The Author's POV

Chapter 860

Epilogue — Effort's never betray you [2]

Tok—

"..."

The sound of the glass bottle tapping against the stone grave echoed in the quiet surroundings as Melissa stood there, consumed by her thoughts.

With a firm grip on the bottle, she took a small gulp of the liquid it contained, feeling its bittersweet taste on her lips.

Drip— Drip!

A cascade of juices trickled down the side of her mouth as she hastily withdrew the bottle.

"Haaagh."

She exhaled, her breath heavy and her cheeks rosy.

"You know…"

She started speaking.

"…I know full well that I need to let go of you. Let go of the memories that I keep on clinging to."

Her vision started to blur as she removed her glasses, allowing her emerald eyes to be exposed to the world.

"I just… I guess I still want an excuse to be mean. I grew to hate the world because of you, but at the same time, I grew to have fun hating the world. Not caring about others' opinions, pushing away those who tried to form connections with me, and, overall, embracing my inner cynic didn't feel so terrible."

Extending her hand, she gingerly placed the glass bottle atop the cold gravestone.

Tok—

"But there comes a point when enough is enough."

Melissa let out a weary sigh, blinking her eyes repeatedly as she adjusted to the altered clarity of her blurred vision.

"It's time that I let go of you and myself. I can't be like this anymore. I guess…"

She closed her eyes, raising her face toward the sky.

"…It's time for me to finally move on. So should you if you're listening to me. I still resent you, but you should learn not to give a fuck like me. So what if my life ended up shitty? In the end, I'm still what I am today because of you, and…"

A faint, enigmatic smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I don't despise what I've become."

Tok—

Once more, she tapped the glass against the gravestone as if bidding farewell before turning away and leaving the graveyard behind.

Strangely, as she ventured forth, Melissa sensed a newfound lightness in her every step, as though a burden had been lifted from her weary shoulders.

Pausing for a moment, she glanced back, fixing her gaze on the cemetery, her eyes drawn to the words etched into the stone.

===[Octavious Hall]===

A hero, a devoted husband, and a loving father.

===[2030 — 2073]===

"A loving father... pfft..."

She whispered softly, the words carrying a mix of pain and closure.

And with that, Melissa continued on her way, the weight of the past gradually dissipating with each passing moment, leaving her ready to embrace a future tinged with both scars and newfound resolve.

It was time she moved on and grew up.

***

*Puff*

Smoke filled the air as Jin took a puff of his cigarette. He lifted his finger and playfully manipulated the swirling tendrils, guiding them along the path traced by his fingertip.

By the time he was done, certain words formed in the air before him. 'IAD' was what it said.

"Hehe."

He couldn't help but chuckle as he gazed at the words before him. Taking a quick look beside him, he pressed his lips together, attempting to hold back his laughter.

'Indeed, there's no better fit than these words for her...'

"The fuck are you doing?"

A certain annoyed voice echoed beside him, and Jin's smile faded.

"Nothing."

With a wave of his hand, the smoke dissipated. Concurrently, Priscilla's eyes narrowed as she examined him intently.

"IAD?"

Her eyes squinted further.

"Why do I have a feeling it's related to me?"

"You're imagining things."

Jin responded with an air of casual indifference, raising the cigarette to his lips and inhaling deeply from the butt.

*Puff*

"That being said," he paused and turned to look at her with narrowed eyes. "What are you still doing here? It's been a year since the war has ended. Shouldn't you be on your way?"

A year had passed since the defeat of the Demon King, and numerous events had occurred at that time. Priscilla and her clan, having provided crucial assistance during the war, were granted the privilege to remain on Earth.

With that being said, most of the demons chose to depart Earth and return to their respective planets.

The same was for her father, the current Patriarch of the Sloth clan.

"Isn't it true that you're the designated successor of the Sloth Clan? I would assume someone of your stature would have numerous responsibilities. Why haven't you returned to aid your father?"

Jin flashed a smile as he uttered each word, though his intention was subtly hidden. In the most courteous manner possible, he was essentially expressing his desire for her to fuck off.

