Regressor Instruction Manual

Chapter 1324. First Life Ha-Yan (7)

A few minutes later, my emotions, which had been going up and down like a swing, finally settled down.

‘When I think about it, there’s really no need to be shaken up.’

“Heh... hehehe...” Jung Ha-Yan giggled.

‘I can’t deny it. I got a bit too emotional...’

“O-Oppa. Tell me everything. E-Everything,” Jung Ha-Yan requested.

‘Maybe it’s because I’ve become younger, but...’

I had been finding myself doing things even I couldn't quite understand.

‘Strange.’

Now that I thought about it, when I was around this age, I felt like I was already mature. I neither needed nor received anyone’s comfort. There were times when I was in situations where I needed to be comforted, but I never once did something strange like running into someone’s arms.

Perhaps deep inside, there was something in me that wanted to enjoy what I couldn’t when I was younger. Unlike before, Little Ki-Young had someone to lean on.

However, it was an obvious, rookie mistake, and Little Ki-Young was paying the price for that mistake with his body.

“...”

“...”

‘How many hours has it been?’

My unusual behavior probably made everything feel even more dramatic. Jung Ha-Yan was convinced that she had to solve Little Ki-Young's problem and that she had to embrace the anxiety that my younger self was feeling.

Sure enough, she asked, "S-So what exactly happened?”

“Well... all of a sudden... my vision blurred, and I couldn’t see anything...” I answered.

“Ah... aaah... I-I see. You must’ve been really scared, oppa,” Jung Ha-Yan said.

‘Stop trying to comfort me.’

Ha-Yan wasn't great at comforting people, as she kept on repeating the same words. Jung Ha-Yan was nodding as if she were listening carefully in her own way and trying to empathize with the psychological anxiety my younger self was feeling. I remembered a similar situation in the tutorial dungeon, except that the roles were reversed.

She was repeating her words while holding me tightly, refusing to let go of me.

The sight of me clinging to the petite Jung Ha-Yan already looked a bit odd, but she somehow managed to fit me into her small frame and pat my head, to boot. She clearly learned how to do that from me, as I often patted her head.

That was exactly why she kept on patting my head. What was even more humiliating was that I could feel myself calming down. My pounding heart and nausea disappeared. Even though I was still grumbling, my body and mind had calmed down.

“Th-Then what exactly happened?” Jung Ha-Yan asked.

‘Again with this?’

“So...”

“Y-You must’ve been really scared,” Jung Ha-Yan interrupted me.

I could feel Jung Ha-Yan being pushed to her limits. After all, I was already crammed into her small frame and had even finished a meal while in this state, so I couldn’t dismiss the thought that I had to get up. Well...

‘I have to go back now.’

If future me said I had to save Jung Ha-Yan, that meant it was possible to change the future of the first life. I could summon the Second Life Jung Ha-Yan to the first timeline, like what I had done with Jo Hye-Jin, but I was sure there was no action more dangerous than that.

Many had already witnessed Jung Ha-Yan’s death, and there was nothing more foolish than dropping the strongest being in this world into the first life without knowing what kind of chaos would unfold. More importantly...

‘There must be a reason to save her...’

There had to be a reason to save First Life Ha-Yan. From this incident, a few things had become certain, even if only in a limited sense. It was the fact that it was possible to change the future of the first life. The exact limits eluded me, as the extent of my possible influence depended on where the hexagram dropped me.

‘The next thing to focus on...’

Was the fact that the second life hadn’t changed. I returned to the second life with a hint of unease, but even Jung Ha-Yan’s early departure from the first life hadn't altered it. That was a significant fact, and I drew two conclusions based on it.

1. Jung Ha-Yan’s early death won't significantly affect the natural course of regression.

I considered this unlikely. Even I felt lost trying to imagine how the continent could be managed without her.

2. Little Ki-Young has succeeded in changing the future.

‘This seems more likely.’

This wasn’t some wishful thinking. The fact that the second life showed no significant changes compared to the old second life meant that, in the end, First Life Ha-Yan managed to return to her original course after escaping her early death.

As a result, Future Ki-Young succeeded in going back to the first life and correcting what had gone wrong. I was seeing the outcome right before my eyes.

Whether I could save Jung Ha-Yan or she would still have to face a predetermined death was uncertain. However, the outcome was already predetermined, and it was a success, so there was no need for me to feel anxious or shaken.

There was no denying that the best thing I could do now was to do what I could do.

“O-Oppa, then—”

“I need to make a quick stop at the Blue Guild,” I interrupted her.

‘First, Jo Hye-Jin.’

“Ah... ah. Okay,” Jung Ha-Yan said.

“You can wait for me here, right?” I asked.

“Y-Yes! Of course,” Jung Ha-Yan answered.

“I’ll come back this evening,” I told her.

“O-Okay! A-And don’t go near the magic circle, just in case! I-If anything happens like just now, you must either run over or contact me immediately. I’ll come running right away and s-save you,” Jung Ha-Yan instructed.

“...”

“...”

“Y-You’re really reliable. Thank you, Ha-Yan,” I said.

“I-It’s nothing. I’m happy that I can give you strength, oppa,” Jung Ha-Yan stuttered.

