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.

mere thought of the faces he would make if she admitted which facts made

"Melissa, let me in."

the barrier revolving around her, Melissa watched as ripples

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

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

frown on Melissa's face tightened when she heard him

the nickname Ren uses whenever he talks

"Eh?"

Kevin's

And what does that have to do

has to do with a

replied as

"…So?"

her arms together, her foot began to tap

if the

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

guard never went

within the next minute, I'll keep you

impatient as she saw Kevin's

"Ugh."

out a groan, Kevin's face grimaced

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear

her ear, Melissa leaned her body forward.

fists tightly before he glared in her direction and raised

nickname for me is

"…Sounds about right."

he was indeed Kevin, Melissa walked toward the cabin and pressed a button. Immediately after that, the barrier around

of her tent, Melissa

you have any idea

answer that she wanted to know

show it externally, she was actually quite happy with the fact

to

situation, and now that it was solved, she was a lot more

of her thoughts, scratching the back of his

"…About that."

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

smiled when

yourself here, I think this might have to do

***

Bang—

floor, I felt

with all the banging

ribs area and my body flew toward the other side of the

Bang—

"Ukh."

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

of this, as I heavily breathed for air, I made sure to breathe in

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

felt something hard smash against the side of my head, I

truly becoming more and more

Bang—!

"Khhh."

with the person next door? "Don't

"Akh!"

hair, I was suddenly dragged out of

closed, I still felt a burning sensation in my

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

Thud—

smashed against the hard

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

was an echoing sound of rock grating coming from

important thing was that the darkness returned and my

cheeks. The sudden contact with the light had truly

this sudden scenario confirmed one thing