Regressor Instruction Manual

“You’re…”

“I told you just now. I’m Lee Ki-Yeon… or are you asking why I’m here?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked.

“...”

“I’m working,” Lee Ki-Yeon said.

“...”

“At the bar you were just in… Well, I was on my way to work, but I can take today off thanks to you,” Lee Ki-Yeon added.

She seemed used to this. For someone working at a bar, the way she helped Elena looked so natural. It was like she had been treating patients for a long time. Perhaps it was because she noticed my expression, but she spoke as if she was kind of insulted.

"I volunteered as a nurse during the Continental War. There was someone I used to take care of… well... he ended up walking out on his own, but perhaps it’s thanks to his kindness that I still possess holy power.”

“...”

“What? You don’t believe me? Is it because a stranger suddenly appeared… and showed kindness, or is it because I’m a human being?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked me.

“It’s nothing… like that…” I answered.

“I was summoned to this continent. I was once an adventurer, and I once worked as a receptionist at an Adventurer Guild. As I mentioned earlier, I volunteered to be a nurse during the Continental War, and I-I’ve also been a slave.

"Do I need to tell you more? It looks like you want me to tell you everything… including where I’ve been and why I’m here. Will that put your mind at ease? Should I give you more details about myself?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked.

“No, I was being rude. I’m really sorry,” I told her.

“Don’t question your neighbors and love them. You didn’t take Elune’s word to heart—”

“How… did you know about that? I mean, Elune’s words…” I asked.

‘It can’t be…’

“...”

“...”

“This should be enough. Her breathing has finally become stable. It’s all because she accepted a large amount of holy power in one go. Anyway, she’ll recover soon,” Lee Ki-Yeon told me.

“I see, thank you,” I said.

Lee Ki-Yeon got up slowly, and I could finally take a good look at the mysterious woman.

She was wearing the standard outfit of the desert elves, and it was an everyday outfit in Laves wore. The bottom was decorated with fancy and sparkling accessories, and it was cut so high that it showed one of her legs. Her top showed her belly button, and the necklaces around her neck stood out.

The exposed parts of her body were covered with a thin, see-through cloth. Her braided hair was decorated with accessories, and the small gem on her forehead was an accessory that desert elves often used.

The woman who had introduced herself as Lee Ki-Yeon removed the transparent cloth covering the lower part of her face, revealing her entire face to the public.

“I’ll introduce myself again. I’m Lee Ki-Yeon,” she said, introducing herself.

‘She’s beautiful.’

I was simply appreciating her beauty and had no other feelings toward her. The feelings I felt were similar to whenever I was looking at an artwork or a natural scenery. It was actually strange, as elves never really considered others beautiful by their appearance.

Elves born with Elune’s blessing were naturally beautiful, so we tend to focus more on inner beauty rather than appearance. I was the same… no, I was sure all elves were like me. Despite that, I thought the mysterious lady was beautiful as soon as I saw her.

‘It’s strange.’n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

It was like I was falling into a swamp, and I was unknowingly falling deeper and deeper into it. Strangely, I was blushing, and my breathing was labored.

Was I being influenced by some magical, alchemical, or curse?

Was it just me, or did she look like a white snake for a second there? Her eyes and lips resembled a snake.

Just then, I saw an indescribable darkness in her black eyes, and it seemed to be sucking everything into it.

“Ah…”

The darkness that engulfed everything in an instant pulled both my soul and body into it.

It only lasted for a moment, but it felt like an eternity had passed.

I realized that I was covered in sweat. My hands and feet were shaking. To make matters worse, the bad feeling that had engulfed me was not going away.

‘What the… What the hell is this?’

There were so many things I couldn’t understand. I had no idea what was happening right now. I also had no idea who this woman was, why she had appeared before me, and what our meeting in the Laves Desert meant.

After calming down my confused mind, I turned and saw Elena on the bed.

I finally recalled the incident earlier.

"Your destined partner will appear before you. Cherish and love that child. Cherish her because she will bring peace and love to the continent. Live for that child because she’ll teach you true love. If you don’t… If you don’t… destruction will come to the continent…"

It was too strange to call it a coincidence.

Was this woman's appearance right after I heard Elune’s prophecy really a coincidence? Was our meeting in this place really a coincidence?

My destined partner, the destruction of the continent… and the woman who'd bring peace and love to the continent. The child who'd teach me true love. There were so many keywords that I couldn’t figure out what was happening.

I also wasn’t sure whether the prophecy meant what I thought it meant, but… something was happening. Something unknown to me was happening. Something was going to happen to this continent again. To make things worse…

‘Those are Elune's words.’

That was all I could think about...

“Master will contact the Blue Guild, and they’ll come to get Miss Elena soon…” Lee Ki-Yeon informed me.

“I’ll contact them, but do you have a moment?” I asked.

