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 every

would be to heal my soul, but what if

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

'This...'

greater

whoever he was, he was definitely trying to mess up

I had never been

but it was just that

Just like now.

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

heal

fists clenched tightly. This was definitely not a

we need

heard a sweet voice from the distance. Turning my

eyes met, for a brief moment neither one of us spoke.

his

"Ren."

The queen answered.

mother turned her to face me one more time. Or rather, before that she glanced in Amanda's direction before looking back

Her gaze felt weird.

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

her head

Thank you for what

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

don't have to

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

you were willing to dispose of something so precious in order to heal me, but after seeing the sacrifice you've made just to

"It's fine, really."

little bit

good while. Then,

should head back now. You should definitely

"...What about her?"

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

everything to them, I had no idea about what

was about to say something, Amanda's

"Leave her be."

"Huh?"

from my mouth as I

almost everyone in the room aside from Melissa who

the shock, the elven queen

"How come?"

answering the elven queen, Amanda's mother

Ren,

have happened had it not been for her. We

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

the direction of the elven

a demon, to begin with. She was just following orders. The people I should be angry about should be the ones behind her.

in Angelica's direction.

have forgiven you. Had it not been for

and

my fault for being careless. Had I been more attentive, none

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

obvious signs of displeasure on

mad about the words I said to rebuke her, she only

Melissa, it was Kevin who left

get some

leave or not, but as soon as

Clank—

people that remained in the room were Angelica and

"Rough day, huh?"

***

Issanor, infirmary.