547 One problem at a time [2]

[[S] Memory manipulation]

That was the name of the <S> ranked skill I picked. As implied by the skill's name, the skill enabled me to alter the memories of the people whom I activated the skill against.

In the future, this skill would prove to be extremely useful as the possibilities were endless.

That being said, it wasn't without faults.

There were a couple of drawbacks to the skill. One such drawback was the large amount of mana consumption required to activate the skill.

It wasn't an <S> ranked skill for nothing.

The deeper the memories that I altered, the greater the mana consumption. In the same way, the more I changed, the more mana I consumed.

If it wasn't hard enough already, I could only alter the memories of those who were incapacitated or had their minds unguarded like Kevin not too long ago.

Still.

This was the perfect skill for me at the moment.

'If possible, I might be able to alter some of my memories from the time that I was back in the Monolith.'

In choosing this skill, my main goal was to solve all the mental issues I had been experiencing ever since I returned from the Monolith.

They had never stopped and had only gotten worse.

It was about time I finally did something to solve this issue, and this skill was probably the key.

That said, I did see a problem in this method.

'What if in the process of changing my memories, my personality also ends up changing?'

This was a very real problem since my experiences at the Monolith were the things that made me who I was today. Thankfull, I had a way to restore my memories, and therefore, could experiment a couple of times.

"That aside, I should probably call Melissa."

In memory of my earlier conversation with Douglas, I skimmed through my contacts until they paused on a particular profile.

[Melissa Hall]

"She might be able to help me make an arrangement with Octavious."

My chances of getting in touch with him by myself were rather slim considering our situation.

Thus, I had no other choice but to call her.

"Haaa..."

Letting out a long sigh, I pressed on the contact and called Melissa.

'I might regret this.'

***

'So bright...'

With her eyes squinting, Melissa had trouble keeping her eyes open while camera lights flashed before her and shutters clicked all around her.

Click. Click. Click.

'So annoying.'

Waving in front of her, Melissa forced herself to smile.

—We would like to once again congratulate Melissa Hall for her exemplary research on [Mana dissemination amongst beasts]. Thanks to her research, humanity has once again advanced several steps! As expected of her!

In the meantime, a loud voice echoed throughout the large auditorium as a man dressed in a black suit handed her a certificate. He was the president of the National Group of Science.

The largest scientific community in the human domain.

"Thank you."

With a bright smile, Melissa thanked the president, and reached out for the certificate.

'How much longer do I have to do this for?'

After taking the paper, Melissa glanced at it casually.

===

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Melissa Hall for her outstanding capabilities in the field of research and development. Her outstanding achievements over the past year have earned her this award from the National Group of Science, and...

===

'How useless...'

Putting on a bright smile, Melissa hugged the certificate to her chest and bowed her head toward the cameras pointed at her.

Her actions were followed by the loud clapping sounds of the audience who stood up from their seats to congratulate her.

This persisted for ten minutes, before it was finally time for Melissa to finally leave the stage.

As she left, she made sure to bow her head one more time and thanked the President of the NGS. A bright smile adorned her face the entire time.

'Finally...'

Once Melissa left the stage, her smile vanished from her face. Waiting for her at the end of the stage was Rosie who immediately jumped at the opportunity to congratulate her. In her hands was a large stack of papers.

"Congratulation—"

"Take it."

Shoving the certificate to Rosie, Melissa moodily stormed off the venue.

"Wahh!"

Quickly losing her balance, Rosie quickly hooked her hand over the papers and supported the bottom with her thigh.

"Wait up!"

Hastily putting the certificate on top of the stack of papers, Rosie followed her from behind.

"Melissa, why are you leaving so early? I heard that there is an after part—"

"Not interested."

Melissa snapply replied.

As if she would want to participate in a party filled with perverted old men that leered at her with every chance they got.

"....But it is a great chance to make great connections."

"I don't need them. I have plenty already."

Upon turning the corner, Melissa entered the venue's lobby. As Melissa gazed around, her eyes soon landed on the enormous glass doors in the distance.

Soon, her eyes caught sight of the large car waiting outside and she started walking toward it immediately.

"Welcome young miss."

Upon exiting the building, a man dressed in black stepped out of the vehicle and opened the door for her. Melissa glanced at him briefly before entering the car and crossing her legs.

Clank—!

"Wait for me, young miss!"

