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.

the decision that I did because of

"...You can say so."

admitting to every single thing that I was accusing

increased my wariness even more as my brows tightened

then didn't that mean that he had manipulated my emotions as well? The reason why I chose to forfeit the tournament, and my

and when did he do

back when you

my thoughts, the other Ren answered the question that was

Monarch's indifference, that was when I

body froze upon

just admit to the fact that he

thought that during that time I

version of Ren, the more apprehensive I became. Whenever I thought I was one step ahead of him, I would later

It was frustrating.

had

secretly clenched my

or at least pretending to not know, the other

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

more he spoke, the number my

the will of someone else caused me this sense of loathing to rise from deep within my

words

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

could've easily said that I needed to make some preparations that required me to reach

back then didn't make

heart started

other Ren didn't seem to care about what I

mind was so that I could create a perfect excuse for you to act the

I heard this. Indeed, back then, I remembered doing what I did for the sake of not hurting Amanda. But taking a look at it back now, I

inside of my heart weren't as

mouth, the other

her or not, it's for you to figure out. I don't

the other Ren's eyes once again met with

"Frustrating isn't it?"

"..."

I chose to remain silent. Tilting his head, the

flow of your

"Hm?"

words, my

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

changed slightly when

mouth I

you telling me this? What's your

to how he revealed that he could influence my

someone with a hidden agenda would never reveal such things, yet, here he was, telling me everything that he

he have something else in mind? Especially with

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

'Unless...'

snapped upwards and I glared at the

you once again trying to influence my decision-making by telling me all

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

was exactly what

that I would be forced to act in a way that he

this, my glare