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..."

had to see what I could do to

should be

a certain

—Flip!

flipped to the next page. My eyes constantly moved from the left to the

the novel that

item would be one that would help

not for Irene being able to detect lies, none of this would've

could help

—Plap!

"Haa..."

of minutes after, I closed the

knew what I had to

of my next course of action.

I wanted to do

—Ding!

moment, my phone suddenly

to listen

vague yet I

[Demon hunter? They agreed?]

[Yes]

[When?]

needed to prepare in

day after the

get

[Okay]

Amanda no longer messaged me. Since I knew her

"Alright, this is good"

this deal would take a load off

system, but create a connection with the demon hunter

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

in the magic card system, but in

what I

guess that's sorted for now… Also, there's

I stared at the bracelet

not checked the extra items I got from Immorra. With everything that

something interesting mixed in

it's time to

out my phone and quickly typed a

about

still

...

time, inside a white

—Clank! —Clank!

laboratory space. Large metallic arms moved around the

—Booom!

the lab. Inside of a white confined room that could be seen through a rectangular glass, fire spread everywhere as it

died down and a red card held by

#598 - Mana

opposite to the glass,

"Another failure"

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

what am

to when she had just started there were

a 30% efficiency loss. Any more than that and there

her efficiency loss

far cry from her

you've got

crisp voice called out for her from the other side

would message

coat, Melissa took the phone. Instantly her

Melissa, about the

"This bastard..."

the side of

was already busy enough with the magic card concept and now he wanted him to make him

Fuck that.

order an advanced potion off

couldn't be bothered to make a potion herself, so might as well just order one from the market and pretend

"An advanced potion?"

"Yes"

"What about the quality?"

make

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

she, Melissa Hall, make such a low-quality

Impossible!