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 unconscious was a mystery to me, but the instant that

that I was all too

I walked in that direction without

I had the sensation of something warm enveloping my entire body. In a short amount

me; I kept moving forward regardless, not paying the slightest bit of attention to

the pain that my mind and

a tiny white orb about the size of a star way off in the distance. The orb

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 the white

awful lot like me was standing not too far away

walking in his direction and stopped when I was in the same

turned my head to look at the orb as well, I noticed that it was reflecting images. In particular, I could see Kevin's face

the fact that his body was

my eyes,

was you, wasn't

in a

so calm and why Kevin had been held up for so long. This was all a scheme my other self had planned

of a searing

turned his head and looked at me with the same expressionless gaze he had always

should be thankful to

that very moment, every fiber of my being wanted to let

that shouting would only give the impression that I was losing control

could do was keep my composure and reason

clouding my judgment

be able to live, and I will be able to have my wish

staying alive if

if, in the end, I was still going to die at Jezebeth's

you will live a few years longer than

"Very kind of you."

sarcastically while anxiously staring at the orb

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

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

'What's going on?'

***

the ground while holding a thin body in

"E..Emma?"

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

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

eyes were absently gazing upward, he

that I did to distance myself

still alive. However, it was abundantly clear that she did not have a lot of time left to

and because the poison had left

as evidenced

form in the creases of his eyes moved more quickly down his cheeks, and it appeared as though the world was

"H..How is this possible?"

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