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.

like that, then it meant that my every move was

the logical direction that I should take would be to heal

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

'This...'

started thinking, the greater the throbbing sensation

was, he was definitely

finally realized why I had

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

Just like now.

he had said, I no longer had

I heal my soul...or

my fists clenched tightly. This was

looks quite tired, I think we need to give

in thought, I suddenly heard a sweet voice from the distance. Turning

brief moment neither one of us spoke. Then, turning her head, she looked

was his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

time. Or rather, before that she glanced in Amanda's

Her gaze felt weird.

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

head slightly, she

for what you did for

enveloped the room. Raising my head and seeing that she still had her head lowered, I

You don't

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

I would still like to thank you. I was already grateful for the fact that you were willing to dispose of something so precious

"It's fine, really."

answered back, feeling a little bit awkward about the

for a good while. Then, with a soft smile on

guess we should head back

"...What about her?"

as she was about to leave, the elven queen pointed in Angelica's direction. My face froze when I

revealed everything to them, I had no idea about what had

as I was about to say something,

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

from my mouth as I heard

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

from the shock,

"How come?"

elven queen, Amanda's mother

that boy, I mean Ren, all I would be doing

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

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

in the direction of the elven

orders. The people I should be angry

she looked in Angelica's direction. Her brows furrowed

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 nothing

closing her eyes and

careless. Had I been more attentive, none of this

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

were still obvious signs of displeasure on her face, but it didn't look like she would go against Amanda's mother's

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

Kevin who left

get

to leave or not, but as soon as her eyes paused on Angelica, she quickly made

Clank—

in the room were Angelica and I. Lifting my head up with some difficulty, I bitterly

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.