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,

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

Ren's face suddenly

at least that was what I originally believed to be the

those words. A trace

"What do you mean?"

furrowed and relaxed during that time before

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

"...What?"

his neck

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

face, Ren

"Right..."

lifting his

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

"Me?"

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

real?...and the one responsible for killing

so, everything was slowly starting to make more

the future. Apprehension instantly hit Kevin

of what Kevin was

entity responsible for all of this is

Ren's face twisted slightly before he

incident regarding Emma, you were right. I

thunderbolts, Ren's words thunderously clapped inside of Kevin's ears as his eyes

that did not last for long as Kevin was able to quickly recompose

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

that the entity was trying to

Ren suddenly asked.

his eyes, Kevin

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

entity is to try to harm

to Ren's words, Kevin showed no reaction as he

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his head

Or rather, trying to change you into

as he tried to process all of the

into someone deemed fit to fight the demon king? Why does he think I

to read Kevin's thoughts,

yet he is the one that is

was what

Kevin suddenly felt

'Akashic records.'

were once again being

person. The moment Ren mentioned those words, he was able to quickly piece everything

started to fade. Lifting his head, Kevin

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

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

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

only question he had

the world, why him?

"Huuuu..."

ground, Kevin tried to digest all of the information inside of

knew that he had only

also remained silent. He had a thoughtful

him, the previous anger that Kevin felt for

you figure

looking at him, Ren shook his

me about, I have a nagging feeling that whoever the entity trying to manipulate

it below his chin, Ren

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