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."

a bitter smile on his face, Ren

I'm not. What I told

mid-speech, Ren's face suddenly

that was what I originally believed

upon hearing those words. A

"What do you mean?"

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

was a fake world designed by someone to make me act the way that they wanted

"...What?"

Leaning his neck

those memories into you, and is trying to manipulate

face, Ren eventually nodded

"Right..."

to massage his forehead. Then, lifting his head, he looked straight

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

"Me?"

did not last for

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

was slowly starting to

he saw was truly a flashback of the future.

was thinking, Ren,

entity responsible for all

slightly before he suddenly

were right. I was somehow responsible for

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

not last for long as Kevin was able

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

that the entity was trying to target

Ren suddenly asked.

his eyes, Kevin took a deep

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

is to try to harm everyone

Kevin showed no reaction as

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his

soft. Or rather, trying to change you into

he tried to process all of

fit to fight the demon king? Why does he think I can't defeat the demon king...and why

being able to read Kevin's thoughts,

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

what he

Kevin suddenly

'Akashic records.'

once again

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

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

be a step ahead of him. Before he could voice out his theory, Ren had already started

itself, the Akashic records chose someone to prevent the demon king from ever getting to it, and that

choice but to agree. He

question he

people in the world,

"Huuuu..."

back and staring at the ceiling of the training ground, Kevin tried to digest

sense, however, Kevin knew that he had only barely scraped the surface

silent. He had a

previous anger that Kevin felt for him slowly started

you figure

his head and looking at

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

hand and placing it

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