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 was truly like that, then it meant that my every

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

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

'This...'

I started thinking, the greater the throbbing sensation in my head

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

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

was just that he was playing

Just like now.

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

I heal my

fists clenched tightly. This was definitely

tired, I think we need to

heard a sweet voice from

us

his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

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

Her gaze felt weird.

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

head slightly,

you. Thank you for what you

Raising my head and seeing that she still had her

don't have to mention

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

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

"It's fine, really."

a little bit awkward about the

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

we should head back now. You should definitely get some

"...What about her?"

elven queen pointed

them, I had no idea about what had happened whilst I was asleep. My heart

I was about to say something, Amanda's

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

my mouth as I

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

from the shock, the elven

"How come?"

elven queen, Amanda's mother shook her

boy, I mean Ren, all I

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

a queen, she naturally had

the direction of the elven queen, Amanda's mother

demon, to begin with. She was just following orders. The people I should be angry about should be

looked in Angelica's direction. Her

get me 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

eyes and letting out

for being careless. Had I been more attentive, none

Amanda's mother took a step out of

of displeasure on her

to leave was Melissa. Still mad about the words

who left after a simple

should get

Amanda also left. She looked uncertain about whether to leave or not, but as soon as her eyes paused on Angelica, she quickly made up her mind and also bid me

Clank—

only people that remained in the room were Angelica and I.

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.