CHAPTER 27 – REGRESSOR (2)

August 11, 2022 — 2 Comments

The free time after school.

Normally, Eisel would be studying in the self-study room, but today she couldn’t.

‘Baek Yu seol…….’

Her mind was a mess.

Obviously, it was true that thanks to his help, she was able to break through Maizen’s trap. But, what did she do then?

At the very least, she knew how to do one of the things that Baek Yu-seol had instructed her to do, so it wasn’t the end of it.

‘On the spot… he made that recipe?’

It was unbelievable. With his own ideas, with his talents, with his own knowledge, it was unlikely that he could reach that far.

Although alchemy was not mainstream… The problem was that his knowledge was not limited to alchemy.

Rumors have already spread throughout the department.

‘A genius who came in without any preparation.’

Baek Yu-seol submitted all of the questions in the class placement test that could not be solved without memorizing the formula on a blank paper. It was natural if it was at the level of an ordinary student but Stella’s class placement test was comparable to most college tests.

A student who studied normally and entered high school normally would not be able to solve college-level problems. However, Stella’s students were all gifted, and it was rather natural to solve them because they had received early education.

But Baek Yu-seol did not do that. He came in without any preparation and solved three magical questions that others could not solve.

In addition to that, even though he was lagging behind others, he studied negligently but was already standing out.

He wasn’t stuck in any subject, and his ideas were admired and acknowledged by all faculty members.

“Hah….”

Eisel clasped her face with both hands.

‘My daughter.’

Suddenly, she remembered her father’s death.

‘My dear daughter… you too, when are you going… you will know the truth…’

He left a questionable statement, ‘Father, who became dew and disappeared with the stigma of a traitor.

She still couldn’t understand his will. However, the reason she was still alive was for her revenge.

‘Adolevit’

A filthy family that turned her father into a traitor and eventually led to his death.

She couldn’t forget the face of that damn woman who killed her father.

She must exact her vengeance.

She must plunge the sharpened blade of vengeance into the hearts of those who drove her fathers and herself into the abyss. 

To do so, she needed to be the best.

‘Cause I’m a genius. Because I am a wizard from the heavens and was called an incomparable genius.’

There were only one means of revenge left for her who lost everything.

To become a greater and superior wizard than the two princesses of Adolevit and to reach the ‘Heavenly Realm’.

If she became the best wizard who controls all of the magic world, she would be able to return all the shame, pain, and adversity she had suffered.

By the way.

‘This time, what was I?’

Wasn’t she just a bunch of luggage that was no different from a potion mixing container, only shaking potions depending on the improvisation and knowledge of other students?

She couldn’t do anything. She has to be the best.

She didn’t think of anything. She thought that she would be able to overcome any hardship and adversity she faced.

‘I have to… be different.’

Eisel clenched her teeth and stood up. There’s no time for this sense of shame. Even at this moment, Baek Yu-seol will be ahead of her, and Hong Bi-yeon, once a rival as ice and flame, was already looking higher than her with thorough elite education in the royal family.

No more, she can’t fall behind beyond this.

* * * 

“Slurp!”

Since I came to Stella Academy, there was something I had always wanted to do. Drinking Americano ‘elegantly’ at Stella Cafe on campus.

Drinking coffee brewed with high-quality coffee beans while looking at the night view on a spacious terrace was truly a luxurious leisure life for aristocrats, wasn’t it?

“Well. I want to drink one more…” But, I drank it in one shot without saying anything. Honestly, I don’t even know what it tasted like. The mixed coffee I used to take from the vending machine for 300 won was more delicious

“Hey, it’s terribly expensive, and it doesn’t taste good.”

After laying down on the chair, I pretended to watch the night view and activated my copper glasses.

[Maizen Tyren]

*Black Magic erosion progress: 37%

Despite being humiliated in the last group assignment, the progress was still only 37%.

‘How do I fasten this again…’

As time goes by, the level of erosion would naturally rise, but then it will be too late. If a certain incident causes the professor’s erosion to rise explosively at once, the incident would explode without any time to deal with it.

