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.

sneakily retrieving her potions from her dimensional storage

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 man in front of her beg

mind,

"Her—"

about to hand out the

I don't

"What?"

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

"Ukh."

but for some reason, he stubbornly forced

"Let me—"

"No."

but she

remained quiet. His gaze made it hard for her to say anything. Her mouth would go dry

is it? What are you trying

eventually managed to ask, her arms crossed

could see lights flashing above, and

Thump—!

"Huh?!"

happened next utterly stumped her, as her entire body

"W,what are you doing!?"

a very long time as she fumbled her way

her

her shoulder,

peace at the moment, and for the first time in a very long time,

open her mouth to say anything, Octavious closed his eyes, and his

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

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

"Hey wait!?"

late. A bright light

***

Boom—!

"Arkh… shit!"

impact made his entire body hurt, and he had a hard time breathing as a result of how

"Cough… cough…"

the sky, and his expression changed. When the figure of a demon slowly descended

thought… I thought

overwhelming sense of helplessness as he stared at Prince

level he could never hope to achieve in his entire life. What made him despair even further was the thought that there were six

are monsters

one gave him was one of utter

the gap between

you say about joining

Gervis had already spat on before

"I'm good."

WOOOM—!

of the attack made the air around it twist,

BANG—!

cloud began to billow into the air above. It came as a

I get

in hope, staring at the blue

"Ah…"

expression froze

"Im… impossible…"

the residual mana was finally gone 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

"That… wasn't too bad."