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.

was truly like that, then it meant that my every

should take would be to heal my soul, but

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

'This...'

I started thinking, the greater the

Ren, entity, or whoever he was, he was definitely trying to mess up the

I finally realized why I had never been able to get the upper hand over

he had everything planned, but it was just that he

Just like now.

of everything that he had said, I no longer had any idea how

I heal

fists clenched tightly. This was

tired, I think we need to give him some

heard a sweet voice from the

moment neither one of us spoke.

his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

mother turned her to face me one more time. Or rather, before that she glanced in Amanda's

Her gaze felt weird.

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

her head slightly, she

Thank you for what you did for

enveloped the room. Raising my head and seeing that she still had

don't have to mention

I wasn't ever planning on helping her. It

grateful for the fact that you were willing to dispose of something so

"It's fine, really."

back, feeling a little bit

head, Amanda's mother's eyes paused on Amanda for a good while. Then, with a soft smile on her face, she headed for

I guess we should head back

"...What about her?"

elven queen pointed in Angelica's direction. My

I had not yet woken up when she revealed everything to them, I had no idea about what

about to say something, Amanda's mother spoke

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

strange sound escaped from my

in the room aside from Melissa who had no idea about what was

shock, the elven

"How come?"

queen, Amanda's mother shook her

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

was understandable. Being a queen, she naturally had to be

in the direction of the elven queen, Amanda's mother merely shrugged her

was just following orders. The people I should be angry about should be the ones

she looked in Angelica's direction.

have forgiven you. Had it not been for my daughter, I would've loved

and letting out

Had I been more attentive, none of this would've

mother took a step out of the room and

of displeasure on her face, but it didn't look like she would go

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

was Kevin who left after a

get some

as soon as her eyes paused on Angelica, she quickly made up her mind

Clank—

the room were Angelica and I. Lifting my head

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.