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

memories led me, but that

will

"Mhm."

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

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 provided me with a

thanks to them that I was able to

"We have arrived."

the driver got out. Coming around, he

is

his finger. It was uncannily similar to the way it appeared in the memories I saw. It was

me

"That's okay."

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

as if this was just a

leave; I can go back on my

moved toward the chapel. Secretly, I

in Octavious's memories was true, then whoever this Protector was… they weren't something that I could make light

to the orphanage; how may I

a nun. She was a different nun than the one from Octavious's memories. She

I greeted her politely.

wanted to take a look. You see, my

"Ah."

lit up, and she smiled

if that

me

for a moment. I will contact the head nun and let you see the

"Thank you."

Creak―!

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

the

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

'There it is.'

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

to a stop, and I

'It looks normal.'

just a statue. Observing it from where I was, there didn't

I can now control a bit of the

didn't seem to be the

interested in the

I looked up, I

squinted my eyes

'She seems familiar.'

a favorable first impression on me. Something about being in her presence was soothing, and it made me want to put my faith in

that sort of impression that made me warier

display my

indeed interested

a few steps forward, and curiously

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

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

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

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

say that you were interested in taking a

off by the nun's unexpected question, but recalling what I had

wife and I are looking

"Is that so?"

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

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

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

with someone that has no shred

The nun shook her head. "It's

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

nun nodded her head. She

You're not here for