks feels wrong.

“Aren’t you in danger too?”

“It’s the same risk, but guarding you is more stressful. I have to focus on protecting you, not myself.”

“Fine… Just be careful, then.”

“I will. Meanwhile, stay put. Don’t open the door for anyone, no matter what. Got it?”

I’m not a child, but the way she talks sounds like a parent scolding their kid.

After seeing Adelia off to buy cookie ingredients and milk, I threw myself onto the bed.

‘But are demon worshippers really after me?’

As time passed, I couldn’t help but wonder.

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