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

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

mid-speech, Ren's face suddenly

I originally believed

frowned upon hearing those words. A trace of

"What do you mean?"

anything for the next few seconds. His brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during

have reason to believe in those memories. I think that world was a fake world designed

"...What?"

Leaning his neck forward, Kevin tilted his

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

face, Ren eventually nodded

"Right..."

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

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

"Me?"

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

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

was slowly starting to make

of the future. Apprehension instantly

of what Kevin was thinking, Ren, nodded his

believe that the entity responsible for all

face twisted slightly before he suddenly

regarding Emma, you were right. I was somehow responsible

Ren's words thunderously clapped inside of Kevin's

for long as Kevin was able to quickly

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

that the

Ren suddenly asked.

his eyes, Kevin took a deep

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

the entity is to try to

to Ren's words, Kevin showed no

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his head and

make you less soft. Or rather, trying

as he tried to process all of the

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

read

records chose, and yet he is the one that is

what

his head, Kevin suddenly felt

'Akashic records.'

were once again

to quickly piece everything together. 'The one that the Akashic records chose.' What else could they refer to but the

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

step ahead of him. Before he could voice out his

someone to

choice but to agree. He also believed that this was

he had was, 'Why

world, why him? He

"Huuuu..."

ground, Kevin

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

Ren also remained silent. He

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

you figure something

and looking at him,

but thinking back at the vision you previously told me about, I have a nagging feeling that whoever the entity trying to manipulate us

his hand and placing it below his chin,

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