The Regressor's Time

Episode 100

Whoooosh—

The wind sweeping through the ruined city grazed my skin.

"Finally..."

Seoul, ravaged by the zombie apocalypse.

Who would have thought the day would come when this ruined Earth could look so peaceful?

It truly took spending a hundred days in the Outer Dimension to appreciate this sight.

That place was practically the end of the universe.

A world where everything had stagnated.

"We've finally returned."

Hearing the slightly excited, higher-pitched voice, I turned to look beside me.

Tirpe was gazing at the city. Whether it was due to the sunlight or not, her profile looked radiant.

Perhaps it was the bewitching allure of the Fallen Angel that drew my gaze. Unable to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tear my eyes away from that face easily, I eventually looked ahead.

The sunlight, felt after so long, cast shadows across my retinas. My optic nerves ached all over, but—

『"Optimal Progression 51.2%" is being applied.』

I adapted soon enough.

"..."

Now, we no longer had to be shrouded in the ominous mists of the Outer Dimension.

No longer had to worry about when the mist-formed ground might vanish.

The polluted air of the city and the tangible presence of Earth.

If anything, they felt welcoming.

Yes. We've finally returned to Earth.

『Earth's Tower will open in 4 hours and 14 minutes.』

The only problem was that we didn't have the luxury of leisurely savoring this moment.

"We don't have much time, Noona."

Tirpe nodded as if in agreement.

『"შემობრუნდი (Reverse, Turn Back) ⅓" has been activated.』

『Tirpe has activated "შემობრუნდი (Reverse, Turn Back) ⅔."』

After restoring our arms and wounds respectively, we headed to a nearby clothing store.

The shopping district, ravaged by zombies and people, had no windows left. The floor was littered with bloodstains and shards of glass. The clothing warehouse was relatively intact, at least.

We searched for undamaged clothes.

After fighting the Clowns and running around everywhere, neither of us was in any presentable state.

A Fallen Angel's outfit could be restored using Record, but it was far too revealing and distinctive. Wearing something like that on Earth would be nothing short of an invitation.

Besides, the place we were heading to was one where a Fallen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Angel's lewd attire would weigh heavily on our conscience.

We stripped off our torn clothes and dressed in button-up shirts and jeans.

Tirpe wore a halter dress that wouldn't strain her pregnant belly, with a cardigan draped over it.

"..."

Seeing Tirpe like this from the side, she looked every bit the noble beauty. Though, the dangerous glint in her eyes—made even more threatening since becoming a Fallen Angel—made approaching her somewhat intimidating.

"Noona."

"Hmm?"

Still, having a gorgeous man around was a blessing.

"Huh? Huh? Did you just drop honorifics with me?"

"...I-I'm older..."

"Spread your legs."

"!"

Tirpe's cheeks flushed crimson.

"Ah, right. You said earlier that once we got back to Earth, you'd show me your asshole. I forgot about that."

Come to think ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of it, we did have that agreement. Though it was more of a one-sided declaration on my part.

Tirpe, looking embarrassed, fidgeted with her lips before sliding down her black string panties from under her skirt.

"Give those to me."

"Ngh."

Lifting her leg to remove the panties, Tirpe let out a shaky breath. Then, she shyly handed them to me.

I spread the narrow fabric of the panties and checked the stained area. There was no need for a close inspection—the entire thing was soaked.

"......?!"

What the—? Why, no, since when had it gotten this wet...?

I stiffened slightly as I looked at Tirpe.

"Hehehe♡"

Now that I looked, her eyes were dangerously predatory, like a spider eyeing its prey. The cross-shaped irises in her pupils overlapped with hearts, glowing brightly.

『In the face of mortal danger, lust ignites.』

So that's how it was... Even while pregnant, you could still get like this?

I hadn't realized.

"Huhuhu, huhuhuhu."

The Fallen Angel, her eyes devoid of reason, gripped my arm tightly. She showed no intention of letting go.

Gasp!

In the blink of an eye, her gaze turned scorching as she tangled her tongue with mine and climbed on top of me. In the end, we ended up going two rounds in quick succession.

Every hole, front and back, was thoroughly squeezed dry.

"......."

Huuueh...

Carrying Tirpe, who had lost herself to ecstasy in her usual extreme fashion, I ended up walking through the city alone.

"What the hell."

Somehow, this feeling of being exploited...

I could only pray it was all in my head.

* * *

A cathedral—one that could only be built under the sanction of the Catholic Church.

Tirpe came to a stop before it.

Her footsteps were heavy with hesitation.

Unlike other cathedrals, this one bore the marks of age.

Thanks to consistent maintenance, it hadn't looked too shabby before—but that was in the past.

Now, it was nothing more than a collapsed ruin, with not even a single spot left to stand on.

But my eyes weren't fooled.

『You discern the 「Black Magic - Illusory Enthrallment Barrier (Heroic Grade)」 installed in the cathedral.』

The cathedral, with its caved-in ceiling that couldn't even shield from rain, was nothing but a facade.

Perception had been twisted, weaving illusions to deter any outside intrusion, and space itself was distorted.

Beyond that, numerous other mystical forces guarded the cathedral.

With a quiet sigh, I placed a hand on Tirpe's shoulder. Slumped over, she turned to look at me sluggishly.

"It's okay."

I smiled at her hesitance.

"What's there to agonize over? They're your family, aren't they?"

Tirpe gave an awkward laugh.

