Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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Min Ha-yeon stared at the blessing slip floating in the center, lost in thought.
"No way... Did I really go back to the beginning? Do we restart from the first village when we die?"
Min Ha-yeon, unfamiliar with the concept of regression, lacked the insight to grasp the situation.
After pondering deeply, she picked up the blessing slip with her fingertip.
At that moment...
"Eek!"
Suddenly, her vision brightened, and a brilliant sun welcomed her.
Then a woman's voice came from beside her.
"Um... you're Ha-yeon-ssi, right?"
"...Yes? Huh!?"
Startled by the sudden question, she looked to her side. There stood a woman named Seon-hui-same woman who had been screaming in agony just moments ago as her arm was torn off—now speaking to her with a bold expression.
"Uh... uh..."
"...That's a bit much. We've barely met, and you're already speaking casually..."
"Ah... Sorry... I just got flustered all of a sudden..."
"..."
Min Ha-yeon looked around in bewilderment.
And then, her eyes locked with those of a man.
"Huh!?"
For a split second, she nearly sprinted toward him..
If someone hadn't stopped her...
"Ha-yeon."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist and called out.
Min Ha-yeon turned around reflexively and confirmed who was holding her wrist.
"Ha-yeon, let's go. I'll show you around."
"..."
There stood the man who had abandoned her earlier and run off, only to get his head pierced.
..
..
It took some time, but Min Ha-yeon finally pieced together what had happened.
"...I came back to the past. But why? How?"
There wasn't a single hint.
But in this situation devoid of clues, one question arose.
The three women chatting in a similar manner as before the moment they stepped out of the Colosseum.
And Seong Su-ho, who had stared at her blankly before leaving.
Everything was eerily similar.
Except for one person...
"...Everyone else is acting pretty much the same. But that guy's behavior feels off?"
Only Han Yeo-reum was acting differently from the past.
In the original timeline, Han Yeo-reum would leisurely guide them to a restaurant, build rapport with the women over a meal.
But this time, his actions were entirely different.
"Let's try hunting first."
"..."
The other women, though anxious, followed Han Yeo-reum with sparkling eyes as he stepped forward confidently.
Han Yeo-reum headed to the eastern hunting grounds as if he already knew everything.
"There's a place called Zephyrium Hotel here that costs 1,500 points for a night's stay. Let's scrape together about 500 points and book a room first."
"...How do you know the lodging costs 1,500 points?"
"Huh!? Oh... Th-they announced it on the channel. Haha..."
Flustered, Han Yeo-reum glossed over the situation.
Watching him, Min Ha-yeon recalled something.
(Now that we've eaten, let's buy some potions from the potion shop and go hunting.)
(Yeo-reum, shouldn't we check out lodging first?)
(Ah~ It's 1,500 points there. Waste of time right now.)
(...? How do you know it's 1,500 points?)
(Ah! Uh... S-someone passing by mentioned it earlier. Haha...)
"Thinking back, it was weird last time too. He knew way more details than necessary."
He had known the exact location of the potion shop and that the eastern hunting grounds were the easiest place to hunt.
He had found the Zephyrum Hotel without asking for directions and continued to lead them as if he were intimately familiar with the system of this world.
And the boss fight...
'Su-ho definitely said that his time hadn't stopped either. ...I think he knows something.'
Even if Seong Su-ho, being able to use magic, had some countermeasure, she couldn't fathom why time hadn't stopped for Han Yeo-reum.
With that thought, Seong Su-ho came to mind.
"Earlier... He really doesn't remember me, right?"
The man she had been intimate with just moments ago, fighting desperately to protect each other's lives, had stared at her blankly before walking away without a second glance.
As if he didn't remember her at all.
"...There'll be plenty of chances to meet."
Min Ha-yeon held back her tears, raised her bow, and thought.
'This time... I have to be the one to help him.'
..
..
After about an hour of hunting, Han Yeo-reum spoke dejectedly.
"Ah... as I thought, we're going to need potions."
"..."
Everyone was covered in wounds, unable to continue fighting.
Except Han Yeo-reum...
He was the only one unscathed, staying back during close combat here.
It wasn't because he was skilled.
