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."

on his face,

lying, but, I'm not. What

mid-speech, Ren's face

least that was what I originally believed to be the

those words. A

"What do you mean?"

repeatedly furrowed and

in those memories. I think that world was a fake world designed by someone to make me act the way that they wanted

"...What?"

intensified. Leaning his neck forward, Kevin

you saying that someone implanted those memories into you,

Ren eventually

"Right..."

proceeded to massage his forehead. Then, lifting his head, he looked straight

can think that I'm lying, but whatever is happening to me,

"Me?"

the surprise did not last for long as flashbacks of the last synchronization

real?...and the

slowly starting to

flashback of the future. Apprehension instantly hit Kevin as

was thinking, Ren, nodded his

entity responsible for all of

twisted slightly before he suddenly lowered

were right. I was somehow

inside of Kevin's ears as his eyes

that did not last for long as Kevin was able to

previous flashback, he already understood that whatever happened to Emma was

I told you that the entity was

Ren suddenly asked.

Kevin took

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

to try

Kevin showed no

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

nodded his head

Or rather, trying to change you into someone they deemed fit to fight the demon

a deep breath as he tried

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

able to read Kevin's thoughts,

yet he is the

what

Kevin suddenly

'Akashic records.'

were once

smart person. The moment Ren mentioned those words, he was able to quickly piece everything together. 'The one that the

the veil and mystery revolving around the world started to fade.

ahead of him. Before he could voice out his theory,

the Akashic records chose someone to prevent the demon king from ever getting to it, and that person is none other

words, Kevin had no other choice but to agree.

question he

world, why him?

"Huuuu..."

of the training ground, Kevin tried to digest all of the

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

silent. He had a thoughtful look

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

you figure something

looking at him,

the vision you previously told me about, I have

placing it below his chin,

how you said something about the 'time remnant' targeting you? What if the entity inside of