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

was as far as Octavious's memories led me,

we will be arriving

"Mhm."

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

the Green Paw Guild, I felt as if my life suddenly became simpler. In addition to having an

thanks to them that I was able

"We have arrived."

and the driver got out. Coming around,

orphanage is

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

for me to

"That's okay."

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

if this was just a

can leave; I can go back

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

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

to the orphanage; how may I be of

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

I greeted her politely.

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

"Ah."

lit up, and she smiled

if that

led me toward the

me inside for a moment. I will contact

"Thank you."

Creak―!

it open, revealing a dark

with the scent of

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

'There it is.'

Its marble surface was chipped and

stop, and I stared

'It looks normal.'

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

notice something since I can now control a

didn't seem to

interested

When I looked up, I saw

squinted my eyes

'She seems familiar.'

about being in her presence was soothing,

that sort of impression that made me warier of

outwardly display my

indeed interested

took a few steps forward, and curiously looked at the

and I've never seen such a statue before.

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

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

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

say that you were interested in taking

unexpected question, but recalling what I had said to the other nun at the entrance, I

my wife and I are looking

"Is that so?"

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

anything like it in a very long time, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation by any

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

am I getting creeped out with someone that has no shred

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

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

head. She then gently

You're not here for the children. You're here for him, aren't