The Author's POV

"Mhm."

Hearing her mother's words, Amanda nodded her head.

Staring at Ren who was lying down on the bed, Amanda turned her head to look at Angelica. A complicated look flashed across her face.

She still couldn't quite come to terms with the fact that the cat that had been following Ren all the time was in fact the same demon that had cursed her mother, but she felt that there was more to the story than it was let out.

"Are you sure about this Natasha?"

Maylin asked while turning to look at Natasha. The icicles in the air trembled slightly.

"This is the same demon that stopped you from seeing your daughter for fifteen years. Are you sure that you want to let her go just like that?"

With her eyes locked on her daughter, Natasha sighed.

"What other choice do I have. Just take a look at my daughter..."

Waving her hand, all of the icicles that were aiming at Angelica vanished out of thin air.

"...Okay."

Giving a cold glance to Angelica, Maylin added.

"Just because I'm not killing you right now doesn't mean that I won't be doing it later. I'm only doing this for her sake."

"..."

Under Maylin's pressure, Angelica kept her cool.

She wasn't a count-ranked demon for nothing. Despite the fact that she had been subjected to the power of one of the strongest people in the human domain, she was able to remain unfazed.

"Let her be Maylin."

Natasha's voice rang throughout the room as she stepped in front of Maylin. Then, turning her attention towards Angelica, she took a deep breath.

Memories of her past surfaced inside of her mind.

She could still remember getting chased and threatened by her, and it honestly frightened her. But, for the sake of looking strong for her daughter, she remained composed.

"...C.can you explain the situation?"

There was a faint tremble in her voice as she asked Angelica her question, but following that, her words became more concise and the tremble vanished.

Turning her head, she looked at Ren.

"What happened for him to turn this way?"

There was an awkward silence following her words.

"You don't have to hide anything. I can tell that it is somehow connected with my awakening."

A complicated look appeared on Angelica's face as she heard her words. It wasn't long before she eventually opened her mouth.

"You're correct."

Lowering her head, Angelica lightly glanced in Ren's direction.

"The reason why he's in that state is indeed due to the fruit that he gave you."

"I see."

Rather than being shocked, a look of understanding appeared on Natasha's face. She then turned to look at Kevin.

"If I don't remember wrongly, you previously said that if something happens to her, the boy over here will die, correct?"

"...Yes."

Kevin nodded his head as his brows furrowed.

Kevin confirm her words, Natasha pursed her lips before

the situation. I'm sure you also have

"Yeah..."

nodded from the side

to believe that Ren and the demoness

contract, there was most likely a clause that stated that neither

the room, Natasha plucked her lips outwardly. She then crossed her arms together and tapped

demoness, suffered from the backlash of the curse and as a result broke

at his sickly figure, Natasha placed her finger underneath her chin

soul is in the state that it is

from Maylin and Natasha, Angelica's eyes opened up

could even explain the situation, the two of them had already

however. One was the elven queen while the other was the wife of one of the top executives in

didn't get their jobs because of luck. They were quite competent

her hand over Ren's

can already assume that the

halted mid-sentence as she glimpsed in

the tournament we can exclude rank [I] and [II] contracts, leaving me

Natasha's analysis reached this point, her brows proceeded to knit

would mean that he would be ranked around

Ren's direction. This time her

up with a proper analysis of the situation, she suddenly realized something. And that was that the only possible way

possible? She was already shocked by the fact that her daughter had reached rank, but rank? What kind of monster was this youth

thought became even more prominent from the fact that she knew that he was around the same

she turned her head to look at Maylin, hoping that perhaps her analysis was wrong, but instead, Maylin's next words caused

like you thought, he indeed

Didn't he get eliminated from the tournament

her head

how should I say this...he

would he do

a smile, Maylin

he said that

the reasoning behind Ren's elimination, Amanda who had been

everything that happened was

mess as she felt many different things at the

After all, he did just try to sacrifice his life for the sake of

at the same time, she was

into words, but she really hated the way Ren did things. She hated

the way he did, and it was exactly because she understood

her the situation from the

Ren had never taken part

most likely didn't know about the

a feeling that the demon Ren contracted with was in fact the same demon that had

so, how he met her

why that demon had not targeted her again, but it

her eyes, Amanda bit

that Ren

but it did not discourage her. This was only natural. Especially since they hadn't known each other long enough to develop a full

"Oy!"

out of her thoughts

she saw her with her back bent and her face a few inches away from Ren's

"M...mom!"

stood up from her seat. However, her mother's following words caused her to freeze on

you're awake. You can stop

"Eh?"

hand, Natasha

"Ouch!"

***

flicked, my

saw was a familiar-looking face a couple of inches away from mine. Caught off guard by the sudden situation, I felt my cheeks warm up a little

I was able to instantly recognize the woman before me. She may have looked like Amanda at a first glance, but there was

"Looks like you're fine."

mother muttered before finally moving her head away from me. It was then that I was able to see the