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.

time, it's best we make the most out of it. We've got

that we'd only have about five months on our trip

was the fact that one day here

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

"It's perfect."

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

of which contained a substance I

"…I can only try."

of mana in the air... I no longer relied

Demonic energy.

***

that hung high in 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…"

the

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

not telling me

in the manner that he did, it would have

past, and what was done was already

right

was on

at the thought of being on the

his strength extremely terrifying, but so

day. In a single day,

the sloth house point of view, then they were

busy with the succession war, and the House of Envy being the main target of everyone,

lose any of their forces, but they were also the house with the greatest advantage during the upcoming

the others, they

about it, the scarier this

that he had managed to fool seven Prince ranked entities

"Huh."

exhaled and gazed at the moon outside. She then brought two fingers

"Huh?"

that she had nothing in her hand. Immediately

the other human for

***

world around him was devoid of any light as darkness restrained every inch

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

figure appeared

"It's been a while."

of the chained man. No, rather, they were

was none other than

to his appearance, Ren calmly sat down in front of

just stared at him

was as though he was trying to

eventually let out a sigh and spoke

are you going to be like

"…"

received no response. Nonetheless, he

there is to it? Do you have no goals that you

"…"

it because there's something wrong with your

his hand,

ahead, he

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