Chapter 121
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Revisiting (1)
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"Master, wake up."
The chills from hearing a voice that shouldn't have been there hit me in an instant.
Sleep vanished in a flash, and I bolted upright. The moment I started casting a spell and pouring mana into the ring on my finger...
"Don't you remember me?"
What?
I halted the mana I was about to release at the intruder's words. They were just too bizarre.
"What..."
"..."
"Who the hell are you? What do you mean, 'don't you remember'?"
"...Is it because of the hood?"
The intruder suddenly pulled off her hood. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Because...
"What...?"
Her appearance wasn't of this world, and her ears weren't human ears.
Her long black hair gleamed like polished obsidian, her eyes a captivating red that seemed to mesmerize anyone who looked into them, and her ears were distinctly different from a human's.
"Those ears... definitely... an elf?"
I recalled reading about elves in books.
This continent had beastkin, fairies, dwarves, and various other non-human races, but elves were said to have gone extinct over a hundred years ago.
And her skin tone...
The woman's skin was unlike the snow-white complexion typically described for elves. It looked tanned, as if she'd spent time under the sun.
The intruder frowned at my stunned reaction and spoke.
"You didn't see me in the Record Library? I heard you visited it..."
"...What?"
"This is a bit of a mix-up. Master—no, should I call you 'you' now? Do you... really not remember me?"
Her expression looked strangely desperate.
One thought inevitably came to mind from her words.
...Did this woman and I know each other in the first round?
My brain froze from the sudden situation, thoughts grinding to a halt, but she didn't seem intent on attacking me. So, I opened her status window.
Name:Ruska
Age:292
Job:Warrior Leader (Legendary Grade), Dark King (Legendary Grade)
Title:Regressor, Starter of the Second Round, Elves' Youngest Warrior Leader, Betrayer of the Clan
✨ Unique Traits:
✨ Traits:
What the...
Forget whether she was an elf or not—unbelievable text filled my vision.
A regressor? Multiple regressors?
Yeah, thinking about it, something was off.
Even if this woman knew me from the first round, how the hell did she remember and track me down?
When I first saw Seo Yu-ju's status and the word "Regressor," I naturally assumed she was the only one.
Multiple people regressing? Unimaginable.
What the hell is going on? Why is there another regressor besides Seo Yu-ju? And what's with this elf?
"Who the hell are you?"
"...Before that, let me ask one thing. Do you remember the first round? Or rather, do you know this is the second round?"
"...I know."
Damn it, what's going on here?
"Then why... why don't you recognize me?"
"...Answer my question first. Who are you? What was our relationship in the first round?"
"I..."
As the woman started to answer, she suddenly cut herself off and changed the subject.
"...No, we'll talk about that later. Your senses are sharp, just as expected from the human you chose."
"What are you..."
"I'll come to you in a week. It's been six months since you visited the Record Library, so go back there once more."
"What the..."
With that, she vanished in the blink of an eye.
Stunned by her sudden disappearance, someone knocked on my door.
Thud thud!
"Yun-seong!"
Seo Yu-ju?
Creak!
Seo Yu-ju burst in without waiting for my response and scanned the room.
She was awake at this hour?
"Yu-ju?"
"...What is it? Was it my imagination? I swear I felt something..."
For a moment, I considered telling her what just happened, but I held back.
"Yu-ju, what's up?"
"...Did anything happen?"
"...Happen? Like what?"
Did she sense that woman's presence?
"I definitely... felt something with my senses..."
"..."
"...Never mind. Sorry, I must've imagined it."
From her attitude and words, it seemed Seo Yu-ju hadn't clearly sensed the woman either.
If she'd definitely detected an intruder in my bedroom, she wouldn't react like this.
"By the way... what are you doing up at this hour, Yun-seong?"
"Ah..."
She eyed me suspiciously. Fair enough—me being awake at this time must seem odd to her.
"Just... couldn't sleep."
"You shouldn't toss and turn... Get some good rest. It's better for your health."
"Yeah, of course."
"Anyway... sorry for barging in. I thought I felt a weird presence..."
