The Author's POV

'I'm sure I heard Oliver… Did I hear wrongly?'

I didn't think so.

"Eh, my dad's been kind of busy lately. I haven't even seen him around these past few days."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, but it's not like it rarely happens. It's been like this since I last remember… I'm sure you understand me."

"Yeah."

"Ehm…"

I interrupted the conversation between the two. Scratching the side of my cheek, I altered my gaze between Amanda and Emma before finally settling on Emma.

"What did you say that your father's name was?"

Emma looked at me strangely.

"You don't know who my father is… ?" She paused and furrowed her brows. "No, never mind. It's not like he's some sort of big shot celebrity. Why should I expect everyone to know his name?"

"His name is Oliver."

Amanda answered for her, and I found myself blinking several times again.

"Oliver?"

"Yes."

Only after Amanda confirmed it once more was I finally convinced that I didn't hear incorrectly.

'Oliver? Why is his name different?'

This wasn't the name that I knew of.

I looked at Emma.

"By chance, do you know of anyone that goes by the name Waylan?"

Perhaps he was still called Waylan, but went by a different name in front of people? It wasn't impossible.

…Or so I thought.

"Waylan? No, I've never heard of him before."

Emma looked at Amanda.

"Do you know what he's talking about?"

"No."

"I see."

I had no choice but to give up when I saw that neither of the two knew who Waylan was.

'I guess it makes sense in some way.'

Even though everyone I interacted with in this world had the same name as the ones in my world, it wasn't impossible for some others to have names that were different.

After all, this was a different world, and its history was completely different. The fact that their names were the same was the odd part.

'Well, whatever.'

I shrugged the thought off. It didn't seem like a big deal.

Ding―!

Right then, I received a notification on my watch. I smiled when I looked at it.

'They're faster than I expected.'

[Ashton City Community Orphanage―Middlestone Street 56.

―Read More]

***

was able to catch a glimpse of Octavious's memories, the orphanage was the one thing that stood out to me

far as Octavious's memories led me, but

we will

"Mhm."

the window of the car revealed a run-down neighborhood. There were

the Green Paw Guild, I felt as if my life suddenly became simpler. In addition to having an excellent information network, they

to them that I was able

"We have arrived."

stopped, and the driver got out. Coming

is up

in the distance with his finger. It was uncannily similar to the way it appeared in the memories I saw. It was probably a little bit more rundown, but other than that, it was pretty

for me to

"That's okay."

I shook my head. From the exterior, nothing seemed amiss. It

this was

can go back on my

on his way, I fixed my clothes and moved toward the chapel. Secretly, I started to channel my mana

saw in Octavious's memories was true, then whoever this Protector was… they weren't something that I could make

orphanage; how may

the one from Octavious's memories. She seemed rather young, and what particularly struck

I greeted her politely.

just wanted to take a look. You see, my wife and I have

"Ah."

up, and

that isn't great

me

with me inside for a moment. I will contact the head nun and let

"Thank you."

Creak―!

nun pushed it open, revealing a dark interior lit only by the flickering

air was heavy with the scent of incense and

lighting, I looked around to notice the pews were draped in tattering black cloth and the walls were adorned with faded paintings that were no longer discernible. There was something unsettling about the paintings, but I couldn't quite make out

'There it is.'

the chapel stood a familiar statue. Its marble surface

I stared at the statue from where

'It looks normal.'

statue was… just a statue. Observing it from where I was, there didn't seem to

to notice something since I can now control

didn't seem to be the

interested

a distant voice. When I looked up, I saw an

my eyes at her

'She seems familiar.'

her presence was soothing, and

impression that made me

didn't outwardly display my

indeed interested in the

steps forward, and curiously looked at the statue while pinching

never seen such a statue before. I was just wondering who

next to her. "Our chapel doesn't belong to a religious branch. You can say that this statue

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

place of worship. If they weren't worshipping

interested in taking

by the nun's unexpected question, but recalling what I had said to the other nun at the entrance, I nodded my

my wife and I are looking

"Is that so?"

smiled, and I found myself frowning. For some reason, it felt

it in a very long time, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation by

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

with someone that has no shred of mana

The nun shook her head. "It's just

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

nodded her head. She then

not here for