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 face, Ren

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

mid-speech, Ren's face suddenly

was what I originally believed to

words. A trace of hope rekindled in

"What do you mean?"

for the next few seconds. His brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during that time before finally, looking straight at Kevin straight in the

was a fake world designed by someone to make me act

"...What?"

Leaning his neck forward, Kevin tilted

implanted those memories into

difficult face, Ren eventually nodded his

"Right..."

Then, lifting his head, he

don't know what to say, you can think that I'm lying,

"Me?"

last for

that the vision was real?...and the

was slowly starting

flashback of the future. Apprehension instantly

what Kevin was thinking, Ren, nodded his

believe that the entity responsible for all of this

twisted slightly before he

Emma, you were right. I was

clapped inside of

that did not last for long as

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

told you that the entity was trying to

Ren suddenly asked.

eyes, Kevin took

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

goal of the entity is to try to harm

words, Kevin showed no reaction

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his

rather, trying to change you into someone they deemed

breath as he tried to

fight the demon king? Why does he think I can't defeat

read Kevin's

records chose, and yet he

was what he

his head, Kevin suddenly

'Akashic records.'

words were once again being

to quickly piece everything together. 'The one

revolving around the world started to

him. Before he could voice out his

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

Kevin had no other choice but to agree. He also believed that this

only question he had was,

people in the world, why him?

"Huuuu..."

ground,

make more sense, however, Kevin knew

Ren also remained silent. He

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

figure something

his head and looking at him, Ren

but thinking back at the vision you previously told me about, I have a

it below his

'time remnant' targeting you? What if the entity