The Exile VII
After safely escorting the students to Busan and spending around two months juggling a hectic schedule, I finally managed to arrange to meet with Ji-soo personally.
It wasn't in any way a date. If it had been one, I would never in my life have committed the atrocity of bringing Dok-seo along as a third wheel.
An awkward silence sucked air from the room.
"So, uh... This person is...?"
"Call me Dok-seo," said the otaku, wearing a baseball cap tipped low over her face. "But don't pay me any mind. I'm more of a—ehhh—let's it "bystander." I consider silence a virtue. If one wishes to stand at the forefront of the stage, it's not yet the season of harvest. The autumn breeze... It is still faint."
"You really don't need to concern yourself with this kid, Ji-soo," I quickly interjected, seeing Ji-soo's expression grow increasingly grim. "I just brought her along because she's a very useful Awakener. Now, please, hear me out."
"Oh. Alright, then."
An hour passed.
It was enough time to reveal that I was a regressor and to explain the incidents that had occurred in the previous cycle. Ji-soo carefully chose her words when responding.
"So what you're saying is... Beneath the surface of this country's secret organizations, there are extensive facilities used to abduct and torture orphans. And I was captured there, subjected to those methods, and forcibly turned into an Awakener with supernatural abilities?"
"That's right."
"I see..." she mused calmly while her expression screamed, What the hell?
It was to be expected, really. If someone told you that a psychopath had imprisoned your past self, your soul had been crushed to the point of no return, and you ultimately took your own life—that brutal, fairytale ending—it would be hard to accept, wouldn't it?
"I... Well, I can understand up to the part where you said my past self went through some terrible misfortunes in the previous cycle."
Even so, Ji-soo made every effort to remain polite toward me. I had saved her and her upperclassmates at school from near death and guided them safely to Busan, after all. She hadn't forgotten that debt of gratitude.
Ji-soo's jet-black eyes gleamed as she said, "But even if that's true, wouldn't it be best to sever ties with that piece of human trash? I should focus on living a happy life for myself."
A surprisingly reasonable opinion!
"The part I find most incomprehensible is the decision my past self made. To do it in the name of vengeance against that psychopath is one thing—and yes, revenge is fine—but why choose a path that makes me miserable?"
It was a valid point. Ji-soo of the 704th cycle, who hadn't experienced the horrors of the Misfortune Workshop, possessed an entirely rational way of thinking. If she went to a psychological counseling center and took the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2),[1] the doctor would probably say, "You have a completely healthy mind! Just watch your caffeine intake. We don't treat normal people like you here, so please leave!"
For reference, Ji-won would also be told to leave, but for the opposite reason where the doctor might scream, "Eek! Get this monster out of our hospital!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't inherit the will of my past self. Nor do I want to. While I appreciate your efforts, Undertaker..."
"No. That's the normal response."
"Right..."
In many ways, her reaction was the complete opposite of Ji-won's, I realized. With that silver-haired psychopath, there existed a secret keyword—a single magical phrase capable of instantly convincing her of any bizarre phenomenon.
"I know that in the summer of your 14th year, when you were in middle school, you dismembered your family and dumped them in the Minari Pond at Mount Dobong."
That single sentence was enough to convince Ji-won of the reality that a regressor was standing before her, acting as a courier who delivered her final will to the next cycle. She even went above and beyond, synchronizing her past self with her present self, much like a player inheriting a save file.
But most people didn't think that way. Even if they had endured hell itself, even if they had incinerated their souls with hatred for another, conveying that feeling to their future self was impossible.
At times, the distance between oneself and one's self was greater than the distance between two strangers. Kim Ji-soo understood this well.
"That's why I plan to try something a little unusual today."
This was something the Ji-soo from the 703rd cycle had already anticipated.
"What do you mean?" the Ji-soo standing before me asked.
