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.

pursed her lips before turning

get the gist of the situation. I'm sure you also have an idea

"Yeah..."

the side before

enough evidence to believe that Ren and the demoness over here

the contract, 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 her arms

the fruit 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

sickly figure,

why his soul is in

and

situation, the two of them had already figured everything

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

luck. They

over Ren's forehead, Natasha further

we can already

halted mid-sentence as she glimpsed in Angelica's

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

Natasha's analysis reached this point, her brows proceeded

he would be ranked around in

snapped in Ren's direction. This time her face

the only

was already shocked by the fact that her daughter had reached rank, but

even more prominent from the fact that she

mouth hung open as she turned her head to look at Maylin, hoping that perhaps her analysis was

you thought, he indeed rank is

that possible? Didn't he get eliminated from the

Turning her head

how should I

...Why would he

a smile,

he said that he

Ren's elimination, Amanda who had been listening throughout their

happened

as she felt many different things at the

she was grateful and even touched by what Ren did. After all, he did just try to sacrifice his life for the sake of her

at the same time, she

She hated

did, and it was exactly

her the situation from the

unreasonable. Ren had never taken part in her mother's

that Ren most likely didn't know about the fact that the

in fact the same demon that had contracted with Elijah, the

how he

again, but it was only now

her eyes, Amanda bit her

to her that Ren still

since they hadn't known each other long enough to

"Oy!"

her thoughts was her mother's

she saw her with her back bent and her face a few inches

"M...mom!"

immediately became flustered at the sight as she stood up from her seat. However, her mother's following

I can tell that you're awake. You

"Eh?"

Natasha flicked Ren's

"Ouch!"

***

flicked, my eyes

I 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 as a bitter smile appeared

the woman before me. She may have

"Looks like you're fine."

was able to see the current situation in the room, and when I did, I almost