Chapter 3: First Encounter(3)
Chapter 3: First Encounter(3)
How I dodged a spell I knew nothing about wasn't important right now. What was important was how to escape.
I tried to get up, but I staggered without realizing it.
Looking down, I saw blood streaming from my leg, which I thought was fine.
‘My leg is injured...’
“If you go back to your cell quietly, I'll let you live for now. Keuk.”
“I'll die after repaying my debt to these women. That's what I resolved to do! Don't you dare look down on a man's resolve!”
“Boss! We've caught these bitches!”
“Then just toss them in a cell.”
“...”
‘Shit. Maybe I should've just begged for my life....’
Am I going to die without saving the women, without leaving any meaning to my life? Just as my life was about to flash before my eyes...
Boom!
The main gate of the hideout collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust. And from within that dust cloud, a woman with flowing blonde hair burst out.
“Aaargh! Help me!”
“I don't want to die! He-help me!”
“Boss!”
Every time the blonde woman moved, bandits crumpled and died like paper dolls.
“Shit! To think that crazy bitch would follow us this fast!”
It seemed certain that she was the reason the bandit leader had been rushing his battle preparations.
Even if they were bandits, this was a woman slaughtering dozens of people with a completely emotionless expression. She was clearly no ordinary psycho.
‘For now, I'll just stay quiet as a dead mouse.’
I moved toward the women huddled together, trembling. As if we'd bonded in that short time, Natasha threw herself into my arms, her eyes welling with tears.
“...I'm so glad you're alive... Adventurer.”
“Yeah. I'm not even sure if we can call this 'surviving' yet...”
I watched the bandits get massacred as I patted Natasha's back.
*
Seeing a woman not only slaughter a group of bandits single-handedly but also kill their leader in a single blow, I couldn't help but be curious about her stats.
After checking her status window with the Goddess's Eye, Kerry's body trembled with a thrill.
[Skill - Goddess's Regressor (Rank Unmeasurable)]
‘I-I found her!!! I fucking found her!’
She had to be the other hero that incompetent bitch of a goddess told me to find. But the more I thought about it, the more pissed off I got.
‘Seriously. That stupid bitch of a goddess gave me a useless power-level-scanner ability, but she gave that woman regression?’
The back of my neck was getting stiff. I felt like I was beginning to understand how people could collapse from high blood pressure.
‘Regression... that's a fucking broken ability.’
It made perfect sense how she was able to slaughter the bandits all by herself.
The regressor, drenched in the bandits' blood, strode toward us. The hostages and I could only swallow dryly at the sight.
“...It's all right. I am not your enemy.”
Her beautiful, melodic voice echoed, followed by a few seconds of silence. The women, gradually grasping the situation, began to scream.
“We're alive! We're alive! Kyaa!”
“I don't know who you are, but thank you so much for saving us! Thank you!”
“Sob... I thought we were going to die....”
Of course, I was ecstatic too. That is, until the regressor grabbed me by the throat.
Her slender fingers tightened around my neck. They were so strong it was hard to believe they belonged to a woman.
“Kehek! What is this all of a sudden! Keok! Let... go!”
“So there was still a bandit left.”
Only then did I realize the regressor before me was making a ridiculous misunderstanding. But I didn't need to explain myself.
“He’s not a bandit!”
Natasha had spoken up for me immediately. Her face was filled with urgency. Her eyes showed she was worried I might get hurt. Is this what they call affection born from a night together?
“....”
The regressor stared at Natasha silently for a while. Her gaze was somehow both fond and sorrowful.
Only then did the regressor release my neck.
“Keok... keok, keok....”
As my choked throat was freed, I gasped for air. The regressor let me go, ran to Natasha, and embraced her.
The regressor was sobbing, holding Natasha in her arms.
“Are you okay? Natasha? I... I wasn't too late, was I?”
“Huh? Do you know me? I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding...”
“I'm asking if the bandits did anything terrible to you.”
“That man—no, my benefactor helped me, so nothing happened. Thank you so much.”
“Thank goodness. I'm so glad. I was sure I had been too late...”
The others seemed completely unable to understand the regressor's behavior. Even Natasha herself looked utterly confused.
