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."

his

wish. I really wish that I was lying, but, I'm not. What I told

Ren's face suddenly

that was what I originally believed

hearing those words. A trace of hope

"What do you mean?"

brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during that time before finally, looking straight at

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

"...What?"

his neck forward, Kevin tilted

saying that someone implanted those memories into you, and is trying to manipulate

Ren eventually nodded his

"Right..."

lifting his

know what to say, you can think that I'm lying, but whatever is happening to

"Me?"

did not last for long as flashbacks of the

vision was real?...and the one responsible for killing Emma

slowly starting to make

was truly a flashback of the future. Apprehension instantly hit Kevin as he eyed Ren

Kevin was thinking,

believe that the entity responsible for all of this is targeting

twisted slightly before he suddenly lowered

incident regarding Emma, you were right. I was

clapped inside of Kevin's ears as

as

to the previous flashback, he already understood that whatever happened to Emma was not

you that the entity was

Ren suddenly asked.

his eyes, Kevin took a deep

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

is to try to harm everyone that is

showed

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

nodded his head

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

once again took a deep breath as he tried to process

deemed fit to fight the demon king?

being able to read Kevin's thoughts, Ren

chose, and yet he is the one that is least

what

suddenly felt his head

'Akashic records.'

were once again being

was a smart person. The moment Ren mentioned those words, he was able to quickly piece everything together. 'The one that the Akashic records chose.' What else could

revolving around the world started to fade. Lifting his

ahead of him. Before he could voice out

was in danger due to the threat of the demon king, as a way to 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 have

to agree. He also believed that this was the

he had was, 'Why

world, why him? He really couldn't understand

"Huuuu..."

and staring at the ceiling of the training ground, Kevin tried to digest all of the information inside

starting to make more sense, however, Kevin knew that he had only barely scraped the surface of

silent. He had a

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

you figure something

head and looking at

the vision you previously told me about, I have a nagging feeling that whoever the entity trying to

his hand and placing it below his chin,

'time remnant' targeting you? What if the