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.

hands looked no different than his after practicing with his

was that whenever he was around her,

did anything other than sit in the opposite chair from him and watch

put much thought into it

indeed strange. Maybe she also

and pushed the bowl

actions confused her

"Hm? What's this?"

"Eat it."

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

her head

already eaten,

"Lies."

Kevin cut her off.

knew beforehand that she had not eaten yet. He had been observing her since early

job was to collect

cart that weighed at least three times as much as she did and walk for a couple of kilometers for a payment of approximately 10 U. The cart was

by most people,

than what she worked for, but she never seemed

a tough and tenacious

whole time,

quiet sigh and mumbled

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

stood

eat your meal. I'm not

'Liar.'

Kevin inwardly mumbled.

with great concentration just a few

was coveting his soup,

Why was that?

confused

understand why she would go to

at the clear soup in front of him and seeing his reflection, Kevin put the

'It's cold…'

Yet…so warm.

***

spent

rise buildings in the inner city, his mother, Margaret, would always leave

was only 30 U per

of this that Margaret decided to go somewhere else to

shopping mall in the

me, Kevin, but I won't take too

nodded his head without

staircase of the mall and watch

down the side of her face as she used a pair of worn-out gloves to collect trash from the trash cans placed

received from shoppers in the shopping mall, she

smile that caused Kevin to tilt his

'Dangerous.'

he thought that the smile was dangerous to

mindedly pursued his own goals…but it was at this moment, during his third regression, that he started to have different

they didn't need to

help them survive that calamity

will

only a fleeting thought, however, as he

as nothing but burdens if he

had a clear goal, and he couldn't

and his eyes paused on the

a bustling crowd of people entering and exiting

observed people walking with smiles on their faces and children playing

from their image and lingered

'50 U'

a

mind, a

time during his previous two regressions that the note appeared to be nothing