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.

he would make if she admitted which facts

"Melissa, let me in."

her, Melissa

at Kevin, Melissa didn't answer immediately. Instead, she squinted her

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

when she heard

uses

"Eh?"

confused expression spread across Kevin's

you doing? And what does that have to do with

has to do with

as

"…So?"

arms together, her foot began

if the person

her circumstance, she was not

guard never went

you don't answer me within the next

grew impatient as she saw Kevin's struggling

"Ugh."

a groan, Kevin's face grimaced as he eventually

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear it

ear, Melissa leaned her body forward. Her hair fell toward

before he glared

okay? Ren's nickname for me is

"…Sounds about right."

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

out of her tent, Melissa

Do you have any idea

answer that she wanted

quite happy with the fact that there was hope for her to return

would she rub her new discoveries to

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

Melissa was in the midst of her thoughts, scratching the back of his head, Kevin apologetically looked at

"…About that."

behavior, Melissa's head snapped to

wryly smiled when he saw

why you suddenly found yourself here, I

***

Bang—

floor, I felt an

do you think you're doing with all the

a kick on my ribs area

Bang—

"Ukh."

a groan, I heavily gasped for air. The pain…it

breathed for air, I made sure to breathe in a

I was going to get beat up, I may

something hard smash against the side of my head, I

and more of a

Bang—!

"Khhh."

we are unaware you are communicating with the person next door? "Don't worry, we'll

"Akh!"

my hair, I was suddenly dragged out of my

my eyes closed, I still felt a burning sensation in my eyes

past, it wasn't anything worth complaining about as I was soon thrown back into

Thud—

smashed against the

I see you pull any

rock grating coming from the hallway,

darkness returned and my eyes were once

my cheeks. The sudden contact with

sudden scenario confirmed one thing for