"As I said, your past self wanted, in some way, to ensure her hatred was conveyed to the next cycle. But she also knew that just explaining everything wouldn't suddenly make you go, 'Ah, yes, I'll live a life consumed by rage now.' This might sound like a compliment, but the Ji-soo from the 703rd cycle was quite clever."
Ji-soo visibly stiffened.
There was a subtle discomfort in her demeanor. However little emotion her face conveyed, she seemed to have sensed an underlying unease.
Not feeling the need to correct her assumption, I turned and looked down to Dok-seo where she sat beside me. "Are you ready?"
Dok-seo nodded. "Of course. I've been ready for this moment for 12,000 years."
Ji-soo tilted her head in confusion, her gaze flicking between us.
At that moment, a faint melody began to fill the air of the café, which had been quiet despite being fully seated.
Having spent nearly two months in Busan, Ji-soo had been sufficiently educated on the fact that Anomalies could appear anywhere, anytime. She instinctively scanned her surroundings.
"Is it an Anomaly?"
"No. Don't worry, it's just a song I asked an Awakener I know to play. It's not your average tune, though," I added, chuckling wryly. "Ji-soo, could you close your eyes for a moment?"
"Well... Alright."
The melody gradually swelled. What began as a monotonous hum, simple like running tap water, slowly grew in volume and richness.
"Ah."
Although her eyes remained closed, Ji-soo's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
By this point, she must have realized what the song was. It was Busan's famed specialty, Seo-rin's Cursed Song Incantation. For the general public, hearing this melody was a rare luxury, afforded once a month over radio waves. Now, it resonated in this café, played for the sake of one person.
No, perhaps it was composed for two.
Repetition, Target Designation, Illusion, Modulation—these four verses formed a harmonious melody, encircling the space around us.
Soon, the speaker volume decreased, and the song transitioned into a soft, looping background track.
"You can open your eyes now."
Ji-soo's jet-black eyes opened. "Ah?"
A flicker of starlight trembled within them as the sunlight streaming through the window cast its glow, creating faint silhouettes of objects, softening the clarity of shapes in her gaze. Within her eyes rested the reflection of Dok-seo sitting beside me.
"Greetings."
However, the face reflected in Ji-soo's eyes was not Dok-seo's. Even the voice layered over the Cursed Song Incantation's background melody was not Dok-seo's.
"The 704th cycle me."
Dok-seo's eyes, gleaming with a deep, swamp-like green hue, looked at her.
"Perhaps it's more fitting to say, 'It's nice to meet you.' I am the 703rd cycle's you."
Ji-soo from this cycle froze, inhaling sharply.
"I am Ji-soo."
Now, the performance began.
In the forest where Ji-won had departed and disappeared, a conversation between two people had taken place.
Q: Think it over. For the Ji-soo of the next cycle, it would mean having their life direction determined by someone who lived an entirely different path. Would your next self truly accept that?
A: If she doesn't, then that's where it ends. My grudge. My pain. My wounds. This blazing heart of mine... would simply amount to something that could not surpass a single lifetime.
When I had posed the question in another life, that was how the Ji-soo from the 703rd cycle answered, by acknowledging the possibility that her hatred might fail to reach her next self.
A: But... there's a way.
Armed with that knowledge, Ji-soo began to devise a plan.
She did not believe in sentimental notions like "a strong will transcends cycles" or "resolve can be inherited across time." Even at the peak of her rage-consumed life, she remained a rational strategist.
Just like her godmother.
Q: A way?
A: Yes. My godmother often told us stories about you, Undertaker. Among those tales, she mentioned that you possessed Complete Memory.
Q: And if that's true?
The Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle took a deep breath and stared directly at me.
A: Then please... act as me.
Q: What?
A: The Ji-soo of the next cycle won't be able to empathize with me just by hearing words alone. That's why... there must be direct communication.
A: I'm not a regressor like you, Undertaker. I can't perform the miracle of conversing with my next self.
A: But... through you...
