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.

then it meant that my

should take would be to heal my soul, but what if that was also part of

would he reveal to me that he had purposely damaged my soul so that he

'This...'

thinking, the greater the

was, he was definitely

I finally realized why I had never been

it was just that

Just like now.

everything that he had said, I no longer had

I heal

fists clenched tightly. This

quite tired, I think we need to

a sweet voice from the distance. Turning my

for a brief moment neither one of us spoke. Then, turning her head, she looked toward the

his name

"Ren."

The queen answered.

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

Her gaze felt weird.

say to you, but it

her head

you. Thank you for

of time, silence enveloped the room. Raising my head and seeing that she still had her head

fine. You don't have to

mean I wasn't ever planning on helping her.

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

"It's fine, really."

feeling a little bit awkward about

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

head back now. You should definitely get

"...What about her?"

as she was about to leave, the elven queen pointed in Angelica's

she revealed everything to them, I had no idea about what had happened whilst I was asleep.

about to

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

strange sound escaped from my mouth as I

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

from the shock,

"How come?"

the elven queen, Amanda's mother shook her

is no point. Since she's now contracted to that boy, I mean Ren, all I would be

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

a queen, she naturally had to be more ruthless than others,

the elven queen,

with. She was just following orders. The people I should

in Angelica's direction. Her brows

mean that I have forgiven you. Had it not been for

eyes and letting out a sigh, she

I been more attentive, none of

smile on her face, Amanda's mother took

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

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

Kevin who left

should get

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. Lifting my head up with some difficulty,

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.