Moments after she entered the car, entering from the other side was Rosie. She looked rather tired as she still held onto the large stacks of papers.

Briefly glancing at her, Melissa nudged her with her head.

"Get in, I don't have more time to waste."

"O..okay."

Carefully putting the papers beside her, Rosie put on her seatbelt.

Knock. Knock.

A knock on the glass door signaled the driver to start the car. Within a few seconds, the car had disappeared into the distance.

The next few minutes were spent in uncomfortable silence as Melissa stared at the ever-changing scenery outside of the car.

In the midst of the silence, on a sharp turn, one of the papers fell down toward Melissa's lap.

It was the certificate of today's achievement.

[NGS National Award Certificate]

With a clench of her teeth, Melissa crumbled the paper in her hand before throwing it away.

'Useless.'

That was all she thought as she stared at the reward. Rather than feeling any sense of accomplishment from it, all she felt was disgust.

"Young miss, I don't think you should throw away your reward."

Lowering her body, Rosie carefully picked up the certificate and unwrinkled it.

"There are many people out there that would be very envious of your reward."

"They can have it for all I care."

Melissa replied as she continued to stare at the ever-changing scenery outside. A low whisper escaped her lips as her eyes closed for a moment.

"...It's not like anyone else cares anyways."

To others, such achievements would've been their greatest accomplishments in their life, but to Melissa, it was just like any other reward out there.

One of many, and one that nobody else she knew cared about.

It would be more accurate to say that no one in her family knew she had won the award, and even if they did, they would most likely not even care.

The world was ruled by strength. In her family, science and technology were considered nothing but a waste of time.

Had it not been for her father's influence, Melissa would've probably already been thrown out of her house.

Even then, it wasn't as though her own parents liked her.

"I don't think it's a waste of time..."

Rosies' voice echoed inside the car. Finally unwrinkling the whole paper, she carefully placed it on top of the stack of papers.

"Just because your family doesn't accept the fact that you are a scientist, doesn't mean that there are people out there that don't accept you for who you—"

"Shut up."

Brushing her hair behind her ear, Melissa glared at Rosie from the corner of her eyes.

"Don't talk about them. You will only end up souring my already bad mood."

Opening her mouth, Rosie stared at Melissa for a good couple of seconds before she nodded her head.

"As you wish."

As the two sat in silence following her words, a tense atmosphere permeated the car.

Riiing—! Riiing—!

Breaking the silence was the sound of Melissa's phone ringing. Furrowing her brows, Melissa took out her phone and looked at the user ID.

[Ren Dover.]

"Oh fuck."

Unable to keep herself from swearing, Melissa's face twisted as she stared at the user ID. This was probably the last person that she wanted to talk to at the moment.

However, as she considered her options, she realized that ignoring Ren would only lead to him calling her through other means.

He was as persistent as a fly.

"Ugh."

With a groan, she picked up the phone.

"What is it?"

—Melissa. My favorite money-making machi...keum, I mean, Melissa! How have you been?

'He was about to say money-making machine, wasn't he?'

Clenching her phone tightly, Melissa forced a smile.

"I was doing great until you called me. Now I'm doing terribly. Thank you so much."

—You have my condolences.

"Alright, what is it? Spit it out, I don't have time to waste."

—Straight to the point. This is why I like you, Melissa.

"Shut up and speak."

While covering her hand with her face, Melissa tried to remain composed.

'You can do it, you can do it...'

—Okay, I need your help setting up a meeting with your dad.

'I can't do it, I can't do it...'

Firming her grip on the phone, it took all of her willpower to not open the window and thr it away.

Opening her mouth, she irritably asked.

"Tell me you're joking, right? Do you have any idea who my father is?"

—Yes, sadly I do. And that's why I'm asking you to help me set up a meeting with him. Disguise it as you have a meeting with him, but instead, it will be me who will go.

"That's the dumbes—"

Halfway through her sentence, Melissa's mouth stopped moving.

'Wait a second...'

It was at that moment that Melissa suddenly recalled something, and it was the fact that her father hated Ren with a passion.

'If I pretend to set up a meeting with my father, but instead have Ren go...'

Once her thoughts passed there, the edges of her lips curled upwards as her hand started trembling.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Melissa asked.

"Is the meeting very important?"

—Yes, very.

Ren replied in a very serious tone.

"Haa..."

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Melissa pretended to fall into deep thought before asking.