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."

smile on his face, Ren shook

I'm not.

mid-speech, Ren's

what I originally

frowned upon hearing those words. A trace of hope rekindled in

"What do you mean?"

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

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

"...What?"

Leaning his neck forward, Kevin

that someone implanted those memories into

a difficult face, Ren eventually

"Right..."

his forehead. Then, lifting his head, he

think that I'm lying, but

"Me?"

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

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

was slowly starting to

vision he saw was truly a flashback of the future. Apprehension instantly hit Kevin as he

of what Kevin was thinking, Ren,

the entity responsible for all of this is targeting

face twisted slightly

you were right. I was

inside of Kevin's ears as his eyes opened

for long as Kevin was able to quickly

to the previous flashback, he already understood

told you that the

Ren suddenly asked.

eyes, Kevin took

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

to try to harm

Ren's words, Kevin showed no reaction

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his head and

soft. Or rather, trying to change you into someone they deemed fit to

once again took a deep breath as he tried to process all

into someone deemed fit to fight the demon king?

able to read Kevin's

the one that the Akashic records chose, and yet he

what he

his head, Kevin suddenly felt

'Akashic records.'

once again

to quickly piece everything together. 'The one that the Akashic records chose.' What else could they refer to

veil and mystery revolving around the world started to fade. Lifting his head, Kevin came up with a

step ahead of him. Before he could voice

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

Ren's words, Kevin had no other choice but to agree.

he

of all the people in the world, why him? He really

"Huuuu..."

training ground,

knew that

silent. He

anger that Kevin felt for him slowly started to dispel as he

figure

looking at

have

hand and placing it below his chin, Ren carefully

you said something about the 'time remnant' targeting you? What