Lady Marlin (1)

It should have been a long, lazy trip with nothing to do but rest.

Hoo….

Honestly, my body being at ease was only natural.

The problem was that the situation kept forcing me to think. I had no idea why the Mind's Eye had suddenly evolved, but I did have a pretty solid guess.

It was only a hypothesis, but it seemed reasonable to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suspect Kim Hyunsung.

Status Window.

That sounded a little friendlier.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but the overall evaluation felt like it had turned somewhat more favorable.

Unlike the first time, when it had told me to do nothing and die, it now felt like something was rooting for me.

Of course, I had no way of knowing how this system actually worked, but I was even willing to wonder if the upgrade to the Mind's Eye was a result of my pledge of loyalty to Kim Hyunsung.

The timing does line up.

It could have been a coincidence. But when you considered the fact that Kim Hyunsung was a regressor, it didn't feel like just any old coincidence.

Turning back time wasn't the kind of thing you could do just because you felt like it.

One of the titles in Kim Hyunsung's status window was Regressor of Altanus.

Maybe he had received help from someone else in the process of reversing time.

A supernatural being? A transcendent one? Maybe even a god.

Maybe it was the same bastard who made this system, watched over us, and sprinkled power onto people that ordinary humans were never meant to use.

That was about the level of thing it would take for turning back time to feel even remotely plausible.

The problem is…

Why had that being turned Kim Hyunsung's time back?

The answer was simple.

Because it must have wanted something.

I had no idea what that thing was, but in other words, our regressor was the chosen one, beloved by some transcendent existence. I even wondered if this latest rank-up was a gift from that being.

A gift that said, you've worked hard so far, and please keep taking care of things for us.

Just from the fact that most of its functions were sealed by some unknown force, the answer was obvious.

Maybe it meant that if I kept doing well, it would gradually lift the restrictions one by one.

Of course, all of that was my own hypothesis. It could just as easily have been nothing more than delusion running wild in my brain.

But still.

Yes sir! I'll devote myself fully to my loyalty! Thank you! O great god!' thinking that way wasn't exactly a problem.

What mattered was that I'd gained a new ability. That was the important part.

I had actually wondered what the difference was between a trait and a hidden quirk, and what was so important about being able to see one tiny thing like this. But as it turned out, it was more useful than I'd expected.

If a trait was power granted by the system, then a hidden quirk was the power and temperament a person possessed on their own, apart from the system. It was their character beyond their apparent disposition.

Most traits had positive effects, but hidden quirks did not.

They could be extremely negative.

Checking Player Lee Kiyoung's hidden quirk.

The Temptation of a Liar

Tempts the other party into paying attention to your words. Increases the chance of being loved by dangerous members of the opposite sex.

Something like that, for example.

Of course, there was this too.

Checking Player Jung Hayan's hidden quirk.

Love Overflowing with Blood

You can devote everything to the one you love. Even your life and conscience. In certain situations related to the target, the chance of awakening increases. Please be careful of side effects.

In the end, it meant I could handle the people around me a little better than before.

I didn't know exactly how much influence hidden quirks could exert over a person, but between Jung Hayan and me, the answer was pretty obvious. Weirdly enough, it all fit.

Jung Hayan's ability to unleash absurd strength whenever I was involved, and the strange, unnatural connections that kept tangling themselves around me, could all be classified as powers belonging to the individual.

Anyway, while the others were enjoying the trip, I had no choice but to keep turning over everything I'd gained.

I spent the time researching the new attributes and analyzing the current situation—not exactly scientifically, but enough to wear me down mentally.

Considering I'd originally planned to empty my head, empty my heart, and just rest, it was only natural that I ended up far more exhausted than expected.

Still, not bad.

If all the restrictions on the Mind's Eye were ever lifted, I might even be able to confirm almost everything about a single target.

Maybe I could even read minds. Maybe I'd end up holding nearly every piece of information in the world in the palm of my hand.

Goddess Benigore! Altanus! I will remain utterly loyal to our regressor! You can give me more! Please, shower me with more blessings!'

I shouted it to myself again for no real reason, but nothing changed.

What came to me instead of the goddess's voice was Jung Hayan's.

Jung Hayan, looking at my face, slowly opened her mouth.

"Oppa, you look a little tired."

"Ah. Maybe because I didn't sleep well…. I'm a little tired. How much farther to Castle Rock?"

"I heard it's just a little more. No… actually, we're almost there."

"That's a relief."

"U-um, Oppa."

"Yeah?"

"I… um… Castle Rock is where Lady Marlin is, right?"

"Ah… yes."

"I heard somewhere… that, um… men like fair-haired women…."

That bastard Park Deokgu….

For some reason, it felt like he was the one who'd let something like that slip.

