How to Steal the Hero's Woman - Chapter 332: Yggdrasil (3-41)

I picked up the barely visible token in the darkness and checked it out.

It was definitely the token.

As I stared at it blankly, Gekkosu started typing in the chat with a laugh.

Even without Gekkosu's chat, I could guess what was going on.

Lucien hadn't asked for my guidance out of genuine need for directions. She'd asked for help to help me.

But there was something odd about it.

“You’re strictly forbidden from sharing any classified walkthrough strategies or hidden gameplay tips, aren't you? So, how exactly did you manage to pull off such an impossible feat?”

"Ah...."

Pretending it was coincidence.

Or maybe it really was.

Lucien had intended to help, but if that monster hadn't shown up, she probably would've just left.

Wishing I'd catch it on my way back....

"She's a really good girl."

"Gotta fuck her later for sure."

I waved my hand cheerfully with a laugh.

"Nah! If she helped me like this, I gotta give her what she wants if she asks, right?"

"I'll make her want it...."

She had a disposition window too. Someone at that level wouldn't die easily here.

I smiled, anticipating we'd meet again someday.

And....

"Alright, shall we... take a look around?"

I slowly pushed through the underbrush, searching for the mystery monster.

"...He's late."

The quiet mutter from one woman in the inn's first-floor dining hall drew the eyes of everyone at her table.

It was Min Hayeon muttering, and the ones staring were the trio, Han Bom, and Han Yeoreum.

"Yeah. Wonder if something happened."

"Or maybe he's wandering around saying he'll find it this time...."

They all nodded at that.

It was the one thing they agreed on.

"Uncle's not the type to get in trouble, and nothing's gonna happen in the village anyway. He'll be back soon."

They were nodding at Han Bom's words when Han Yeoreum, at the same table, grumbled and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spoke up.

"Hmph... Bet he's late 'cause he got distracted by some girl."

All eyes turned to Han Yeoreum, and Han Bom started scolding her.

"...You gonna say that?"

"What? Why me?"

"Think I don't know?"

Han Bom shot a pitiful look at Han Yeoreum's uneasy expression and spat out one line.

"You didn't even try finding info the whole time wandering. You pushed to check other inns 'cause you wanted to see that elf again yesterday."

"Wh-what are you talking about!"

Han Yeoreum slammed the table and stood up, yelling.

"I-I said we should check 'cause there might be other summoners! No rule saying we're the only ones!"

"Then just peek in the dining halls and leave. Why keep asking the innkeepers about the elf?"

"Th-that was...."

"They had no reason to tell us anyway. You annoyed them so much I got chewed out too!"

"S-so... summoner info...."

Han Yeoreum's eyes, showing distress, caught the other women—not Han Bom.

The women staring pitifully....

'Fuck... Min Hayeon maybe, but you bitches looking at me like that?'

Shame meant nothing to her anymore.

But the pride she still clung to couldn't endure the trio's gazes.

Still standing, she whipped around and said,

"Waiting for that idiot's gonna take all night. I'm going to bed."

"Yeah... Go sleep quietly."

"...."

Han Yeoreum clutched her stinging heart at Min Hayeon's pitiful look and headed upstairs.

As soon as she entered her room, she muttered at the mirror on the wall.

"Fuck, I wanna regress so bad...."

If she'd decided to regress, she could've done it ages ago.

But she had a goal: get the gem Seong Su-ho had.

This was the first loop where she endured with patience, stubbornly bearing the humiliation.

Days filled with suicidal urges multiple times a day.

"Hoo... Yeah, hang in there. Even if they treat me like shit now, in the end, I win."

She forced a bitter smile for self-comfort.

And as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she comforted herself alone, one figure came to mind.

"That elf was fucking gorgeous, though."

Like Seong Su-ho, Han Yeoreum had hoped to see an elf here.

She'd heard of beauties called "elf-like," but a real elf was different.

Even Han Yeoreum would give her a perfect 100/100.

That was Lucien.

The downside was no story connection like Min Hayeon, but she had a mystique Min Hayeon lacked—equally appealing.

But figures crashed her Lucien-filled trance.

From another world.

The channel's words carried double meaning.

Literally another world, but also untouchable for you.

"What'd you just say?"

Han Yeoreum had endured endless humiliations without bending her pride to get this far.

But she had one unshakeable confidence left.

No woman is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beyond my grasp.

The trio might've gone to Seong Su-ho now, but she'd held them before regressing—no big loss.

Her failures were two: Min Hayeon and Han Bom.

Min Hayeon fell to Seong Su-ho's arms, and now her own little sister too.

