The Author's POV

An unbearable silence descended upon the room as Kevin and I struggled to find the right words to say.

I really didn't know what to say. I was just that shocked by the fact that Kevin could see the red book and knew what it was.

Just when I had thought things had calmed down, something as unexpected as this suddenly happened.

It really made one wonder how I managed to cope with the constant shocks.

"…Have you always been able to see the red book?"

Kevin finally broke the silence.

Lifting my head and staring at him, I didn't answer him immediately.

My mind was currently a mess.

Glancing at the red book in the distance, many questions came into my mind, but out of all of them, one, in particular, stood out to me.

'How come he can see the red book now and not before?'

I had used the red book many times in front of him before. Yet, in all the times I had used it, Kevin never showed signs of ever being able to see the book.

So why now?

"Ren?"

"Ah, right."

Snapping out of it, I looked back at Kevin who gazing at me with a face filled with questions.

"How much do you know about that book?"

I asked whilst breathing out.

Depending on what he answered, I was going to decide whether to tell him the truth or make something up.

Gazing in my direction for a brief moment of time, Kevin walked up to the book and placed his hand on it.

Seeing that there was no reaction, Kevin sighed in relief. Then, opening it, he carefully flipped through its pages.

"…it's empty"

He muttered out loud. His brows furrowing tightly. Then, putting the book back down, with his back facing me, he started speaking.

"The first time I got the book was when I was returning to my dorm."

I sat up straight at his words. This was important information.

"I was very surprised by the fact that a random book magically showed up in the middle of my room. Of course, it was only after I touched the book that I realized that the book was special. It was also during that time that I had my first vision."

Kevin paused. But he didn't need to say anything. I had the notes with me, and I already knew what the vision he was referring to was about.

Flip—

I flipped through the notes before finally pausing on a certain page.

It was the vision where I was supposed to have died.

"Ku, Ku, ku, this is on you."

"I am the sin you created."

"…I am the consequence of your actions."

"…never forget…I am the one sin…you will never get rid of…"

As I looked through the notes, Kevin continued speaking.

"The first vision was different compared to the others. I could move there, and it wasn't just like any other of the visions I saw later"

Kevin's brows knit tightly.

"…but it was also the oddest of the other visions."

"I can tell."

I solemnly replied whilst looking through the notes he wrote. As I read, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

'If I died in in this vision, does that mean that the visions are not entirely accurate?'

Possible.

However, that was beside the point as my entire focus shifted towards the description of the demon responsible for killing 'me.'

"Say…"

Flip—

flipped to

the vision, can you describe it for me?

Kevin nodded.

A demon. Red blood eyes and

description,

was describing to me was just how any regular

no idea who the black humanoid figure was. Despite having crossed many demons, none really left an

that I thought about him, he was a bit of a mystery to me. I had only seen him once in my life, and that was back

never seen him. Yet, for some strange reason, he

the figure be

thought. But after a while, I shook

Everblood is just some random Baron ranked demon I can get rid of any time I wanted. Furthermore, the only reason he developed a connection with me was because I ruined his plans back

froze. My heart sped up a little

think about it, wasn't Everblood the

not been able to meet him and defeat him, I would've never gotten

be a link? There couldn't be, right?…it just didn't

you have

out of it was Kevin's voice. Lifting my head and staring in his direction, I shook my

"No…at least not yet."

some connections, but they weren't enough for me to

matter. I had a nagging feeling that there was more to

"Okay."

to me

talking, I could tell that he was

listened to him, the tighter the frown on my

thought that as the author of the novel...or whatever this world was, I would know most of the stuff regarding this place, yet, listening to what Kevin was telling me, I really

a strange

vision regarding the figure

Kevin finally concluded.

say anything, Kevin once again

another thing that I haven't

"…Something else?"

"Mhm."

nodded his head before taking a deep breath. The atmosphere in the

"Huuuu…"

Kevin lifted his head and

about my past

"I do."

a short nod. Nodding

you must know that the village that I came from was invaded

"Yeah."

general setting

survivor, and he gains a system.

thing that

jumped up as I abruptly

'He couldn't be…'

exactly when, but I received this strange interface that essentially helped me get to

"Ah."

his words with a weird sound. I really couldn't understand what

"…System?"

the system, I pretended to

because of it that I managed to push myself to

"Oh."

to reveal something like this. There must definitely be

My eyes squinted.

something like this. There was definitely

status window, and it assigns me quests from time to time. Once

why are you telling me this?" I suddenly asked, trying to

"You caught on fast."

Kevin smiled.

his hand, Kevin flashed the

"It's because of this."

"The book?"

to be more precise, the time

"Time what?"

face as I wondered what in the world he was talking

did he

"Time codex."

again nodded his head, reaffirming the fact that the book was called

had to

"...Are you sure?"

what the system called the

of my doubt was

it was. Is this why you

"Yeah."