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

only have about five months on our

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

"It's perfect."

but given the time I had, maybe… just maybe—by the time I

several bottles, each of which contained a substance I was familiar

"…I can only try."

mana in the air... I no longer relied on mana alone. I could

Demonic energy.

***

high in the night sky. There was complete silence in the room as the white curtains that

"Pftt…"

the silence

made when she rejected his request, Priscilla found herself unable to

for not telling me he'd erase my

reason he acted in the manner

and what was

made the right bet

he was

thought of being on the opposite side of

only was his strength extremely terrifying,

it took him was a single day. In a single day, he managed to do what

one looked at it from the sloth house point

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

not lose any of their forces, but they were also the house with the greatest advantage during the

the others, they weren't

think about it, the scarier

had managed to fool seven Prince ranked entities was enough to

"Huh."

outside. She then brought

"Huh?"

nothing

ask the other human for

***

in the air. The world around him was devoid

only movement

figure appeared before

"It's been a while."

of the chained man. No, rather, they

was none

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

just stared at him

he was trying to check if he was

let out a

when are you going to be like

"…"

received no response.

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

"…"

something wrong with

hand, several

straight ahead,

you. I won't ask anything in return, but... if it truly helps