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.

make if she admitted which facts

"Melissa, let me in."

revolving around her, Melissa watched as ripples formed around

Kevin, Melissa didn't answer immediately. Instead,

"Hmm…"

"Melissa?"

Melissa's face tightened when she heard him

Ren uses whenever he talks

"Eh?"

expression spread across Kevin's face as he looked

you doing? And what does that have to do with

do

replied as her

"…So?"

her arms together, her foot began to tap on

she was testing if the person outside was really

was not stupid enough to invite anyone who looked like

guard never

you don't answer me within the next minute,

impatient as she saw Kevin's

"Ugh."

groan, Kevin's face grimaced

"P..pushhover.."

I didn't hear it

Melissa leaned her

clenched his fists tightly before he glared in her direction and

okay? Ren's nickname for me is

"…Sounds about right."

that, the barrier around her tent quickly started to disappear and Kevin was finally able

of her tent, Melissa carefully

any idea about

was the answer that she wanted

she didn't show it externally, she was actually quite happy with the fact that there was hope for her

her new discoveries to her father if she wasn't

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

Melissa was in the midst of her thoughts, scratching the back

"…About that."

strange behavior, Melissa's head snapped to face him

when he

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

***

Bang—

I felt an

think you're doing with all the banging

sinister voice echoed out as I felt a kick on my ribs area and my body flew toward the other

Bang—

"Ukh."

out a groan, I heavily gasped

heavily breathed for air, I

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

smash against the side of my head,

truly becoming more and more of

Bang—!

"Khhh."

unaware you are communicating with the person

"Akh!"

I was suddenly

eyes closed, I still felt a burning sensation in

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

Thud—

smashed against

see you pull any shit like that again, I'll

coming from the hallway, and the doors immediately

important thing was that the darkness

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

case, this sudden scenario