My goal was to make it 50% so that the Black Demon Slayers would become aware of Maizen’s existence, but it didn’t go as planned.

“You are destined to follow your own destiny. In the next three months, there will be an incident.”

Professor Maizen Tyren’s ‘Black Magic Erosion’ randomly affects one student.

I didn’t know exactly who it will be.

Not because I couldn’t memorize the story, but because there were many branches in one episode, like a simulation game, it was impossible to confirm the future of this world.

Still, there were fixed candidates.

Jecky, Fuleim’s friend. Arshuang, the girl from Hong Bi-yeon faction. And… Haewon ryang.

‘It would be worse if Haewon ryang is swept away.’

Even among hundreds of thousands of players, very few people had seen the Haewon ryang’s black magic erosion. However, one had to be especially careful of it. His black magic erosion immediately resulted in a [bad ending].

“But there’s a person I can predict roughly.’

Jecky. That kid was the most suspicious. There was no particular reason, but because she had become a black magician with a probability of over 90%. Of course, it’s not confirmed yet, so there’s no way to find out. 

‘Sigh. Now that I think about it, I have to tighten my shoulder muscles.’

With that thought in mind, I got up.

As I got out of the cafe and walked slowly towards the training ground, someone was sitting in the garden, looking at me.

‘…Fuleim?’

She looked at me, then jumped up and approached. She came close enough for it to become uncomfortable, waving her black short hair, and asked sternly.

“What are you?”

“…what are you talking about?”

“You didn’t answer me properly last time. Your identity.”

Is this another question?

In fact, as I was going through the ‘group task’ in the past, I started to think about it.

The future information I knew and the future information Fuleim knew was different. Because she remembered all the little stories, while I hardly knew any of them.

However, if I could gain trust from Fuleim, I can combine the two pieces of information.

If? 

No doubt, the process of reaching the ‘True Ending’ would also be easier.

‘Now or never?’

Gulp. My throat was moving. I hadn’t figured out her true intentions yet, but my desire for an ‘easier way’ kept tempting me over and over again.

And it wasn’t my instinct to stop the temptation.

[Warning! The narrative is lacking!]

[Warning! Don’t tell the person you’re a ‘Transmigrator’.]

[Warning! Don’t share the knowledge and information you know with the person]

‘…I’m really going crazy.’

Imposing all these restrictions. I don’t know what would happen if I ignored the warning, but anyway, it didn’t look good.

Inevitably, I had to make excuses to Fuleim again.

“There is a famous saying that the progenitor wizard said while teaching magic. Do you know?”

“…I know.”

It’s very simple, but it was the most famous line.

‘Wizards, let the world only see half of your true form.’

Even at that time, wizards fought against beings from another world to protect the world, but they were few in number.

So, while wizards were almost worshipped as gods, what would happen if people discovered that their god-like beings were actually vomiting blood behind them to practice magic?

A wizard was always required to present himself in the best possible light to the public. He had to always wear fancy clothes, never get tired after casting powerful magic, never get sick, and never lose to anyone.

That’s why the Progenitor Wizard said that.

Let’s only show half of our true faces and, “Let’s just say half of our hearts. You and I have secrets we don’t want to reveal.” 

“…yes, fine.”

Fuleim quickly agreed and asked immediately.

“Do you know the future?”

That’s a serious remark. Let’s reveal half, so I’m trying to get everything out.

However, no matter how much she deduces, she will not know that I am a ‘ropan game possessor’. It would be enough if I don’t reveal it. She must have guessed that I already had some future knowledge.

Perhaps, she may also think of me as ‘the possessor of the original Ropan’.

Originally, I didn’t want to reveal this too… but now I didn’t have any choice.

But I didn’t reveal it straight away. While answering, I can freely infer the other person’s information.

“To ask such a question, you mean you’re the same?”

I affirmed by saying the same, and Fuleim affirmed by not answering.

I already knew that she was a possessor, but I shouldn’t pretend to know that. By deliberately hiding how much I knew, I had to have an informational advantage.

“This time it’s my question. What is your purpose in school?”

Honestly, I didn’t need anything else. After all, most people know about the external story of Fuleim. But I was most curious about what she thought internally.