"...It's clear. He wasn't this bad before. He sees the girls as disposable now."
Han Yeo-reum trailed behind the women, doing nothing.
Yet the women didn't mind his inaction at all.
'...Well, if they're happy with it...'
Min Ha-yeon gave a bitter smile and said to the party.
"Let's head back to the village and find a way to recover first."
"...Yeah, let's go to the potion shop."
Han Yeo-reum leisurely led the other members to the potion shop.
And as soon as they entered...
"Huh! What the... Why is that guy here already..."
"..."
Seong Su-ho was browsing the shop counters.
Hearing Han Yeo-reum, Min Ha-yeon was certain.
"It's definite... He's regressed too. Even before me..."
Min Ha-yeon stared at Seong Su-ho, her heart filled with the urge to run to him and hug him right then.
But reality hit her quickly.
Seong Su-ho glanced her way briefly before losing interest and resuming his potion browsing.
"...It hurts."
Min Ha-yeon squeezed her eyes shut, recalling the feelings she harbored for him.
She had first grown close to Seong Su-ho thinking he'd be useful.
But in just a few days, her mindset shifted; she wanted to face hardships alongside him.
Yet now he looked at her like a complete stranger.
Min Ha-yeon pulled herself together, lifted her head, and gazed at Seong Su-ho.
'Anyway, Han Yeo-reum will need Su-ho, so he'll try to take him along. I can just become close with him again.'
She figured if Han Yeo-reum acted like before, he would definitely bring Seong Su-ho along.
Back then, even he had admitted the alchemist was helpful.
But Han Yeo-reum started acting differently than expected.
"Alright, just buy the green potions."
"...Huh?"
Han Yeo-reum ignored Seong Su-ho entirely, bought about 30 potions, and urged the others to do the same.
"They're only 10 points each anyway, so grab 30 to 40."
"Sure~"
"..."
Unlike the cheerfully smiling women, Min Ha-yeon grew worried as she bought her potions.
"What's going on... Why is Han Yeo-reum like this? Is he not planning to party with Su-ho this time?"
Ideally, she'd ditch Han Yeo-reum right now and party with Seong Su-ho.
But their relationship had reset, and acting suspiciously might make Han Yeo-reum wary, which felt risky.
"Let's think carefully for now. Approach Su-ho when no one's around."
Setting her worries aside for now, Min Ha-yeon completed her purchase.
..
..
"Haa... This sucks."
Throughout the hunt with Han Yeoreum's group, that thought dominated Min Ha-yeon's mind.
The women around Han Yeo-reum fought monsters diligently, but the skill gap was too wide.
They'd improve after a week, gaining a level or two in skills and becoming usable.
However, from the perspective of Min Ha-yeon—who had taken Artemis potions and achieved one-shot kills—the composure she had built through years of archery began to melt away like a glacier in global warming.
Still, she decided to follow along quietly.
'...I can make some excuse and slip away in three days. I just have to endure it.'
She occasionally opened her status window, gazing at it in wonder.
- Min Ha-yeon -
When Min Ha-yeon first arrived here, her Archery skill was only at level 3.
Bullet Time had been at 1.
But while hunting with Seong Su-ho, she had realized she couldn't rely on potions forever and had managed to raise her skills.
And those leveled skills...
"...Came with me intact. This really isn't a dream..."
Her gaze shifted to Bullet Time.
"...This activated when I saved Su-ho."
When she first saw this skill, Min Ha-yeon thought it was amazing.
But it had never activated once before saving Seong Su-ho.
"...This time, I need to scrape together points no matter what. And then Su-ho..."
There was no guarantee he would join the boss fight, but if he joined another party, he might participate.
In seven days, most people would be brimming with confidence, lining up to take on the boss.
'I think I need to get close to him quickly so I can stop him from joining another party...'
As Min Ha-yeon hunted while pondering the situation, Han Yeo-reum spoke up.
"Alright, everyone, let's wrap it up."
"Sure~"
"..."
Back at the village, the distribution points on the settlement window were...
"1,000 points... My god..."
Min Ha-yeon let out a hollow laugh as she claimed her points.
The feeling of her daily wage dropping from 70,000 won to 1,000 was indescribable.
