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.

we make the most out of it. We've got plenty

only have about five months on our trip over

I only realized later that I had grossly underestimated something over here, and that was the fact that one day here wasn't actually the same as one day back

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

"It's perfect."

situation back on Earth was, I originally thought there wasn't enough time, but given the time I

bottles, each of which contained a substance I was familiar with, then

"…I can only try."

able to rank up due to the lack of mana in the air... I no longer

Demonic energy.

***

the room as the white curtains that led to the balcony ballooned outward

"Pftt…"

broke the

face the human made when she rejected his

not telling

he acted in the manner that he did, it would have

was the past, and what was done

had made the right bet

was

the thought of being on the

strength extremely terrifying,

single day. In a single day, he

looked at it from the sloth house point of view, then they were the

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

they not lose any of their forces, but they were

the others,

about it, the scarier

entities was enough to prove just how scary of an individual

"Huh."

exhaled and gazed at the moon outside. She then brought

"Huh?"

realize that she had nothing

forgot to ask the other human for

***

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

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

appeared before

"It's been a while."

to that of

none

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

say anything and just stared at him for

was trying to check if he

out a sigh

you going to be like

"…"

response. Nonetheless,

Do you have no goals that you want to achieve before dying… like, perhaps killing Jezebeth

"…"

there's something wrong with your

his hand, several

ahead, he

potentially help you. I won't ask anything in return, but... if it truly helps you and your sanity returns, will you listen to my