The Author's POV

"I wonder what will happen when I combine the two together."

Melissa cheerfully hummed as she mixed a couple of herbs in a small pot.

The situation would've frightened any normal person, and they would've frantically tried to find an escape from this strange planet, but…

Melissa was different.

Her attachment to earth was quite frankly nonexistent. Neither she nor her family liked each other.

Her staff didn't like her, and she didn't like them.

…maybe there were her friends there, but could she really even call them friends? Maybe? Well, it didn't matter.

At the end of the day, what Melissa cared for the most was research.

The way she presented herself made it seem as though she was troubled with all the work she was doing, which was true. There was no doubt that she was overworked, but it did not mean, however, that she disliked what she was doing.

In fact, she loved it.

Trying new things and proving her father wrong was a lifelong passion of hers that she would never trade for anything else.

Just thinking of his salty face...

"Yeah, I love research~"

The fact that she found herself on a new planet, with its new vegetation and surroundings, only served to arouse her excitement.

Thinking about all the different combinations she could make by extracting the essence of the different plants around her…

"Mhmhm~ Isn't this the best?"

Stirring the pot in front of her, Melissa's smile grew wider.

Rustle—!

The sound of rustling caught Melissa's attention. Her head snapped to the direction where the sound originated.

The space surrounding her started to distort, allowing her to get a clear sight of what lay beyond the barrier she set up.

"Who's there!?"

She raised her voice and stood up. A series of different cards and spheres appeared in her hand.

Mana circulated from out of her body, covering the area around her.

'Shit, how is it possible for my barrier to have been found out?'

It must be noted that she set up an extremely high barrier. It was something she had paid a lot of money for since she was planning to leave the human realm to collect samples of different plants.

Who would've thought it would come in so handy. In any case, Melissa's expression turned extremely solemn as she understood that for someone or something to have already seen through its camouflage, that person was extremely skilled.

"Hold on."

It was at that moment that Melissa heard a familiar voice coming from the distance as she lowered her hands a little.

Right then, Melissa was able to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure who was looking at her strangely.

"Kevin?"

Spotting the figure, Melissa immediately recognized him.

Well, it wasn't that hard. There weren't that many people as handsome as him.

Maybe Jin.

…and definitely not Ren.

Although he did seem to have become a lot more handsome than in the past.

Not that Melissa would openly admit it.

would make if she

"Melissa, let me in."

the barrier revolving around her, Melissa

Kevin, Melissa didn't answer immediately. Instead, she squinted her eyes and carefully observed

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

when she heard

the nickname Ren uses whenever he talks

"Eh?"

confused expression spread across Kevin's face as he looked

what does that have to do with

has to do with a

as her

"…So?"

foot began

if the person outside

excitement about her circumstance, she was not stupid enough to invite anyone

guard never

you don't answer me within the next minute, I'll keep

as she saw Kevin's struggling

"Ugh."

Kevin's face grimaced as he

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear it

her hand behind her ear, Melissa leaned her body forward.

his fists tightly before he

Ren's nickname for me is

"…Sounds about right."

a button. Immediately after that, the barrier around her tent quickly started to disappear and Kevin

of her tent, Melissa

you have any idea about what's going

the answer that she wanted to

with the fact that

discoveries to her father if she wasn't

and now that it

the midst of her thoughts, scratching

"…About that."

note of Kevin's sudden strange behavior, Melissa's head

smiled when

you suddenly found yourself here, I think this might have to

***

Bang—

I felt an intense

think you're doing with all the banging on

ribs area and my

Bang—

"Ukh."

gasped for

this, as I heavily breathed for air, I made

was going to get beat up, I

hard smash against the side of my head,

becoming more and more of

Bang—!

"Khhh."

are unaware you are communicating with the person next door?

"Akh!"

was suddenly dragged out of my

I still felt a burning sensation in my eyes as I was pulled by my

wasn't anything worth complaining about as I was soon thrown back into a

Thud—

against

and stay over here. If I see you pull any shit like that again, I'll kill

echoing sound of rock grating coming from the hallway, and

important thing was that the darkness returned and my eyes were once

contact with the light had truly

scenario confirmed