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 most

originally assumed that we'd only have about five months on our trip over here. While

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

consequently, the amount of time we had over here was significantly greater than

"It's perfect."

thought there wasn't enough time, but given the time I had, maybe… just maybe—by the time I returned, I'd be strong

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 use my time to train with my

Demonic energy.

***

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

"Pftt…"

sudden laughter broke the silence in the

she rejected his request, Priscilla

for not telling me he'd

acted in the manner that he did, it would have

was the past, and what was

made the right bet in the

he was on

thought of being on the opposite side of

his strength extremely

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

the sloth house point

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

forces, but they were also the house with the greatest advantage during the upcoming World

the others,

I think about it, the scarier this

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

"Huh."

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

"Huh?"

had nothing in her hand.

forgot to ask the other

***

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

his face and the only movement that could be seen was the very slight contraction of his

figure appeared before

"It's been a while."

were strikingly similar to that of the chained man. No, rather, they were

none

no reaction to his appearance, Ren

at

was as though he was trying to check

a sigh and

you going to

"…"

no response. Nonetheless, he

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

"…"

it because there's something wrong with your

hand,

ahead, he

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