But this confirmed it for me.
‘Natasha was the regressor's companion in her past life.’
[Talent – One Who Craves Blood (SSS)]
That was Natasha's talent.
The name of the talent was a bit gruesome, but it was a plausible enough scenario.
The women who had been held hostage began to cheer with joy again.
“We're really alive!”
“Thank you, thank you!”
“It's a miracle!”
Just then, the old hag shouted loudly.
“This is all the blessing of Valhalla! For Valhalla! The Warrior's Dance!”
‘Are we doing that again.......’
The women began to follow the old hag, performing the Warrior's Dance. It was a dance mixed with a madness that was incomparable to when they were in the cell.
Of course, I didn't join in.
My refined modern sensibilities simply couldn't accept the Warrior's Dance. I had no choice.
Just then, I felt a prickling on the back of my neck and turned to see the regressor staring intently at me.
The sight of her glaring at me, covered in blood, was a little terrifying.
‘Shit... why is she staring at me like that? Her gaze is fucking scary... As expected of a pro killer, even their eyes are different...’
In that brief moment, all sorts of thoughts ran through my head. Could she still suspect me of being a bandit?
What if she lost her mind and charged at me? I found myself staring back at her, but the regressor didn't look away.
‘Sh-shit. Maybe she really does still think I'm a bandit...’
Maybe she was suspicious because I was standing there awkwardly, unable to join the women performing the Warrior's Dance that threatened human dignity.
It was as if her eyes were asking: Why aren't you joining them? Are you actually a bandit? Did you do something wrong?
My life, or my dignity.
If someone were to ask me which was more important, I would, of course, choose to live. Better to live in a pigsty than to die!
I'm just that kind of common man.
Conscious of the regressor's suspicious gaze, I began to perform the Warrior's Dance with all my might.
“Wow! The adventurer is a great dancer!”
“Ahaha! Why were you holding back when you're so good at it!”
“Everyone, do the Warrior's Dance together!”
Seeing this, the regressor finally let out a small laugh.
Even being stained with blood couldn't hide her radiant smile.
*
Right now, only one thought occupied Kerry's mind.
‘I have to get on the regressor bus. I have to get on the regressor bus. I have to get on the regressor bus.’
No matter how I thought about it, that was the only way to find peace in this godforsaken isekai.
The regressor's name was Lina. She declared nonchalantly.
“I will arrange a place for all of you to stay.”
“Thank you, Lady Lina!”
“We keep imposing on you.”
“Are you perhaps an angel sent by the Goddess?”
The women, who had lost their families to the bandits and were left all alone, were naturally overjoyed.
Just by watching her actions and words, I could get a clear picture of the regressor Lina's personality.
‘She's a total sucker of a regressor... Nice.’
My desire to board the sucker regressor's bus grew stronger and stronger. I could guarantee that just by picking up the crumbs that fell from the regressor bus, I could become one of the most renowned figures on the continent.
Kerry also began to act in a way that would score points with the sucker regressor. And create a reason to stick with them, while he was at it.
“I may not be of much help... but I will also assist in your return.”
“Thank you, Adventurer!”
“You're so cool, Adventurer!”
Lina also made a surprised face, as if she hadn't expected it, then smiled brightly. I definitely scored some points. Excellent.
During a short break, the regressor Lina spent most of her time with Natasha. It was obvious to anyone that she was giving her special treatment and wanted to get closer to her.
But the person Natasha was actually showing favor to was....
“Husband! Try some of this. It's really delicious!”
‘...me.’
Natasha would be talking to Lina, but the moment she saw me, she'd run over and start chattering away.
I could see the regressor flinch slightly each time it happened.
Especially the first time she heard Natasha call me 'husband,' she was so startled she made a sound that didn't suit her at all.
“Husband. What should we do now?”
“But Natasha... why exactly am I your 'husband'?”
Natasha immediately looked crestfallen at that one sentence. I don't know how many times I've told her I'm not her husband.
“Adventurer. Don't tell me you're going to pretend you don't know after taking my granddaughter's virginity?”
“No. That was because you, Grandmother, said we should leave behind a seed just in case. That's all it was. There was never any talk of marriage.”
