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]

***

memories, the

as Octavious's memories led me, but that was

we will

"Mhm."

were no towering structures, and most of the homes were

life suddenly became simpler. In addition

was no thanks to them that I was able to find the orphanage this

"We have arrived."

car stopped, and the driver got out. Coming around, he opened

is

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,

for me to wait

"That's okay."

head. From the

this was just a regular

can

driver on his way, I fixed my clothes and moved toward

in Octavious's memories was true, then whoever this Protector was…

orphanage; how may I

a different nun than the one from Octavious's memories. She seemed rather young, and what particularly struck me

I greeted her politely.

look. You see, my wife and I

"Ah."

lit up, and

if that isn't great

led me

will contact the head nun and let you see the

"Thank you."

Creak―!

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

with the scent of incense

the dim 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

'There it is.'

of the chapel stood a familiar statue. Its marble surface was chipped

stop, and I stared at

'It looks normal.'

it from where I was, there didn't seem to be anything odd

notice something since I can now control a

to be the

you interested in the

heard a distant voice. When I looked up, I saw an elderly nun making her way toward the

eyes

'She seems familiar.'

first impression on me. Something about being in her presence was soothing, and it made me want

impression that

didn't outwardly display my wariness and merely smiled at

am indeed interested in the

forward, and curiously looked

in my life, and I've never seen such a statue before. I was just wondering who

chapel doesn't belong to a religious

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

If they weren't worshipping a god, what were

interested in taking

the nun's unexpected question, but recalling what I had said to

and I

"Is that so?"

smiled, and I found myself frowning. For some reason, it felt as though I was being seen through

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

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

with someone that has no shred of

her head. "It's just that we don't appreciate it

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

nun nodded her head. She then

has already revealed everything to me. You're not here for the children. You're here for him,