Chapter 250
Chapter 250
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 250
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Dragon (2)
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“Huh? You want us to take it down?”
Ha-eun's eyes widened as she tilted her head.
“But you just said you don’t know where its nest is…”
“I know where it is.”
“What?”
“The nest’s location. I know it.”
“…How?”
Ha-eun and Isabella stared at Oh-jin with looks of disbelief.
However, Vega and Riak’s expressions were slightly different.
[Huhu. I see, so that's how it is.]
“Grrr. It seems this hasn't changed.”
Vega and Riak nodded as if they understood.
Their reactions only deepened Isabella's confusion, and she narrowed her eyes.
“Hasn’t changed? What do you mean by that, Mr. Oh-jin?”
“……”
Oh-jin hesitated for a moment before turning to look at Vega.
His gaze seemed to ask if it was okay to tell them.
Vega shrugged and nodded.
[The Constellations found out about it anyway.]
“That’s true.”
Oh-jin nodded and turned his head toward Isabella.
“There’s something I have to tell you, Isabella.”
“Ah, yes. Go ahead, Mr. Oh-jin.”
“I…”
He continued in a low voice.
“I’m a regressor.”
“…Pardon?”
Isabella’s jaw dropped, her expression blank.
Soon, she looked at Oh-jin with a worried expression.
“Mr. Oh-jin. Have you perhaps had too much to drink…?”
[It’s the truth.]
Vega fluttered up into the air.
Isabella asked with a confused look.
“The t-truth? A regressor… that… means you came from the future, right?”
“That’s right.”
Oh-jin nodded and slowly began to tell the story he had kept hidden until now.
Of course, even though it was a hidden story, most of it was fabricated from lies.
“……”
After hearing the long story, Isabella pressed a hand to her forehead as if she had a headache.
“Just a moment… Please, give me a moment to think.”
Her head felt hot.
Countless thoughts tangled together in her mind.
If anyone else had told her this, she would have immediately shut them down for spouting nonsense.
“…Is it really true?”
It was Oh-jin who had said it, not just anyone.
The person she trusted most, the one she had given her heart to.
Oh-jin nodded silently.
Isabella whipped her head around to look at Ha-eun.
“You knew too?”
“Uh, huh?”
She flinched.
Ha-eun's shoulders trembled, her expression flustered.
She gave an awkward smile and scratched her head.
“W-Well, yeah.”
She did know, in a way.
To be precise, she knew that Oh-jin wasn't a regressor, but was only ‘pretending’ to be one.
‘This shameless bastard… how can he lie so calmly without a single change in his expression?’
Ha-eun stared at Oh-jin in disbelief.
Usually, one of the most important things when detecting someone's lie is their expression.
The subtle trembling of the pupils, the movements of the lips, eyebrows, and jaw, minor gestures, and even the voice.
When humans tell a lie, no matter how hard they try to hide it, tells instinctively emerge.
Hasn't it happened before?
That moment when you're looking at someone and you suddenly realize, ‘Ah, this is a lie.’
That's when you've unconsciously caught the tells in their expression, gestures, and voice.
‘But.’
Oh-jin had none of that.
Even for her, who knew the whole truth, he was so natural that the thought ‘Is he really a regressor?’ momentarily crossed her mind. His gaze, expression, and voice showed no signs of deceit.
“Why didn't you tell me until now?”
Isabella looked at Oh-jin with trembling eyes.
To think that she was the only one who didn't know something that Vega, Ha-eun, and even Riak knew.
Anxiety began to sprout in her heart, the fear that perhaps Oh-jin didn't fully trust her yet.
“Is it because… I’m the Awakened of the Leech?”
“No.”
Oh-jin shook his head firmly.
“It’s such an absurd story, I thought you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”
“That’s not…”
Isabella's lips froze as she was about to deny it.
She remembered how she had worriedly asked him if he'd had too much to drink when he first told her he was a regressor.
If Vega hadn't stepped in to confirm it, would she have really believed him?
Even now, a part of her was wondering if Oh-jin, Vega, and Ha-eun were all colluding to play a prank on her.
“…It’s hard for me to say that’s not true.”
“Well, that’s to be expected. If someone told me they were from the future, I’d tell them to stop talking nonsense too.”
Oh-jin let out a dry laugh.
“But it’s not something I can hide forever, right? And you, Isabella… well, you’re practically family now.”
“Pardon?”
Isabella’s eyes widened.
Her face flushed bright red, and she kicked her legs.
“D-Did you just propose to me?”
“Huh?”
“That was a proposal, wasn’t it?!”
“No, that’s not it. I just meant that since we live in the same house, we’re like family.”
“When should we have the wedding?!”
“Will you listen to what I’m saying, young lady?”
He lightly bonked Isabella on the head, who was excited for a completely different reason.
Isabella rubbed her forehead and took a deep breath.
As she caught her breath, she let out a short gasp as if she'd remembered something.
“Then… the reason you came to Italy to save me…”
She hadn't thought about it at the time.
But now, hearing that Oh-jin was a regressor, she realized the timing of his arrival to save her had been too perfect.
“That’s right.”
Oh-jin nodded grimly.
Isabella narrowed her eyes and asked in a low, heavy voice.
“What happened to me in the previous life?”
“That…”
Oh-jin hesitated for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and speaking.
“You couldn’t overcome your bloodlust and turned Italy into a sea of fire.”
