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

but, I'm not. What

Ren's face

was what I originally believed to be the

A trace

"What do you mean?"

his head, Ren didn't say anything for the next few seconds. His brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during that time before finally, looking

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

"...What?"

Kevin intensified. Leaning his

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

difficult face, Ren

"Right..."

lifting his head, he looked straight into Kevin's

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

"Me?"

the surprise did not last for

it be that the vision was real?...and the

everything was slowly starting

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

was thinking, Ren, nodded

entity responsible for all of this is

face twisted slightly before he suddenly lowered

regarding Emma, you were right. I was somehow responsible

of Kevin's ears as his

that did not last for long as Kevin

moment he had linked everything to the previous flashback, he already understood that whatever happened to Emma was not an

told you that the entity was trying to target

Ren suddenly asked.

Kevin took a deep

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

entity is to try to harm everyone that is

words, Kevin showed no reaction as he softly

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

nodded his head and

less soft. Or rather, trying to change you into someone

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

the demon king? Why does he think I

to read Kevin's thoughts,

records chose, and yet he is the one that is least fit to carry on that

was what

Kevin suddenly

'Akashic records.'

words were once again

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

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

a step ahead of him. Before he could voice out his

the Akashic records chose someone to prevent the demon king from ever getting

to agree. He also believed that this

only question he had was,

the world, why

"Huuuu..."

training ground, Kevin tried to digest all of the information

however, Kevin knew that he had only barely scraped

Ren also remained silent. He had

looked at him, the previous anger that Kevin felt for him

figure something

his head and looking at him,

have a nagging feeling that whoever the entity trying to manipulate us is, he knows the

and placing it below his chin, Ren carefully

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