After glancing at Han Sora for leaving me behind, I immediately headed for the Blue Guild. What I needed to do afterward had already been decided.

After inspecting the hexagram in Lindel, I would use the catalysts from the octopus-tentacle monsters Rafael had delivered to send Jo Hye-Jin to the first life. My sudden arrival at the guild made things a bit hectic, but as soon as I called for Jo Hye-Jin, she came running to me immediately afterward.

‘The timeline is such a mess, it’s really confusing.’

To be precise, the second life was still flowing continuously. Perhaps it was because I had seen First Life Ha-Yan, but the moment I saw Jo Hye-Jin, a lone spear stuck in the ruins immediately came to my mind.

“...”

“...”

“Do you have business here? Actually, what on earth have you been—”

“Miss Hye-Jin?” I interrupted her.

“Yes?”

“Could you do me a favor?” I asked.

“Pardon?”

“Please head to Heren,” I told her.

“What? I don’t understand what you’re saying all of a sudden...” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“Go to Heren and save me. After that, you need to send me to the Magic Tower,” I instructed her.

“...”

“And if I ask why, just tell me you need to save Ha-Yan. That should be enough for me to get an idea,” I added.

“What? What are you... I need more explanation, sir,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“...”

“Sir?” she called out.

“That’s all you need to know. Starting now, you’ll be going to a parallel world, Miss Hye-Jin. Meet Rafael there and hear the whole story from him,” I told her.

“Ah... eh? What? Wait, sir? Sir?” Jo Hye-Jin called out.

I glanced at Jo Hye-Jin.

‘Damn... this really feels strange.’

I could feel it myself, but my heart wouldn’t calm down.

‘Yeah, I should just admit it.’

My body and mind were unstable. I had no choice but to find a compromise.

“Give me a hug,” I requested.

“What? That's such a gross request. I mean...” Jo Hye-Jin trailed off.

‘It’s a good chance to act like a spoiled brat toward Hye-Jin. It’s a good chance.’

Jo Hye-Jin reluctantly wrapped her arms around me, making me feel a little better. After leaving the office like that, I headed straight for the cafeteria. Of course, my destination was already set. The idiot would probably be there anyway.

“Huh? Hyung-nim!” Park Deok-Gu greeted me.

“Pig,” I said.

“Wow... calling me a pig the moment we meet, isn’t that a bit harsh?” Park Deok-Gu complained.

“When did you get in?” Park Deok-Gu asked.

“I came in... just now, but... hyung-nim. Have you eaten—”.

“I ate with Ha-Yan,” I answered, interrupting him.

‘I’ve seen the pig’s face.’

“Come here,” I said.

“...?”

“Lower your head, Deok-Gu,” I instructed him.

“...?”

I patted Park Deok-Gu’s head, which was full of question marks, and saw his face break into a mischievous grin.

“Are you... praising me or something? Well, I have been... working a bit hard lately, after all,” Park Deok-Gu said.

“...”

‘I’m doing pointless stuff again... damn it.’

Since I was already doing something pointless, doing one more pointless thing wouldn’t hurt at all. I thought about it for a moment, but there were still a few people left. It felt like it was good for my mental health, and it was actually working, so there was no reason to hold back.

I activated my Telescope, and a very familiar face came into view.

‘Looks like he’s doing well.’

Kim Hyun-Sung looked handsome as always. He was definitely different from his first life counterpart. His face seemed calmer, more composed, with a subtle maturity that wasn’t there before. He seemed to be having a conversation with the quack psychiatrist, perhaps over dinner, and for some reason, he looked a little happier.

I could see that he was making some progress.

"How have you been feeling lately?"

"Hmm... it’s hard to describe, but I think I’ve been relatively stable."

"Have you felt depressed at any point?"

"Not really."

"..."

"I do sometimes have anxious thoughts, though."

"Could you give some examples of that?"

"Just the usual stuff I’ve mentioned before... thought nothing as extreme as before. Even I can tell things have changed significantly from how they used to be."

"I see. And how has your sleep been?"

"Other than waking a few times in the early morning, no major problems."

It seemed to be a routine counseling session, so it wasn’t particularly important. Other than using the guise of mealtime to check Kim Hyun-Sung’s state, nothing else was being done.

"By the way, thank you for treating me to this kind of meal, Mr. Hyun-Sung."

"I’ve received your countless times before, so I wanted to repay you at least once."

Their conversation was both formal and personal. Kim Hyun-Sung seemed to have spoken enough with the quack doctor to maintain a reasonably normal, polite exchange.

It felt like I would be staying there for a while, so I decided to text him.

[Mr. Hyun-Sung, are you doing well?]

Feeling the vibration, Kim Hyun-Sung’s hand twitched and went into his pocket. I caught a glimpse of his smile as he discreetly read my message. Naturally, I nodded, expecting a reply to come immediately.

"But you see.

"Y-Yes, Doctor?"

I saw him slip the Goddess’s Hand Mirror back into his pocket.

"Yes?"

“...”

“Read...” I mumbled.

“...”

“Read and ignored?” I muttered.

I couldn’t help but seriously wonder if this incident had somehow affected the second life.

“He just ignored it?” I questioned.

'I’m out here trying to save the damned continent...'

“And he just ignored my text?”