A: It might be possible to deliver my message.
Q: ...
A: I will preemptively answer every question that the Ji-soo of the next cycle might ask me. All of their doubts. All of their countless uncertainties.
A: My answers. My expressions. My voice.
A: My emotions.
A: ...Everything about me.
A: Please remember it all, Undertaker. Then recreate it, and convey it to the next Ji-soo.
Q: ...
A: Ha-yul sunbae has the ability to manipulate puppets. If they craft a puppet resembling me, and you and Lee sunbae work together to control it, you'll be able to replicate my appearance.
Q: No. That's a valid method, but there's an even better solution.
A: What is it?
Dok-seo.
A child who had been part of the 703rd Punishment Unit with us, and more recently, a colleague who had Awakened the ability called Side Story Creation.
Q: Dok-seo has the power to perfectly embody the existence of a past cycle.
Using Side Story Creation, Dok-seo had previously acted as a long-forgotten Saintess and even reenacted the fury of a glacial era. The ability was limited to recreating people I had personally encountered and remembered, but with my Complete Memory, I could recall every detail of their actions and behavior. Based on my data, Dok-seo's acting achieved a resolution so vivid that it verged on reality.
I myself had once been so engrossed in her Side Story that I got scolded by the Saintess for acting like an internet-addicted shut-in.
Of course, everything in life has its pros and cons. Dok-seo's ability could also be used to save someone.
I came to this obvious realization while speaking with the Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle.
Q: I'll combine that with Seo-rin's Cursed Song Incantation. Since Dok-seo's acting doesn't extend to mimicking appearances or voices, I'll ask Seo-rin to implement Vocal Modulation and Illusion techniques into the song. That will handle those gaps.
A: ...That's impressive.
Q: Then let's begin.
A: Yes.
Q: Time for a Q&A session.
An age-old question arose here.
Could emotions be conveyed? Could willpower be inherited?
The human heart could not directly connect to another while willpower lacked substance and could not leap across the chasm between cycles.
But regressors existed. And regressors had the power to remember anything.
Through my memories, the transparent wish of Seo-rin—to "someday travel the world along the railway tracks"—was passed to the next cycle's Seo-rin.
Through my memories, the vague yet undeniable desire of Ha-yul to "become a little happier" reached the Ha-yul of the next cycle.
The same was true for Ji-soo.
One week. It happened one week after Ji-soo and I made our secret pact in the forest.
I had mentioned before that Ji-soo had taken her own life a week later. Some might have posed a certain question after hearing the story.
Q: Why did Ji-soo end her life in just one week?
However, that question was fundamentally flawed.
Ji-soo had always been on the verge of giving up her life. The moment she realized she could never harm her godmother's heart, her urge to embrace death had simply reached its tipping point. Thus, the question should have been reframed like this:
Q: Why did Ji-soo endure for an entire week before taking her own life?
The answer was simple.
For one week, she and I secretly met every night to conduct tens of thousands of "Q&A sessions." She imprinted herself as vividly as possible into my memory. Together, we meticulously organized every potential question her future self might ask, and the Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle answered them all.
She documented everything. She gathered every valuable piece of her life and entrusted them to me—the regressor who served as a time capsule.
And so...
"Ask me anything," Dok-seo said, her voice steady and unwavering. "I'm ready for it all."
After one autumn and one winter had passed, the memories Ji-soo had buried in the regressor's mind were finally delivered.
Beside me, Dok-seo opened the time capsule.
Footnotes:
[1] The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) is the most widely used psychometric test for measuring adult psychopathology in the world.
-x-X-x-
The Exile VIII
"You're awfully quiet."
The air about Dok-seo shifted. It was only natural—her appearance, the color of her eyes, and even the rhythm of her voice had changed. Yet somehow, this changewas even more fundamental.
"You seem flustered."
"Ah..."
Dok-seo, or rather the entity that summoned Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle to overwrite her personality onto herself, gave a wry smile. It was an expression Dok-seo would never normally make.
