The Author's POV

Sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees, gently bathing my body and enveloping it with a thin layer of warmth.

The birds chirped, and a gentle breeze lingered in the air.

It felt nice outside, but as I sat down on a wooden bench in a familiar park, everything around me seemed so intrusive.

"I want it, mom!"

"No, that's enough sweets for today."

"Umhhhh!"

My gaze never left the pair of mother and daughter in the distance. They were quite close to me. About a hundred meters.

…Yet, they never felt so distant before.

"Nola, you better behave. I already told you that you can't have any more candy for today."

"Why!?"

"Because I said so."

I couldn't help but crack a smile as I watched the two of them argue from a distance. It was a sight that had been seen plenty of times before. One to which I have been accustomed for a considerable amount of time.

"Is there something that you need, young man?"

Apparently noticing my gaze, the woman turned her head to look at me.

She looked the same, maybe a bit older than in my memories.

I smiled at the two.

"No, don't mind me. You guys just remind me of my family."

"Oh."

The woman flashed me a smile before patting Nola on the head.

"Is your sister as naughty as her?"

Lowering my head to look at Nola, I laughed.

"…You can say so. Perhaps even naughtier."

"You must have it tough then."

The woman spoke with sympathy before taking Nola's hand. She was currently glaring daggers at me, and I couldn't help but laugh once more.

"It's getting late. We have to go. It was nice knowing you."

"It was nice knowing you too."

I murmured while staring at their departing backs.

I didn't have to wait for very long before I lost sight of the two of them, and when that happened, I leaned back against the bench that I was sitting on.

"This is fucked."

The whole situation was fucked.

"Why did you do this, Kevin?"

I had an idea at first, but it only became clear to me after a while.

was not the world

was a world where Kevin and I never

rather. It's more accurate to say that this is a

also didn't exist, and no one had ever heard of the

the other races

but the four great cities having disappeared from the world's map and being replaced by

That wasn't all.

here was drastically lower than in the world that I was used to. In this world, the highest power

power, but despite my best efforts,

This world…

no sense

take a

"Huh, yeah, sure."

little and allowed the person

with my arm, I took a

this world? There must be

no way Kevin did all of this without a reason. There

why

ears, and my body tensed. The voice… It was somewhat familiar. I just couldn't quite remember to whom it belonged

arm and looked toward my right. Immediately, my breath stopped, and my mouth opened and closed several

was a face that I'd

belonged to a guy whom I used to regard as my best friend. The same one that I

"M,matthew?"

***

Angel Wing Guild.

on his face as he looked at the screen in front of him. Two other men were standing behind him, and both of them were also staring intently

incredibly tense at the

everyone gazed in the direction of

were played over and over again. It showed

yet, he couldn't understand how

some sort of

was

practically impossible to get, and those that did have it were the most

hefty sum to

be some sort

of the men behind Edward uttered. He had long gray hair

have a skill, then I'm sure we would've known

"I agree."

hair that was beginning to thin out

sort of trick to escape from the detection of the captain. Since he boldly entered the

"Yeah."

"Hmm."

when he heard

he'd agree with them. It was practically impossible for someone that young to know a skill and yet

in the world, they would undoubtedly be the first to learn of any newly discovered skills in the world,

that has been secretly groomed by a

frown, and

you guys have anything on

"No."

man shook

but I got nothing. No family history, no DNA,

"Hmm."

deepened further at the

was starting

there absolutely

"Actually, there is something."

out a tablet and

cameras and the base system, we were able to find a video

"Oh?"