The Author's POV

"What a pitiful child."

My vision returned to what it was prior to the visions after the demon took his hand from Melissa's head.

I didn't know exactly how long had passed, but during the time where I was looking through Melissa's memories, it felt as if years had passed by...of course, I knew that it was only my imagination.

Thud—!

During the time that my vision returned, Melissa fell to the ground on both knees. Her complexion looked rather pale as what seemed to be tears flowed down the sides of her eyes.

I couldn't blame her.

Relieving what she was desperately trying to hide and forget, and knowing that the closest people she knew were also watching her deepest secrets...

'Shit.'

I could tell exactly what she was feeling.

Lowering his body, the demon stood at eye level with her.

Patting her head, he gently spoke to her.

"Your life is truly hard. You wanted to make your father proud throughout your entire childhood, but no matter what you did, he never satisfied you."

"Even when you excelled in a different field, he ignored you and only cared about your achievements in the combat field...yet, you had no talent for it, but you knew this..."

"Of course, you knew this. You're a smart child after all, am I right?"

Melissa's body trembled as the demon's gentle words echoed throughout. Slowly, she started to nod her head.

'Don't respond to him!'

I shouted inside of my head as I tried to move, and open my mouth, but it all proved to be fruitless.

I couldn't activate any of my skills, nor feel my mana.

I was desperate.

Melissa may not be aware at the moment, but the demon was definitely using some sort of skill at the moment. A skill that would severely weaken her mind the more she listened to him or spoke to him.

"Even though you trained for twelve hours every day, to the point of exhaustion, as a way to finally show your father the results of your achievements, he completely disregarded your achievements and treated you like trash...all because you couldn't take the first spot."

Extending his hand, the demon patted Melissa on the back.

"When your father dismissed you after you placed second, that was the turning point of your life, wasn't it? You stopped caring about him, or about anyone else's opinion, right? You felt free when you stopped caring, right? ...and why do you treat everyone so harshly? Is it because you don't trust anyone but yourself?"

With each question that the demon asked, the paler Melissa's complexion became, and it wasn't long before her eyes started to lose some clarity.

'Oh no.'

became alarmed when

This pattern...

the secrets and breaking their minds, demons used this exact scenario to convince their

'Not good.'

the same spot,

glance, but in a way, that's just yourself trying to distance others from you so

eyes flashed with pity as he continued to pat Melissa on the back. Over time, her

'Shit.'

of my mind

you just

of Melissa's condition and

overdid things a little bit. I'm not supposed to break you just yet. His majesty might get

paying any attention to Melissa, the demon

confirmed that there was no dust on his clothes, he turned

a pity that I'm tempted to make you sign a contract with me, but you're simply untalented from

suddenly turned and it was then that

find quite a nice gem over here. One that

the demon soon reached where I was standing and

his eyes. While

yet you seem to be extremely strong for someone

looked, the more he seemed

away from me, he then turned his head and his eyes lingered on Liam's and Kevin's bodies for

the talent. It's quite hard to choose between

face my direction, the smile on his face became even more sinister and his hand raised toward my

'No!'

the hand slowly approaching hand, from the corner of my eyes

beat faster as deep anxiety started to permeate

'Not my memories!'

realized that the others would also see

let that

Anything but that!

trying to hide being revealed to them terrified

me made my skin crawl. Especially after they would find out the truth about my life

I was helpless at

how hard I tried, I couldn't resist the demon's hand as it soon reached out for my head

"Sleep tight."

when dark after

***

'Is it happening again?'

a paved driveway toward an area surrounded by iron gates and fences, he passed a small wooden

he could not control his body as it

'...Are these Ren's memories?'

was going

'Bastard.'

as he remembered Melissa's state a few

emotions run wild. He called it a