“What sophistry! It's common sense that when a man and a woman share their bodies, they are engaged to be married!”
That's an isekai-world sensibility. With my superior modern sensibilities, getting married just because we slept together once felt like a total overreaction.
“Our tribe has no such common sense. If she were... pregnant, maybe...”
“...If I have a baby, will you be my husband?”
“....”
Honestly, if she did get pregnant, I'd have no choice but to marry her. The guilt of making a child an orphan without a father would be too great.
Besides, Natasha is beautiful and strong. I'd be getting the better end of the deal if we got married.
Lina looked like she couldn't hide her shock at our conversation. She seemed more surprised than I expected.
Was it because this Natasha was different from the one in her past life?
The more I talked with Natasha, the more I could feel Lina's perception of me turning positive.
I even saw her give me a small nod the other day.
‘A good reaction. It seems Natasha is an even more important companion than I imagined.’
I don't know what the regressor is thinking or what her goals are, but it seems Natasha is incredibly important to her plans.
But just because Natasha is on my side, I can't afford to be complacent.
‘I need to score some personal points, not just team points.’
I watched Lina, who was still trying to get close to Natasha, and touched my pocket.
Inside my pocket was a orb.
‘This would probably fetch a decent price if I sold it.’
The Goddess's Eye could also show me information on useful items. The information on the orb in my pocket was as follows:
[Magic Storage Orb]
[Summary - A orb with a spell stored inside. Infusing it with mana allows the user to cast the spell.]
[Grade – Rare]
It was the orb the bandit used to cast magic. I'd never even heard of a orb that could store magic.
Picking it up when it was rolling on the floor was a stroke of genius.
‘If I sold it at the market, it would definitely go for dozens of silver! No... it's too good to sell. If I just knew how to handle mana, I might be able to use magic too.’
To be able to use magic, the eternal dream of every man!
I thought I'd come to this isekai just to die after a life of back-breaking sword-swinging, without ever getting to use magic.
As I was smiling at the orb's information, a shadow suddenly fell over me.
I looked up to see Lina looking down at me with a surprised expression.
“That orb...”
‘Shit. I'm screwed. It's mine.’
“Where did you get that?”
Lina didn't seem to know that the bandit leader had it. If I lied and said I had it before I was captured, I might be able to claim ownership, but that wasn't a good idea.
‘No matter how valuable the orb is, it's not as valuable as the regressor. I'll be honest.’
“I picked it up off the floor.”
“...Do you not know what it is?”
“I don't, but...”
“...”
Lina seemed to be lost in deep thought.
“It seems the men who were here weren't simple bandits. That orb is no ordinary orb. I don't know if you're aware, but...”
“I don't know the specifics, but I saw the bandit leader use it. He cast magic with it.”
“...”
Lina had a troubled expression. It seemed there were more complicated circumstances behind it than just a simple magic orb.
“This... Lady Lina. Would you like it?”
‘There go dozens of silver, right before my eyes. But the regressor was the one who killed the bandits... I guess I have no choice. Haaah.’
“No. I don't need it. You can have it if you need it. However, it would be best not to show it to others.”
‘A generous regressor! Hooray!’
A regressor who would willingly give away dozens of silver. A sense of loyalty to the sucker regressor began to sprout on its own.
But if I just keep taking, I might be denied a seat on the official regressor bus later on.
I have to show at least the minimum courtesy of giving back as much as I receive.
“Thank you for your consideration. By the way, Lady Lina, you've been trying to get close to Natasha. Is there a reason for that?”
“...She just seems like a good person, so I want to be friends.”
‘She's a terrible liar.’
“Getting close to Natasha... shall I help you with that?”
Lina seemed more pleased than I expected. It looked like she'd been worried about not being able to get close to her past-life companion, Natasha, as easily as she'd thought.
“I-If you would do that, I would be truly grateful!”
“There is one sure way to get close to Natasha. She has a serious problem right now.”
“Marrying you, Adventurer....”
“No. No. Not that.”
‘I'm not marrying her... shit.’
“Besides that, does Natasha have another problem?”
“Yes. Right now, Natasha... wants revenge for her tribe.”
The regressor looked surprised for a moment, but she quickly nodded.