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

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

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

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

"It's perfect."

originally thought there wasn't enough time, but given the time I had, maybe… just maybe—by the time

a motion with my hand and pulled out several bottles, each of which contained a substance I

"…I can only try."

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

Demonic energy.

***

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 the breeze blew

"Pftt…"

broke the silence in

human made when she rejected his request,

not telling me he'd erase my

the reason he acted in the manner

was the past, and what was

right bet in the

was on my

shuddered at the thought of being on the opposite side

his strength extremely terrifying, but so were

day. In a single day, he managed to

the sloth house

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

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

the others, they

think about it,

ranked entities was enough to prove just how

"Huh."

moon outside. She then

"Huh?"

that she had nothing in her hand.

the

***

in the air. The world around him was devoid of

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

appeared

"It's been a while."

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

was none other

who showed no reaction to his appearance, Ren calmly sat

say anything and just stared at

as though he was trying to check if

eventually let out a sigh

when are you going to

"…"

no response.

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

"…"

something wrong

his hand, several

straight ahead,

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