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.

you're so adamant about me taking them,

the potions. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be the man I

head,

"Sure, I will"

on his

turned around, the smile on his

"I'm sorry best friend..."

-Swooosh!

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

if he was trying his best to not give

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

on the ground, outside of what seemed to be a rooftop, Ren's figure appeared kneeling on the ground as he glared upwards. His eyes contained an

Kuku, I don't know. I guess

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

Ren...I really had no choice,

Ren stared at Matthew who

you betray me like

-Bam

"khh...I can't!"

palm on the invisible wall, the memory paused. Clenching his teeth hard, Ren slowly

"...This was the day"

jaw clenched tightly as he glared

the day my life

-Vuam!

thick red bloodlust started exuding from Ren's body as his eyes

current state, I grabbed his shoulder and tried

explain to me

-Shua!

his clothes getting tugged, forcefully trying to calm himself down, the bloodlust around Ren disappeared. Glancing

you remember the potions he had given me in my previous

"Yeah"

remembered.

the price each one went for, I could only admire them from the

were cursed with a Mindbreaker

I couldn't help but stare

The mind

curse...one of the strongest curses a demon could

flick of their fingers, whoever was under the curse would

it was undetectable. You wouldn't

...a demon.

"huh?"

opening my eyes widely, I couldn't

understood, glancing back towards Matthew,

made a contract with a

"what..ah..e"

at Ren for a couple of seconds, I tried to say something,

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

was trying his

covered

t-the end I only realized till it was too late. By the time I realized something strange in his behavior...he had already fallen

friend I knew was

struggle to speak, I remained

that he had such a

turned into a villain and in doing so

"Khhhh...damnit!"

the distance Veins pooped from Ren's forehead, as his eyes turned

was forced to do everything he asked me to do...be it sneak inside of my parent's room to give him secret information regarding the guild operations

and looking at me in the eyes,

the reason why my