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 that I did because of

"...You can say so."

his head, admitting to every single thing that

wariness even more as my

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

and when did he

when

to read my thoughts, the other Ren answered the question that was inside of

that was when I implanted the ideologies inside

upon hearing

just admit to the fact that he

already had my speculations in the past, and I was able to confirm this when I met him a while back, but who would've thought that during that time I

of Ren, the more apprehensive I became. Whenever I thought I was one step ahead of

It was frustrating.

much had he planned

secretly clenched my fists

at least pretending to not know, the other Ren

choice of forfeiting the tournament was for the purpose of not allowing you to grow stronger when undertaking the contract breach. Had you been stronger, the damage that your

he spoke, the number my

of having every one of my actions carefully puppeteered to the will of someone else

words made perfect

until after the tournament ended, although it would've taken me nearly four months to reach

that I needed to make some preparations that

choice from back then didn't make

heart

Ren didn't seem to care about what

your mind was so

back then, I remembered doing what I did for the sake of not hurting Amanda.

feelings inside of my heart weren't as dominant. If that

mouth, the other

your feelings for her. Whether you like her or not, it's for you to figure out. I don't care if

Ren's eyes once again met with

"Frustrating isn't it?"

"..."

his eyes, I chose to remain silent. Tilting his head,

of your life, it's frustrating

"Hm?"

words, my brows jumped a

voice. It was faint, very faint, but I could feel a mix of sadness and

face changed slightly

mouth I

telling me this? What's your

me to how he revealed that he could influence my thoughts whenever I activated Monarch's indifference,

things, yet, here he was, telling me everything that he had

he have something else

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

'Unless...'

thought suddenly struck me as my head snapped upwards and I glared at the other

to influence my decision-making by telling

setup, it felt

the time when I was manipulating the commander into acting the way that I wanted him to act by acting in

was exactly what

was telling me all of this was so that I would be forced to act in a way that he could

realized this, my glare