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.

faces he would make if she admitted which facts made her stomach

"Melissa, let me in."

onto the barrier revolving around her, Melissa watched as ripples formed around

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

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

frown on Melissa's face tightened when she

nickname Ren uses whenever he talks

"Eh?"

confused expression spread across Kevin's face as he

doing? And what does that have to

has to do with

as her eyes

"…So?"

together, her foot began to tap

testing if the person outside was really

of her excitement about her circumstance, she was not stupid enough to

never

me within the next

grew impatient as she

"Ugh."

out a groan, Kevin's face grimaced as he eventually

"P..pushhover.."

didn't hear it

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

before

okay? Ren's nickname for

"…Sounds about right."

a button. Immediately after that, the barrier around her

out of her tent, Melissa carefully observed

Do you have any idea

answer that she wanted to know the

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

discoveries to her father if she wasn't able to

whole situation, and now that it was solved, she was a

in the midst of her thoughts, scratching the back

"…About that."

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

smiled when he

you suddenly found yourself here, I think this might

***

Bang—

I felt an intense pain aimed at

you think you're doing with all the

I felt a kick on my ribs area and my

Bang—

"Ukh."

gasped

breathed for air, I made sure

was going to get beat up, I may as well do

something hard smash against the side of my head, I

more and more

Bang—!

"Khhh."

with the person next door? "Don't worry, we'll

"Akh!"

I was suddenly dragged

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

the past, it wasn't anything worth complaining about as I

Thud—

against

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

sound of rock grating coming from the hallway, and the doors

darkness returned

sudden contact with

this sudden scenario confirmed one thing for