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.

best we make the

months on our trip over here. While it wasn't long, it wasn't

I had grossly underestimated something over here, and that was the fact that one day here wasn't actually

earth; consequently, the amount of time we had over here was significantly greater than the five months we had originally

"It's perfect."

given the time I

pulled out several bottles, each of which

"…I can only try."

rank up due to the lack of mana in the air... I no longer relied on mana alone.

Demonic energy.

***

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 the breeze

"Pftt…"

the silence in the

she rejected his request, Priscilla

deserves it for not telling me he'd

reason he acted in the manner that he did, it would have been nice if he had informed her of it

past was the past, and what was done was already

had made the right bet

he was

shuddered at the thought of being on the opposite

his strength extremely terrifying, but so

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

sloth house point of

Envy being the main target of everyone, the House of Sloth was

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

the others,

about it, the

fact that he had managed to fool seven Prince ranked entities was enough

"Huh."

outside. She then brought two fingers to

"Huh?"

to realize that she had nothing

forgot to ask the other human for

***

figure restrained by chains hung in the air. The world around him was devoid of any light as

look on his face and the only movement

appeared

"It's been a while."

of the

was none other

showed no reaction to his

stared at him

to check if

a sigh and

you going

"…"

received no response. Nonetheless,

it? Do you have no goals that you want

"…"

because there's something wrong with

hand, several tubes

ahead,

potentially help you. I won't ask anything in return, but... if