How could one describe it?
Right. The word "transformation" seemed to be the only fitting descriptor.
"I'm just as flustered, honestly. No, perhaps 'fascinated' is the better word."
"So, you're really...?" The Ji-soo of this cycle—in other words, the "real Kim Ji-soo" who looked identical to the one sitting opposite—hesitated as her lips trembled. "You're really saying you're my past self?"
"That's how I perceive myself. But the word 'past' is somewhat inaccurate. I am your potential. A future that might have unfolded had you taken certain paths... Thank you, Undertaker. For creating this opportunity. For granting my wish."
I gave a silent nod in response.
Until just moments ago, the main figures in this meeting were Ji-soo and me. Dok-seo had merely been an uninvited guest, unsure why she had been called here. But now the roles had reversed.
The key players here were Kim Ji-soo and Kim Ji-soo: past and future, reality and potential, colliding.
I chose to withdraw into silence, making myself an outsider in this encounter. It was an act of consideration for two individuals: the girl whose main life story I had ruined and the one who, through me, had been given a chance to rewrite her side story.
Had she surmised my intention?
Dok-seo (strictly speaking, she was also a version of Ji-soo from another cycle, but for convenience, I'll continue referring to her as Dok-seo) nodded slightly. The subtle motion conveyed her gratitude.
It became clear that all past grievances between us were now fully resolved.
At last, the Ji-soo sitting across seemed to have digested her initial shock.
"I heard... you were tortured."
"Yes, I was. I even assisted as an aide."
"But I don't understand why you would want to pass your resentment to the next cycle's version of me. I'll believe you when you say Ji-won is a psychopath and that torture took place. But still, it's something that hasn't happened yet. At least, not from my perspective."
"Something that hasn't happened yet, you say." Dok-seo calmly sipped her coffee. "Did Mr. Park pass away?"
"What?"
"Your teacher, Park Woon-chul. The one who got bitten by zombies while trying to help our Baekam High School students."
"Ah, yes. He passed away."
"And the senior students?"
"They survived, thanks to Undertaker here."
Dok-seo's eyes, which now carried the swampy green hue of a stagnant pond, narrowed. "That's fortunate. Originally, all of them died, you see. The seniors, too."
"They... What?"
"Not just the teacher, but also the seniors succumbed to the Anomaly. By the time I returned to the school, everything was over. I had no choice but to abandon them and attempt an escape."
At that, there was no response.
"Ji-soo, this is something you might still consider 'an event that hasn't happened,' at least not yet. But you're grateful to Undertaker, aren't you?"
"Yes..."
"That's because you know. Even if the catastrophe didn't occur in reality, you understand how it could have. That's why you feel gratitude."
Dok-seo set her coffee cup down with aclink. As the dark surface of the liquid rippled, her emotions mirrored the motion, trembling ever so slightly.
"Is it wrong to feel resentment? When crossing into the next cycle, Undertaker's rescue of you will vanish. Are you telling me to instruct the next cycle's version of you to forget gratitude, that it's irrelevant to you, and to let it go? Perhaps some might do so."
Dok-seo leaned forward, narrowing the gap between the two.
"But you are not that kind of person."
Only then did Ji-soo seem to realize it. That the green eyes before her did not carry the scent of leaves or tea but rather the stench of decay, festering endlessly.
"The reason you cannot feel resentment is simple. It is because you do not know."
"Do not know..."
"Yes. You, the version of me from years ago, have no knowledge of the tragedies you might have endured. You can't even imagine them. While you can hypothesize 'the seniors might have died to zombies,' you can't fathom 'falling into hell because of Ji-won.'"
Ji-soo flinched. Dok-seo had clasped her hand firmly.
"So please, learn. Ask questions. Listen to my answers. Then, decide. Will you carry my resentment? My grudge?"
