The Author's POV

'Ugh, I just woke up and this is the situation I find myself in.'

Melissa alone was enough to give me a headache, but the fact that almost everyone was here increased the pain in my head. Leaning back on the bed and dully staring at the ceiling of the room, for a moment I wished to slip back into a coma.

Would rather have that than be in this type of situation.

Unfortunately, this was only wishful thinking on my part as following Melissa's words, everyone's head snapped in my direction.

I could only bitterly smile at the sight.

"What are you looking at me for?"

Raising my hand, I pointed in Melissa's direction.

"Don't listen to anything she says. Especially when she's part of the harem."

"Huh?"

This time it was Melissa's turn to feel what I felt as everyone turned to look at her with strange looks on their faces.

Opening her eyes widely, Melissa glared at me.

Sensing her gaze, I slowly mouthed with my mouth.

'Trying to ruin me? I'll drag you down with me.'

As soon as I said those words, I could vividly see the side of Melissa's cheeks tense. I smirked when I saw this.

'That's right, I may have lost the battle, but I won the war.'

Like hell, I would ever let Melissa one-up me.

"Khh..."

Just as things were getting heated between Melissa and me, yet again, a throbbing pain coursed through my body, prompting me to let out a groan.

This instantly attracted the attention of everyone present.

As she was already seated next to me, the first one to help me was Amanda who worriedly asked.

"Are you okay?"

"...Somewhat."

I replied with a forced smile. To be honest, I was anything but fine. Although I had survived, the damage that my soul took was significant.

'I need to find something to heal my soul.'

Though extremely rare, there were definitely ways to heal someone's soul.

The damage to my soul wasn't to the extent that it would affect me in any way, but looking back at what just happened, I felt that I needed to somehow find a way to heal my soul.

The sense of discomfort that it brought wasn't something I quite liked.

Just as I was about to make my mind up about how to heal my soul, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

'Wait, what if this has also been planned by him?'

At this realization, my body froze completely.

Ever since meeting the other Ren, or to be more precise, the entity inside of my body, he had always been acting in a way that made it seem as though everything was going according to how he planned.

...and so far, it seemed to be true.

Everything that had happened to me seemed to have already been planned beforehand by someone. From the incident back at the hotel with Matthew to the dome incident. Everything just felt so warped and altered that made me think of the possibility of it being something that the other entity had planned.

It was only a hypothesis for now, but it wasn't one that I was willing to discard.

it meant that my every move was

would be to heal

it was truly like that, why would he reveal to me that

'This...'

thinking, the greater the throbbing sensation in my

he was, he was definitely

that I finally realized why I had never been able

he had everything planned, but it was just

Just like now.

he had said, I no

I heal

tightly. This was definitely not a

quite tired, I think we need to give him some

heard a sweet voice from the distance. Turning my head, my eyes

moment neither one of us spoke. Then, turning her head, she looked toward

was his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

before that she glanced in Amanda's

Her gaze felt weird.

you, but it

head

for what you

my head and seeing that she still had

You don't

the other Ren's doing, but that didn't mean I wasn't ever

you. I was already grateful for the fact that you were willing to dispose of something so precious in order to heal me, but after seeing the sacrifice you've made just

"It's fine, really."

a little bit awkward about the

eyes paused on Amanda for a good while. Then, with a soft smile

head back now. You should definitely get some

"...What about her?"

about to leave, the elven queen pointed in

I had no idea about what had happened whilst I was asleep. My heart tensed when I saw the elven queen stare

about to say something, Amanda's mother spoke

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

sound escaped from my mouth as I

everyone in the room aside from Melissa who had

from the shock, the elven

"How come?"

elven queen, Amanda's mother shook her

now contracted to that boy, I mean Ren, all I would be doing is

never have happened had it not been for her. We don't have

Amanda's mother's words. Her displeasure was understandable. Being a queen, she naturally had to be more ruthless than others, and as a sovereign, being lenient towards enemies

in the direction of the elven

to begin with. She was just following orders. The people

in Angelica's direction. Her brows furrowed

up doesn't mean that I have forgiven you. Had it not been for

her eyes and letting out a sigh,

my fault for being careless. Had I

Amanda's mother took a step out of the room and

queen followed from behind. There were still obvious signs of displeasure on her face, but it didn't look like she would

leave was Melissa. Still mad about the words I

Kevin who left after a

get some

whether to leave or not, but as soon as her eyes paused

Clank—

the room were Angelica and I. Lifting

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.