The Regressor Takes Action (4)
The Regressor Takes Action (4)
I know. I know this is unreasonable.
It runs completely counter to my usual principles. Up to now, I've always considered the people left behind when I regress—acting carefully, weighing the possibility that this world keeps going after I'm gone. That concern shrank my range of action significantly.
But now I've decided not to care about any of that. Like I said, I'm going to act on emotion, not reason.
Screw it. This world will probably regress right along with me anyway. I've decided to stop agonizing over problems with no answer no matter how long I think about them.
What my heart wants right now is a conversation with City Master.
"Boss, I said come out!"
Just as I was throwing a tantrum and the angel was pondering whether to just clear this bastard and be done with it...
"Huh?"
I blinked once, and suddenly a woman I'd never seen before was standing right in front of me. Like a game bug—something that hadn't existed appeared in the span of a blink.
A longsword at her waist. Sleek custom-made full-body armor. No helmet, and her brilliant golden hair stirred in the wind.
"...A pleasure. The rules prevented me from revealing myself unless someone committed a crime or sought me out, so I'm only greeting you now."
A beautiful voice. Not loud, but it carried an overwhelming charisma that held the crowd in check.
The faces of the agitated residents had already stiffened.
The heated atmosphere of the square went cold in an instant.
"I am City Master."
She was City Master.
"..."
I knew it the moment I saw her. This woman was the owner of the 'Flash' set from the Platinum reward.
Her fantasy-style full-body armor crackled with streams of electricity—it would have been weirder not to notice.
"How about we start with a handshake?"
City Master extended her hand with a blank expression.
"Ah... That would be a problem."
If I shook that sparking hand, I wouldn't last a second before regressing.
I'm reluctant to even get close. Sparks crackle all over her body like some electric mouse—even without my regression ability, I wouldn't shake that hand.
"First... why don't you put down that sack so we can talk. I knew climbers were a variable, but I never imagined someone like you. What is it you want?"
City Master nodded toward the sack I was holding.
"Those Badge Boxes are useless outside of Floor 2. There's no reason for you to take them."
"...Because I don't like seeing the people of this city suffer."
"Suffer? That can't be. They are in the process of 'understanding' one another. Can you not see this perfect system?"
"...What?"
City Master swept her gaze over the residents gathered in the square.
"All the people in this city are sinners. No, they were sinners."
"..."
"Lazy, selfish nobles. Commoners who pretended to be polite but cared about nothing but their own safety. Beggars who, because of their lowly birth, had to eat rotten food and muddy water. Everyone despised everyone else."
It's a sight you'd often see on Earth too.
Those above me are surely corrupt behind the scenes, they'd slander; those below me just don't try hard enough, they'd sneer. They never even attempt to understand people with different backgrounds or circumstances.
"So much so that the city's nickname was the 'City of Unending Shouts.' It was an everyday scene for people to gather in the square and gossip behind each other's backs."
"...So?"
"I worried a lot. The conflict between classes had reached an extreme, and I thought the city would be turned upside down at this rate. There were even nobles who wanted to use magic to slaughter all the residents."
Distrust. Hatred. Contempt. Negative emotions ran rampant in the city.
This was wrong. God teaches that people should live understanding and caring for one another. She had the duty to properly lead the city she'd inherited from her parents.
But there was no way to resolve this conflict. Should she rule by force? Should she risk political upheaval and replace all the corrupt nobles? What would be the point? The residents would just split into factions and fight again anyway. Was there no way to eliminate discord at its root?
As she agonized, God whispered to her one day. To offer this city to the Tower He was building. To dedicate her life to Him. Then God would bring true peace, where people could truly understand one another.
"And so I dedicated this city to the god Luminus. The result is this beautiful city you see now."
"...Luminus?"
"Humans cannot understand each other. Because they come from different backgrounds, have lived different lives, and have different personalities."
City Master ignored my question and continued.
"That is why... this city is beautiful. Because you can truly become another person and understand them from deep within."
One Badge Box symbolizes one person. When a resident takes a Badge Box into their possession, their way of life is completely changed.