Dok-seo—always one step behind me, the slowest prophet in the world, the Epimetheus to my Prometheus—began her story with the records from a previous cycle.[1]
There is an epilogue.
"There were countless children like me gathered there. The Misfortune Workshop, that's what Ji-won called it."
The tale of how she fell into hell.
"I was among the first-generation students to Awaken abilities. I was also the one who mastered Phantom Torture, the skill the godmother had so desperately desired. So every time she tortured other adoptees, I acted as her aide."
The story of the seasons she spent in hell.
"My skin was peeled off. My teeth were pulled at 60-second intervals. To perform Phantom Torture, I first had to know that pain myself."
Dok-seo did not let go of Ji-soo's hand.
"It hurt. It hurt so much."
I clenched my fists, watching the scene from the side.
"Will it be conveyed?"
In truth, I had prepared a Plan B in case Dok-seo failed.
"If I use the Tutorial Fairy's dream powers, I can create an ultra-realistic dream. In that dream, I can make the Ji-soo of this cycle experience the events of the previous one."
In other words, recreate the horrors of the Misfortune Workshop in a dream. But this idea was rejected by Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle.
Her reason was simple.
"I don't want my younger self, the next cycle's child, to endure the same pain as me."
She didn't wish to pass on her suffering and pain.
"Because it hurts too much. I just... I don't want my life and emotions to fade into nothingness. I hope they'll understand. I hope they'll remember. Because that child is me."
This was her sincere wish. A hope that was pure and clear like a chime, despite blooming from despair.
Yet I couldn't help but harbor skepticism.
"Can emotions alone truly be conveyed without physical pain?"
Humans, after all, seem to only empathize with pain they've experienced firsthand. Even as I took on her wish, persuaded Dok-seo and Seo-rin, and orchestrated this meeting, I couldn't shake my pessimism.
Then, it happened.
Something dripped onto the surface of the coffee.
"Ah..."
Who had made that sound?
It didn't matter. The voice belonged to one of them.
Tears were streaming from Ji-soo's black eyes.
"Huh?"
Ji-soo placed a hand over her chest.
We watched her, startled. She herself seemed unaware that she was crying.
"It hurts... It's not just because I empathize with your story. My heart aches. My brain throbs. I feel like vomiting."
Ji-soo wiped her tears.
"Somehow, I think I understand."
She brushed her hand across her face like a curtain, revealing her eyes once more. In that brief moment, her eyes had changed.
A second ago, they gleamed pure black. Now, they glowed a brilliant red.
"This... This is the emotion you feel, isn't it?"
I found myself speechless.
[Mr. Undertaker.]
Though not present in the café, the Saintess who shared my sight or Dok-seo's perspective spoke urgently.
[Ji-soo's eyes changed color. Her hair remains the same, but this must be—no, it definitely is—.]
Indeed.
At that moment, Ji-soo had Awakened.
In the previous cycle, Ji-won had artificially Awakened a child destined to die an ordinary person, molding her into his ideal through planned experiments.
Phantom Torture. The skill to vividly convey one's pain to others.
It was a manifestation of vengeance, born solely in the hypocritical route Ji-won pursued in the 703rd cycle.
But if the cycle changed? If Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle sought the help of a regressor like me, thereby influencing her next self?
What would Ji-soo become?
"Even with my chest burning like this..."
The answer unfolded before my eyes.
"You desperately told me everything, didn't you?"
Ji-soo tightened her grip on Dok-seo's hand, embracing her in a squeezing grip.
This would later be revealed as the condition for activating Ji-soo's new ability: physical contact.
"Yes, you're right. I didn't know your pain... the tragedies I might have endured."
Even now, she couldn't comprehend it, Ji-soo admitted.
"But your emotions are being conveyed fully. They press against my heart, so vividly."
"Ah."
"Thank you. For telling me."
Ji-soo took a deep breath. Tears, now tinged ruby red, flowed freely from her altered eyes.
