The Limits of the Human Heart
The human mind has its limits. Just like a rubber band that eventually snaps if you keep stretching it, the human heart is no different. Even grand things like love or a sense of duty that seem eternal when you cling to them desperately end up wearing away completely, leaving not a trace behind.
"...Hm. I'm fucked."
That was the only thought that came to mind as I took in the ruined world before me.
There had been a time when I burned with a sense of duty, desperately trying to save this world no matter what. The moment I realized my ability was infinite regression, I had strutted around like it was some grand destiny bestowed upon me. That was back in my younger days, of course.
By the time I reached the 99th round, this veteran regressor had become a true adult—one who could feel shame for his childish past.
"So, any last words?"
A woman lay collapsed on the ground, weakly lifting her gaze toward me. Baek Rahui. An S-class ability user selected as one of humanity's saviors, she had been my companion since the 11th round.
"Hmm. Let me think."
I stood here to grant her peace. Soon the monster hordes would swarm in, and they wouldn't leave her—the one who had held out until the bitter end for humanity—in peace.
"...There is one thing."
Baek Rahui coughed up blood and gave a small, bitter laugh. Leaning on her broken sword like a cane as she struggled to sit up, her eyes were filled with melancholy.
"What is it?"
"If there really is such a thing as a next life..."
She clutched the wound piercing her chest and didn't avoid my gaze.
"I don't want to be a hero anymore."
"...."
"I just want to be born normally, meet normally, and just go around eating delicious food together. Next time, I'll be the one to approach you first, Sunbae."
Alright, you're getting immortalized in my black history collection. The thought of teasing her mercilessly in the next life brought a wide grin to my face.
"What about you, Sunbae...? Don't you have any last words?"
"Hmm."
This wasn't truly the end. If I killed myself here, I'd return to the past—ten years ago—and begin a new loop. But with her looking at me with those subtle eyes, staying silent felt rude.
Still, if I had to say something...
"I just want to rest."
I stared blankly at the ashen sky. Values that once shone because they were fleeting had become nothing but boring, repetitive days under the weight of infinity. There were times I had struggled to find meaning, but all that remained was crushing boredom and the mechanical movements of an empty puppet.
"Honestly, I don't even remember how I lived this life. I just... existed on pure inertia."
I had chased opportunities out of inertia. Gathered companions, poked at choices I hadn't tried before, and watched the butterfly effects unfold. The problem was that most of them didn't deviate an inch from what I expected.
The fire inside me seemed to have died a very long time ago.
"I think it's time for a real break."
I needed a refresh. For nearly a hundred rounds—over a thousand years—I had run without stopping. Even clinging to the mindset from my first rounds had reached its limit.
I simply wanted to rest now.
"I'm going to open a cafe."
I had already decided what I wanted to do.
"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I even got my barista certification for it."
I laid out my plans in detail. Having spent dozens of rounds refining the concept in my head, I was confident it was a fairly systematic blueprint.
"Ah."
While I was excitedly rambling on by myself, I realized Baek Rahui had already passed away some time ago. I had gotten so caught up that I couldn't even properly see her off.
Well, I hope she doesn't feel too slighted. After all, I'll be following her soon enough.
I watched the monster army surging in from beyond the horizon. A faint chuckle escaped me.
Without hesitation, I pressed my sword against my throat. Along with the vivid sensation of cold steel slicing through my neck, the curtain fell on the 99th round.
*
And so the 100th round began.
For the first three months, I mostly focused on making money. I swept up every artifact that could turn a profit. The result was five billion won. If you looked at monthly earnings alone, it came to about 1.6 billion, but I had no regrets.
That wasn't what mattered right now!!
"Wow, boss, you've chosen well. This spot is in a bustling area and the location is fantastic. Even I made a pure profit of ten million won a month here."
The agent beamed as I stamped the seal. He didn't bother with the obvious line about how someone who made that kind of money wouldn't let go of prime real estate. The way of the world was that those destined to fail would fail, and those destined to succeed would succeed.
Only amateurs would fidget anxiously over trivial stories like how the previous tenant went bankrupt in less than six months.
This place will definitely do well.
The only real issue was that it was in a basement level. But in this age of social media, a little good promotion would easily turn it into a trendy spot known for its unique atmosphere.
"Once you start the interior work, give me a call. I know a guy who's incredibly cheap and does excellent work."
After sending the agent off, I looked around the cafe that I would soon be running.
...Just how many square feet is this?
Having bought the entire basement floor of the building, it was ridiculously spacious. At this size, I could even divide the space and create private rooms.
Hmm... Should I give each area a different theme? No. It's better to maintain a sense of unity.
The overall color scheme would be dark, with soft lighting placed here and there to soothe people's minds. Along the outer edges, I'd install water channels where water could flow.
Ventilation is incredibly important too.
Since it was a basement, neglecting maintenance could lead to strange, musty odors. I closed my eyes and imagined the scene.
The perfect urban sanctuary—filled with the aroma of delicious coffee, the gentle sound of flowing water, and calm, subdued lighting. That was the resting place I had envisioned for my 100th round.
Once the plan took concrete shape, I immediately sprang into action.
"For waterproofing and air conditioning, spare no expense—go with the absolute top tier. I'll pay the labor costs generously too, so please make it solid. No cutting corners."
"You're young, but you sure know how to make decisions. I like it. We'll start construction as soon as the materials arrive."
And so the interior work began in earnest.
Of course, I didn't forget to add my own special touches. I laid out high-grade artifacts that maintained perfect cleanliness, along with every other artifact I'd prepared for situations like this.
Day by day, the empty space transformed into the calm, subtle cafe I had imagined. My personal refresh space to wash away a thousand years of fatigue was finally taking physical form before my eyes.
"...This is it!"
Now there was only one problem left. What should I name the place?
In truth, there was a name I'd been thinking about for a long time.
Carpe Diem.
For someone who had lived so rigidly through 99 rounds only to finally reach vacation season, wasn't it the perfect name?
"...Heh. Nice."
And so my cafe was complete.
Staring at the massive signboard attached to the building, the corners of my mouth twitched involuntarily.
"Puhuhuhuhuhu...!"
I couldn't hold it in any longer. The people passing by gave me short, blunt assessments—glancing over like I was crazy and so on—but yeah. Shut up. What the hell would you know?
I went down into the cafe and scrubbed the floor vigorously. Thanks to the artifacts, I didn't really need to worry about cleanliness, but for some reason it still bothered me.
Ding.
At that moment, the door opened. I glanced over and saw someone peeking inside.
"Um, are you open right now?"
The long-awaited first customer.
I swallowed dryly. I hadn't trembled even in front of the president, yet at this moment I was shaking like crazy. The first customer. According to interviews with successful self-employed people, the satisfaction of the first customer could determine a shop's rise or fall.
"Of course. Please have a seat wherever you'd like."
At my words, the customer stepped inside. A hat pulled low, a shabby hoodie thrown on carelessly—the outfit screamed college student in their third or fourth year. I decided not to stare too obviously. Some customers felt uncomfortable with lingering gazes, after all.
"Um..."
"Yes? Would you like to order?"
"W-well..."
The woman who had been fidgeting with her fingers in front of me for a while finally seemed to make up her mind and lifted her gaze. For a moment, my throat tightened.
Thick, messy white hair filled my vision. And golden eyes that sparkled like stars embedded in the night sky.
It was unmistakable.
It was Baek Rahui.
I stared at her in a daze, as if I'd seen a ghost. She studied my expression carefully, then asked in a trembling voice.
"D-do you... not remember my face?"