“……”
The image of Italy engulfed in flames came to mind.
Even if he hadn't saved her, she probably wouldn't have died there, but the situation would have been very different from now.
“Then if you hadn’t been there, I…”
Isabella recalled the memory and firmly shut her mouth.
It was true that she had made herself bait to lure out and eliminate the Marco Family, who were illegally distributing drugs in Italy, but because she was afflicted by the Curse of Jamiwon, she had ended up in a very dangerous situation.
If Oh-jin hadn't come.
She might have completely lost her mind and gone insane, just as he said.
“There’s no need to think about it now. The past life is just the past life.”
“But.”
“You’ve found a way to control your bloodlust now, haven’t you?”
Oh-jin took Isabella's hand, who was wearing an anxious expression.
Isabella felt the anxiety that had sprouted in her heart wash away as a comforting warmth spread from his hand.
“…It’s strange.”
“What is?”
Isabella lowered her head and tightened her grip on his hand.
It was strange.
She thought she had already fallen for Oh-jin as much as she possibly could.
But she had fallen for him even more.
“Huhu. It’s nothing. Thank you for telling me, Mr. Oh-jin.”
Isabella smiled brightly and shook her head.
If she could, she would have conveyed all of these bursting emotions to him.
But right now, the one beside him was Ha-eun, not her.
‘But someday.’
Isabella deeply suppressed her surging emotions and let go of his hand.
“So, are you planning to ask the Valhalla Guild for their cooperation in subjugating the Heavenly Dragon?”
“No. I don’t plan on contacting the Valhalla Guild.”
Oh-jin shook his head slowly.
“…Is there a particular reason?”
If the goal was to subjugate the Heavenly Dragon, it was true that cooperating with the Valhalla Guild would be more efficient.
“This is something I have to do.”
Oh-jin said, glancing over at Ha-eun.
“…Ah.”
Come to think of it, she had heard about it before.
Before they had met.
Ha-eun had been cursed by the Heavenly Dragon and had lived for years without seeing the light.
“Why is that your job?”
Ha-eun tapped Oh-jin's shoulder.
“Nunna?”
“It’s not your job, it’s mine.”
Ha-eun's eyes gleamed coldly.
But contrary to her murderous gaze, her legs were trembling slightly.
She was afraid.
To meet the being that had trapped her in that horrifying darkness again.
“…You don’t have to push yourself, Nunna.”
“I’m not pushing myself.”
Ha-eun shook her head.
She steadied her trembling legs and smirked.
“I appreciate you worrying about me. But this nunna isn’t some frail, delicate girl who’d ask someone else to get her revenge for her, you know?”
Fwoosh.
A faint flame flickered to life in her clenched fist.
“I’m going to kill that lizard bastard.”
“We can just kill it together.”
It wasn't like it was their parents' murderer; there was no reason to fight it one-on-one.
“Well, anyway. The plan is for us to go catch that lizard bastard ourselves, right?”
“Yeah. With the five of us here, we won’t be lacking in strength.”
Vega and Riak can't use their full power because of the restrictions of the Law.
Even taking that into account, the party's strength was more than enough.
Setting everything else aside, they had Isabella.
“True. Come to think of it, that Cheonjuryong bastard was only a 9-Star, wasn't it?”
Six years ago, a 9-Star monster was practically a calamity.
But now, with more Awakened and their average skill level several times stronger, a 9-Star monster isn't a major threat.
Of course, since it's not a typical monster but an intelligent ‘Named’ one, it probably possesses exceptional power even among 9-Stars.
“Couldn’t Isabella just go and snap its neck all by herself?”
“Then why don’t you stay behind, and just Mr. Oh-jin and I go?”
“Huh? Look at you, trying to pull a fast one.”
Ha-eun scowled and glared at Isabella.
“I told you, didn’t I? I’m the one who’s going to kill that lizard.”
“Hoho. Alright, alright.”
Isabella covered her mouth with her hand and laughed elegantly.
[Cheonjuryong… just hearing the name makes me feel its wickedness.]
“Grrr! It’s nothing but a mere monster.”
Riak bared his teeth fiercely, his fighting spirit blazing.
[When do you plan to depart?]
“There’s no need to rush.”
The Cheonjuryong has also just awakened and is likely gathering its forces.
Of course, the sooner the better, but there was no need to be hasty and neglect their preparations.
“First, I’m thinking of going to the Association.”
“Ah, because of what Si-hoo mentioned?”
He needed to investigate the Spear of the Living Armor, Dantalion, in more detail.
“Yeah. And it'd be good to get some gear for you there too, Nunna.”
“Then let’s go together tomorrow.”
“Isabella, is there anything you need?”
“I’m fine. As long as I have you, Mr. Oh-jin, I can always be in top condition.”
Isabella ran a hand along the nape of Oh-jin's neck and smiled suggestively.
[Then I, too, shall conserve as much power as possible until we depart.]
“Grrr! All a true warrior needs is fighting spirit and skill! Let’s depart right now, brat!”
Was it because he had been cooped up in the Sanctuary, training day in and day out, and finally had a chance to fight?
Riak growled, his expression filled with excitement.
“We haven’t even cleared the dishes yet, you punk. What do you mean, depart right now?”
Oh-jin chuckled and stood up from his seat.
Cheonjuryong or whatever, the priority right now was to clear the messy table.
“I’ll do the dishes.”
Picking up the remaining plates, Oh-jin headed to the kitchen.