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..."

stronger, I naturally had to see what I could do to make myself stronger. The book in my

be the

a certain page,

—Flip!

next page. My eyes constantly moved

look for anything in the novel that could be useful for me

that would help me pass

were a problem...if not for Irene being able to

item that could help me with regards to

—Plap!

"Haa..."

of minutes after, I closed the

I had

general idea of my next course of action. Even though it would

now all I wanted to

—Ding!

moment, my phone

agreed to

message was vague yet I instantly understood what she

[Demon hunter? They agreed?]

[Yes]

[When?]

needed to prepare in full. Just one mistake and the deal

a day

I'll get everything ready

[Okay]

that, Amanda no longer messaged me. Since I

"Alright, this is good"

would take a

only would I secure a long-term money system, but create a connection with

reason why I stood out so much today was because of this.

in the magic card system,

was what I

guess that's sorted for now… Also,

wrist, I stared

items I got from Immorra. With everything that

something interesting mixed in

time to

out my phone and quickly

about

still

...

the same time, inside a white laboratory

—Clank! —Clank!

heavy sound of machinery moving items to and fro resounded across the white laboratory space. Large metallic arms moved around the asphalt pavement carrying different-sized boxes. Inside of them were spare robotic parts or different colored

—Booom!

a white confined room that could be seen through a

died down and a red card held by two pincers was revealed. A cold and

#598 - Mana lingering in room

opposite to the glass, a beautiful girl

"Another failure"

the fact that the current magic circle installed in the card was a simple [Fireball], occasionally a couple of

am

to when she had just started there were a lot

be commercially viable, Melissa needed to have only a 30% efficiency loss. Any more than that and there was no point in using

moment her efficiency

cry from

you've got a

out for her from the other side of the room.

Who would message me at the

right hand on her white lab coat, Melissa took the phone. Instantly her brows

about

"This bastard..."

clenched the side of the

with the magic card concept and now he

Fuck that.

an advanced potion off the

so might as well just order one from the market and pretend that it was

"An advanced potion?"

"Yes"

"What about the quality?"

scratch that, make it the highest quality you

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

Hall, make such a

Impossible!