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,

memories led

will be

"Mhm."

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

life suddenly became simpler. In addition to having an excellent information network, they also provided me with a personal

I was able

"We have arrived."

out. Coming around, he opened the door for

is up

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 much the

me to

"That's okay."

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

if this was just a regular

can go back on

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

whoever this

orphanage; how may I

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

I greeted her politely.

to take a look. You see,

"Ah."

eyes lit up, and she

that isn't

led me toward the

me inside for a moment. I will contact the

"Thank you."

Creak―!

it open, revealing a dark interior lit only by the flickering

the scent of incense and

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 out what

'There it is.'

center of the chapel stood a familiar statue. Its marble surface was chipped

a stop, and I stared at the

'It looks normal.'

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

something since I can now control a bit of

didn't seem to

you interested in

distant voice. When I looked up, I saw an

squinted my eyes

'She seems familiar.'

being in her presence was soothing,

it was that sort of impression

my wariness and merely

interested

steps forward, and curiously

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

to her. "Our chapel doesn't belong to

"Hm?"

I cocked my head.

"That's rather interesting."

worship. If they weren't worshipping

interested

was momentarily thrown off by the nun's unexpected question, but recalling what I had said to the other nun at

wife and I

"Is that so?"

reason, it

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

"Is there something wrong?"

Her smile was unsettling.

someone that has no shred of mana

The nun shook her head. "It's

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

head. She then gently caressed

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