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*

with that," Priscilla mumbled, exhaling a plume of smoke while leaning against the sofa they shared. Closing her eyes and relishing the cigarette, she nonchalantly observed Jin

"..."

speechless. The subtle smirk on

"Tsk."

He clicked his tongue.

'Ignorant, Arrogant Demoness.'

anything against

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

for a brief

"Actually, yes."

"Oh?"

Priscilla raised her brow.

ballsy human, aren't

so I've been

a drag of his cigarette

"No, you haven't."

"Didn't you just now?"

"..."

"He."

It felt good getting one over this annoying, ignorant, arrogant

Priscilla's eyes narrowed.

bolder with each

like it?" Jin pointed towards the door. "You

wasn't the one who told her to stay with him. If she found him annoying, she had every right to leave whenever she wanted. He wasn't going to

"Haaa..."

let out a long sigh. He missed the days when he could relax by himself without any interruptions. Now that she was

a resentful glance toward Priscilla. One that

are you looking

glare, Jin had a sudden thought. 'She's kind of cute when she's angr—eh

away from his mind as he sat up straight. He had almost lost himself for a

Ding—!

"Hm?"

then, his phone

"Fuuuck..."

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

me see," she demanded, extending her hand to snatch the phone away. However, Jin swiftly moved his hand out of her reach and

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Boundaries!"

trying his best to push her face

Priscilla insisted, unbothered at all by what Jin was

"Hey! Fuck stop!"

pussy,

"Over my dead body!"

to die

sofa as Jin made an

hair in frustration, he quickly thought better of it. While he did say "over my dead

up, and let

"No!"

"Fuck you!"

legs or his head, Jin fought back in an

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

"Got it!"

with Priscilla emerging as the victor. She successfully snatched the

faded from Jin's silhouette as he

she looked at the contents displayed

time for her to

Jin's face changed, but Priscilla didn't

"Uh?"

her face turned

"S...seriously?"

to hold her laugh as her

"Pft... you... seriousl—pffttt."

"Stop laughing."

expression crumbled as he turned

to contain herself any longer, Priscilla erupted into uncontrollable

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

Ba Bam—!

her laughing hysterically made Jin's expression darken considerably as he leaned forward to snatch his phone back. Priscilla didn't even bother posing a fight as she let him have the phone

"Hahahaha."

with every second of

"Are you done?"

it proved to be a

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

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

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 would like to see a grandchild; please take some time to reconsider. I'm

"Shut up!"

yelled at the top of his lungs, desperately attempting to halt Priscilla's relentless

"Hahahahahha!"

Jin's eyes, Priscilla continued to laugh uncontrollably, her hand once again smacking

Ba Bam—!

can't

of laughter, her amusement now hindering her

Jin muttered under his breath, his frustration evident in his words. "Damn

he feel so humiliated, not even during the

his grandfather. Be it before the war or after the war; he always tried to find a means to

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

so bad that Jin

just go

thought made him sigh. He wasn't really looking for

turned to look at

can't b..reathe!

I guess it's

as she remained here, his life

deserve this?" He unconsciously blurted out loud, covering his face with his arm while leaning back and resting his

seriously starting

"Don't be sad."

subtle bump on 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

He glared at her.

"What would you know?"

Jin retrieved a cigarette and swiftly lit it using his finger. He took a deep, leisurely drag, savoring the moment as he exhaled

*Puff*

that

Don't be so

spoke, a hint of pity in her voice. Although she found the situation highly amusing, a small sense of sympathy crept into her. She couldn't help but shudder at the mere thought

that were to happen... she wasn't

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