The Author's POV

Gazing in Kevin's direction, I lowered my head and stared at the floor next to me.

Following my hints, Kevin who had calmed down slowly walked over and sat down. He didn't say a single word throughout the whole time.

I didn't blame him for his reaction.

Resting my arms over my knees, I opened my mouth.

"Where should I start? There's much I have to say…"

There truly were a lot of things that I wanted to say.

So many that I had difficulty trying to sort my thoughts out.

But in the end, after realizing just how important it was for me to disclose everything, I calmed myself down.

Eyeing Kevin from the side of my eyes, I muttered.

"Just so you know, you're the only one that I've ever told my secret. I hope you don't tell anyone else about my secret."

This was a secret that I originally meant to take with me to the grave, but circumstances forced me to do otherwise. If I didn't disclose everything, the rift that the other Ren was trying to create between me, Kevin, and the others would simply widen.

But, if possible, I wanted only Kevin to know. It wasn't that I didn't trust the others, but I didn't want the others to have a false idea about who I was.

"Can you do that for me?"

"…okay."

After a long silence, Kevin eventually nodded his head. I smiled in response.

"Thanks."

Then, letting out a deep sigh, I began recounting to him everything.

"…well, it all started a week prior to the beginning of the Lock. That was the day I awoke...or should I say, those were the days where my memories began."

***

"The moment I woke up, I had faint recollections of a previous world where mana did not exist and I was a novel writer. A failed one at that."

"Luminescent swordman. That was the name of the last novel I created, and the name of the protagonist was...Kevin Voss."

Listening to Ren's words, Kevin's anger slowly started to disappear and what replaced it was pure shock.

The shock was so strong that Kevin found himself unable to speak nor think as his mind was entranced by every word that Ren said.

Many times he wanted to outright stop Ren from speaking.

He just couldn't come to terms with what he was saying. This world was a novel that he created, and he was the main character of that world? How could he believe that? But the more Ren talked, the more things started to align with his weird behavior, his deep knowledge regarding a few things, and his way of words.

Kevin's heart started to sink.

Doubt started to creep deep into his body as his face paled.

'Could his words be true?'

"It was only after the events after Immorra that I stopped being passive with my knowledge regarding the wo—"

"...Bullshit."

Kevin finally mouthed out loud, cutting Ren off. He just couldn't listen to Ren's words anymore.

He couldn't accept the idea that everything that had happened to him was merely part of some writing that Ren wrote.

Weren't Ren's words essentially saying that all the disasters that were currently happening to the world were a fabrication of his imagination? Were everything he felt in the past and his memories also fake?

Kevin couldn't accept it!

"You can't be real. It's impossible."

a bitter smile on his

really wish that I was lying, but, I'm not. What I told you was nothing but

mid-speech, Ren's face suddenly

I originally believed to

words. A trace of hope rekindled in

"What do you mean?"

didn't say anything for the next few seconds. His brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during

I think that world was a fake world designed by someone to make me

"...What?"

Leaning his neck

those memories into you, and is

a difficult face, Ren

"Right..."

forehead. Then, lifting his

I'm lying, but whatever is happening to me, their target is

"Me?"

raised his brows in surprise. However, the surprise did not last for long as flashbacks of the last synchronization started to replay

the one responsible for killing

so, everything was slowly starting to make

of the future. Apprehension instantly hit

what Kevin was thinking, Ren, nodded his

responsible

twisted slightly before he suddenly lowered

incident regarding Emma, you were right. I

clapped inside of Kevin's ears

not last for long as Kevin was able to quickly recompose

linked everything to the previous flashback, he already understood that whatever happened

how I told you that the entity was trying to

Ren suddenly asked.

Kevin took a

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

is to try

Ren's words, Kevin showed no reaction as he

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his head

gathered, the entity is trying to make you less soft. Or rather, trying to change you into someone they deemed

deep breath as he tried to process all of

someone deemed fit to fight the demon king? Why does he think I can't defeat the demon

being able to read Kevin's thoughts,

chose, and yet he is the

what

Kevin suddenly felt his head

'Akashic records.'

once

he was able to quickly piece everything together. 'The one that the

mystery revolving around the world started to

ahead of him. Before he could

preserve itself, the Akashic records chose someone to prevent the demon king from ever getting to it, and that person is none other than you, Kevin. This probably explains why you

but to agree. He also believed that this was the

he

people in the world, why him? He

"Huuuu..."

the training ground, Kevin tried to digest

make more sense, however, Kevin knew that he had only barely scraped

He had a thoughtful look on his

he looked at him, the previous anger that Kevin felt for him slowly started to dispel as

figure something

his head and looking at him, Ren

thinking back at the vision you previously told me about, I have a nagging feeling that

and placing it

'time remnant' targeting you? What if