“Excuse me?”

“If you don’t mind, could we—”

“This isn't exactly my first time experiencing something like this, so what will you do if I do tell you that I do mind?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked.

“...”

“What will you do?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked.

“Well…”

“You’re no fun. Can’t you take a joke?” Lee Ki-Yeon teased.

“I mean…”

“How come all the people that have asked me out lack a sense of humor? Geez…” she mumbled.

“I’m not asking you out on a date,” I said.

“Oh, this is embarrassing. Looks like I misunderstood. Then…”

“I just… needed a moment of your time. It’s to thank you… for your help…” I told her.

“Hey, this was nothing. I was just helping out a person in need. You don’t need to pay me back or anything, and it’s not like I was expecting anything out of it.

"I have no other intentions either, unlike you're suspecting, so feel free to head out. I won’t appear in front of you again, and I will not make any requests, Mr. Elias,” Lee Ki-Yeon reassured me.

“It’s nothing like that,” I said.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to repay me… Don’t think that you’re indebted to me and just consider it me doing a good deed. You don’t need to show me that the stereotype about how elves are stubborn is real,” Lee Ki-Yeon said.

“Wait…”

“I’ll be leaving now. It was fun, Mr. Elias,” she said.

“Th-Then… let’s go on a date,” I suggested.

“What?”

“I don’t mind going on a date… I just want to talk to you,” I told her.

“Hmm…”

“What’s… wrong—”

“It’s nothing. Since you put it like that… I have no choice. Shall we get going?” she said.

Lee Ki-Yeon grabbed her bag happily and walked away.

‘She’s so unpredictable.’

However, she wasn’t rude, and I could tell that she was trying to be considerate of me.

She seemed to be enjoying even conversations she wasn’t really interested in, and she was trying her best to make me feel comfortable. It was possible that she wasn’t the type to enjoy jokes and simply disliked an awkward atmosphere.

Honestly, there was no guarantee that this was even her true self.

Although I couldn’t confirm it just yet…

‘It’s like she’s wearing a mask.’

A mask wasn't exactly bad.

Just like how I disliked showing my true self, it was like she was always hiding her true self. I couldn’t feel it all, but I could feel a deep wound inside this woman’s soul. It was such a horrible wound that I couldn’t quite describe it. However, she wasn't showing it on the outside. I wasn’t skilled at reading souls, but I could clearly see her wound.

Despite that, she was acting bright and confident as if she had never experienced that kind of pain before. Yeah… it was as if the world had never hurt her.

“That’s how I ended up here. It’s like when people want to just run away somewhere. It wasn’t hard finding a job. I also had a connection with the Lizardmen Master you met earlier…” Lee Ki-Yeon explained.

“I see, so how…”

“How do you think I met him? I had nothing when I met the Master in the Republic. He was running a bar in a back alley," Lee Ki-Yeon answered.

“...”

“Like everyone else, there were times when it was hard for me… like there were times when I wanted to give up on life. I really lost everything at the time and was left hopeless. I cut off all my past connections, but I regretted being alone.

"I realized that the person who had already left me could have been my true love. When I was still reeling from the betrayal that was so bad it left both my body and mind severely injured…" Lee Ki-Yeon paused.

“...”

“The Master appeared and offered help. He offered me a place to stay and a job. He accepted me even though I had lost everything. You never know what happens in life. I never imagined that he'd help me and that I would end up going on a date with you, Mr. Elias,” Lee Ki-Yeon added.

“...”

“The details aren’t fun to hear, and I'm sure you're feeling uncomfortable. You’re the prince of Everia as well,” Lee Ki-Yeon said.

“It’s not uncomfortable at all. As I said before—”

“I know. You just said that out of courtesy… So, what business do you have with me?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked.

“...”

“What do you want to know about me?” Lee Ki-Yeon asked.

“...”

“Why are you so interested in a part-time worker who works at Laves’ Small Rock?” Lee Ki-Yeon questioned me.

“That’s…”

“...”

What was I supposed to say to her?

I couldn’t tell her that I had received a divine message and that she could be my destined partner as well as the possibility that she might bring destruction to this world.

This situation was absurd, but the divine message was definitely not absurd. I couldn’t imagine Elune lying to me, and it wasn't like advents often happened, but I wanted to deny it.

I knew my behavior was unforgivable, but I was hoping that this wouldn’t go in the direction I was thinking. If the prophecy were true…

‘Then Miss Hye-Jin…’

What would happen to Miss Hye-Jin and me? If this woman and I were destined to be together and that it was an irresistible fate, what choice would I have to make?

“Let’s have another glass,” Lee Ki-Yeon suggested.

I raised my glass carefully and saw a figure staring quietly at me.

“Uh…”

I saw Jo Hye-Jin entering the bar quietly, but she immediately ran outside upon seeing me.

“Wait…”