The Author's POV

"It looks like there's a limit to how much I can influence him with my sealed powers. At the rate that he's progressing, he will die early. Maybe if I find a way to weaken his soul temporarily, I will be able to have a greater influence on him..."

Upon muttering those words, Kevin watched as the black threads danced around the white orb and started to attack it.

After striking the orb, the threads bounced back, leaving it completely undamaged. The sight caused Kevin's brows to furrow.

"I don't seem to have enough power to damage his soul, so I'll have to find another way."

Feeling his hand pull away from the orb, Kevin felt his body take a step back. After that, he continued to stare at the orb for two more loops. He seemed to be paying particular attention to each and every one of the details in each loop.

"I see."

Right before the second loop started, Kevin once again felt his hand pull toward the orb.

"...I think I've found a way."

With the fade of his words, the loop repeated, and Kevin watched the same events unfold once more.

It was only after Ren woke up from the come after having fought with Everblood that Ren finally took action as Kevin felt his body move.

Taking a step forward and placing his hand on the orb, Kevin softly mumbled.

"Let's see if it works."

Black threads sprang from the ground, covering the entire orb. After that, just as he wished, while selecting the skills from the long list of skills in the black market, Ren eventually chose a particular skill. Picking it up from one of the bookshelves, he slowly began to turn the book around.

"A skill that enables users to erase all emotions, and act as a supreme monarch that only calculates the best option regardless of circumstance."

Mumbling those words, Kevin felt the chains that were binding his body rattle wildly. Clearly, Ren was trying to pull something.

Clank. Clank.

But Ren didn't care as he eventually closed his eyes, stopping Kevin from seeing anything.

Amidst the darkness, he was only able to hear two words.

They rang clearly inside his head.

"Monarch Indifference."

***

'I don't get it.'

'What's going on?'

'What am I seeing?'

'...Is what I'm seeing real?'

Amanda's mind was in a state of disarray as she watched the memories play out in front of her. It was difficult for her to comprehend what was happening.

At one moment she saw Ren standing in front of a funeral, mourning the death of his parents, while the next moment, she saw the weather change alongside the time and seasons.

Recalling the hand that reached out to grab Ren's head, Amanda knew that he was looking at his memories.

There was only one problem.

Ren's parents never died. She was especially sure of this. After all, she had been with them not too long ago, and she had gotten quite close to them.

Their death would've surely been known to her.

'...Ren must've somehow found a way to fake his memories.'

That was the only conclusion that Amanda could come up with upon further thinking. How else would it explain what she was seeing?

Other than this, she really couldn't think of anything else.

...Or so she thought.

'Because I killed them.'

'Conclusion of trial 209, upon killing everyone that Kevin held dear, he fell into a state of emotional turmoil. Assessing the situation, I decided to terminate the loop. Based on my calculations, the possibility of him defeating the Demon King was beneath 1%. It wasn't worth continuing.'

'Trial 210, goal, kill anyone that Kevin was close to in the previous loop before he comes in contact with them in this loop. Same goes for my family. It's better if they die early.'

Scenes began to replay in front of her, and the confidence she had in her previous theory started to dwindle.

'What's going on?'

of her head. What she was seeing...was

switched, and she was now in what seemed to be a world filled

the outcome that

you

him! You decided to sacrifice the whole of humanity! What's the point of killing him when there's no one left?

"...Because I don't care."

a single thing about what was going

...and what are they talking

they talked...it just didn't make sense to

Clank. Clank. Clank.

spring out of the ground, before

enough to

'What's that?'

numb, a white orb appeared. Displayed on it was...

'No, that's not him.'

Amanda to realize that whoever was in the white

watched 'Ren's' life slowly unfold

the less the thoughts in her

mind to grow completely numb, and she stopped processing what was happening

was seeing...was simply

was all until one specific scene started to replay

'This place.'

her eyes once, she found herself in front of a large hall. Looking around

Opposite her was Elijah.

Slap. Slap. Slap.

the hall. Amanda couldn't feel the pain that came from the slap, but she didn't

remember this scene. How could she not? This was the scene in which she first met Ren, and it was here that he left a deep

Click

"Checkmate."

she remembered. Pretending to faint from the slaps, Ren woke up and killed Elijah while he was injured

he walked up next to her and he knocked her

found herself in front of the same demon from one

along the

he slowly bent down on

there anything you would like for me

"Yes."

nod, as Ren's voice

the Matriarch of the charm tribe, Angelica Von Droix, and give her

"Angelica?"

"That's correct."

more questions, Amanda suddenly found herself standing in front

Recalling the scenes from before, she couldn't exactly

he trying to

sense to her. What she was seeing, and what

It didn't make sense!

didn't want to

She just couldn't.

her to accept what she was seeing, she would also have

'No, it's not.'

feeling engulfed her

attention was

it seems like nothing escapes your perception, Madam Matriarch, or would you prefer it if I called you Angelica Von

at a figure that Amanda was able

'It's her...'

was pale and her hair seemed to be a mess, Amanda could never forget the demoness in

you have

over the opposite building, Amanda silently watched her interaction

she understood just how important this

be playing tricks on

need to be

object. It appeared to be a devil's

that didn't seem to

may have a clue with regards to who is responsible for

Everbood shook his head. Taking out a picture from out of thin air, Everblood

a youth with jet-black hair and deep blue eyes

Everblood, Angelica

"Who is this?"

Smiling, Everblood didn't respond.

she found herself

she knew it, feeling her eyes close one