The Author's POV

"Yes, I won't let you die even if you wanted to die. I've already made the proper calculations."

"This..."

Hearing his words, I unconsciously took a step back as my eyes opened wide.

'It can't be...'

He had made the proper calculations? ...Didn't that mean that he already knew that I was going to act the way I was going to act?

How was that even possible?!

Furthermore, from what his words suggested, my life had never been in any danger. The only reason why I had passed out was probably him trying to drag me here.

Confirming my doubts was the other Ren's voice as he coldly said.

"Don't think too much. It's exactly what you think."

"...How!?"

I softly muttered, trying to suppress the shock within my body.

The shock didn't last for long. Clenching my teeth, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then, lifting my head and meeting the other Ren's gaze, I opened my mouth.

"So it really was you who planned this whole thing..."

I already had a hunch before this when I linked up the scenario with Angelica and Amanda's mother.

The clues were there, from how Everblood had tried to manipulate her to come to me, to how she was able to have pictures of her mother back at the Lock.

Everything was a full circle, and it all led to the man in front of me. Of course, everything was just speculation on my part, but the more I looked at the other Ren, the more I was convinced about my conjecture.

As my thoughts paused there, my brows furrowed.

'If this is indeed planned by him, what would his real motive be?'

Could he be trying to separate me from the others? ...That was a plausible scenario, but I don't think it was the right answer.

From what I knew, his goal was to create a 'perfect' version of Kevin. An unfeeling Kevin that had no burdens and only aimed to kill the demon king.

That was the only goal I knew he had. Without a doubt, there were other goals he had, but I had no idea about what they were.

'...Wait.'

It was then that a thought suddenly struck me.

'Wasn't the reason why I was able to see him in the real world because of the damage that my soul took due to the contract breach? ...What if the real purpose in him trying to set this whole scenario up was to damage my soul...'

A cold chill ran down my spine as my thoughts paused there. Lifting my head, my eyes met with the other Ren's.

"Looks like you've figured things out."

The other Ren said as he calmly stood in the void with the chains rotating around his body, binding him down even more tightly.

With both of his hands locked down, he continued.

"My goal was indeed to damage your soul."

Upon hearing his confirmation, I became even warier of him. Taking a step forward, I coldly asked.

reason I made the decision

"...You can say so."

nodded his head, admitting to every

more as my

had manipulated my emotions as well? The reason why I chose to forfeit the tournament, and my questionable feelings for Amanda,

when did

when you

able to read my thoughts, the other Ren answered the

used Monarch's indifference, that was when I implanted the ideologies inside of your

body froze upon hearing

admit to the fact that he could

when I met him a while back, but who would've thought that during that time I activated it again he would take advantage of

more I talked to this version of Ren, the more apprehensive I became. Whenever I thought I was one step ahead of him, I would later find out

It was frustrating.

much had

clenched my fists at the

thinking, or at least pretending to not know, the other Ren

been stronger, the damage that your soul

more he spoke, the number my mind

having every one of my actions carefully puppeteered to the will of someone else caused me this sense of loathing to rise from deep

his words

four months to reach rank, it would've definitely have increased

mother's situation, I could've easily said that I needed to make some preparations

from back then didn't

heart started

about what I was thinking,

reason why I planted them inside of your mind was so that I could create a perfect excuse for you to act

did for the sake of not hurting Amanda. But taking a look at it

to before, the feelings inside of my

mouth, the other Ren

her or not, it's for

other Ren's eyes once again met with

"Frustrating isn't it?"

"..."

I chose to remain silent. Tilting his

of your

"Hm?"

his words, my brows jumped a

in a while, I heard emotions coming from the other Ren's voice. It was faint, very faint, but I could feel a mix of sadness and hate hidden

slightly when I

my mouth I

are you telling me this? What's

revealed that he could influence my thoughts whenever I activated Monarch's indifference, what was

never reveal such things, yet, here he was, telling

he just stupid, or did he have something

I knew that he could manipulate me through it, why would he ever think that I would

'Unless...'

struck me as my head snapped upwards and I

you once again trying to influence my decision-making by

sort of setup,

Monolith incident replayed back into my mind, or more specifically, the time when I was manipulating the commander into acting the way that I wanted him to act by acting in a way that made it seem as

was exactly what was

me all of this was so that I would be forced to act

this, my