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

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

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

'This...'

thinking, the greater the

he was, he was

I had never been able

had everything planned, but it was just that

Just like now.

had said, I no longer had any idea how

I heal

This was

tired, I think we

a sweet voice from the distance. Turning my head, my eyes with Amanda's

our eyes met, for a brief moment neither one of us spoke. Then, turning her

his

"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

Her gaze felt weird.

Ren, there are many things that I want to say to you, but it looks like you're in no condition for it, so

her head slightly,

for what

Raising my head and seeing that she still had her head lowered, I pursed my

You don't have to

the other Ren's doing, but that didn't mean I wasn't ever planning on helping her. It was just that it would've taken a

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

"It's fine, really."

a little

for a good while. Then, with a soft smile

we should head back now.

"...What about her?"

queen pointed in Angelica's direction. My

what had happened whilst I was asleep. My heart tensed when I

about to say something, Amanda's

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

my mouth

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

shock,

"How come?"

elven queen, Amanda's mother shook her

now contracted to that boy, I mean Ren, all I would be doing is adding trouble to the person who saved

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

naturally had to be more ruthless than others, and as a sovereign, being lenient towards

elven queen, Amanda's mother merely shrugged her

demon, to begin with. She was just following orders. The people

direction. Her brows furrowed a

you. Had it not been for my daughter, I would've loved

words, closing her eyes and letting out

my fault for being careless. Had I been more attentive,

a soft smile on her face, Amanda's mother took a step out of

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

Melissa. Still mad about the words I said to rebuke her,

who left

get some

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—

that remained in the room were Angelica and I.

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.