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

"..."

momentarily speechless. The

"Tsk."

He clicked his tongue.

'Ignorant, Arrogant Demoness.'

against what

Priscilla. The way she stared at him

at her for a brief moment, he

"Actually, yes."

"Oh?"

Priscilla raised her brow.

ballsy human, aren't

I've been

drag of his

"No, you haven't."

"Didn't you just now?"

"..."

"He."

taking another good drag of his cigarette. It felt good getting one over this annoying, ignorant, arrogant

Priscilla's eyes narrowed.

bolder with each passing

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

stay with him. If she found him annoying, she had every right to leave whenever she

"Haaa..."

let out a long sigh. He missed the days when he could relax by himself without any

muttered to himself, casting a resentful glance

you

of cute when

his mind as he sat

Ding—!

"Hm?"

his

"Fuuuck..."

stared at the message on his phone, his expression crumbled, and his grip on the device tightened. Priscilla, noticing his reaction, leaned over to catch a glimpse of

hand to snatch the phone away. However, Jin swiftly moved his hand out of her reach and placed his other hand

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Boundaries!"

to push

forget about boundaries. Let me see," Priscilla insisted, unbothered at all by what Jin was saying

"Hey! Fuck stop!"

pussy, and

"Over my dead body!"

to die that

the sofa as Jin made

better of it. While he

and

"No!"

"Fuck you!"

his disposal, whether it was his legs or his head, Jin fought back in an attempt

and agile, like an octopus latching onto his arm. She continued her relentless efforts to snatch the phone

"Got it!"

ended with Priscilla emerging as the victor. She successfully snatched the phone away from Jin's hand, triumphantly gaining control

Jin's silhouette as

she looked at the contents displayed on the

for her to reap

she inserted the password. Immediately Jin's face changed, but Priscilla didn't care. She had known his password

"Uh?"

upon looking at what was displayed on the screen, her face turned strange, and she looked at Jin, who turned his head away

"S...seriously?"

hold her laugh as

"Pft... you... seriousl—pffttt."

"Stop laughing."

expression crumbled as he

pfttt," unable to contain herself any longer, Priscilla erupted into

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

Ba Bam—!

of her laughing hysterically made Jin's expression darken considerably as he leaned forward to snatch his phone

"Hahahaha."

expression darkened with every

"Are you done?"

his frustration. Despite his best efforts to restrain himself, it proved to be a challenging task

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

on her face faded. Jin calmed down when he saw this,

medicines and potions work wonders. If there's really a problem, I'll search throughout the entire continent for a cure.

"Shut up!"

his lungs, desperately attempting

"Hahahahahha!"

laugh uncontrollably, her hand once again smacking against

Ba Bam—!

can't br... uhhh...

laughter, her amusement now hindering her ability to breathe

his frustration evident in his

his life did he feel so humiliated, not even

to escape the clutches of his grandfather. Be it before the war

ineffective in deterring his grandfather. On the contrary, his grandfather returned with even greater strength and

had gotten so bad that Jin wasn't

just

really looking for a relationship at

turned to look at

can't b..reathe! Uhpp..

I guess it's not

life would never be peaceful. He sighed

loud, covering his face

was seriously starting

"Don't be sad."

was still gazing at him with a smile that she was trying to suppress. Obviously, she

He glared at her.

"What would you know?"

into his cigarette box, Jin retrieved a cigarette and swiftly lit it using his finger. He took a deep, leisurely

*Puff*

understand the pains that

Don't be so

found the situation highly amusing, a small sense of sympathy crept into her. She couldn't help but shudder at the mere thought of her father subjecting her to a similar

happen... she wasn't sure what

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