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 the next

vision, can you describe it for

Kevin nodded.

was a black humanoid figure. A demon. Red blood

description, my

honest, what he was describing to me was

having crossed many demons, none really left an

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

Yet, for some

the figure

thought. But after a while, I

get rid of any time I wanted. Furthermore, the only reason

My heart

about it, wasn't Everblood the reason I

I not been able to meet him and defeat him, I

couldn't be, right?…it

have something

voice. Lifting my

"No…at least not yet."

just too far-fetched. There were some connections, but they

on keeping track of this matter. I had a nagging feeling

"Okay."

narrating to me each and every one of

he was talking, I could tell that he

the tighter the frown on my face became. That was

of the stuff regarding this place,

was a strange

regarding the figure that resembled you.

Kevin finally concluded.

say anything, Kevin once

thing that

"…Something else?"

"Mhm."

a deep

"Huuuu…"

breath, Kevin lifted his head and directly met

you know about my past

"I do."

a short nod. Nodding back, Kevin

that I came

"Yeah."

the general setting

he becomes the sole survivor,

thing that

up as I

'He couldn't be…'

occurred and I'm not sure exactly when, but I received this strange interface that essentially helped me get to where I am now. That interface, it's called the

"Ah."

couldn't understand what was happening at the moment. Did Kevin just reveal

"…System?"

system, I pretended to look both shocked

of it that I managed to push myself to

"Oh."

like this. There must definitely be

My eyes squinted.

this. There was definitely more than he was

time. Once I complete

I suddenly asked, trying to get the crux of the

"You caught on fast."

Kevin smiled.

hand, Kevin flashed the red

"It's because of this."

"The book?"

more

"Time what?"

face as I wondered what in the world he was talking

in the world did he get the name

"Time codex."

fact that the book was called

I had to be honest as I

"...Are you sure?"

the system called the book. The time

doubt was dispelled at those

what it was. Is this

"Yeah."