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."

on his face, Ren shook

wish that I was lying, but, I'm not. What I told you was nothing but the

mid-speech, Ren's face suddenly

least that was what I originally believed to be

those words. A

"What do you mean?"

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

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

"...What?"

intensified. Leaning his neck forward, Kevin tilted

memories into you,

face, Ren eventually nodded his

"Right..."

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

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

"Me?"

for long as flashbacks of the last synchronization started to replay in

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

slowly starting to

future.

of what Kevin was thinking, Ren, nodded

I believe that the entity responsible for all of

slightly before he suddenly

Emma, you were right. I was

inside of Kevin's ears as his eyes

as Kevin was able

he already

how I told you that the

Ren suddenly asked.

Kevin took

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

is to try to harm everyone that is

Ren's words, Kevin showed no reaction

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his

soft. Or rather, trying to change you into someone they deemed fit to fight the demon

deep breath as he tried to process

king? Why does he think I can't defeat

being able to read Kevin's thoughts, Ren

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

what he

suddenly felt his head

'Akashic records.'

once again

words, he was able to quickly piece everything together. 'The one that the

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

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

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

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

he had

the world,

"Huuuu..."

ground,

sense, however, Kevin knew

He had

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

you figure something

and looking at him,

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

it below his chin,

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