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]

***

to catch a glimpse of Octavious's memories, the orphanage was

memories led me, but

we will be arriving

"Mhm."

view from the window of the car revealed a run-down neighborhood. There were no towering

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

I was

"We have arrived."

and the driver got out. Coming around, he

is

the way it appeared in the memories I saw. It was probably a little

like for me to

"That's okay."

head. From the exterior, nothing seemed amiss. It looked perfectly

this was just a

leave; I can go

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

this Protector was… they weren't

to the orphanage; how

one from Octavious's memories. She seemed rather young, and what particularly struck me were her deep blue

I greeted her politely.

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

"Ah."

nun's eyes lit up, and she smiled

that isn't

me

for a moment. I will contact the head

"Thank you."

Creak―!

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

with the scent

to 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 make

'There it is.'

the center of the chapel stood a familiar statue. Its marble

to a stop, and I stared at the

'It looks normal.'

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

I

to

interested

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

my eyes

'She seems familiar.'

being in her presence was soothing, and it made

that sort of impression that

outwardly display my wariness and merely smiled at

am indeed interested

forward, and curiously

been to many churches in my life, and I've never seen such a statue before. I was

nun smiled, caressing the statue next to her. "Our chapel doesn't belong to a religious branch. You can say that this statue does not depict a

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

of worship. If they weren't worshipping a god, what were they

you say that you were interested in taking a child

I had said

and I are looking

"Is that so?"

myself frowning. For some reason, it

wasn't a pleasant sensation by any stretch of the imagination. Especially ever

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

someone that has no shred of mana

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

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

her head. She then gently

me. You're not here