The Author's POV

"What's going on in here?"

When I got back from my trip, I was greeted by a thick cloud of smoke.

"Did the mansion catch fire?"

…but how was that possible?

Looking at Amanda, both of us made a dash for the main hall in an attempt to locate the source of the smoke.

Arriving at the large wooden door, I smacked it open.

Clank—!

"What's going on in h—eh?"

In the middle of my sentence, I had to pause in order to rub both of my eyes. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't interpreting what I was seeing incorrectly.

'I'm not high, am I?'

"I'm almost out human. Give me another pack."

"I've already given you two."

"What about it? Can't you see that I'm already almost done?"

"Smoking harms."

Bang—!

"Damn it human! Don't fucking test me!"

"Test you for what? You haven't even paid me anything for the packs!"

"Ah, so it was about the money! Why didn't you say so? I'll reward you handsomely for another pack, so hurry up and give it to me."

"No. I only have one left, and that's for me."

"Damn you human!"

Bang—!

The table fell apart, and the Duchess got to her feet immediately. The anger visible on her face was accompanied by a heaving motion in her chest.

In her mouth was a half lit cigarette.

"Didn't you just say that you'd sell it to me? You a swindler?"

"When did I say I was ever going to sell it to you? I just pointed out the fact that you took two packs from me for free."

"Bastard!"

She cursed again.

"Do you have any idea as to who I am?"

"I don't care."

"I'll fight you!"

'What in the world happened during the time Amanda and I were out?'

I pinched the middle of my brows.

The room was a complete disaster, and the scattered pieces of what appeared to be chairs, in conjunction with the conversation that I had overheard, helped me get an understanding of what was happening.

...It's just that I found it hard to believe.

'I can't believe this is what I return to...'

Before stepping in between the two of them, I let out an internal sigh. Despite how entertaining it was, I had no choice but to put an end to this.

There were more important things at hand.

sell it to me

"No."

"You fuck—"

stop this

maybe I shouldn't have

was at a loss of what to make out of the situation. It was, if

my hands and tried to

for now. I more or else understand the problem. When I have time, I'll get you as many packs as you

that the solution was fairly straightforward. Everything would get back to normal as long as

"Really?"

eyes lit up and she became noticeably less angry as a result. As soon as I saw this, I let out a sigh

when did he start

to the back

completed what

"Huh?"

the Duchess heard what I had to say,

finished already? This

I've already completed everything

at me with a suspicious expression on her face. She then took the finished cigarette out of her mouth and flicked it in Jin's direction before replacing

this was the response

her throat, she looked back at

I still didn't receive any

"That's understandable."

smiled, but I didn't go into further detail. Whether or not I took the time to

then. Onto

happily clapped my hands and stared at

in her direction,

"What are you doing?"

worry. I'm not going to hurt

to hold any effect on the Duchess as she

you doing? Why do you want to suddenly touch

soon find out. Don't

"Sto—hgkh."

the Duchess froze on the spot, and my hand soon came into contact with her head. After a moment, a bright white glow appeared on my fingertips,

appeared to be millions upon millions of spheres

glanced through them very quickly before reaching out with my hand and having several of them fly in the direction in which I was

"This is it."

within, I channeled my mana, causing a layer of dark threads to begin covering the orb, which I

"Next."

minutes, I looked around for any orbs that might have contained recollections of the others and myself, and I covered them before discarding

had long since lost track of

It was something that needed to be done in order to make sure that everything worked perfectly, and it was imperative

needed a

"This should be all."

other and dispersed. With another wave of my hand, my vision shifted, and I suddenly

Thump—!

to grab hold of her just in time and

a brief moment, he turned his

"What did you do?"

looked at him

"You worried about her?"

"No."

"Then..."

"Just answer."

sighed and waved

forget about us for now. I'll return

"I see."

picked up the blunt that had been left on the

erase all evidence

I smiled at Jin.

sure pick things

the blunts that had been thrown around. There were

how much did the

rid of all

"What about the mess?"

pointed at the

"Good question…"

a moment, I eventually waved