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,

really wish that I was lying, but, I'm not. What

mid-speech, Ren's face

I

frowned upon hearing those words. A trace of hope rekindled

"What do you mean?"

the next few seconds. His brows repeatedly furrowed and relaxed during that time before finally, looking straight at

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

"...What?"

Kevin intensified. Leaning his neck forward, Kevin tilted

implanted those memories into you, and

face, Ren eventually nodded

"Right..."

lifting his head, he looked straight into Kevin's

what to say, you can think that I'm

"Me?"

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

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

so, everything was slowly starting to make

of the future. Apprehension instantly

was thinking, Ren,

entity responsible for all of this is

slightly before

incident regarding Emma, you were right. I

inside of

for long as Kevin

had linked everything to the previous flashback, he

the entity was trying

Ren suddenly asked.

eyes, Kevin

"Continue."

Ren pursed his lips.

goal of the entity is to try to harm everyone that is

to Ren's words, Kevin showed no reaction

"Harm those around me?"

"Yes."

his

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

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

me into someone deemed fit to fight the demon king? Why does he think I

read Kevin's thoughts, Ren

records chose, and yet he is the one

was what he

Kevin suddenly felt

'Akashic records.'

were once again being

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

to fade. Lifting his head, Kevin

seemed to be a step ahead of him. Before he could voice out

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

choice but to

he had was,

people in the world, why him? He

"Huuuu..."

the ceiling of the training ground, Kevin tried to digest all of the information inside of his

knew that he had

silent. He had a thoughtful look

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

you figure something

looking at him, Ren shook

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

hand and placing it

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