But Lucien was different.

Met her just yesterday, plenty of chances.

"What if I seduce that girl?"

They started mocking her.

And then the mission popped up.

The channel exploded after the mission.

The mission maker chimed in.

"...."

It was a gamble.

One tied to survival... no, her very life.

Han Yeoreum was starting to grasp this place's rules.

Live or die.

The mission giver probably assumed she'd die, making it a safe bet.

Death auto-fails the mission.

50 million points seemed huge, but just insurance on her failure.

But not for Han Yeoreum.

With infinite regression, she wouldn't die if she had a regression point.

If the point shifted now, she'd survive and lose everything.

Worse than points: asset confiscation.

'Fucking bastard... I'll remember your ID.'

-Last bitch-

'That fucker's ID....'

The channel was provoking her.

Reminding her Min Hayeon and Han Bom got fucked by Seong Su-ho.

Still, Han Yeoreum chose without hesitation.

The channel lit up like when her girlfriend and sister got stolen.

Han Yeoreum barely reacted.

'Hmph, accept and regress—resets everything. Idiots....'

To her, accepting was just pride and satisfaction.

Missions reset on regression—worthless records.

'...Still, if I'll come back, good to know where she stays?'

But accepting stirred a challenge in her chest.

'First, find Lucien. Saw her out at night yesterday—maybe nocturnal. Get lucky and meet?'

Han Yeoreum slipped out grinning.

'Alone, she'll fall easy? Skill's rusty, but high-status girls always crumbled in time.'

Among women she'd met, many had status.

They didn't fold easy, but none lasted over 30 minutes alone with her.

No solo failure yet.

'Good... sneak out quietly.'

As Han Yeoreum headed downstairs, the once-quiet group grew rowdy.

'What? Why so loud? ...Good, no eyes on me.'

She minimized footsteps, heading to the entrance without looking.

Then—

"Hey... what're you doing there?"

"...Fuck."

Han Yeoreum whipped around at the voice she hated most, cursing involuntarily.

Seong Su-ho sat at the table—absent before.

"What're you doing?"

"...Heading out."

"Yeah? Then go."

"...."

Normally he'd humiliate her, but he nodded coolly, granting freedom.

The women eyed her weirdly; Min Hayeon and Han Bom just sighed, shaking heads.

'Fuck... why this treatment... Just go.'

Caught already—no need for stealth.

As she grabbed the door handle quick—

Seong Su-ho's words stabbed like a spear, stopping her.

"Got the last token too. Time to discuss next steps."

"What the hell!?"

Han Yeoreum, about to leave the inn, jolted at my words and rushed back to our table, yelling again.

"Found the token!? What do you mean!"

"Means I found the token."

"Where? How!"

"...."

Han Yeoreum had been ignoring me lately, staying quiet.

No antics beyond orders—downright perfunctory.

But scrambling to me at "last token"? Amusing.

'Really worried, huh.'

[For her, regression is everything.]

Obvious for a regressor.

But 90% obsession? Fine. 100%? Hell.

No learning—just eternal torment.

Han Yeoreum always focused on dodging immediate crises.

Hoping it'd last forever, but she'll change someday.

Proof: accepting my contract, enduring orders patiently.

'Can't drag this out forever. Enlightenment would screw me.'

I decided to grind her patience.

"Need to know?"

"Of course! So we can—wait, huh?"

I tossed a token on the table.

"I gathered all the tokens anyway. No need to know."

With Lucien's hint, I'd wandered and uncovered the monster.

(...No wonder I couldn't find it.)

Rat-like monster.

Birds on the right (day folk), rats on the left (night folk).

Catching it revealed a great 1st-floor lesson.

(Monsters vary by place and environment.)

Day/night monsters differed.

0th floor tutorial; 1st floor taught real experience.

Twist your frame to get what you want.

Stacking tiny experiences.

I alone knew this.

No sharing with Han Yeoreum—direct or indirect experience forbidden.

'She'll learn climbing... or regress unluckily.'

But one certainty:

"Just in case. Tell me! Caught a monster? No, already ruled out. Buy it somewhere?"

I wouldn't spill from my mouth.

"Not telling you...."

"Fuck! It won't kill you!"

Irritated, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ordered Han Yeoreum.

"Shut up. And guard the token I gave you. Got it?"

"Urk!"

Judging no more info, she shut up and bowed.

Leaving her, I told the others,

"Alright, let's plan tomorrow?"

"Alright, decided. Head to the dungeon tomorrow."

Han Yeoreum couldn't object to Seong Su-ho's words.

Her trembling eyes fixed on one chat and mission.