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]

***

glimpse of Octavious's memories, the orphanage was the

memories

will be

"Mhm."

window of the car revealed a run-down neighborhood. There were no towering structures, and most of the homes

became simpler. In addition to having an excellent information network, they also

to them that I was able to find the orphanage this

"We have arrived."

got out.

orphanage is up

way it appeared in the memories I saw. It was probably a little bit more rundown, but other than that, it was pretty much the

you like for me

"That's okay."

observing the distant chapel, I shook my head.

if this was just a regular

I can

I fixed my clothes and moved toward the chapel. Secretly, I

then whoever this Protector was… they weren't something that I could

orphanage; how may

one from Octavious's memories. She seemed

I greeted her politely.

wanted to take a look. You see,

"Ah."

up, and

that

me toward the

for a moment. I will contact

"Thank you."

Creak―!

it open, revealing a dark

with the

the walls were adorned with faded paintings that were no longer discernible. There was something unsettling about the paintings,

'There it is.'

the center of the chapel stood a familiar statue. Its marble surface was chipped and stained. Clearly from

I stared at the statue

'It looks normal.'

I was, there didn't seem to be

I can now control a

to

you interested

a distant voice. When I looked up, I saw an elderly nun making

my eyes at her

'She seems familiar.'

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

it was that sort of impression

my

interested

and curiously looked at the statue while pinching

and I've never seen such a statue before. I was just wondering who the statue

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 a god, what were

interested

was momentarily thrown off by the nun's unexpected question, but recalling what I had said to the other nun at the

my wife and I are

"Is that so?"

myself frowning. For some reason, it felt as though I

very long time, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation by any stretch of the imagination. Especially ever

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

am I getting creeped out with someone that has no shred of mana in

wrong." The nun shook her head. "It's just

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

She then

me. You're not here for