The Author's POV

It all happened so quickly, but when she felt 'his' gaze fall on her for just a split second, time seemed to come to an abrupt halt, and so did her world.

His expression was the same as usual—a little aged. Perhaps a little different, but it wasn't so different from how it had always been.

Yet, for some reason, in that moment, it felt as though that simple gaze told her a thousand words.

He nodded at her and said something.

She couldn't quite make out what those words were.

That was because she knew exactly what he was going to do, and in that moment, her mind blanked.

Her usually brilliant mind blanked, and she dully stood on the ground, staring up toward the sky, which was soon enveloped by a brilliant white light that came directly from her father's body. It enveloped the sky in its entirety.

BOOOM—!

That was the last thing she saw before a terrifying explosion covered the sky, and she was hurled a great distance away from the scene.

BANG—!

She collided with a tree, and if it weren't for the protective shield that materialized around her just as she was about to make contact with the tree, she likely would have sustained significant injuries.

"Ugh."

With a groan, she forced herself to look up, and that was when she realized that the mist that had blanketed the sky previously had completely disappeared.

Her mind, which seemed stained with something moments prior, seemed to clear up.

But none of that concerned her at the moment. What she was concerned about was something else, and she hastily looked around in the sky for any signs of 'him'.

But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find him. In fact, she couldn't see anything, and her legs started to go numb.

That was until a hand pressed against her shoulder and a familiar voice reached her ear.

"…He's gone."

"W..what?"

When she turned her head, she caught sight of a hazy, almost transparent figure.

"Who are you?"

She thought he sounded familiar, but the way he looked… was that really who she thought he was?

"It's me."

His voice was hoarse, almost feeble, but when he turned his head and their eyes met, Melissa understood that it was really him.

here? How did you get here?

"No."

head and stared into the

"Are you really fine?"

"…"

didn't know the answer to. Was she fine?

She just felt… empty.

she didn't

found everything hard

"I… I don't know."

words. Taking out her glasses, her vision started

all honesty, she could've had her eyesight fixed

and was smart enough

just didn't

from feeling people's gazes on

around her at the moment apart from Ren, but even so, she didn't want

want to see what was above

***

'She's surprisingly calm.'

least, that was

too sure, but I didn't have time

that was permeating every part of me was making it difficult for me to

he made things easier for

me, I knew that things weren't over yet. Still, the situation was very advantageous for me at the

since I was in no state to properly

coming here, and that took

Swoosh—!

to a dark spot in the sky. It was writhing in the air, and the skeleton of a

second and

I've arrived on

hand against the blob, and the moment I made contact with it, I felt a soothing energy spread throughout my entire body from

which was briefly disappearing and then reappearing, started to take shape again, and the excruciating pain that had been

was a scene that I had experienced a couple of times already, and my comprehension of the laws started to increase

I was able to comprehend, the more I found myself able to use

also thanks to that that I was able to get into the Pillar without destroying it from

"You… who are you?"

I was enjoying the warm sensation, I heard a certain voice, and when I looked down, I saw that the

and the power that radiated from his body was also nothing to scoff

be talking to me when you're in that

immediately he froze in place. Golden runes whirled all around the area where the Prince and I were standing and wrapped themselves tightly around his

to keep my composure. In spite of this, I cast my gaze

A blue light headed our way and enveloped the entirety of my vision. A powerful

I found myself standing in the middle of the air with two black orbs levitating

sink in, but pain unlike anything I'd ever felt before started to