She hesitated for a moment, but then her lips softened.

“…work my way toward a situation where the world doesn’t end. This world is too dangerous for me.”

I don’t know if it’s true or not, but this was still a pretty positive answer.

Even in the original Ropan, a group of black demons existed and I heard that it was probably a sad ending, but she doesn’t seem to want such an ending either.

“Next, my question. Why are you behaving like that?”

“Well.”

I pretended to be agonizing. Fuleim waited for me like that.

However.

There was a problem with the question. What kind of behavior was that…?

I did not understand what ‘behavior’ she was talking about. But can I say I don’t know? What if she finds out that I don’t know the original Ropan with this trivial question? That’s not good. I had to avoid being informationally disadvantaged. 

“…Just because I think it’s best that I do this.”

I thought it was a fairly satisfactory answer.

Suddenly, Fuleim’s pupils shook violently.

“What, such… why…” What. It’s not the reaction I expected.

Fuleim hung her head and shook it as if she was thinking about something. Then, slowly, she looked up straight into my eyes.

“…I can not believe it. How can a person be so stupid? Obviously, something… There must be something, a purpose, something you want.”

“There’s nothing like that.” 

“Hurry up and say it!”

It was a surprise. Wasn’t it my turn to ask a question now? I was a little offended, but I thought I could ask two more questions later, so I answered.

“If you ask what I want… well, I don’t really know.”

“You don’t know?”

Oh, I’m sure there is something, but I’m not sure if this is right.”

Whether or not finding the twelve moons was the right way to the true ending. To be honest, I was still confused.

“So, if the only purpose left now… I just want to live. That’s all.”

Isn’t it because everyone wants to live?

“You… want to live…?”

Fuleim opened her eyes wide in response to my answer and then smiled in despair. At that moment, I couldn’t help but be confused.

Why? The reason there was sadness and compassion in those eyes.

‘What is this? Are you sure you’re not misunderstanding something?’

She muttered to herself.

“…I suppose so.”

At the same time, she stood silently for a long time with her head lowered.

Then she abruptly raised her head and met my eyes with tears in her eyes. A momentary glance that made my heart ache.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.”

After saying that, she turned around and ran away.

“Huh…?”

It happened so suddenly that I couldn’t catch it.

‘Wasn’t it my turn to ask questions?’

I was standing in a daze because it was something ridiculous, but this time I heard another voice from the back.

“Baek Yu-seol.”

A strange but familiar voice. When I turned my head, Haewon ryang was staring at me with a terrifying expression.

“What were you talking about just now?” 

“Uh… it’s nothing. Why, why?”

To be honest, I was a little nervous when Haewon ryang, the rival of Mayu Seong – the world’s strongest man, gave me such a cold look.

I’m not going to be dragged to the underground parking lot, am I?

“Answer me correctly. Why did Fuleim go back crying?”

With those words, I realized that he was misunderstanding something.

Come to think of it, was it the setting that Haewon ryang had a crush on Fuleim in the game? I still remember it because there were a lot of players who wanted to lead the Haewon ryang route.

“Nothing happened. Especially not what you think it is.”

Personally, I would like for Fuleim to be closer to Mayu Seong, but I resolved the misunderstanding because I did not intend to interfere with Haewon-ryang’s love affair either.

Of course, Hae Won-ryang was not completely convinced by what I said, so he continued to stare at me, but he quickly turned his head and said.

“…I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry for prying into your conversation. I tried to infringe on your privacy. I apologize.”

“Oh, yeah..”

And Haewon ryang headed back. Somehow, I feel sorry for the drooping shoulders.

No, rather than feeling sad… I was anxious.

‘Isn’t he that kind of kid?”

The Haewon ryang I knew was more cynical, cool-headed, cold-blooded, and cold-hearted than anyone else. The current appearance seemed so awkward and unstable because Haewon ryang was the personification of the word ‘a true chauvinist’ of this era, who does not reveal his true feelings to even the woman he loves.

‘It’s very upsetting…’

I felt something bad, but I tried to shake it off.