The Author's POV

"Where am I?"

My mind was a mess. I couldn't really think properly. My body was numb, and the moment I opened my eyes, all I saw was darkness.

A pitch-black darkness.

A darkness that seemed to completely eat the world around me.

Placing my hand on the ground, or what seemed to be the ground, I propped my body up.

"...What is happening?"

I muttered out loud.

Glancing around me, and only seeing darkness, at first I was confused. However, recalling the events that had happened not too long ago, I was able to instantly realize that what was happening to me was definitely connected to the other Ren.

'This place, I have been here before.'

Once I made the connection with the other Ren, everything started to make more sense as I realized that I had been in this place before.

It wasn't that long ago as well.

Around the time when I had activated Monarch's indifference to test my theory and communicate with the other Ren.

Once my thoughts paused there, I instantly looked around the place in hopes of finding the other Ren, but regardless of how much I looked, I couldn't find him.

My brows knit.

"Where are you."

I muttered out loud. From what I recalled, the last time, when I called him, he instantly appeared before me. Perhaps it was the same now.

"..."

Unfortunately, I was only met with silence.

Just as I was about to call out for him again, I closed my mouth as I suddenly recalled something.

'Could it perhaps be the chains?'

Right before I appeared in this place, I remembered the other Ren being bonded by a series of chains. Was the reason why I couldn't find him because of this?

This was a plausible scenario.

Taking a look at my surroundings one more time, I took a step forward and walked towards the darkness. Even though I wasn't sure of where I was headed, it was better than staying in the same place.

After all, there was nothing but darkness around me.

Right now, my priority was going back.

***

"What in the world did he do?"

"That..."

Hearing Melissa's question, Kevin opened his mouth and tried to say something, but he proceeded to helplessly shake his head.

"I really don't know if I have to be honest. I was coming back from training and this is how I found him."

As he said those words, from the side of his eyes, Kevin eyed a black cat in the distance. At the moment, she was the only person that knew about what happened to Ren.

Unfortunately, for some reason, she refused to say anything or even show up.

Listening to Kevin's words, Melissa raised her brow.

"You don't know?"

"I don't."

persisted for a couple of seconds before Melissa eventually

you say

of the room, much to

are

steps, Melissa

I'm

"What about him?"

Ren's sickly figure that was laying down on the

told me to come here without telling me what type of situation this was? I only came here with

say, '...But it's because you would've refused if I didn't do it this way.' However, he knew

would've been able to save so much

right, you're right, I'm

and apologized. Honestly, all of Melissa's words went from

complaints. But he knew that there was

last for long. As she too realized how dire the situation was, saying a couple more discourteous

Clank—!

"Haaa..."

back down on the sofa as he let out a long and tired sigh. Turning to look at Ren whose condition seemed to

world did you do to suddenly find yourself in this

any risks at all. For him to find himself in such a situation, Kevin just couldn't understand what had

as he was about to take another long sigh, a charming voice

come with the elven queen and her mother, when that happens,

"Huh!?"

his head against a nearby table as he looked around the room. It wasn't long

talk inside of

Angelica sat down

do find out about me, which they probably will since the queen's perception is strong, I want you to

trying to tell them that if anything happened to her, Ren would die. Kevin did not doubt her words as he knew that the two of them

to say such words, it felt as though the queen was going to do something to her if

rang inside of

something to do with Ren's

"..."

Silence.

with silence as Angelica simply

"So?"

again. However, yet again, he

is because Ren told me to do

why would they

yet again he was met with

answers caused frustrations to rise from deep within Kevin's body. All Angelica did was order him around without telling him exactly what was going on. Had it not

already irked by Melissa's attitude, and Angelica's attitude

bound to find sooner or later. Since she told him that he needed to protect

Angelica's direction, Kevin suddenly

did you just say Amanda's

[I did.]

Kevins' eyes to

"How is that possible?!"

about her mother's circumstances. About how she had left her when she was young to

mouth again,

in the world

[That's b—]

Clank—!

Before Kevin had the chance to see who the three figures were, one vanished from the spot before reappearing in front

look of worry flashed across Amanda's eyes as she stared at Ren's pale figure

him, Amanda bit her lips before turning

"W...what happened!?"

***

long did I walk for? ...I really wasn't sure

a day, yet at the same time, knew I didn't. The darkness around me made me lose my sense of time and direction as I

occurred to me as my