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.

that, then it meant that my every move was being

speaking, the logical direction that I should take would be to heal my soul, but what if that was also part of

wanted me to heal my soul? ...but if it was truly like that, why would he reveal to me that he had purposely damaged my soul so that he could

'This...'

greater the

or whoever he was, he was definitely trying to mess up the way I

realized why I had

was just that he

Just like now.

that he had said, I

I heal my soul...or

fists clenched tightly. This was definitely not a pleasant

tired, I think we need

thought, I suddenly heard a sweet voice from the distance. Turning my head, my eyes with Amanda's

us spoke. Then, turning her head, she looked

his name

"Ren."

The queen answered.

face me one more time. Or rather, before that she glanced in Amanda's direction before looking back at me with a strange look

Her gaze felt weird.

that I want to say to you, but it looks like you're in no condition for it, so I

her head slightly,

Thank you for what you did

Raising my head and seeing that she still

don't have to

that didn't mean I wasn't ever planning on helping her. It was just that it would've taken a lot

willing to dispose of something so precious in order to heal me, but after seeing the sacrifice you've made just to heal me, I felt compelled to do

"It's fine, really."

feeling a little bit awkward about

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

guess we should head back now. You should definitely

"...What about her?"

about to leave, the elven queen pointed in Angelica's direction.

when she revealed everything to them, I had no idea about what had happened whilst I was asleep. My heart tensed when I saw the elven queen stare at

to say something, Amanda's mother

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

strange sound escaped from my mouth as

that reacted this way as almost everyone in the room aside from Melissa who had no idea about

the shock, the

"How come?"

the elven queen, Amanda's mother shook her

she's now contracted to that boy, I mean Ren, all I would be doing is adding

her. We don't have to kill her, but we can still

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

the elven queen, Amanda's mother merely

orders. The people I should be angry about should be the ones behind her. Not

she looked in Angelica's direction. Her brows

wrong, just because I'm not acting up doesn't mean that I have forgiven you. Had it not been for my daughter, I would've loved nothing more

words, closing her eyes and

for being careless. Had I been

soft smile on her face, Amanda's mother took a

elven queen followed from behind. There were still obvious signs of displeasure on her face, but it

their disappearance, the next one to leave was Melissa. Still mad about the words I said to rebuke her,

Kevin who left after a

get

also left. She looked uncertain about whether to leave or not, but as soon as her eyes

Clank—

the room were Angelica and I. Lifting my head

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.