The Author's POV

After Hein's match, there were a couple of more matches, but none interested me, so I just made small talk with the others in order to pass time.

Fortunately, Hein's match was one of the very last ones as the round of 128 finally came to an end after one last big battle.

Though I said big, it was only like that because the two opponents facing each other were of similar strength and so was very entertaining to watch.

"This will be it for today's matches. I hope the contestants will take this time to rest for tomorrow's matches." The elven lady once again said as she showed up on the stage. Following her words, everyone stood up and left the premises.

Similarly standing up, just as I was about to follow the others out, Kevin came up to me. He had a serious look on his face.

Instantly my brows knit.

"...what's wrong?"

"Ren, we need to talk."

There was undeniable solemness in his voice as he spoke to me. Glancing around to make sure that the others had left, I slowly nodded.

Kevin wasn't the type of guy to act like this unless there really was something wrong. As such, I knew that the situation was serious.

"Where should we talk?"

"Your apartment."

"...my apartment?"

"Yeah. It's the place that has the least amount of people nearby."

"Fair."

And so we decided to head to my apartment to talk. The walk wasn't long as within ten minutes we were already there, but it was strangely uncomfortable as I felt this weird tension coming out from Kevin's face.

His face reminded me of someone who was just about to go to war.

Ci Clank—

Opening the door of my apartment and letting Kevin in, I slumped down on one of the chairs of the room.

Kevin shortly followed suit as he sat on the seat opposite of me.

"..."

An uncomfortable silence descended on the room as Kevin leaned forward, with both his arms on his thighs. Interlocking his hands together, Kevin's foot repeatedly tapped onto the ground.

Seeing that Kevin was having difficulty speaking, I decided to break the silence.

"...So? What did you want to talk about?"

Lifting his head, Kevin looked up at me.

"Say..."

His brows furrowed even more tightly.

"...do you perhaps have a secret that you can't tell me?"

"A secret?"

I was taken aback by his abrupt question.

'Did he find something out?...and isn't that rather vague?'

I had plenty of secrets, and so I wasn't really sure about which one he was referring to.

Nodding his head, Kevin's crimson red eyes continue to gaze in my direction.

"Yeah, do you have any secrets that you can't tell me?"

Leaning back, and deeply gazing into Kevin's eyes, I eventually nodded my head.

"...There are."

The fact that this world was a novel, the book, my skills, I had plenty of secrets that I couldn't tell him.

was a high chance that a rift could form between us, creating some unnecessary

"I see."

foot became more prominent. This was an obvious indication to me that

on

up with you? Don't drag it out, tell

been having

cut me off. But I wasn't the least bit mad

"Visions?"

recall Kevin ever having visions

"...Yeah."

Kevin nodded.

type of visions

too sure, but I've written them down. Take a

a small book from

my hand, I took the book. Although I

'Let's see.'

time, I lowered my head and directed my focus on the book in

this serious, it must be

"...What the?"

would I? I didn't think there would be anything I didn't know, but I was quickly proven wrong as my hands

remnant? Akashic records? Black-clothed

on my face became. That was because I didn't know any of

this world, yet at the same time couldn't be considered gods. It was a confusing concept that

isn't supposed to find out about the Akashic records

the visions that he was

My head throbbed.

in the

effect of my actions had pushed forward a couple of plot points several times ahead of where they should've been. Sucked,

Flip—!

I flipped to the next page. Reading through the

you hadn't been so compassionate,

you are, a piece should act as a piece should

hope this will finally clear

was looking back at

what to say. It felt

my head and once again reading the book, my

"It can't be..."

in disbelief as I shook

speaking...and those words...that's

felt it

throughout the whole time, Kevin finally

his hand and pointing at the book, he

person in the vision was

"This..."

with all my might...but I couldn't. The man described in the book

"No, it can't be."

out loud as horrifying thoughts flashed

you figure

didn't respond. I

'...Monarch's indifference.'

mind as I re-read the passage multiple times.

it. Not only did it feel as though I would lose all control of my body, but it also felt

aside...now that I look back, my chess ideology did not stem from meeting the previous Ren but from using Monarch's

my head came from the moment I met the previous Ren, but that wasn't

the other Ren. Maybe that was

down

"Huuu..."

at any of

was one incident that particularly

the dome when I activated it to save Kevin.

first, I thought that leaving Aaron alive was merely a side-effect of Monarch's indifference since my goal was saving Kevin...but was it really a fluke? It had to

there was this nagging feeling inside of my head that

'I'm definitely overthinking things'

shook my head, trying to dispel

was just too far-fetched to make sense, but

to me felt kind of forced...almost as though someone was trying to manipulate the