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

demon that you saw in the vision, can you describe it for

Kevin nodded.

black humanoid figure. A demon. Red blood eyes and a

the description,

describing to me was just how any

many demons, none really left an impression on me…well, there was Angelica, but that was abou—right,

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

seen him. Yet, for some strange reason,

figure

thought. But after a while, I

I wanted.

My heart sped up a little

think about it, wasn't Everblood the reason I got Monarch's

able to meet him and defeat him, I would've

link? There couldn't

have something

voice. Lifting my head and staring in

"No…at least not yet."

There were some connections, but they

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

"Okay."

head before he continued narrating to me each and every one of

was talking, I could tell that he was

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

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

a strange

the figure that resembled you. The cold

Kevin finally concluded.

I could say anything, Kevin once again opened

thing that

"…Something else?"

"Mhm."

his head before taking a deep breath.

"Huuuu…"

another deep breath, Kevin lifted his

about my

"I do."

short nod. Nodding back, Kevin

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

"Yeah."

the general setting of

becomes the sole survivor,

one thing that I

as

'He couldn't be…'

received this strange

"Ah."

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

"…System?"

course, even though I knew about the system, I

it that I managed to push myself to

"Oh."

type to reveal something like this. There must definitely

My eyes squinted.

do something like this. There was definitely more than he

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

see…but why are you telling me this?" I suddenly asked, trying to get the crux

"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?"

my face as I wondered what in the world he was

he get the

"Time codex."

the fact that the book was called the

still a little bit doubtful if I had

"...Are you sure?"

called the book. The

doubt was dispelled at those

that's what it was. Is this why you

"Yeah."