But Han Yeo-reum frowned at the settlement window and said,
"Haa... Let's try harder starting tomorrow."
"Yes..."
Min Ha-yeon found the women's reactions more absurd than Han Yeo-reum's shamelessness .
Despite busting their asses for such paltry treatment, they just gave Han Yeo-reum pitiful puppy-dog looks.
As she watched the women and Han Yeo-reum enter the village with hollow smiles after claiming points,
"..."
Seong Su-ho was staring blankly in her direction.
Or rather, he was staring at the exit.
"...He hasn't found a party yet."
Min Ha-yeon felt both joy and pity clashing within her.
An alchemist saved on potion costs, but couldn't participate in combat at all.
For beginners, partying with one offered little merit.
Just making potions and spectating... It felt like freeloading.
"Yeah... I'll approach him first."
Min Ha-yeon steeled herself and said to Han Yeo-reum,
"Yeo-reum, I'm gonna stop by the general store real quick."
Han Yeo-reum glared at Seong Su-ho for a long time before turning to Min Ha-yeon with a smile.
"...Okay. Be careful. Especially watch out for guys lurking alone like that."
"...Got it."
Min Ha-yeon thought she'd seen the depths of Han Yeo-reum's pettiness, but she was wrong.
t felt as if he were testing how much more pathetic he could possibly be.
Min Ha-yeon replied vaguely and parted from the party.
Confirming the women and Han Yeo-reum had left, she approached Seong Su-ho.
"...Excuse me."
"Yes?"
Seong Su-ho looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Min Ha-yeon spoke cautiously.
"...Do you have a party?"
"No."
Seong Su-ho answered curtly, showing clear wariness.
Seeing him like that, a wave of sadness welled up in Min Ha-yeon.
'I have to hold it in... if I act strange, he'll only be more guarded.'
Forcing a smile, Min Ha-yeon said,
"If you're okay with it... Wanna party up?"
"But I'm just an alchemist, so I won't be that helpful..."
"Just try it for one day! Please?"
"...Alright."
"Heehee..."
Min Ha-yeon couldn't hide her joy, grinning ear to ear.
""Ahem.... Then let's meet here tomorrow morning. I have some things to take care of over there, so the earlier we meet, the better...."
"I'll come here at 7 a.m. tomorrow."
"Great... See you!"
Min Ha-yeon smiled brightly and headed into the village, leaving me behind.
'What a relief.... Things are working out even better.'
I'd been waiting at the potion shop and ran into Han Yeo-reum's group. Naturally, I expected another party invite.
But this time, Han Yeo-reum seemed intent on excluding me, leaving without even a greeting.
Flustered, I waited at the eastern entrance just in case, and sure enough, he just glared without offering.
As I pondered how to approach, Min Ha-yeon secretly proposed partying.
He spoke through the Comms..
'...Ha-yeon, I think her memories are definitely intact, right?'
[Yes. She wouldn't act like that otherwise.]
When Min Ha-yeon saved me, the Shock Bee in front of us descended to the ground.
At first, I mistakenly thought the Shock Bee had been intimidated by Min Ha-yeon's attack.
But the reason the Shock Bee descended was...
To think it would use a Paralysis Wave in that situation...'
Paralysis Wave froze everyone except me, and in my panic, I warped out with Min Ha-yeon.
She was also paralyzed on the ship.
Warping together let her return with her memories intact.
Her retained memories were a relief, but also a worry.
'I'm a bit concerned about Ha-yeon.... It'll be a pain if Han Yeo-reum finds out...'
[Still, Suho-nim... Without that, we might not have found the perfect solution.]
"Heh heh heh... True..."
I'd been replaying the footage right before regression at this eastern entrance until Han Yeoreum's party finished hunting.
This time, I had the definitive answer.
The final hint to counter Han Yeo-reum's regression.
I looked at the blessing slip I'd noted earlier and tapped it.
A hologram popped up immediately.
It only cost 100,000 points at most.
Equivalent to 10,000 Enel.
But now it's over.
I tapped the hologram.
"Han Yeo-reum... It's over for you now. Your shitty regression won't work on me anymore. Puhahaha!!"
I laughed maniacally as the blessing slip evaporated.