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

be to heal my

like that, why would he

'This...'

the greater

was definitely trying to mess

realized why I had never been able to

that he had everything planned, but it was

Just like now.

of everything that he had said, I

I heal

tightly. This was definitely not a pleasant

quite tired, I think we need

thought, I suddenly heard a sweet voice from the

us

was 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 a strange look on

Her gaze felt weird.

there are many things that I want to say to you, but it looks like

head slightly, she

you for

moment of time, silence enveloped the room. Raising my head

fine. You don't have to

of it was 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

dispose of something so precious in order to heal me, but after seeing the sacrifice you've made just to heal me, I felt compelled to do

"It's fine, really."

a little bit awkward

paused on Amanda for a good while.

back now. You should definitely get some

"...What about her?"

leave, the elven queen pointed in Angelica's direction. My face froze

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

to say

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

escaped from my mouth

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

shock, the elven

"How come?"

queen, Amanda's mother

Since she's now contracted to that boy, I mean Ren, all I

We don't

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

of the elven queen,

The people I

Angelica's direction. Her brows furrowed

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

her words, closing her eyes and letting out a

Had I been more

face, Amanda's mother

followed from behind. There were still obvious signs of displeasure on her face, but it didn't look like

next one to leave was Melissa. Still mad about the words I

was Kevin who left after a

should get some

about whether to leave or not, but as soon

Clank—

remained in the room were Angelica and I.

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.