Purpose
Late in the evening, after the sun had fully set, we arrived at Ruina. The events that followed weren't much different from before my regression.
“Hahaha… The new commander has finally arrived, swayo!”
“Welcome to Ruina…”
“Oh my, this is unexpectedly a fine man…”
“Ehehe…”
There was our first meeting with the Rabbit Hole Squad who had been waiting for us. After a lively round of self-introductions, we were given a tour of the facilities. It had already been a week since then. I didn't remember the details well, but pretending not to know wasn't particularly difficult.
But there was one thing nagging at me…
‘Does this commander have no intention of hiding his regression?’
I suppressed the urge to sigh. It was because his behavior had been grating on me from earlier.
“Oh? Commander. This switch can be tricky the first time… You've already figured it out?”
“…Ah. Um, I used a similar device at the officer academy.”
Handling brand-new facilities with familiar ease.
“Eek?! Why are you suddenly touching my hair, swayo?!”
“Oops, sorry. Force of habit… I apologize.”
“Ah, no. It's not a problem, swayo… It's my pride and joy… I'd actually like you to touch it more, swayo!”
Being mysteriously close with the Rabbit Hole Squad.
“Hmm, where did I hide the key to lounge number 3…”
“Probably next to the flowerpot.”
“…How do you know about the key here, Commander?”
“Ah, that's…”
Knowing things he shouldn't at this point in time.
He was practically advertising that he was a regressor. Sure, he seemed to be trying to hide it, but he had zero talent for deception. No matter how he tried to explain, it just came off as suspicious.
‘If you're gonna do it, do it perfectly like me. Is this his first regression?’
Well, he probably didn't have a desperate reason to hide it like I did. In fact, even if it came out that he was a regressor, it wouldn't be much of a problem. It could even serve as credible backing for his intel sources.
But unlike him, if anyone found out I was a regressor, it'd spell disaster. Death is the ultimate thrill precisely because it's irreversible. Once you know someone comes back to life, there's zero reason to grieve. Call it preserving the value of death.
‘Especially if the commander finds out—it'd be the worst. Gotta be careful not to let him catch on.’
Once the facility tour of the Ruina branch wrapped up, just like last time, the commander and I had dinner alone together.
Unlike our first encounter on the train, he'd apparently gotten his emotions in check, returning with his usual impassive face. He seemed lost in thought about something.
On the way back to our rooms after dinner, as I bid him goodnight, the commander suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Leira.”
“What is it, Commander?”
“Well… um…”
I gave him a curious look, urging him to spit it out. But he furrowed his brow like he was wrestling with himself, then awkwardly averted his eyes.
“Never mind… Good night.”
“Hmm. Yes. Sweet dreams, Commander.”
What the hell was that? He wanted to say something but held back? That's the most irritating kind. I was a little pissed but forced a smile and waved him off.
As his adjutant, I'd been assigned a nice single room in the dorms. My own private space, free from prying eyes.
I stripped right off and headed into the bathroom.
“Phew… Feels so refreshing. Good thing the water pressure's solid.”
After toweling off nice and dry, I slipped into my pajamas. The negligee I'd worn on the first day possessing Leira. A total pervert's delight, teasing the skin just right.
I wanted to crash into bed immediately, but…
I grabbed a pen and notebook and plopped down at the desk. Things were messy on multiple fronts, so I figured I'd sort them out a bit.
“Alright… let's get the situation straight.”
Scribble scribble. The pen glided smoothly across the open notebook. I'd just incinerate it with electricity later anyway—no need to pretty up the handwriting.
The first word I jotted down was regression. Next to it, I wrote my name and the commander's.
“The commander knows about my death. Which means… after I died, he somehow rewound time.”
A little ways off, I wrote Rabbit Hole Squad and slashed a big X through it.
“The Rabbit Hole Squad… didn't regress.”
I'd wondered if maybe they had too, but they showed no signs of past memories. Unless they'd hidden it flawlessly—something I hadn't detected—but none of them struck me as that sly.
In other words, only the commander and I had regressed.
“Why just the commander and me? Am I special? Or some other reason…”
Something sparked in my mind as I mulled it over. I hiked up my pajamas and stared at the stigma below my navel.
The difference between me and the Rabbit Hole Squad. Between me and other Valkyries.
Maybe this regression… came from the contract?
‘If that's the case… it kinda explains why I haven't powered up despite the contract. Does his artificial stigma have the regression power?’
