The Author's POV

-Swooosh!

Extending his hand forward and swiping right, the scene before me changed once again. This time, instead of a classroom, it was right outside Ren's house.

Standing outside of Ren's house, Ren and Matthew stood before each other.

Compared to before, Matthew's demenour was completely different. If before he was gloomy and lonely, he now looked like an outstanding and refined young man. His very presence screamed elegance.

His warm eyes and voice would instantly cause everyone who met him to have a good impression of him.

...A stark contrast to before.

Smiling, Matthew took out two transparent potions from his pocket and showed them to Ren.

"Hey Ren, my dad was extremely happy with my results recently and he gave me two advanced potions!"

"What! How did you even get a hold of such expensive potions?"

Opening his eyes wide, Ren couldn't help but look at the two potions with a hint of envy.

It had to be noted that a single advanced potion could go for tens of millions of U. That's how expensive they were. Moreover, compared to intermediate ones, they were much more efficient.

No wonder Ren was surprised...

Scratching the back of his head and chuckling, Matthew said

"Well, I really did please my father this time. After he gave them to me, he said that it was a good investment into my future"

"...damn, I'm getting jealous here. I haven't even tried an intermediate potion, let alone an advanced one"

Nodding his head multiple times, extending his hands, Matthew put both potions in Ren's hand.

"Yup I know, that's why I'm giving them to you...More precisely give them to your parents"

Stupefied, Ren's hands shook as he held onto those potions. With his eyes wide open, Ren's voice couldn't help but tremble

"W-what are you doing?"

"I'm giving them to you"

"D-dude, do you know how expensive these things are? what about you?"

Seeing Ren's state, Matthew couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Hahaha, no worries. I already had one, it's the least I can do to repay your parents for having taken care of me over the years. If I had to be honest, they're like my second parents..."

-Crack!

"...Bullshit!"

Turning my head, I saw Ren beside me clenching his fist hard as his hands cracked. His face became incomparably dark as he stared at Matthew with pure hatred. Biting his lips, he coldly spat

"If you truly cared about them like they were your second parents you wouldn't have...damnit!"

Confused, I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but I decided to just watch the scene before me unfold. I was bound to find the answer sooner or later...

Staring at the two potions in his hands, Ren hesitated before looking back at Matthew and once again asking in a trembling voice.

"A-are you sure?"

"Yeah, just take it"

Staring at Matthew, and noticing his earnest expression. Ren shook his head and sighed.

about me taking them, refusing you will just be rude on

when you give them the potions. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be the man I am

head,

"Sure, I will"

his face, Matthew turned around and left the

turned around, the smile on his

"I'm sorry best friend..."

-Swooosh!

again, the scenery around me changed. Glancing at Ren who was beside me, though he returned to his usual indifferent self, I could visibly

if he was trying his best to not give in

"Y-ou ho-w could you!!"

appeared kneeling on the ground as he

I don't know. I guess I

kneeling figure, Matthew tried to hold his laughter back, but

I'm sorry Ren...I really had no

eyes wide, Ren stared at Matthew who

you betray

-Bam

"khh...I can't!"

invisible

"...This was the day"

fist and jaw clenched tightly as

the day my life

-Vuam!

bloodlust started exuding from Ren's body as

Ren's current state, I grabbed his shoulder and tried

down, explain to me what

-Shua!

forcefully trying to calm himself down, the bloodlust around Ren disappeared. Glancing

had given

"Yeah"

head, I remembered. How

to try advanced potions once. However, with the price each one went for, I could only

were cursed with

my head, I couldn't help but stare

The mind

of the strongest curses a

fingers, whoever was under

was an especially scary curse as it was undetectable. You wouldn't realize you were cursed before it

...a demon.

"huh?"

widely, I couldn't help but stare at Matthew

back towards Matthew, Ren slowly

a contract

"what..ah..e"

say something, but in the end, no words came out of my

what happened, but...ever since that last memory, Matthew changed. He became a completely different

I thought he was trying his best to

Ren covered

late. By the time I realized something strange in his behavior...he had already fallen into the depths

friend I knew was

struggle to speak,

that he had

brother turned into a

"Khhhh...damnit!"

at Matthew's image in the distance Veins pooped from Ren's forehead, as his

sneak inside of my parent's room to give him secret information regarding the guild operations or any other sensitive information that costed the guild quite dearly...I did his bidding for

around, and looking at me in the eyes,

the reason why