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

"...You can say so."

to every single thing that

increased my wariness even more

as well? The reason why I chose to forfeit the

did

was back when you activated

other Ren answered the question that was inside

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

froze upon

admit to the fact that he could affect my mind whenever I use Monarch's

him a while back, but who would've thought that during that time I activated it again he would take advantage of the situation to set

I thought I was one step ahead

It was frustrating.

much had

secretly clenched my

thinking, or at least pretending

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 soul would've taken wouldn't have been enough for

spoke, the number my mind

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

words

ended, although it would've taken me nearly four months to reach rank, it

that I needed to make some preparations that required me to

from back then

heart

about what I was thinking, as he continued to

reason why I planted them inside of your mind was

for the sake of not hurting

to before, the feelings inside of my heart weren't as dominant.

his mouth, the other Ren

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

Ren's eyes once again

"Frustrating isn't it?"

"..."

to remain silent. Tilting his

someone control the flow of

"Hm?"

my brows jumped

faint, but I could feel a mix of sadness

face changed slightly

mouth

me this?

how he revealed to me that he had been manipulating me to how he revealed that he could influence my thoughts whenever I activated

reveal such things, yet, here he was, telling

he just stupid, or did he have something else in mind? Especially with Monarch's

that he could manipulate me through it, why would

'Unless...'

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

influence my decision-making by

of setup,

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

was exactly what was

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

this, my glare