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

I should take would be to heal my

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 throbbing sensation

whoever he was, he was definitely trying to mess

so that I finally realized why I had never been able to

had everything planned, but it was

Just like now.

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

I heal

This was definitely

tired, I think we need to give him some

from

us spoke. Then, turning her head, she looked toward the

his name

"Ren."

The queen answered.

that she glanced in Amanda's direction before

Her gaze felt weird.

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

her head slightly,

Thank you for what

my head and seeing that she still had her head lowered,

fine. You don't have to mention

but that didn't mean I wasn't ever planning on helping her. It

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

"It's fine, really."

answered back, feeling a little bit awkward

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

we should head back now. You should definitely get some

"...What about her?"

leave, the elven queen pointed

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

to

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

escaped from my mouth as I heard her

the only one that reacted this way as almost everyone in the room aside from Melissa

from the shock, the elven queen

"How come?"

elven queen, Amanda's

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

not been for her. We don't have to kill her, but we can still lock

obviously displeased by Amanda's mother's words. Her displeasure was understandable. Being a queen, she naturally had to be more ruthless than others, and as a

the direction of the elven queen,

was just following orders. The people I should

Angelica's direction. Her brows

have forgiven you. Had it not been for my daughter, I would've loved nothing more but

her words, closing her eyes and letting out a

my fault for being careless. Had I been more attentive, none of

mother took a step out

There were still obvious signs of displeasure on her face, but it didn't look like

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

Melissa, it was Kevin who

should get some

but as soon as her eyes

Clank—

that remained in the room were Angelica and I. Lifting my head up with some

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.