For the past and future versions of herself.
Ji-soo cried for them both.
"I don't know if I'll get revenge on Ji-won like you want. I don't know what kind of life I'll lead. I can't say right now."
Her voice was a whisper.
"But I'll never forget this feeling—never. I'll carry it with me as I live on."
Dok-seo—the vengeful revenant who had taken her own life in a now-erased timeline—watched her silently for a long moment.
Finally, she spoke.
"Yes."
Ji-soo of the 703rd cycle smiled.
"That is enough."
She closed her eyes.
On that day, the ability known as Phantom Torture, honed in a regressor's timeline, disappeared forever. In its place, a new Awakening arose.
Empathic Resonance. A skill to fully feel another's emotions.
In other words, "to suffer just as much as another"—an ability borne of shared pain.
That was the crimson name Kim Ji-soo now bore.
Footnotes:
[1] Epimetheus is the brother of Prometheus, the figure from Greek myth said to have gifted mankind with fire. While Prometheus ("foresight") was known for being ingeniously clever, Epimetheus ("hindsight") was seen as dull and thoughtless in his actions. Prometheus and Epimetheus's names are also the source for the words "prologue" and "epilogue".
-x-X-x-
The Exile IX
"Hello, my name is Ji-soo. From now on, I will be serving as Team Leader Yu Ji-won's direct disciple."
A week after Ji-soo met me, I formally introduced her to Ji-won.
"Nice to meet you," Ji-won said, offering a handshake with an emotionless expression. "I've heard much about you from His Excellency. I understand that in a previous cycle, I recognized your potential and helped develop it. Unearthing talent is the foundation of all endeavors, so you could say that I earned merit in a past life. However, the fact that my contributions translate into benefits for your recruitment rather than rewards for myself...
"How should I interpret this? Should I call it nepotism? Or perhaps a form of cronyism? Regardless, it seems clear that your current skills are insufficient to be accepted as a full-fledged member of the Regression Alliance. His Excellency must have entrusted me with your training for a reason. I look forward to working with you, Miss Kim."
"I look forward to working with you as well. But... wow." Ji-soo blinked several times as she shook Ji-won's hand. "You really... feel like absolutely nothing."
"?"
"If I had to describe it, it's like tasteless water. No, there's a faint metallic tang, like tap water."
"??"
Ji-won tilted her head and looked in my direction. "Your Excellency, I think I'm being mocked right now."
You think?
And so, the Ji-won–Ji-soo party was formed.
Coincidentally, removing the "Ji" from both their names created the word "won-soo," the word for "enemies" in Korean. They were, quite literally, an enemy duo.
'In many ways, they're perfectly opposite as a mentor and mentee.'
One was an emotionless sociopath. The other was an emotional superconductor who could fully absorb others' feelings through Empathic Resonance.
One had silver hair. The other, black.
One had blue eyes. The other, red.
'They're like a reversed-color decalcomania.'
Their only similarity was their tendency to carry forward their past selves in each cycle, yet even in this, their paths diverged.
Ji-won inherited the power and authority she had achieved through her abilities and accomplishments. Ji-soo, on the other hand, bore the weight of her hatred and guilt—accepting her history of being tortured by Ji-won and her crimes of killing seven ordinary people.
One chose the path to the skies, toward heaven. The other, a descent into the endless abyss, toward hell.
'How ironic that she would adopt a child so diametrically opposed to herself.'
This too must be Ji-won's karma.
Anyway, Ji-soo, the "soo" of the enemy duo, was assigned to the National Road Management Corps.
"Hmm..."
Noh Do-hwa, the individual who shared personnel authority over the National Road Management Corps with me, glanced at Ji-soo while flipping through documents.
"Empathic Resonance, huh? It's certainly a rare ability, but whether it's impressive remains to be seen. Getting a job here at the National Road Management Corps isn't exactly easy, you know. So... Do you have any combat prowess?"
