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.

***

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

was all

making a right turn, I walked in that direction without giving it much

that I took, I had the sensation of something warm enveloping my entire body. In a short amount of time, the pleasant warmth morphed into something intolerable as a searing pain began to spread across all of my

it didn't matter to me; I kept moving forward regardless, not paying

little pain was incomparable to the pain that

the size of a star way off in the distance. The orb grew steadily more expansive as I proceeded forward with

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 the white surface of the orb and was riddled with a variety

was standing not too far away from the orb and staring

direction and stopped when I was in the same space

at the orb as well, I noticed that it was reflecting images. In particular, I could see Kevin's face which was staring into the

the fact that his body was

eyes,

it was

spoke in a calm

for so long. This was all a scheme my other self had

composure, I was aware of a searing rage

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

should be thankful

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

since concluded that shouting would only give the impression that I was losing control of

my composure and

had to rid my mind of the pointless emotions clouding my judgment to effectively find a solution to the

live, and I will be able to

alive if I'm going to

end, I was

will live a few years longer

"Very kind of you."

while anxiously staring at the orb

Kevin's face was directly facing the orb, and it appeared for a moment that he was staring

but when I looked beside me and saw the other me still calmly looking at the orb, I became unsure of what

'What's going on?'

***

knelt on the ground while

"E..Emma?"

and as he did so, tears began to form in

pale, looked at Emma's with a look of despondency plastered all

her eyes were absently gazing upward, he tenderly

did to distance myself from

was very shallow, which indicated that she was still alive. However, it was abundantly clear that she did not have a lot of time left

poison had left a clear imprint in her body, there was no chance

caused Kevin's mind to become disorganized, as evidenced by his paler-than-usual face and the churning of his

down his cheeks, and it appeared as though the world was losing its color to him as they did

"H..How is this possible?"

Kevin brought Emma's body closer to his in an embrace, he mumbled something out