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

as far as Octavious's memories led me, but that

will be arriving

"Mhm."

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

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

I was able to find

"We have arrived."

got out. Coming around, he opened the

orphanage 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, but other than

for me to

"That's okay."

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

this was just a

leave; I can go back

fixed my clothes and moved toward the chapel.

was true, then whoever this Protector was… they weren't something that I could make

to the orphanage; how

one from Octavious's memories. She seemed rather young, and what particularly struck me were her

I greeted her politely.

just wanted to take a look. You see,

"Ah."

lit up, and she

if that isn't great

led me

I will contact the head nun and let

"Thank you."

Creak―!

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

heavy with the

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

'There it is.'

marble surface was chipped

a stop, and I stared at the statue from where I

'It looks normal.'

I was, there didn't seem to be

something since I can now control a bit of the laws,

to be the

you interested

When I looked up, I saw an elderly nun

my eyes at

'She seems familiar.'

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

was that sort of impression that made me warier

my wariness and merely

indeed interested

curiously looked

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

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 worshipping a

you say that you were interested in taking a child for

I had said to the other nun at the entrance, I

I are

"Is that so?"

For some reason, it felt as though

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 has no shred of mana

her head. "It's just

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

She

has already revealed everything to me. You're not here for the children. You're here for him,