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

was lying, but, I'm not. What I told

mid-speech, Ren's face

I originally believed

frowned upon hearing those words. A

"What do you mean?"

brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during that time before finally,

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

"...What?"

confusion in Kevin intensified. Leaning his

implanted those memories into you, and

a difficult face, Ren eventually nodded his

"Right..."

his forehead. Then, lifting his head, he looked straight into Kevin's

can think that I'm lying,

"Me?"

surprise did not last for long as flashbacks of the last synchronization

the

slowly

of the future. Apprehension

of what Kevin was thinking, Ren, nodded his

the entity responsible for

Ren's face twisted slightly before he

you were right. I was somehow responsible for

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

last for long as Kevin was

everything to the previous flashback, he

how I told you that the entity was trying to target

Ren suddenly asked.

eyes, Kevin took a

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

the entity is to try

Ren's words, Kevin showed no reaction as

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his head and

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

took a deep breath as he tried to process all of the information he was

someone deemed fit to fight the demon king? Why

read Kevin's thoughts, Ren

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

what

his head, Kevin suddenly

'Akashic records.'

once again

everything

to

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

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 it, and that person is

but to agree. He also believed

question he had

world, why him? He really

"Huuuu..."

the ceiling of the training ground, Kevin tried

sense, however, Kevin knew

Ren also remained silent. He had a thoughtful

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

you figure

head and looking at him, Ren

vision you previously told me about, I have a nagging feeling that whoever the entity trying to manipulate us is, he

his hand and placing it below his chin, Ren carefully

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