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.

made the decision that I

"...You can say so."

head, admitting to every single thing that I was

increased my wariness even more as my brows tightened even

said was true, then didn't that mean 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

did he

when you activated Monarch's

read my thoughts, the other Ren answered the question that was

that was when I implanted

froze upon hearing his

that he

a while back, but who would've thought

to this version of Ren, the more apprehensive I became. Whenever I thought I was one

It was frustrating.

had he planned

my

I was thinking, or at least pretending to

when undertaking the contract breach. Had you been stronger, the damage that your soul would've

more he spoke, the number my mind

puppeteered to the will of someone else caused me this sense of loathing to rise

words

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

that I needed to

choice from back then didn't

heart

Ren didn't seem to care about what I was thinking, as he

them inside of your mind was so

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

inside of my heart weren't as

the other Ren

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

his head, the other Ren's eyes once

"Frustrating isn't it?"

"..."

I chose to remain silent. Tilting his

the flow of your life, it's frustrating isn't

"Hm?"

my

Ren's voice. It was faint, very faint, but I could feel a mix

face changed slightly when I sensed

mouth I

are you telling me this? What's your

he revealed that he

someone with a hidden agenda would never reveal such things, yet, here he was,

or did he have something else

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

'Unless...'

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

to influence my decision-making by telling me all of

sort 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 way that

exactly what was

reason the other Ren was telling me all of this was so that I would be forced to act in a way that

realized this, my glare