The Author's POV

'When you're going through a lot in your childhood, and it seems like everything is against you... you're bound to think negatively of everything.'

If that was how one would summarize Melissa's life in a nutshell, it'd be that.

Melissa's childhood was completely devoid of any meaningful experiences, in contrast to the experiences of other children who were able to see their parents every day, eat with them every day, and play with them every day.

Her world was nothing but bleak, and eventually, it morphed her into who she was today.

A negative person.

Everything that she came across, she viewed in a negative manner, and she couldn't help herself.

The only thing she cared about was herself, as that was the only person she trusted. She had been alone throughout a major part of her life; who else could she trust but herself?

It was just how she was, and she had come to terms with her personality.

Yet…

At this moment, staring at the figure that lay before her very eyes, her expression was complicated.

It was the first time that she had seen him in this state.

She had dreamed of this very moment many times.

She frequently daydreamed about the time when she would be able to look down on her father, pleading for her help while he was laying on the ground beneath her.

The situation…

It was just like in her dreams, except for one part.

"What are you waiting for?"

Melissa said coldly, her eyes paused on her father's figure. She wasn't sure why exactly she was acting the way that she was, but that was of no concern to her at the moment.

Her mind was clear.

"Ask for my help. Beg me, and I'll consider it."

Her tone was cold and, at the same time, carried a certain arrogance to it.

She wanted nothing more than to have this man beg in front of her. Nothing would satisfy her more than seeing him grovel before her with his head bowed and pleading for something. Anything.

Finally, she could show him that she was just fine without him.

Yet…

"Why aren't you saying anything? Do you not want to live?"

He remained silent and merely looked at her without saying anything else. His eyes were clear as he sat there with his back propped up against a tree.

"Come on? What are you waiting for? Beg me!"

As Melissa's mind became increasingly obscured by a particular sensation that penetrated deeper and deeper into her bones, so did her voice, which became increasingly agitated.

"Tell me that you want my help, and I'll gladly help you!"

At this very moment, Melissa was venting all of the animosity that she had built up over the years toward her father.

For treating her like the shit that she was and neglecting her for the shit that she was.

She desired the sense of accomplishment that would come from seeing the man groveling at her feet after everything that he had done to her.

She…

She needed that satisfaction.

retrieving her

so self-centered that she'd kill the one and only chance they had of getting out of this place, despite the fact that she wanted to make the

up her mind,

"Her—"

hand out the potions, she was stopped by

I don't need

"What?"

him, Melissa's mouth suddenly went dry. For some reason, she couldn't help herself from saying anything as

"Ukh."

to be struggling quite a lot, but for some

"Let me—"

"No."

but she

it hard for her to say anything. Her mouth would go dry whenever

it? What are you trying to

to ask, her arms crossed in front

her eyes, she could see lights flashing above, and thus she

Thump—!

"Huh?!"

utterly stumped her, as her entire

"W,what are you doing!?"

in a very long time as she fumbled her way

she turned her head, she soon stopped

his head resting against her

the moment, and for the first time

she could open her mouth to say anything, Octavious closed his

you think I didn't, I've always been proud of what you've achieved… even when it looked like I didn't

as her figure froze on the spot. When she snapped out of it, she

"Hey wait!?"

was already too late. A bright light flashed in the sky, and the battle above

***

Boom—!

"Arkh… shit!"

against the ground, he let out a loud curse. The force of the impact made his entire body

"Cough… cough…"

several times, he looked up at the sky, and his expression changed. When the figure of a demon slowly descended from above, he felt

I thought I was

dwarven realm, experienced an overwhelming sense of helplessness as he stared at

a level he could never hope to achieve in his entire life. What made him

are monsters amongst

one of utter despair,

the gap

you say

once again offered. An offer that Gervis had already spat on before and one he'd

"I'm good."

WOOOM—!

and fired right at Prince Adrian. The force of the attack made the

BANG—!

the Prince directly in the middle of his body, and a colorful blue cloud began to billow into the

I

in hope, staring at the blue

"Ah…"

froze moments

"Im… impossible…"

and he realized that the Prince was, in fact, still alive, and the fact that the Prince seemed to have suffered little to no harm from his attack only made the situation more terrifying for Gervis, who

"That… wasn't too bad."