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

vision, can you describe it for me? What did it

Kevin nodded.

demon. Red blood eyes and a sadistic smile on

description, my

what he was describing to me was just how any

the black humanoid figure was. Despite having crossed many demons, none really left an

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

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

the figure be

after a while, I shook my

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

suddenly froze. My heart sped

wasn't Everblood the reason I got

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

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

have something in

of it was Kevin's voice. Lifting my head and staring in his

"No…at least not yet."

far-fetched. There were some connections, but they weren't enough

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

"Okay."

nodded his head before he continued narrating to me each and every one

I could tell

tighter the frown on my face became. That was because I

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

a strange

vision regarding the figure that resembled you. The cold

Kevin finally concluded.

I could say anything, Kevin once

another thing that I haven't

"…Something else?"

"Mhm."

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

"Huuuu…"

deep breath, Kevin lifted his head and directly

about my

"I do."

with a short nod.

that I came from

"Yeah."

general setting of Kevin in the

becomes the sole survivor, and he gains a system.

one thing that

up as I abruptly lifted my

'He couldn't be…'

since that day, some weird phenomenon 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."

only reply to his words with a weird sound. I really couldn't understand what was happening at the moment.

"…System?"

I knew about the system, I pretended to look

of it that I managed to push

"Oh."

type to reveal something like this. There must

My eyes squinted.

Kevin's nature to do something like this. There was definitely more

it assigns me quests from time to time. Once I complete them, I get rewarded

I suddenly

"You caught on fast."

Kevin smiled.

his hand, Kevin flashed the red

"It's because of this."

"The book?"

to be more

"Time what?"

face as I wondered what

in the world did he get the name 'Time

"Time codex."

reaffirming the fact that the

a little bit doubtful if I had to be honest as I couldn't help

"...Are you sure?"

what the system called the book. The time

my doubt was

what it was. Is this why you revealed to me

"Yeah."