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

Kevin nodded.

figure. A demon. Red blood eyes

description,

what he was describing to me was just how any

figure was. Despite having crossed many demons, none really left an impression on me…well, there

a bit of a mystery to me. I had only seen him once

since then, I had never seen him. Yet, for some strange

figure be

after a while, I shook my

of any time I wanted. Furthermore, the

froze. My heart sped up a

I think about it, wasn't Everblood the reason

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

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

you have something in

Lifting my head and staring in his direction,

"No…at least not yet."

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

keeping track of this matter. I had a nagging feeling

"Okay."

he continued narrating to me each and every

was talking, I could tell that he was leaving

to him, the tighter the frown on

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

a strange

lastly was the vision regarding the

Kevin finally concluded.

say anything, Kevin once again opened his

that I haven't told

"…Something else?"

"Mhm."

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

"Huuuu…"

deep breath, Kevin lifted his head and

know about my past

"I do."

short nod. Nodding back, Kevin

I came from

"Yeah."

setting of

survivor, and he gains a system. Nothing

thing that

up as I abruptly lifted my

'He couldn't be…'

when, but I received this strange interface that essentially helped me get to where I am now. That interface, it's called

"Ah."

understand what was happening at the

"…System?"

course, even though I knew about the system, I pretended to

I managed to

"Oh."

reveal something like

My eyes squinted.

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

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

this?" I suddenly asked, trying to get the

"You caught on fast."

Kevin smiled.

Kevin flashed the red

"It's because of this."

"The book?"

or to be more precise, the time

"Time what?"

wondered what in the world he

did he get the name 'Time

"Time codex."

his head, reaffirming the fact that the book was called the time

had to be honest as I couldn't help

"...Are you sure?"

system called the

of my doubt was dispelled

that's what it was. Is this why you

"Yeah."