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]

***

a glimpse of Octavious's memories, the orphanage was the one thing that stood

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

will

"Mhm."

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

if my life suddenly became simpler. In addition to

thanks to them that I was

"We have arrived."

and the driver got out. Coming around, he opened

orphanage is up

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

me to

"That's okay."

observing the distant chapel, I shook my head.

this was just a

can go back

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

then whoever this

how may I be

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

I greeted her politely.

just wanted to take a look. You see,

"Ah."

nun's eyes lit up,

that isn't

me toward the

a moment. I will contact

"Thank you."

Creak―!

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

the scent of incense

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

'There it is.'

a familiar statue. Its marble surface was chipped

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

'It looks normal.'

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

able to notice something since I can now control a bit of the

seem to

interested in

I saw an elderly nun making her way toward the

squinted my eyes at

'She seems familiar.'

presence was soothing, and it made me want to

that sort of impression that

didn't outwardly display my

interested in the

few steps forward, and curiously looked at the statue while pinching

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

I'm 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."

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

my wife and I are looking

"Is that so?"

I found myself frowning. For some reason, it felt as though I was being seen through at

experienced 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.

getting creeped out with someone that has no shred of

nothing wrong." The nun shook her head. "It's just that we don't

"Hm?"

I raised my brow.

"Lie?"

"Mhm."

her head. She

here for the