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.

Natasha pursed her

think I get the gist of the situation. I'm sure

"Yeah..."

nodded from the side

to believe that Ren and the demoness over here have signed a

there was most likely a clause that stated that neither party could harm the

ceiling of the room, Natasha plucked her lips outwardly. She then crossed

from the backlash of the curse and as

sickly figure, Natasha

also explains why his soul is in the state that it is

from Maylin and Natasha, Angelica's eyes

situation, the two of them had

that surprised by this, however. One was the elven queen while the other was the wife of one of the top executives in the

get their jobs because of luck. They were quite competent in their

Ren's forehead,

he is still alive, we can already

Natasha's words halted mid-sentence as she glimpsed in Angelica's direction. The pause was brief, as she

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

this point,

he would be ranked around in order

Ren's direction. This time her face had a

that the only possible way for Ren to have survived the situation was for him to

that her daughter had reached rank,

that she

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

thought, he

possible? Didn't he get

her head to the side, she softly

I say this...he eliminated

...Why would he do

smile,

said that

the reasoning behind Ren's elimination, Amanda who had been listening throughout their whole time, powerlessly sat back down

happened

currently a mess as she

hand, she was grateful and even touched by what Ren did. After all, he did just try to sacrifice

the same time, she was also

way Ren did things. She hated the way that he just did things without caring about himself or

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

the situation from the

unreasonable. Ren had never taken part in

exactly sure, she could tell that Ren most likely didn't know about the fact that the demon he had contracted with

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

he met her

but it was only now that

eyes, Amanda bit her

Ren still

not discourage her. This was only natural. Especially since they

"Oy!"

out of her thoughts was her mother's

her head to look in the direction of where her mother was, she saw her

"M...mom!"

at the sight as she stood up from her seat. However, her mother's following words caused her to freeze

tell that you're awake.

"Eh?"

her hand, Natasha

"Ouch!"

***

my forehead flicked, my

of inches away from mine. Caught off guard by the sudden situation, I felt my cheeks warm up a little as a bitter smile appeared on

me. She may have looked like

"Looks like you're fine."

moving her head away from me. It was then that I was able to see the current