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—

to

saw in the vision, can you describe it for me? What did it

Kevin nodded.

a black humanoid figure. A demon. Red blood eyes and a sadistic smile on his

description,

to me was just how

humanoid figure was. Despite having crossed many demons, none really left an impression on me…well, there was Angelica, but that was abou—right, there

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

for some strange reason, he seemed to

the figure be

But after a while, I shook

I can get rid of any time I wanted. Furthermore, the only reason he developed a connection

My heart

it, wasn't Everblood the

meet him and defeat him, I would've

link? There couldn't be, right?…it

have something in

of it was Kevin's voice. Lifting my

"No…at least not yet."

Everblood theory was just too far-fetched. There were some connections, but they weren't enough for me to make a proper

I was planning on keeping track of this matter. I had a nagging feeling that there was

"Okay."

continued narrating to me each

could tell that he was leaving nothing

tighter the frown on my face became.

most of

a strange

the vision regarding the figure that resembled you. The

Kevin finally concluded.

Kevin

another thing that I haven't told

"…Something else?"

"Mhm."

head before taking a deep breath. The atmosphere in the room tensed

"Huuuu…"

Kevin lifted his head and

you know about

"I do."

with a short nod.

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

"Yeah."

was the general setting of Kevin in

survivor, and he

one thing that

jumped up as I abruptly

'He couldn't be…'

when, but I received this

"Ah."

sound. I really couldn't understand what was happening at the moment. Did Kevin just

"…System?"

the system, I pretended to look both shocked

It's because of it that I managed to push

"Oh."

reveal something like this.

My eyes squinted.

to do something like this. There was definitely

time. Once I complete them, I get rewarded by the system

me this?" I suddenly asked, trying to get the

"You caught on fast."

Kevin smiled.

his hand, Kevin flashed the red

"It's because of this."

"The book?"

or to be more precise, the

"Time what?"

once again dyed my face as I wondered what in the world he was talking

did he get the name

"Time codex."

nodded his head, reaffirming the fact that the book

if I had to be

"...Are you sure?"

the system called the

of my doubt was dispelled at those

that's what it was. Is this why you revealed to me about your

"Yeah."