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

I should take would be to heal my soul, but what if

like that, why would he reveal to me that he

'This...'

thinking, the greater the throbbing sensation in my head

whoever he was, he was definitely trying to mess

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

he had everything planned, but it was just that he was playing a psychological warfare against

Just like now.

I no longer had any idea

I heal my soul...or

fists clenched tightly. This was

quite tired, I think we need to give

voice from the distance. Turning my head, my eyes with

a brief moment neither one of us spoke.

was his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

her to face me one more time. Or rather, before that she glanced in Amanda's direction before looking back at me

Her gaze felt weird.

to you, but it looks like

head slightly, she

you for

room. Raising my head and seeing

You don't

of it was the other Ren's doing, but that didn't mean I wasn't ever planning on helping

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 to heal me, I felt compelled

"It's fine, really."

little bit awkward

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

guess we should head back now. You should

"...What about her?"

elven queen pointed in Angelica's direction. My face froze when I saw

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

as I was about to say

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

from my mouth as

way as almost everyone in the room aside from Melissa who had

shock, the elven queen

"How come?"

queen, Amanda's mother shook

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

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

Her displeasure was understandable. Being a queen, she naturally had to be more ruthless than others, and as a

of the elven queen, Amanda's

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

direction. Her brows furrowed

that I have forgiven you. Had it not been for my daughter,

eyes and letting out

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

face, Amanda's mother took a step out of the

behind. There were still obvious signs of displeasure on her

Melissa. Still mad about the words I said to rebuke her, she only gave me a casual look before

was Kevin who left after a simple

get some

to leave or not, but as soon

Clank—

that remained in the room were Angelica and

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.