"......I left this place three years ago. Not a single word since, and now I've come back after trapping people here on a whim—who would welcome me...?"

...I don't want to see the children die again...

The flow of Tirpe's thoughts was, as expected, bizarre. Truly a headache-inducing woman.

But in another sense, I understood.

The children she had desperately tried to save during the Tutorial had ultimately been discarded alongside her for failing to clear the Tower.

It was that guilt that made her falter now, standing before the cathedral.

"You really do overthink everything. No wonder your brain's fried..."

"Huh...? Fried...?"

Lately, my mouth had been getting sharper—guess it slipped out. My bad.

Before she could dwell on it, I roughly mussed up her hair. The ultimate offense to any woman.

"Eek, s-stop it..."

Even Tirpe, with her absurdly long hair, showed a flicker of irritation.

Ignoring her, I grabbed her wrist.

"Let's go. You said you wanted to see them, didn't you?"

"!"

I didn't let go of her sweaty hand as we marched toward the cathedral.

"Ah—w-wait!"

"I can break through a barrier like this no prob—huh?"

Despite my confident stride, I froze mid-step in front of the cathedral.

Gulp.

Oooooooom—!

The barrier enveloping the cathedral was far more terrifying than I'd imagined.

Up close, the intricacy of its spellwork surpassed my expectations.

「Black Magic - Illusory Enthrallment Barrier (Heroic Grade)」

『A barrier Tirpe spent three years constructing. You should have shattered it before she materialized it with magic.』

Well, this isn't gonna work.

"......."

As I stood there like an idiot, Tirpe drilled holes into me with her stare. It stung.

...Cute.

Tirpe began weaving a seal with one hand.

Oooooom—!

The barrier surrounding the cathedral synchronized with her hand signs. With each intricate gesture, the barrier's logical structure unraveled in precise, formulaic patterns.

Beads of sweat rolled down Tirpe's forehead—and the moment she completed the final seal—

Paaang!

The ruin-like cathedral warped in a violet darkness.

And from within, bathed in light, emerged—

"Ah...?"

A cathedral untouched by the zombie onslaught.

One by one, people began appearing in the front courtyard.

But—

Before they could fully come into view, Tirpe took them in with a single glance.

And without hesitation, she turned away.

Just as I reached out to stop her—

"Tirpe...?"

A sudden voice rang out. Tirpe's eyes widened in shock as she froze in place. I, too, recognized that voice.

"Tirpe... So it really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was you..."

A nun clutching a rosary stepped forward from the crowd.

She struggled to stand before the cathedral on her limping leg.

"..."

Yet Tirpe still refused to turn around. As if she would rather die than face her.

As if she had no right to.

"..."

The nun simply watched Tirpe from afar. As if that alone was enough.

"...Have you... been well?"

Tirpe didn't answer. But I was standing close enough to see—

The way she clenched her eyes shut, fighting back tears.

In Tirpe's mind, countless memories of the nun dying flashed before her.

—I...

—Never got to say thank you...

—Never got to say I'm sorry...

Her lowered head betrayed the tangled vines of thoughts writhing inside her. Even as time passed, those knotted emotions refused to unravel.

In the end, her lips only trembled—Tirpe couldn't bring herself to speak.

Whoosh—

A sudden gust of wind swept between them.

One remained steadfast, her back still turned.

The other kept staring at that retreating figure.

But then—

"Three years ago... after you left the cathedral with that letter..."

The nun was the first to break the silence.

"Donations and supplies poured in—more than we could have ever imagined. And they never stopped..."

The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened.

"Whoever sent them never gave a name... but they provided funds far beyond what we could manage. And always, always, they sent exactly what our children needed."

The nun lifted her gaze again.

"...We were always grateful. Even though... we couldn't meet for these past three years, the letters that arrived regularly kept the children from straying. They grew up well because of them."

The mother superior, unable to hold back any longer, let her tears show.

"Have you... been well too...? Tirpe."

"..."

Tirpe didn't answer. Instead, she bit down hard on her lower lip, forcing her ragged breaths under control.

—...Sister Tirep...

—...Big sister Tirpe...

Everyone was watching Tirpe's back.

The children who should have become zombies.

Even they—still human, still whole—were staring at her now.

The contract with the Lord of Corpses.

Tirpe had paid the price herself to stop their zombification. She believed saving her family from becoming monsters was her burden alone—so she bore the cost.

How foolish...

The regressor had always watched over them from the shadows.

Even when her mind fractured, she never forgot them.

She wished only for their happiness, sending support again and again.

Even though, if this regression failed, none of it would matter.

But to Tirpe, that didn't matter.

Because they were the only ones she had ever relied on—the only ones she had ever felt grateful toward.

Perhaps because of that, the gazes fixed on Tirpe were laden with emotion.

They, too, seemed to have so much they wanted to say.

But the perceptive young men shook their heads, gently silencing the children.

This was a moment between mother and daughter.

The two women, lost in their emotions, seemed unaware of anyone else.

"I prayed to God every day... that just once, I might see you again."

"..."

"And now, at last... it seems He has answered this unworthy servant's plea."

Finally wiping her tears, the nun bowed her head in self-reproach.

"I was always lacking... There was so much I couldn't give you—"

Then—

"No."

A firm voice cut her off.

The nun looked up, startled.

Tirpe had turned to face them at last. Slowly, she took in the face she had longed to see for so long.

"You gave me more than I ever deserved, Mother Superior. It's because of you that I found the strength to keep going."

Tirpe was smiling softly.