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.

different than his after practicing with

that Kevin observed about his mother was that whenever he was around

sit in the opposite chair from him and watch him

never really put much thought into it in the

was indeed strange. Maybe

head to the side a little and pushed

her as

"Hm? What's this?"

"Eat it."

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

shook her head

eaten,

"Lies."

Kevin cut her off.

He had been observing her since early

job was

sweltering heat, she would push a shopping 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

was a grueling job that was looked down upon by most people, but it

she would get less than what she worked for, but she never seemed to

a tough

that Kevin had been observing her the whole time, and he knew that

sigh and mumbled

not speaking much, you're a sharp one.

look at Kevin, she stood

eat your meal.

'Liar.'

Kevin inwardly mumbled.

soup with great

that she was coveting his soup, she still turned it down when

Why was that?

once again confused by

understand why she would go to such lengths to help a small

him and seeing his reflection, Kevin put the

'It's cold…'

Yet…so warm.

***

continued to pass, and Kevin spent most of his time observing his

build the new high rise buildings in the

of pay that they received between the two of them was only 30 U per

of this that Margaret decided to go

of a shopping mall in the inner districts of

drag you along with me, Kevin, but I won't take too long. You can just stand

head without

on the staircase of the mall and watch

of worn-out

stares she received from shoppers in the shopping

was her smile that caused Kevin to tilt his head further as he had a

'Dangerous.'

thought that the smile was dangerous

at his 'caretakers' and just single mindedly pursued his

maybe, just maybe, they didn't need

he could help them survive that calamity that was

will be

a fleeting thought, however, as he quickly discarded the

they would serve as nothing but burdens if he

had a clear goal, and he couldn't let anything distract him away from

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

was confronted by a bustling crowd of people entering and exiting the large shopping

observed people walking with smiles on their faces

away from their image and lingered on a small

'50 U'

was a 50

Kevin's mind,

his previous two regressions that the note appeared to be nothing more than loose change to