Of course, it was still just a hypothesis. Could be some Erosion Species that flings souls back in time. Or maybe a Valkyrie's innate ability. But nothing like that explained me coming back after dying.
A contract links stigma to stigma—it's a special ritual. Most logical that I got dragged along in his regression.
‘Hmm… Then I should block anyone else from contracting willy-nilly.’
Another regressor popping up would just complicate shit. Might even expose me. If I sniff any out, I'll nip it in the bud.
Scribble scribble. After blacking out page after page of pristine white, I scrawled Purpose dead center on the next one.
“Why did the commander regress?”
If he'd triggered it on purpose, what made him bother rewinding time?
Tap tap. I drummed the pen's end on the notebook while I thought.
Soon enough, a solid guess hit me.
‘To stop my death?’
The pen froze mid-tap.
Just one possibility among hypotheses. But if that was really it…
“Heh, hehe. Hoho… So that's how it is…”
No wonder he'd crushed me in that hug the moment he saw me. I was that precious to him—to the point he'd rewind time.
Crunch. Crunch. I was gnawing the pen's end without realizing.
Like a spider spotting prey in its web? A shit-eating grin plastered on my face, refusing to budge.
Would he rewind every time I die? This time, he has to save me. This time, no fail… Would he cling to that hope and never quit?
“Haaa… That'd be nice…”
I took a deep breath to tamp down the thrill. My rational side was screaming it wasn't time to celebrate yet.
Obviously, pure speculation. No clue what went down after my death.
He might've regressed unintentionally, just like me. Logically, more likely.
Our bond? Barely a week's worth. Kinda overkill to regress for that.
‘Unintentional regression. Now he's trying to save me while he's at it. Best to plan around that.’
I flew across the notebook with the pen. Mapping his likely moves, scheming to steer the outcomes.
That's when my old plan caught my eye. One week from now: I die to Midyr. He'd know it too.
“He'll butt in for sure, right? Like stopping the chase after the victim Morka. Or rushing support from Central HQ…”
No reusing that exact death. Now I'd have to die through his meddling—without tipping my regressor hand. Trickier by the minute.
‘Still… sounds fun. No matter how he thrashes, he can't save Leira. Wonder what face he'll make when it sinks in…’
Gulp. Swallowed without thinking. Emotions running hot, body heating up. Switch flipped again.
‘…Gotta hold off for now.’
I traced the red marks on my forearm with my fingertips. What am I, some horny ape discovering puberty? Overdoing the self-love ain't healthy. Plus, more to ponder.
“Next up… Leira's character act.”
Regression stuff sorted, more or less. Now to flesh out Leira's persona.
‘Didn't see regression coming. Just slapped on vague traits as needed. Gaps'll show eventually. Time to lock it down.’
This loop proved it. Pre-regression, we'd kissed. Now? Total strangers today.
Gonna happen every loop. Slip on the gap, say something dumb? Boom—exposed as fellow regressor.
No guarantee it always resets to the train. Maybe diary it up, save points by date.
“Leira's diligent always, but playfully polite at times. Core trait: can't handle losing anyone. Sacrificial enough to throw her life away…”
I recalled the last loop, building the foundation. Original Leira? Foggy memory. But it summed my actions so far.
Listed first timeline events start to finish. Cross-checked with this loop's happenings, tweaking the personality for seamlessness.
“Oh yeah, I mentioned being into romance.”
Popped into mind—that throwaway line right before dying. His reaction hadn't satisfied, so I'd winged it to the kiss.
Total improv, but… could've been useful.
‘Trusted big-sis type, admired by all. Secretly devours shojo manga, harbors romance dreams… Nice. Works.’
Pure cliché. But clichés had their uses.
“So when the commander hugged me outta nowhere, she started seeing him as a man without realizing… Sound good?”
Flashback to that hug. Back then: What the fuck? Flustered enough my act cracked.
He recalls it too—might spot the inconsistency. Flip it: relationship milestone.
Last loop: battlefield trust. This one: amp up the romantic tension.
Not instant fall, though. Make it she's oblivious still…
“Perfect. Character locked.”
This loop: tragic, unrequited love cut short. Satisfied grin, notebook shut.
Yeah, done? I dove into bed.
The next day, feeling refreshed all around, I showed up at the commander's office. He came right up to me.
“Leira. Need to talk. Privately.”
“Yes? About what?”
“Don't misunderstand, please.”
Dead serious, locking eyes with me, he said,
“Do you… know about regression?”
Straight down the middle. Caught so off guard, my words jammed up.