The Author's POV

Kevin's head was filled with a constant ringing sound, and he was just staring at the wooden table in front of him with no expression on his face.

He had a silver spoon in his tiny hands, which he was holding onto very tightly.

'I failed again…'

Kevin mumbled to himself, his eyes gradually losing focus.

In contrast to the first time, this time, he was defeated before even having the opportunity to engage in a meaningful conflict with Jezebeth.

It turned out that he was not even powerful enough to defeat the army of demons that were at his disposal, let alone him, who was even more powerful than them.

'Where did I go wrong? What am I missing?'

He did everything that the system told him.

He did the missions and took advantage of the opportunities from his past life…he did everything yet still failed to accomplish his mission.

Just what was he missing?

"Here's your food."

The sound of his mother's voice jolted Kevin out of his reverie and brought him back to the present.

When he raised his head, he saw her staring at him with the same friendly smile that he was so used to by this point.

Placed in front of him was the same bland soup that she used to make for him in his past life.

It was her signature soup, and one that she would start making as soon as he became five years old, which he had just reached not too long ago.

Just a single look was enough to take his appetite away.

Nonetheless, he still decided to eat it. As long as he got his nutrition in, he was fine.

Slowly, Kevin took a mouthful of the soup and had a taste of it.

"Hm?"

When Kevin looked over at his mother, who was also looking at him intently, he noticed that his brows had suddenly arched a little bit.

"Is there anything wrong?"

Kevin didn't answer her.

Instead, he blinked his eyes a couple of times. He lowered the spoon and took another mouthful.

He wanted to double check.

"…It's good."

Kevin mumbled aloud, savoring the flavor of the soup in his mouth.

As soon as he said those words, his mother immediately displayed a look on her face that indicated she was surprised; however, Kevin didn't put much thought into it as he continued to eat the soup.

'Why does the soup taste better?'

For some odd reason, the bland soup that his mother made him wasn't as bland as it had been in the past.

Why was that?

"I'm glad you like the soup."

Kevin was startled when he felt a warm hand caress the top of his head, and he looked up to see his mother looking back at him with the same smile she always wore.

Her hands were large and rough, unbefitting of her graceful and frail looks.

With just a glance, Kevin could see that they were filled with calluses and cuts.

It was obvious that these were the hands of someone who had been through a lot of adversity throughout their entire life.

Kevin knew this better than anyone.

his after

that Kevin observed about his mother was that whenever he was around her, she

the opposite chair from him and

never really put much thought into it in the

Maybe

and pushed the bowl of soup

her

"Hm? What's this?"

"Eat it."

at the bowl, and his mother blinked a couple of times, clearly confused

her

eaten, you

"Lies."

Kevin cut her off.

beforehand that she had not eaten yet. He had

job was

did and walk for a couple of kilometers for a payment of approximately 10 U. The

by most people,

less than what she worked for, but she never seemed

tough and tenacious

observing her the whole time, and he knew that she hadn't eaten

gave a quiet sigh and mumbled

much, you're a sharp one. Sometimes I wonder if you're really

look at Kevin, she stood

worry, and just eat your meal. I'm

'Liar.'

Kevin inwardly mumbled.

with great concentration just a few

she was coveting his soup, she still turned it down when it was offered to

Why was that?

asked himself, once again confused by the way

why she would go to such lengths to help a small burden like

front of him and seeing his reflection, Kevin put the spoon in and took another

'It's cold…'

Yet…so warm.

***

and Kevin spent most of his time

the construction site to help build the new high rise buildings in the inner city, his mother, Margaret, would always leave early in the morning to collect the trash

of them was only 30 U per day, which was just about

because of this that Margaret

shopping mall in the inner

I won't take too

head without

take a seat on the staircase of the

dripped down the side of her face as she used a pair of worn-out gloves to collect

in the shopping

Kevin to tilt his head further as he had a

'Dangerous.'

moment, he thought that the smile was

few regressions, he had never really cared to look at his 'caretakers' and just single mindedly pursued his own goals…but it was at

thought that maybe, just maybe, they didn't need

help them survive that calamity that

will be

thought, however, as he quickly discarded the

nothing but

couldn't let anything distract him away

from his mother not long after, and his eyes paused on

of people entering and exiting the large shopping

people walking with smiles on their faces

thereafter, Kevin's eyes shifted away from their image and lingered on a small purple banknote

'50 U'

a 50

Kevin's mind, a trivial

U at the time during his previous two regressions that the note appeared to be nothing more than loose change