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.

have time, it's best we make the most out

we'd only have about five months on our trip over here. While it

and that was the fact that one day here wasn't actually the same as one day back on

on earth; consequently, the amount of time we had over

"It's perfect."

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

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

"…I can only try."

might not be able to rank up due to the lack of mana in the air...

Demonic energy.

***

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…"

the silence in

his request,

telling

bitter about it. Even though she did comprehend the reason he acted in the manner that he did, it

the past, and what

had made the right

was on my

being on

his strength extremely terrifying, but so

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

house point of

House of Envy being the main target of everyone, the House of Sloth was the one that gained the most from the

any of their forces, but they were also the house with

the others,

I think about

entities was enough to prove just how scary

"Huh."

gazed at the moon outside. She then brought two

"Huh?"

had nothing

I forgot to ask the other

***

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

had a lifeless look on his face and the only movement

figure appeared before

"It's been a while."

were strikingly similar to that of the chained

was none

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

at him for an unknown

he was trying to check if

eventually let out a sigh and

when are you going to

"…"

no response.

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

"…"

there's something wrong with your

his hand,

straight ahead,

anything in return, but...