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 the one thing that stood out to

far as Octavious's memories led me, but that

we will be arriving

"Mhm."

neighborhood. There were no towering structures, and most

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

that I was able

"We have arrived."

the driver got out. Coming around, he opened the

is

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,

you like for me

"That's okay."

I shook my head. From

as if this was just a

can go

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

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

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

I greeted her politely.

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

"Ah."

lit up, and she smiled

if that isn't

me

for a moment. I will contact the

"Thank you."

Creak―!

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

was heavy with the scent of

black cloth and the walls were adorned with faded paintings that were no longer discernible. There was something

'There it is.'

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

to a stop, and I stared at the

'It looks normal.'

statue. Observing it from where I was, there

to notice something since I can now control a

seem to

you interested

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

eyes

'She seems familiar.'

presence was soothing, and it made me want to put my faith in what she had to

was that sort of impression that made me warier

display my wariness and

interested in

a few steps forward, and curiously

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

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

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

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

you say that you were interested

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

I are

"Is that so?"

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

long time, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation by any stretch of the

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

creeped out with someone that

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

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

head. She then

me. You're not here for the children. You're here