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.'

instantly became alarmed when I

This pattern...

same pattern that resulted in the creation of contractees. After thoroughly exposing the secrets and breaking their minds, demons used this exact scenario

'Not good.'

efforts, nothing changed and I remained in the same spot, shouting inside of my mind as I tried to struggle even

look like someone prideful at a first glance, but in a way, that's just yourself trying to distance others from

continued to pat Melissa on the back. Over time, her

'Shit.'

inwardly cursed inside of my mind when I

about you just

the demon finally took notice of Melissa's condition and the smile on his face

little bit. I'm not supposed to break you just yet. His majesty might get mad at

and no longer paying any attention to Melissa, the demon calmly patted his

confirmed that there was no dust on his clothes,

being talentless. It's a pity that I'm tempted to make you sign a contract

and it was

through your memories, I've come to find quite a nice gem over here. One that I

taking a couple of steps toward me, the demon soon reached where I was standing and

catch a glimpse of a strange twinkle in his eyes. While he analyzed

seem to be extremely strong for someone your

he seemed to be satisfied

turned his head and his eyes lingered on Liam's and Kevin's bodies for

seem to also be quite the talent. It's quite hard to choose between the three of you…so, how

once again face my direction, the smile on his face became even more sinister and his

'No!'

at the enlargening shadow cast by the hand slowly approaching hand, from the corner of my eyes I stared at the others

started to beat faster as deep anxiety started

'Not my memories!'

that

let that

Anything but that!

been trying to hide being revealed to them terrified me to

how they would react to what I did in the past and everything that happened to me made my skin crawl. Especially after they

was helpless at the

matter how hard I tried, I couldn't resist the demon's hand as it

"Sleep tight."

dark

***

'Is it happening again?'

surrounded by iron gates

his body as

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

how the last memory he had was the demon grasping Ren's head, Kevin could make out what was going on at the moment. He felt a burning rage rush

'Bastard.'

anger grew as he remembered Melissa's state a few seconds

wild. He called it a game, but this felt