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

"Melissa, let me in."

revolving around her, Melissa

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

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

face tightened when she heard

uses whenever he talks with

"Eh?"

across Kevin's face as

doing? And what does that

do with a

replied as her

"…So?"

arms together, her foot began to

was testing if the person

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

never went

within the next

she saw

"Ugh."

groan, Kevin's face

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear it

her ear, Melissa leaned her body forward. Her

tightly before he glared

okay? Ren's nickname

"…Sounds about right."

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

her tent, Melissa

have any idea about

was the answer that she wanted to

was actually quite happy with the fact that there

rub her new discoveries to her

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

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

"…About that."

of Kevin's sudden strange behavior,

smiled when he saw

you suddenly found yourself here, I think this might have

***

Bang—

on the floor, I felt an intense

do you think you're doing with all the banging on the

a kick on my ribs area and my body

Bang—

"Ukh."

out a groan, I heavily gasped

air, I made sure to breathe in a

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

smash against the

and more of

Bang—!

"Khhh."

that we are unaware you are communicating with

"Akh!"

I was suddenly dragged out of

closed, I still felt a burning sensation in my eyes as I was pulled by my hair out of

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

Thud—

smashed against the

see you pull any shit like that again,

rock grating coming from the hallway, and

that the darkness

contact with the light had truly

any case, this sudden scenario confirmed one