I thought I'd had plenty of time alone with my thoughts over the past few days, but apparently there was something else bothering her. I wasn't entirely sure why Jung Hayan was fixating on Lady Marlin, but one possibility came to mind immediately.

The letter… did she read it?

Come to think of it, after reading the letter, I had left the sleeping Jung Hayan where she was and walked out of the room. If she'd read Lady Marlin's letter, she could have come to some completely unnecessary misunderstanding.

And if she'd gone to Park Deokgu for counsel, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠only for him to say something stupid, then things would get even messier.

In a situation already packed with enough headaches to split my skull, Jung Hayan going on a rampage was the last thing I wanted.

That pig, when I get the chance….

She still seemed to be using the boat left in the room. The important thing was to reassure her from the start. Kim Hyunsung had felt something when he looked at Cho Hyejin, and I had no choice but to lightly pat Jung Hayan and speak.

"You don't have to worry. I have nothing to do with Lady Marlin."

"Ah!"

After the Regressor Incident at the Cursed Shrine, Jung Hayan's number of incidents had decreased a bit, but Jung Hayan was still Jung Hayan. She needed constant mental management.

I thought I could tell that much without even looking at her hidden quirk.

"Hyung! Come outside for a look. You too, noona!"

"Hm?"

"Looks like we've arrived at Castle Rock. Krrr…."

"All right."

Still holding Jung Hayan's hand tightly, I stepped outside, and the first thing I saw was a massive stone-built fortress wall.

"Wow…."

"Not bad, huh?"

"It would be more accurate to call it magnificent."

It was a sight worthy of the word magnificent.

The wall was rigid and solid. So high it seemed as if nothing in the world could bring it down.

It was a little frustrating that I couldn't see anything beyond it, but just that one thing had already stolen my attention completely.

If Lindel had been quietly modernizing, and the Holy Empire's capital had been far too dazzling, then the wall and fortress before me were the fantasy domain I'd always imagined in my head.

I even found myself gaping.

"It's impressive."

"I see you think so too."

"Ah, Kim Hyunsung."

"It's just something I've heard, but Castle Rock was apparently once the most important strategic stronghold in the entire Holy Empire Benigore."

"Hmm."

"The towering walls, designed to hold back endless waves of monsters, became a barrier against invasions from the Republic as well. Of course, I hear there aren't any monster assaults on the walls these days, but the citizens of Castle Rock are said to take great pride in them."

"Understandably. The location alone would justify it. It's close to the border, and it has that huge forest beside it… Ah! So it was only recently that the forest started ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠acting strangely?"

"Yes. We need to confirm the details, but I've heard the survival rate among mercenaries and free citizens staying in Castle Rock has been steadily dropping. There have also been monsters occasionally spilling out of the forest. We can't know exactly what it is yet, but it certainly isn't a good sign."

Can't know exactly what it is, my ass….

It was a little funny hearing him say that when he'd already prepared everything and was still on his way there.

Cute bastard.

As I absentmindedly patted Jung Hayan's head, the carriage kept rolling toward Castle Rock, and the closer we got, the taller the walls seemed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to rise.

I saw a familiar figure just then.

Ah….

Lady Marlin, whom I hadn't seen in ages, was standing there with a number of knights in tow, coming out to receive us.

I hadn't even confirmed that I was coming, so I couldn't help wondering why she was making such a spectacle of it.

I also didn't want to upset Jung Hayan if I could help it.

Kim Hyunsung was also glancing at me.

It felt as if he were asking whether they were here to greet us because of me.

I wanted to show our regressor that I was capable too, and I wanted to soothe Jung Hayan's nerves at the same time.

It was an extreme situation where choosing one thing meant giving up another, but the choice had already been made for me.

"Lee Kiyoung-nim!"

Lady Marlin was running toward us with tears scattering in her wake, and that alone was enough to make the decision.

Shit… Hayan, this time it's really not like that.

I slipped a glance at Kim Hyunsung and spoke, deliberately loud enough for Jung Hayan to hear.

"I never said I was coming, so she must have seen us from far away and come out on her own."

"I see."

"Ahem. In any case, I think it's best to greet her first."

"Yes, yes."

Stepping down from the carriage a little and raising my hand in a wave was only natural.

"Ah! Lady Marlin!"

Just as I was about to offer a proper handshake, a woman came into view, sprinting toward me without the slightest intention of slowing down.

"Lee Kiyoung-nim!"

I was naturally flustered when she clung to me as if we were a long-distance couple reunited after ages apart.

With the knights watching, I had no choice but to wonder whether I should push this impulsive young lady away or just leave her be.

Ha….

Jung Hayan was biting her lip as usual, and Cho Hyejin and Kim Hyunsung both wore surprised expressions.

Kim Yeri, who sounded like she'd been quiet for so long that I'd almost forgotten her, suddenly seemed very loud.

"Womanizer."