*Puff*

relishing the cigarette, she nonchalantly observed Jin at her side. "But what can I say? I'm starting to enjoy my time here. If I were to return, who would I have the pleasure

"..."

her words, leaving him momentarily speechless. The subtle smirk on her face only served to amplify his

"Tsk."

He clicked his tongue.

'Ignorant, Arrogant Demoness.'

anything against what

on Priscilla. The way she stared at him made him feel exposed as if she

at her for a brief moment, he nodded

"Actually, yes."

"Oh?"

Priscilla raised her brow.

ballsy human,

so I've

of his cigarette and leaned

"No, you haven't."

"Didn't you just now?"

"..."

"He."

cigarette. It felt good getting

Priscilla's eyes narrowed.

with

it?" Jin pointed towards the door. "You can leave. I won't stop

told her to stay with him. If she found him annoying, she had every

"Haaa..."

without any interruptions. Now that she was here, he no longer

casting a resentful

you

glare, Jin had a sudden thought. 'She's kind of cute when she's angr—eh no, what the fuck

as he sat up straight. He had almost

Ding—!

"Hm?"

then, his phone

"Fuuuck..."

message on his phone, his expression crumbled, and his grip on the device tightened. Priscilla, noticing his reaction, leaned

it? Let me see," she demanded, extending her hand to snatch the phone away. However,

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Boundaries!"

best to push her face away

Priscilla insisted, unbothered at all by what Jin

"Hey! Fuck stop!"

pussy,

"Over my dead body!"

to

on the sofa as Jin made

While he did say

and

"No!"

"Fuck you!"

legs or his head, Jin fought back in an attempt to defend

proved to be persistent and agile, like an octopus latching onto his arm. She continued her relentless efforts to

"Got it!"

the victor. She successfully snatched

the sofa, the color faded from Jin's

at the contents displayed on the

for her to reap

Jin's face changed, but Priscilla didn't care.

"Uh?"

screen, her face turned strange, and she looked at

"S...seriously?"

hold her laugh as her cheeks inflated and her face

"Pft... you... seriousl—pffttt."

"Stop laughing."

crumbled as he turned to glare

herself any longer, Priscilla

her eyes as she laughed hysterically, smacking her hand against the side of the sofa

Ba Bam—!

to snatch his phone back. Priscilla didn't even bother

"Hahahaha."

with every second of

"Are you done?"

to control his frustration. Despite his best efforts to restrain himself, it proved to be a challenging task as Priscilla continued to laugh at him, pointing

"Hahahha...Y..pftt...eah."

herself as she gradually calmed down, and the smile on her face faded. Jin calmed down when he saw this, and just as he was

your future. This is the fifteenth blind date you've rejected. Is there perhaps something wrong with... You know you can tell Grandpa if you have trouble with your reproductive organ. We live in an age where medicines and potions work wonders. If there's really a problem, I'll search throughout the entire continent for a cure. You can trust Grandpa on that. I'm well past my prime and

"Shut up!"

of his lungs, desperately attempting to halt

"Hahahahahha!"

to laugh uncontrollably, her hand

Ba Bam—!

uhhh... can't br...

between fits of laughter, her amusement now hindering

breath, his frustration

so humiliated, not even during the time when Ren

escape the clutches of his grandfather. Be it before the war or after the war; he always

the past, they proved to be ineffective in deterring his grandfather. On the contrary,

that Jin wasn't even sure what to

I just go

him sigh. He wasn't really looking for a relationship at the moment. He

look

can't b..reathe! Uhpp..

I guess it's not that

she remained here, his life

his face with his arm while leaning

was seriously starting to contemplate

"Don't be sad."

his shoulder and slowly removed his arm from his face. He turned to look at Priscilla, who was still gazing at him with a smile that she was trying to suppress. Obviously, she was still struggling to keep herself

He glared at her.

"What would you know?"

his finger. He took a deep, leisurely drag, savoring the moment as

*Puff*

pains that I go

now... Don't

she found the situation highly amusing, a small sense of sympathy crept into her. She

were to happen... she wasn't sure what

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