Humans cannot understand others. So the insane idea is that by living someone else's life, you can understand them.
"Even without climbers' influence, the residents' Badges are designed to mix every ten years. There's no aging in this city, so after a very long time... everyone will be able to understand everyone. Because they would have lived each other's lives. With abundant resources, this city will eventually be reborn as a true utopia. By then, there will be no need for Badge Boxes."
A Garden of Eden where everyone perfectly understands each other.
City Master seemed to want such a paradise.
"...What do you think?"
City Master looked straight at me with her blue eyes.
My assessment after hearing all that was simple.
"...What the hell does that matter to me? So what."
I dropped the polite speech. I have no interest in her bullshit philosophy.
The people of this city are all sinners? It's true they were selfish and had bad character... but I'm not convinced they're all sinners.
But whatever—she thinks that, and I have no intention of trying to persuade her. Her eyes have been off from the start. As they say these days, a madwoman with clear eyes.
"What I don't like are the gold-ranked nobles and above. I hate those bastards giving out these shitty quests. It's a system where players have to commit crimes to get stronger. And it's pitiful for the residents forced to live someone else's life too."
"..."
"Can't you just cut out this class play, give us reasonable tasks yourself, and hand out rewards according to difficulty? Is it really necessary for the residents to understand each other?"
But City Master only shook her head.
"...It is necessary. A necessity you cannot understand."
City Master put a finger to her chin, thinking.
"I really need that sack... but I can't just beat you up preemptively because of the rules. How about we do this?"
She rummaged through the pouch at her waist and pulled out a brilliantly shining diamond-colored Badge.
"I'll give you this. It's the highest-grade reward. Archangel Raphael said, 'Give it when you want to. But only one, no more.'"
"..."
"Originally I planned to give it to someone talented enough to captivate me... but the situation is what it is. I'll give you this, so leave all the Badge Boxes. I'm satisfied with the current structure of Floor 2 and have no intention of changing it. Let's each take what benefits us."
"Are you... trying to bribe me? With that Diamond reward?"
"Think whatever you want. Aren't these residents irrelevant to you anyway?"
"...Tch."
A brilliant Diamond reward. Or the freedom of the city residents, trapped on Floor 2 by City Master's arbitrariness, forced to live faithfully to their assigned roles.
Which do I choose?
It's true the residents were selfish. It's also true that they tore each other down without an ounce of consideration.
But... does that mean they deserve to endure all this suffering?
Under the pretext of having to understand others, should they have to live acting out someone else's life?
"I've decided."
I untied the knot at my waist and put on the leather gloves that were provided when I first entered Floor 2.
They fit smoothly over my hands. This should do.
"...You intend to fight? Well, fine. I don't dislike men with guts."
"...No."
I stretched my hand out slightly, cupping both palms into a rounded triangle.
"Throw the Badge from there. I feel like I'll get shocked if I get close."
I don't know if the Diamond Badge is real diamond or just colored that way... but it would be a real bummer to regress while receiving it. From what I know, leather is non-conductive.
"...Yeah, sure. Fine."
With a sour expression, City Master tossed the Badge to me, while countless residents stared at me in disbelief and emptiness.
Without paying them any mind, I handed the Diamond Badge to the angel, who awkwardly opened a portal for me.
Before entering the portal, I didn't forget to leave the residents with a request.
"Uh... Just wait a bit. I'm planning to regress."
I'd planned to regress anyway. If I really take all the Badge Boxes up, won't the later climbers—including Choi Ji-won—all get trapped on Floor 2?
I did try to reasonably change the system for the residents before regressing... but that woman was too stubborn. If I pushed further, it felt like I'd just get smacked.
In that case, isn't snagging the Diamond reward this cycle a hundred times the better choice?
I felt sorry for the residents... but I hope they wait just a bit. I'll be regressing soon.
I smoothly pushed myself into the portal.
[You have cleared Floor 2.]
[Please select your Diamond Reward.]
Now it was time to check out the long-awaited hidden reward.