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.

thought of the faces he would make if she admitted which

"Melissa, let me in."

onto the barrier revolving around her, Melissa

answer immediately. Instead, she squinted her eyes and carefully

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

face tightened when she heard him call

Ren uses whenever he talks with

"Eh?"

expression spread across Kevin's face

you doing? And what does

do with a

as her

"…So?"

her arms together, her foot

testing if the person outside

spite of her excitement about her circumstance, she was not

never

within the next minute, I'll

grew impatient as she saw Kevin's struggling

"Ugh."

out a groan, Kevin's face

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear

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

Melissa, Kevin clenched his fists tightly before he glared in her direction

nickname for me

"…Sounds about right."

that, the barrier around her tent quickly started to disappear

out of her tent, Melissa carefully observed

any idea about what's going

was the answer that she wanted to

was actually quite happy with the

would she rub her new discoveries to her father

with the whole situation, and now that it was solved, she was

in the midst of her thoughts, scratching the back of his head, Kevin apologetically

"…About that."

behavior,

wryly smiled when

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

***

Bang—

the floor, I felt an intense pain

you think you're doing with all

as I felt a kick on my ribs area and my body flew toward the other side of

Bang—

"Ukh."

groan, I heavily gasped

heavily breathed for air, I made

beat up, I may as well do

against the side of my head, I bitterly

more and more

Bang—!

"Khhh."

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

"Akh!"

something grasp my hair, I was suddenly dragged out of

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

what I had experienced in the past, it wasn't anything worth complaining about as I was

Thud—

against

over here. If I see you pull any shit like that

an echoing sound of rock grating coming from the hallway,

was that the darkness

on my cheeks. The sudden contact with the light had truly

case, this sudden scenario confirmed one thing for