The Author's POV

—Clank!

I slid the doors that led to the balcony.

"...how annoying"

After the match with Haris, I left immediatly. With everyone distracted by Kevin's match, I took the opportunity to slip out and go back to my dorm.

Like that, I avoided most reporters.

Furthermore, apart from electives, there were no other lectures today. Therefore, I was naturally free.

Regarding Kevin's match, he naturally won. I wasn't sure about how many times he go challenged, but it was probably more than five.

"Haaa...what should I do now?"

A lot of my plans had changed because of what had happened in the most recent days. My plans of laying low were pretty much scrapped.

"hmm..."

Were they?

Now that I thought about it, although I could no longer remain as hidden as before, nothing prevented me from building my forces secretly.

I guess you could say that I was now operating in both the light and the dark.

In a way this was good.

A lot of my plans would speed up as a result of this. I did not need to be as cautious as before and could be more brazen about it.

'...Should I create an alias?'

By creating an alias I could still operate more secretly. On one hand, I would be this 'talented' individual that studies in the Lock.

On the other hand, I would use my other alias to operate my mercenary group and company.

That would be ideal.

...but who knows. I needed more time to think about this.

After what had happened a couple of days ago, I found my confidence shatter into pieces.

Anytime I came up with a plan, I felt paranoid.

What if this happened? What if that happened? What if a meteorite suddenly fell from the sky and destroyed my company?

With my recent successes piling up, I had become arrogant and complacent. I needed to stop thinking that I had everything in my control.

Nothing was ever in my control.

Just like Everblood, there were things that I couldn't account for. I needed to knock this into my skull.

I was so sure that everything was going according to my plans before...and guess what, Everblood showed up.

Someone who I didn't properly account for.

"...there's that fucker too"

There was also Matthew...

I'd never have expected him to go public with the incident.

If I could have, I would've immediately have told Irene the truth. The truth about the fact that he was a villain.

Sadly, I couldn't.

With Matthew knowing that I had a way to cure the Mindbreaker curse, I knew that I couldn't touch him at the moment.

If such news were to be revealed to the world, not only would I become the number one target of the demons, I would also be targeted by other people who were desperate for the cure.

Fortunately, since I could reveal that he was contracted to a demon, he also couldn't reveal what he knew.

We were currently at a stalemate.

"...Damn it, I need to be stronger"

I clenched my teeth hard and glared at the scenery outside of the balcony.

I had to get stronger quicker.

"I can't let this go on..."

Taking out the diary that contained all of the information about the novel, I quickly flipped through its pages.

—Flip! —Flip!

"Where is it..."

see what I could do to make myself

should be the

at a certain page, I

—Flip!

finger, I flipped to the next

in the novel that could be useful for me in

ideal item would be one that

able to detect lies, none of

item that could help me with regards

—Plap!

"Haa..."

minutes after, I

I had

had a general idea of my next course of action. Even though it would cause some trouble to some people in the future, I

wanted to do was get

—Ding!

moment, my phone

to

Her message was vague yet I instantly understood what she

[Demon hunter? They agreed?]

[Yes]

[When?]

a formal meeting, I needed to prepare in full. Just one mistake and the deal

week, a day after

understand, I'll get everything

[Okay]

Since

"Alright, this is good"

a load off of my

a long-term money system, but

so much today was because of this. The more talented I

just investing in the magic card system, but in

what

that's sorted for now… Also, there's

I stared

checked the extra items I got from Immorra. With everything that had happened recently, I didn't have enough time to

there was something

that...guess it's time to annoy

my phone and quickly

Melissa, about

still hurt after

...

time, inside

—Clank! —Clank!

space. Large metallic arms moved around the

—Booom!

large explosion rang inside of the lab. Inside of a white confined room that could be

long after, the fire died down and a red card held by

#598 - Mana lingering in room :

the glass, a beautiful

"Another failure"

current magic circle installed in the card was a simple [Fireball], occasionally a couple of other psyons that were not flame psyons would

what am I

just started there were a lot of improvements...however, this

have only a 30% efficiency loss. Any more

her efficiency

far cry

got

other side of the room. A cheerful girl walked

Who would message

her right hand on her white lab coat, Melissa took the

about

"This bastard..."

the side

magic card concept and now he

Fuck that.

an advanced

to her assistant she quickly ordered. She couldn't be bothered to make a potion herself, so might as well

"An advanced potion?"

"Yes"

"What about the quality?"

the lowest..no scratch that, make

tempted to just give Ren the lowest quality potion. However, she suddenly realized that it would

she, Melissa Hall, make such

Impossible!