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]

***

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

memories led me, but that was

we will

"Mhm."

revealed a run-down neighborhood. There were no towering

became simpler. In addition

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

"We have arrived."

and the driver got out. Coming around,

is

certain chapel off 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

like for me to wait for you

"That's okay."

the distant chapel, I shook my head. From

was as if this

I can go

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

was true, then whoever this Protector

the orphanage; how may I

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

I greeted her politely.

You see, my wife and I have been thinking

"Ah."

eyes lit up,

that isn't

me toward the

for a moment. I will contact the

"Thank you."

Creak―!

wooden door creaked as the nun pushed it open, revealing a dark interior lit only by

heavy with the scent of

my eyes adjusted 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 it is.'

stood a familiar statue. Its marble

a stop, and I stared at the statue from

'It looks normal.'

Observing it from where I was, there didn't

I'd be able to notice something since I can now control a bit of the

didn't seem to

interested

looked up, I saw an elderly nun making her way

eyes

'She seems familiar.'

me. Something about being in her presence was soothing, and it made me want to put my faith in what she

that sort of impression that made me

didn't outwardly display my wariness

am indeed interested in

and curiously looked at the statue

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

I'm very used to." The nun smiled, caressing the statue next to her. "Our chapel doesn't belong to a religious branch.

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

a place of worship. If they weren't

you say that you were interested in taking

but recalling what I had said to the other

and I are looking

"Is that so?"

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

hadn't experienced anything like it in a very long time, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation by any stretch of the imagination. Especially ever since I reached the strength

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

getting creeped out with someone that

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

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

nun nodded her head. She then gently caressed the

here for the children. You're here