The Author's POV

The memories swept through her consciousness like a tsunami, penetrating every nook and cranny of her mind and taking control of everything that was contained therein.

Amanda felt as though her world was spinning as a series of images began to pop into her head.

She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, but when she came to, she noticed that the sun had already started to set.

"You've finally digested the memories?"

It was from behind her that she heard a voice that she knew all too well.

She sat herself down on his chair without even bothering to look at him and tried to digest everything that had been thrown at her.

She propped her elbows against the table and massaged her forehead.

"The memories…"

Her head throbbed.

"…Are they real?"

"Why wouldn't they be?"

Ren appeared right in front of her.

He looked at her with a smug expression on his face, and the corners of his lips were slightly upturned.

The expression on his face...

She was genuinely irritated by it, but as she thought back on the memories that were flooding her mind, she found that she couldn't bring herself to complain about it.

She…

Was that really her?

"Hehehe."

Ren laughed in the most irritating manner and sat down on the desk.

"What do you think?"

He moved his body in closer proximity to her, and his eyes narrowed as he did so. At the same time, the smile that had been partially visible on his face gradually vanished, and what replaced it was an extremely serious expression.

"Squid-like person?"

His voice was calm, but Amanda could feel the hidden anger within it.

His ego had been hurt.

"I didn't know you thought of me like that, Amanda… I'm honestly quite hurt."

He continued on.

There was a look of expectation in his eyes as if he wanted her to correct what her other self had said, but Amanda didn't give him that benefit.

When she raised her head, she purposely squinted her eyes and cocked her head.

"I guess you…"

She stopped herself mid-sentence and shook her head.

"…No, never mind. You don't look like a squid."

"Wait, hold on. You think I'm deaf? You clearly were about to say something."

Ren's expression changed for the worse, and he leaned his body forward. He seemed rather desperate at the moment, and Amanda's lips trembled.

She was having a hard time keeping herself composed.

'It's too easy.'

As impressive as Ren was, he was the simplest person to read.

She knew him like the back of her hand, and pressing his buttons wasn't something that she found difficult.

With that said…

'Was that really me?'

Amanda tried to conceal her expression by covering her face with her hands.

Despite not being able to view her own memories, she had seen enough from Ren's perspective to find herself secretly squealing at her own behavior.

Would that really be how she would've turned out if the Demon King had never existed?

It made her shiver.

Amanda. Why aren't you

her body forward and pressed her lips against Rens. He stopped talking immediately after that,

her lips, Amanda sat

"You've worked hard."

***

with me, and there's

standing right in front of him while six white orbs floated

any other, and their expressions contained nothing but

were the

will accept

his head, Prince Murdock, the head of the

do not know what those orbs are, but if you are giving them to us, they

words reflected the thoughts of the other

guess you can

around Jezebeth cycled

are indeed rather precious. So much so that you might even find your

stopped the moment those

expressions changed when they learned that receiving the yellow orbs would increase their

their strength was nearly impossible, and almost everyone was stuck

fact that the orbs could

the orbs in Jezebeth's palm, intense greed flashed across the eyes of all

'As expected .'

made

long known that his words would elicit such a response

you're all reacting like this, it must mean

heads all nodded their heads

have six and I don't want to pick favorites, I'll do

flashed in the air, enveloping the entire room in a

glow agglomerated toward the tip of his finger, forming a

"This should be enough."

formed, Jezebeth looked at the seven demons

Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!

fired directly at the seven demons, and before they could react, their heads rolled back, and the room

***

[Human Domain, Ashton City.]

maintain order. Don't rush forward; we will call you

around the portal, waiting for their turn to step

hung palpably in the air as people whispered amongst themselves, unsure of what awaited them on the other

were dressed in their finest clothes as if this were the start of a grand

double-checking that they hadn't forgotten anything. The promise of a

promised us shelter,

asked her husband,

replied, trying to hide his own uncertainty. "They said that they would guarantee us

there any pictures of the

man asked, his

sent it

pulling out his phone

structure, gleaming in the sunlight. It pulsed with

hum of the portal's energy was almost deafening, causing many

"Your ID, please."

official called out, bringing everyone back to

came forward, checked their identification, and provided

"Here you go, officer."

man said, handing over his identification papers. The officer scrutinized the documents,

checks out. You

officer finally said, waving them

sense of anticipation and nervousness in the

seen the pictures of a lush,

was to be

planet. The only thing they knew for certain was that this

Woom!

activated, and the first group stepped

disappeared from sight, and there was a moment of tense silence as everyone waited to see

Woom!

soft hum, the portal activated again, and another group stepped

"Next!"

officers called out, and the crowds shuffled

more and more people began to move forward, and the crowd of people that numbered in the thousands slowly started to

people lining up behind the portal, and amongst them was a certain

have to hurry,

"Okay, Mom."

her phone away

couple of people left in the line in front of them, and they were

is Ren coming with

"Ren?"