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.

truly like that, then it meant that my

to heal my soul, but what if that was also part of the

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

'This...'

the greater the throbbing sensation

other Ren, entity, or whoever he was, he was definitely trying to mess

had never been able to

that he had everything planned, but it was just

Just like now.

everything that he had said, I no longer

heal my soul...or

tightly. This was definitely not a

we

suddenly heard a sweet voice from the distance. Turning my

one of us spoke. Then, turning her

his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

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

Her gaze felt weird.

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

her head

you. Thank you for what

the room. Raising my

don't have to mention

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

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

"It's fine, really."

feeling a little bit awkward about

a good while. Then, with a soft smile on her face, she headed for the

head back now. You should definitely get some

"...What about her?"

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

I had not yet woken up 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

as I was about to say something, Amanda's mother spoke

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

strange sound escaped from my mouth as I heard her

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

the shock, the elven

"How come?"

of answering the elven queen, Amanda's

Ren, all I would be doing is adding trouble to the person

never have happened had it not been for her. We don't have to kill her, but we can still lock her

she naturally had to

the direction of the elven queen, Amanda's mother merely

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

Angelica's direction. Her brows furrowed

not been for my daughter, I would've loved nothing more but to have followed Maylin's

and letting

careless. Had I been more attentive,

mother took

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

the words I said to rebuke her, she only gave me

Melissa, it was Kevin who left after a

get some

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

Clank—

doors closed, the only people that remained in the room were Angelica and I. Lifting my head up

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.