The Author's POV

'Why is it taking Kevin so long?'

During my conversation with Malik Alshayatin, in which I was trying to buy as much time as possible, I sneaked a look at the time on my watch.

Ten minutes had already passed since Hemlock had appeared, and nothing had happened.

'Did something go wrong with the operation?'

Kevin was supposed to be on his way to killing Malik Alshayatin, who was hiding not so far from where we were at the time, according to what I knew about the situation.

He was the only one who knew the precise location; I wasn't even sure of it myself.

Given that Hemlock was still seated at the oval table alongside everyone else, it was clear that Kevin had not yet made his move.

'Is it possible that he ran into some problems, and it's taking him more time than it is supposed to?'

This was the most likely possibility.

Kevin, in my opinion, was in no real danger at any point.

Malik Alshayatin would have already vanished by now had he found out that Kevin had attacked him, and taking into consideration the fact that Kevin was solely performing this action based on his memories, there was no way that Hemlock could know what was coming for him.

It was simply impossible.

'I guess I'll just stall for a bit more time. '

It wasn't that I really minded, but I was rapidly running out of topics to discuss in order to kill time. Octavious, to my great relief, came to my aid in the nick of time.

For some inexplicable reason, it felt to me as though he was in on the whole situation.

'I'm imagining things, right?'

"Is there anything you hope to accomplish by remaining here? I'm certain that you didn't just show up to listen to our conversation. If you truly desired to hear what we had to say, you would not have divulged your identity so early."

"As expected of the strongest human, you're very perceptive."

Hemlock clapped twice, his back lying on the leather chair.

"Initially, I intended to come here to confuse the minds of everyone present. I wanted you guys to question yourselves and perhaps convert a few of you to our side, but I changed my mind.

Hemlock gave me a friendly smile as he slowly turned his head in my direction and looked at me. As the ominous foreboding, I was experiencing became clearer, I felt shivers run down my entire body.

"...But I changed my mind. Not too long ago, a small bird told me something, and let's just say I discovered something even more entertaining."

The instant he said those words, my pupils constricted violently. Specifically, when he uttered the phrase "little bird," the puzzle pieces in my mind began to fall into place, and my breathing became rougher.

I muttered two words without hesitation in my mind.

"Monarch's Indifference."

My vision turned black.

***

mystery to me, but the instant that I regained consciousness,

I was all

in that direction without giving

took, I had the sensation of something warm enveloping my entire body. In a short amount of time, the pleasant warmth morphed into

regardless, not paying the slightest bit of attention to the

to the pain that my mind and body went through

it wasn't long before I spotted a tiny white orb about the size of a star way off in the

would reach the orb, but as soon as I got within a few feet of it, I could see that it was covered in thin black threads that had seeped into

far away from the orb and staring at it with a blank and

in his direction and stopped when I was in the same

look at the orb as well, I noticed that it was reflecting images. In

was accentuated by the fact

eyes,

was you, wasn't

spoke in

for so long. This was all a scheme my other

spite of my composure, I was aware of a searing rage permeating each and

of myself slowly turned his head and looked at me with the same expressionless

should be thankful

very moment, every fiber of my being wanted to let out a shout, but

the impression that I was losing control of the situation and would contribute absolutely nothing to

thing I could do was keep my composure and reason through everything that

of the pointless emotions clouding my judgment to

live, and I will be able

alive

point of surviving if, in the end,

will live

"Very kind of you."

at

orb, and it appeared for a moment that he was

looked beside me and saw the other me still calmly looking at the orb,

'What's going on?'

***

voice shook as he knelt on the ground

"E..Emma?"

did so, tears began to form in the inner corners of his eyes, and

extremely pale, looked at Emma's with a look of despondency plastered all over it as he

eyes were absently gazing upward, he

I did to distance

was still alive. However, it was abundantly clear that

poison had left a clear imprint in her body,

to become disorganized, as evidenced by his paler-than-usual

cheeks, and it appeared as

"H..How is this possible?"

closer to his in an