"We share a deep connection from a past life, Commander Noh. Assigning this child to the National Road Management Corps will allow her to interact with Ji-won more frequently."
"Oh. I knew I was the commander in this life, but I didn't realize I had responsibilities in past lives too. Dealing with regressors means it's not just a leash around my neck anymore—it's like I've been sentenced to eternal damnation..."
She bore an expression of someone who inherited nothing but debt during a final will reading.
'To hear about the lives of Ji-won and Ji-soo and still react like that... As expected, the king never understood the human heart. Well, given Do-hwa's personality, I can see why she wouldn't like this arrangement.'
Do-hwa had no interest in inheriting her past self. On the contrary, she was hostile toward the very idea of it.
Life was a one-time event. What did it matter if there was a past or future life? Her existence was tethered to the present moment.
That was Do-hwa's philosophy—diametrically opposed to the worldview of regressors who could never escape the flow of reincarnation.
'Come to think of it, Do-hwa and I are also opposites in many ways. Our hair and eye colors might be the same, but...'
I wasn't in any position to lecture Ji-won while flaunting my own superiority.
I smirked wryly. "It's fine. While she's Ji-won's direct disciple, I only plan to make them roommates, not assign them to the same team."
"Oh? Then where do you plan to station her, if not in the operations command center...?"
"The counseling office."
Do-hwa raised an eyebrow. "The counseling office? To my knowledge, there's no such department in the National Road Management Corps..."
"That's correct. I'm about to create it."
I had been considering this for quite some time.
"Awakeners tend to have extremely fragile mental states, don't they?"
No, calling them "fragile" was inappropriate. A more accurate description would be "unstable."
"The root of an Awakener's power lies in their deep psychological scars. The stronger their abilities become, the deeper their wounds grow."
"That's odd," she mused. "I don't recall my mental state changing even when I crafted prosthetics..."
"That's why you're so weak, Commander Do-hwa. Your abilities haven't advanced at all."
"You little son of a bitch..."
If Do-hwa ever enhanced her Awakener abilities, she wouldn't stop at prosthetics or artificial limbs. She'd mass-produce cyborgs entirely composed of mechanical parts—a dystopia devoid of humanity, populated by beings with artificial intelligence and synthetic bodies.
But I digress.
"This dynamic is what drives Awakeners to fall to Corruption as their powers reach their peak. Their wounds consume them, destabilizing their mental state and compelling them to depend on others."
"Can't you heal them? You're pretty good at it."
"I'll do so whenever I can, but I'm too close to my comrades," I said with a shrug. "The trust I've built with them borders on worship. Honestly, even Yo-hwa and Ah-ryeon are treading dangerous ground."
"Your knack for rubbing people the wrong way is truly something else..."
Studiously ignoring that jab, I placed a hand on Ji-soo's shoulder. "This child, however, is perfectly suited for psychological counseling. In one cycle, the Saintess played the role of a counselor. But like me, she had a tendency to make people dependent on her, even unintentionally."
"Hmm..."
"We're too focused on diagnosing and resolving issues. Ji-soo, however, simply uses Empathic Resonance to feel exactly what the client feels." I smiled. "It's an extraordinary ability, don't you think?"
The foundation of trust between a counselor and client ultimately hinged on one question: "Does this person truly understand my emotions?" To ensure a "yes" to that question, counselors typically relied on expert techniques and extensive time.
But Ji-soo?
"She doesn't need all that. Her ability guarantees that she can perfectly feel and understand 100% of a client's emotions. With that alone, Ji-soo has a fast track to becoming an SSS-class counselor."[1]
Of course, she still needed experience and theory. Fortunately, as a regressor, I could provide her with plenty of both.
Do-hwa rested her chin on her hand. "This counseling office... Is this your first time implementing it?"
"Yes. Until now, the Saintess filled in as a pseudo-counselor using her Constellation status. This led to severe dependency issues among Awakeners in the Korean Peninsula."
