The Author's POV

"Tsk."

Coming out of the Duchess's room, I clicked my tongue.

'I tried at least.'

Lowering my head, I looked at the three other tubes in my hand before putting them away.

Moments prior, I tried to negotiate for a devil fruit, but I was flat out rejected by her.

In the end, all I could do was leave with my head lowered.

'I can't be too impatient.'

I could've negotiated for a devil fruit before, but the Nectar was far more important to me. While I wasn't completely healed, I felt far more refreshed than I had in a very long time.

I even had a very good night's sleep for once.

Plus…

'It's not like there won't be an opportunity later.'

"You're back?"

"Yeah."

As I made my way back to our residence after secretly escaping the estate, I was greeted by the sight of Melissa tinkering with an odd substance. Nothing unusual.

Already used to this, I found a chair not so far from her and took a seat.

"Have you found what you've been looking for?"

"Not really."

Melissa shook the test tube in front of her and quietly observed it.

Though faint, I caught sight of a couple of bubbles on top.

…Just what sort of potion was she making?

"When are we going to leave?"

"When the time comes."

The only way back was through Kevin, so until the designated time, we'd be stuck here for a bit more.

"Thankfully, I'm already finished with what I needed to do, so I guess we can take it easy until the time is right if that's okay with you?"

"That's fine with me."

Melissa nodded her head without a change in expression.

It seems like she was enjoying her stay here.

"That's great."

I stood up from the seat.

make the most out of it. We've

about five months on our

only realized later that I had grossly underestimated something over here, and that was the fact that one day here

significantly different from that on earth; consequently, the amount of time we had over here

"It's perfect."

back on Earth was, I originally thought there wasn't enough time, but given the time I had, maybe… just maybe—by the time I returned, I'd

with my hand and pulled out several bottles, each of which contained a substance I was familiar with, then I

"…I can only try."

not be able to rank up due to the lack of mana in the air... I no

Demonic energy.

***

the night sky. There was complete silence in the room as the white curtains that led to the balcony ballooned outward like the sails of a ship and moved in an odd wavelike pattern as

"Pftt…"

sudden laughter broke the silence

she rejected his request, Priscilla found herself unable to hold her

for not telling me he'd erase

the manner that

was the past, and what was done

right bet in

he was

of being on the

extremely terrifying, but

a single day. In a single day, he managed to do what she had deemed to

house point of view, then they were the

the other houses busy with the succession war, and the House of Envy being the main target of everyone, the House of Sloth was the one that gained the most

only did they not lose any of their forces, but they were also the

others,

about it,

he had managed to fool seven Prince ranked entities

"Huh."

outside. She then brought two fingers to her

"Huh?"

that she had nothing in her hand. Immediately her

to ask the other

***

the air. The world around him was devoid of any light as darkness

had a lifeless look on his face and the only movement that could be seen was the very

appeared before

"It's been a while."

of

none other than

his other self, who showed no reaction to his appearance, Ren calmly sat down in

say anything and just stared at

though he was trying to check if

let out a sigh and

you going to be like

"…"

response. Nonetheless,

to die, but is that really all there is to it? Do you have no goals that

"…"

because there's something

his hand, several

ahead,

may potentially help you. I won't ask anything in return, but... if it truly helps you and your sanity