Where the Hell Am I? (3)

Suddenly struck by a hunch, I checked the very first post on the board—and it was from the main administrator, none other than my constellation Serpina.

The lengthy posts were the usual board rules and notices—stuff like "follow the rules" and "cross the line and you'll get banned."

'So even the people here don't know anything about my life before I met Serpina.'

That confirmed one crucial fact: No one knew about me before Serpina created my fan gallery. I'd skipped right over those hellish beginner days—the most chaotic storm of a time after possessing this body in this world.

The impact was clear just from skimming the early thread titles. They had no idea about the grueling struggles I went through to adapt. They only knew me from the point where I'd grown enough to leverage my possessor knowledge—charging ahead efficiently and swiftly. So they just showered pure admiration and praise on my skills and insight.

I even let out a hollow chuckle seeing the post Serpina, the admin, wrote when I broke through the 50th floor. It was a tough fight, but after I won and reached the sanctuary, what did she say? Probably just "good job"—that was it. Acting all curt like that, but fan-girling hard behind the scenes.

As the one who created the fan gallery in the first place, Serpina was the most active by far.

'If they don't know, they don't know—fine by me.'

I'd been worried my secrets might spill from these unmentioned events in the story, heart pounding... but now I was calmer. Even Serpina, the fan gallery admin who probably knows me best, doesn't realize I'm a possessor—or that I used to be someone entirely different. End of story.

After over 20 years of my previous life, those memories had faded; living as this body felt natural now.

...Of course, I wasn't fully used to it yet. But my identity as Reina Frontier, challenger climbing the tower from the Floriana Continent? Rock solid now.

"Reina! Heard you're fully recovered, so I came by."

"You should be resting too. Tough break."

Just as I was prepping for discharge...

Kim Ji-eun showed up, her wavy brown hair bouncing as she ran straight into my arms like always. I naturally stroked her head, which only reached my chest. Her big eyes, cute face—this routine started on the 14th floor when we met. Pure ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠habit now.

"Heard from other factions—the next expedition might take longer."

"Can't be helped. This is our first after ten-plus fails."

Childish with me, but Kim Ji-eun was our guild's backbone. Managing people, coordinating with other groups, mediating—she handled all the leader-core stuff as my number two. I was just the fighter.

"Let's take a real break this time."

"Wanna go play? That Misty Forest on 75th from last time was so pretty—let's go again!"

"Nah, got something else to check."

She lit up at "break," begging for a trip, but I shook my head with a wry smile.

Those analysis posts I'd seen in the community. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠One caught my eye—something I could solo right now.

"Going down to lower floors to restart?"

"Not restarting—just checking what we missed on the way up. We've done everything possible. If we still can't pass 150, something else's the issue."

Her eyes doubled in shock; I panicked a bit. My real worry? How community users would react to me dropping to 30th and following their clear advice. If they caught me spying on them... ugh, didn't wanna imagine.

"It's rare, but you sure it's okay?"

"Just some stat penalties. No biggie."

"Ugh... I wanna go too, but..."

She groaned, sighing. No reason to tag along, even after racking her brain.

My solo trip to 30th was set.

I decided to take community advice because I finally admitted I'm not Jeong Chan-su, the protagonist. He's the true hero I could never match, climbing solo to the top and saving worlds.

'Annoying bastard.'

Thinking of him drew a hollow laugh. As a regressor, his wariness toward me was natural. If I'd slipped up at our first meeting, he'd have snapped my neck.

But he knows he's a regressor, so after some back-and-forth, we get along—fighting together when needed. Or maybe he relaxed seeing I'm useful but forever trailing his heels, no matter my effort. Seasoned web novel protag: ruthless, but soft on the weak and exploitable.

"Reina."

"...Jeez, you scared me. What're you doing here?"

Speaking of the devil—there he was. I'd been sipping coffee from the manual vending machine, tiny fairies bustling under the commander's orders, when I nearly dropped it in surprise.

"Heard the story."

His usual flat black eyes flicked over as he spoke. Frustrating guy—words sparse compared to his inner turmoil, some PTSD-level trait.

"To 30th. For new rewards and training."

"You heard already? Ji-eun wouldn't blab."

"I asked first. She said that."

"Huh."

Surprised he'd inquired, then come straight here. Why go that far?

"You're essential for 150th clears. Can't be gone long."

Reason was obvious. No one obsessed with tower progress like him—Jeong Chan-su. Socially wrecked protag twists people and situations to fit him; no empty "worry" from that mouth.

"Think I'm running? Bullshit. I'm not retiring."

I smirked, flipping him off.

He'd regressed stronger than last round, but his reset was at 150th. Unlike me, knowing ahead, he was understandably urgent.

"Maybe loosen up a bit? We're progressing, bit by bit."

"..."

I turned from his blank stare, waving lazily.

In the original, he fails 150th 50 times. Side characters die, his healing heart scars again. Pulling it off in 10? Mostly my credit. A bit more effort, and we'll break it.

'Wonder if Jeong Chan-su has a fan gallery too?'

Curiosity hit. Can't be just me—constellations make galleries for others. From my deep dives, users ranged from celeb fans to sports nuts, but strength-focused ones dominated. They like me 'cause I'm strong. Higher rankers must have fans too—especially him, my upgrade in power and decisiveness.

That night, crashing at the hospital one last time, I unintentionally uncovered the truth.