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.

than his after practicing with

whenever he was

than sit in the opposite chair

really put much thought into it in the

Maybe she

little and pushed the bowl of soup forward. Toward his

actions confused her as she

"Hm? What's this?"

"Eat it."

blinked a couple of times, clearly confused

her head and

already eaten, you

"Lies."

Kevin cut her off.

that she had not eaten yet. He had

mother's job was to

as she did and walk for a couple of kilometers for a payment of approximately 10 U. The cart was filled with trash, and she would

grueling job that was looked down upon by most people, but it was also the only job

she worked for, but she never

was a tough and

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

gave a quiet sigh and

sharp one. Sometimes I wonder

she stood up and headed back

and just eat your

'Liar.'

Kevin inwardly mumbled.

his soup with great

coveting his soup, she still turned it down

Why was that?

again confused

would go to such lengths to

in front of him and seeing his reflection,

'It's cold…'

Yet…so warm.

***

and Kevin spent most

father went to 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

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

was also because of this that Margaret decided to go somewhere else

of a shopping mall in the

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

nodded his head

on the staircase of the mall and watch his mother labor

the side of her face as she used a pair of worn-out gloves

the many stares she received from shoppers in the shopping mall, she continued to work diligently,

tilt his head further as

'Dangerous.'

he thought that the smile

single mindedly pursued his own goals…but it was at this moment, during

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

he could help them survive that calamity that was to

they will

thought, however, as he quickly discarded the notion

would serve as nothing but burdens if he

couldn't let anything

and his eyes paused on the busy streets

of people entering and exiting the large shopping

on their faces and children playing with their parents with

and

'50 U'

a 50 U

mind, a trivial

so accustomed to dealing with millions of U at the time during his previous two