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.

make the most

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

grossly underestimated something over here, and that was the fact that one day here wasn't actually the same as one day back on

this world was significantly different from that on earth; consequently, the amount of time we had over here was significantly greater than the five months we had originally intended to stay

"It's perfect."

time, but given the time I had, maybe… just maybe—by the time I returned, I'd be strong enough

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

"…I can only try."

the lack of mana in the air... I no longer relied on mana alone. I could use my time to train

Demonic energy.

***

white curtains that led to the balcony ballooned outward like the sails of a

"Pftt…"

laughter broke the

his request, Priscilla found herself unable to hold her

it for not telling

comprehend the reason he acted in the manner that he did, it

the past, and

had made the right bet

was on my

being on the

extremely terrifying, but

single day, he managed to do what she had deemed to

the sloth house point of view, then they were the biggest

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

they were also the house with the greatest advantage during the upcoming World

the others, they

more I think about it,

ranked entities was enough to prove just

"Huh."

outside. She

"Huh?"

that she had nothing in her hand. Immediately her face

to ask the

***

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

only movement that could be seen was the

appeared

"It's been a while."

similar to that of the chained man.

was none

who showed no reaction to his appearance,

anything and just stared at him for an unknown period

trying to check if he was

a sigh

when are you going

"…"

no response.

you want to die, but is that really all there is to it? Do you have no goals that you want to achieve before dying… like, perhaps killing Jezebeth for

"…"

because there's something wrong with

hand,

ahead, he

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