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."

barrier revolving around her, Melissa watched as ripples formed around

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

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

on Melissa's face tightened when she heard him call

nickname Ren uses whenever he talks

"Eh?"

Kevin's face as he looked

does

do with a

replied as her

"…So?"

foot

she was testing if the person outside was

she was not stupid enough to

never went

within the next minute, I'll keep

grew impatient as she saw Kevin's

"Ugh."

a groan, Kevin's face grimaced as he

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear

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

Melissa, Kevin clenched his fists tightly before

okay? Ren's nickname

"…Sounds about right."

cabin and pressed a button. Immediately after that, the barrier around her tent quickly started to disappear and Kevin was finally able to come

tent, Melissa carefully

any idea

the answer that she wanted to know the

happy with

discoveries to

her biggest grip; with the whole situation, and now that it was solved, she

midst of her thoughts, scratching

"…About that."

note of Kevin's sudden strange behavior, Melissa's head snapped to face

when

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

***

Bang—

on the floor, I felt

do you think you're doing with

ribs area and

Bang—

"Ukh."

heavily gasped for air. The pain…it was

heavily breathed for air, I made sure to breathe in a

up, I may as well do it

I felt something hard smash against the side

truly becoming more and more of a

Bang—!

"Khhh."

we are unaware you are communicating with

"Akh!"

grasp my hair, I was suddenly dragged out of my

burning sensation in my eyes as I was pulled by my hair out

in the past, it wasn't anything worth complaining

Thud—

against

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

sound of rock grating coming from the hallway, and

thing was that the darkness returned and my eyes were

cheeks. The sudden contact with the light had truly messed up my

this sudden scenario confirmed one thing