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.

going to sell

"No."

"You fuck—"

this for

maybe I

suddenly glared at by the two of them, I was at a loss of what to make out of the situation. It was, if anything, a fairly

hands and tried to

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 the Duchess was

"Really?"

less angry as a result. As soon as I saw this, I let out

when did

quickly shoved the thought to the back of

completed what I set out

"Huh?"

to say,

already?

already completed

with a suspicious expression on her face. She then took the finished cigarette out

was the response that she had hoped for, thus her expression changed to

her throat, she looked

me wrong, it's not like I don't believe you. It's just that I still didn't receive any news from my side, so I find it

"That's understandable."

Whether or not I took the time to explain it to her, she

then. Onto the

clapped my hands and stared at

in her direction, she immediately retreated

"What are you doing?"

not going to hurt you, we've already signed

words didn't seem to hold any effect on the

so, what are you doing? Why do you want to suddenly

find out.

"Sto—hgkh."

energy and mana, 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 of varying hues filled

out with my hand and having several of them fly in the direction in which I was

"This is it."

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

"Next."

looked around for any orbs that might have contained recollections of the others and myself, and

long since lost track of time and was thus unaware of how

of the others and myself completely from her mind. It was something that needed to be done in order to make sure that everything worked perfectly, and it was

needed a

"This should be all."

waved my hand, the spheres moved away from each other and dispersed. With another wave of my hand, my vision

Thump—!

grab hold of her just in time and place her safely on

gazing at her for a brief moment, he turned his

"What did you do?"

looked at

"You worried about her?"

"No."

"Then..."

"Just answer."

and waved

just made her forget about us for now. I'll return

"I see."

nodded, then picked up the blunt that had been left on the ground. He

all evidence

I smiled at Jin.

pick things

out all of the blunts that had been thrown around. There

how much did

rid of all of

"What about the mess?"

at the

"Good question…"

a moment, I eventually waved