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.

words, Natasha pursed her lips before turning her attention back

the situation. I'm sure you

"Yeah..."

nodded from the side before

Ren and the

most likely a clause that stated that neither party could harm

then crossed her arms together and tapped onto the right side of her arm with

and the curse broke, 'she', the demoness, suffered from the backlash of the curse and as a result broke the boy broke the contract with 'her' and was thus put

at his sickly figure, Natasha placed her finger underneath

is

the analysis from Maylin and Natasha, Angelica's eyes opened

the situation, the two

while the other was the wife of one of the top executives in

jobs because of luck. They were quite competent in their

hand over Ren's forehead, Natasha further

can already assume that the contract that he

glimpsed in Angelica's direction. The

ranked between [I] and [III]. Since Amanda previously told me that he's made it past the round of sixteen of the tournament we can exclude

point, her brows proceeded to

he would be ranked around in order

once more, Natasha's head snapped in Ren's direction. This time her face had

that the only possible way for Ren to have survived

was already shocked by the fact that her daughter had

prominent from the fact that she knew that he

perhaps her analysis

you thought, he

How is that possible? Didn't he

mouth twitched. Turning her head

should I say this...he

...Why would he do

smile, Maylin

that he

Maylin were discussing the reasoning behind Ren's elimination, Amanda who had been listening throughout their

that happened was because of

a mess as she felt many different things

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

same time,

Ren did things. She hated the way that he just did things without

Ren acted the way he did, and it was exactly because she understood this that she felt

the situation

had never taken part in her mother's

about the fact

that the demon Ren contracted with was in fact the same

so, how he met her

had always wondered why that demon had not targeted her again, but it was only now that she understood

Amanda bit

became clear to her that Ren still did not trust her

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

"Oy!"

Amanda out of her thoughts was her

her head to look in the direction of where her mother was, she saw her with her back bent and her face a few inches away from Ren's

"M...mom!"

as she stood up from her seat. However, her mother's following words caused her

I can tell that you're awake.

"Eh?"

Natasha flicked Ren's

"Ouch!"

***

forehead flicked,

of inches away from mine. Caught off guard by the sudden situation, I felt my cheeks warm up

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."

her head away from me. It was then that I was able to see the current situation in the room, and when I did,