"No, Yu-ju. Thanks for looking out for my safety."
"Okay, I'll head back to my room then."
After Seo Yu-ju left, I let out a sigh of relief.
"Whew... fuck, what the hell is going on?"
If it had been a normal intruder, I'd have told Seo Yu-ju right away.
But one thing held me back.
Two regressors. If I let that woman and Seo Yu-ju meet... who knows what could happen.
Before Seo Yu-ju burst in, that strange woman had even mentioned her.
'The human you chose'? What does that mean?
Everything she said was baffling.
She said she'd come in a week.
Then I'd learn the full story in a week.
Of course, before that...
I need to visit the Record Library.
"It's been a while."
"......"
"You're the first to revisit. In this world, that is."
".... Can I see the records again?"
She said she'd come in a week.
I hadn't planned to return so soon, but to figure out my connection to that dark elf, why there were two regressors, and what "the human you chose" meant, I needed to scrutinize the first round's records closely.
Fortunately, Ute's response was positive.
"Of course. I can't stop you from viewing your own records. Though unlike your first visit, there won't be any rewards."
"...Wasn't expecting any."
I never dreamed I'd get rewards multiple times. Just being able to view them again was gratitude enough.
"Then, enter the Record Room."
The moment she opened the book, the same phenomenon as before.
What.
I wanted to see first-round scenes, but what appeared was a memory from Earth.
"Mister, you carry a lot of cash. What's this?"
"W-Why are you doing this to me..."
Goddamn it...
Not a memory I particularly wanted to relive.
A younger me, squatting to meet the eye level of a man collapsed clutching his leg.
"Let's all get by together, yeah? It's not clean money anyway."
"You little blood-clot bastard... You think you'll get away with this...?"
"What, you gonna whine to the kids about getting robbed?"
"What?!"
"You've done all sorts, even messing with girls way younger than you. Wanna test me? Looks like you've got a family—sure you can handle that?"
The man's face drained of color.
"You... H-How do you..."
"Wouldn't it be better for both of us if you just hand over the cash cleanly? I'm not asking for your life savings—just enough to feed me and the kids."
"Scum like you... This is a one-time thing, right?"
I laughed at his words.
"Smart guy. Guess words won't cut it. Right?"
"W-What are you..."
I stood and called to the kids my age behind me.
"Hey, looks like we gotta break a leg or something."
"Right now?"
One holding a bat stepped toward the man at my words.
"W-Wait! I'll give it! I said I'll pay!"
"See? Much better if you'd done that sooner."
I took a thick wad of cash from him, and we started to leave.
Before going, I turned back to the man.
"We'll visit again. Don't do anything stupid—I trust you won't. The moment you do, your secrets spread to your family and job. And..."
"T-Then..."
"Your son—he runs Unsang Logistics, right? He's got dirt there too, so choose wisely."
The man nodded frantically, face like he'd seen a ghost.
As we left the scene, one of the kids beside me spoke up.
"Whoa, dude... how much is this? Fucking awesome."
"Look at all this cash—thanks to Yun-seong, man."
Money kids our age could never touch. They grinned ear to ear.
"Hey, Yun-seong! We got cash—wanna hit up some girls? They've been nagging me to bring you."
"Nah... I don't do that scene."
"Heh... fine by us if you don't."
"Whatever. Just keep the kids in line. No loose lips—talk too much, and we all get less pie. Got it?"
"Got it, don't worry. We've been at this a few months; we know to watch our backs. Man, kids are easy. Fuck, even adults can't do shit."
"I'm out. Have fun without me."
Leaving the kids, I headed to a dingy basement. Our spot after the orphanage burned down.
"...Sis, I'm home."
"...You're back?"
...Ha.
My sister back then looked anxious. She spoke carefully.
"Yun-seong, sit down for a sec."
"...Why? Something wrong?"
She hesitated, then asked.
"Yun-seong... are you hanging out with bad kids?"
"...What're you talking about?"
"Why are you like this? Where the hell are you getting this money? I said my part-time job covers us. Where's it from?"
I squeezed my eyes shut at her question, the scene burning into my eyes.