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.

no different than his after practicing with his sword for

that whenever he was around her, she never

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

thought into it in the

strange. Maybe she also didn't like

cocked his head to the side a little and pushed

her

"Hm? What's this?"

"Eat it."

the bowl, and his mother blinked a couple of times,

eventually shook her head

already eaten, you

"Lies."

Kevin cut her off.

not eaten yet. He had been observing her since early in

job was to collect

least three times as much as she did and walk for a couple of

grueling job that was looked down upon by most

get less than what she worked for,

tough and tenacious

been observing her the whole

gave a quiet sigh

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

look at Kevin, she stood up and headed back to the

and just eat your meal.

'Liar.'

Kevin inwardly mumbled.

been staring at his soup with great concentration just a few

that she was coveting his soup, she

Why was that?

confused by

really didn't understand why she would go to such lengths to help a small burden

seeing his reflection, Kevin

'It's cold…'

Yet…so warm.

***

to pass, and Kevin spent most of his

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

of pay that they received between the two of them was only 30 U per day, which was just about enough to get

was also because of this that Margaret

in the inner districts

I have to drag you along with me, Kevin, but I won't take too long. You can just stand there quietly and wait for me to

nodded his head without

take a seat on the staircase of the mall and watch his mother labor through the scorching

as she used a pair of

the shopping mall, she continued to

Kevin to tilt his head further

'Dangerous.'

a fleeting moment, he thought that

look at his 'caretakers' and just single mindedly pursued his own goals…but it was at this moment, during his third

maybe, they didn't need to die like they did in

survive that calamity

will be a

only a fleeting thought, however, as he quickly

would serve as nothing but burdens

a clear goal, and he couldn't let

from his mother not long after, and his

by a bustling crowd of

people walking with smiles on their faces and children playing with

and

'50 U'

a 50

Kevin's mind, a trivial

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