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.

out any of those secrets, I wasn't too sure how he would react. There was a high chance that a

"I see."

was an obvious indication to me that he

on

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

been having visions

least bit mad as his words

"Visions?"

Kevin ever having visions in the novel. Another butter-fly

"...Yeah."

Kevin nodded.

type of visions

but I've written them down. Take a look for yourself and

book from

took the book. Although I

'Let's see.'

Kevin one more time, I lowered my head and

this serious,

"...What the?"

didn't have many expectations when opening the book. Why would I? I didn't think there would be anything I didn't

Akashic records?

I didn't know any of the

entity that acted as the gods of this world, yet at the same time couldn't be considered gods. It was a confusing concept that I decided to add

about the Akashic records till later in the

that he was currently experiencing were

My head throbbed.

in the world

plot points several times ahead of where they should've been. Sucked, but it was nothing new. Happened many times in the past and so I was

Flip—!

anything, I flipped to the next page. Reading through the passage, my

wouldn't have had to resort to this if you hadn't been

are, a piece should act as a piece

will

was looking back at me with

my mouth repeatedly, I didn't know what to say. It felt as

once again reading the book,

"It can't be..."

muttered in disbelief as I shook

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

it

gazing in my direction throughout the whole time, Kevin

his hand and pointing at the

person in the vision was

"This..."

in the book reminded me an awful lot of me...or rather, me under the

"No, it can't be."

as horrifying

you figure

didn't respond. I was

'...Monarch's indifference.'

of my mind as I re-read the passage multiple

my reservation about using it. Not only did it feel as though I would lose all control of my body, but it

I look back, my chess ideology did not stem from meeting the previous Ren but

ideologies that were being implanted inside of my head came from the

moment I met the other Ren. Maybe that was why

ran down my

"Huuu..."

deep breath, I tried to look back at any of the incidents revolving around me using

was one incident that particularly stood

it to save

Aaron alive was merely a side-effect of Monarch's indifference since my goal was saving Kevin...but was it really

was this nagging feeling inside of my head

'I'm definitely overthinking things'

quickly shook my head, trying

too far-fetched to make sense, but

big incidents that had occurred to me felt kind of forced...almost as though someone was