"That doesn't sound entirely bad. But if that's your decision..."
Thud.
Do-hwa stamped her seal on the documents.
"Fine. I'll provide the necessary facilities and personnel. Do your best, Counseling Director... No, that's too long. Let's just call you Director."
"Thank you. I'll do my best."
"Hmph..." Do-hwa spread her fingers, her black leather gloves clinging to their lengths like webbing on a frog. "Whether you take revenge on Ji-won or not is up to you. But don't even think about touching me—not even in your dreams. The idea of having my emotions read disgusts me."
One of the reasons I seldom used Mind Reading was because of people like Do-hwa. Back in the 579th cycle, she warned me she would quit her position as commander and return home if I ever used Mind Reading again.
"Understood. I'll keep that in mind."
And so, Ji-soo's Counseling Office was established.
Although she was granted the title of Director within the National Road Management Corps, the counseling office itself wasn't located in the Tower of Babel.
After all, the Tower of Babel was an intimidating place for most Awakeners to visit.
"Wow! Another business has been registered in the Tunnel!"
The counseling office, aptly named "Ji-soo" for its primary practitioner, was situated in the basement of the Inunaki Underwater Tunnel.
Ji-soo had set up her psychological therapy center at the very site where Ji-won had once operated the Misfortune Workshop in a previous cycle.
"To ruin people's desires with a casino and then heal their minds with counseling... Secretary-General Undertaker's schemes are truly terrifying...!"
I ignored the slander from Fairy No. 264.
With the help of the tutorial fairies, the counseling office's interior was completed within half a day. Unlike the claustrophobic Misfortune Workshop, the external walls were replaced with glass, revealing the faint underwater scenery.
"This way, clients from not just Busan but also Seoul or Pyongyang can have an easier time visiting."
"Thank you so much, for everything."
"Don't mention it. If you can ease the minds of Awakeners even a little, it will ultimately benefit me too."
Looking back, the Inunaki Tunnel, initially encountered as a Japanese Anomaly, had undergone a remarkable transformation.
- Tunnel entrance: A casino operated by tutorial fairies, named the Dream Casino or Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land.
- Tunnel midsection: An underwater café called Azit, stretching from a depth of 100 meters to 1,200 meters. It was rated five stars out of five.
- Tunnel exit: Private facilities for me and my guild members, including a lobby and personal rooms. These areas were classified and off-limits to outsiders.
- Tunnel basement: Ji-soo's Awakener-exclusive counseling office, Ji-soo.
'I never imagined it would turn out like this.'
Reflecting on it, every facility I had established in the long underwater tunnel—excluding the guild lodgings—was designed to support people's mental well-being.
The casino? It provided survivors of the apocalypse with a form of dreamlike entertainment in a world that lacked any semblance of leisure.
The café? It gave Awakeners a clear goal amid the chaos of a collapsed civilization: leveling up through depth challenges to become the café's top patron.
The counseling office? Its purpose spoke for itself.
'Step by step, cycle by cycle, I'm making progress.'
This café, in particular, could be seen as the guiding spirit of its time.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
Of course, success didn't come overnight. As a novice counseling director, Ji-soo made her share of mistakes.
"The world is filled with so many emotions and such a wide array of minds."
On days when she counseled high-profile Awakeners like Yo-hwa or Seo-rin, Ji-soo would drag herself up to the Azit café, utterly exhausted.
"President Cheon's psyche... It's too complex. While the Great Witch Dang Seo-rin's mind was fascinating, President Cheon's was terrifying. I can't even comprehend how she maintains her cheerful facade every day."
A counselor wasn't supposed to share their personal impressions with others. But she was still a beginner, so it was understandable.
Curiosity got the better of me.
"Who's more difficult: Sim Ah-ryeon or Cheon Yo-hwa?"
After much groaning, Ji-soo finally let out a sigh. "Their challenges are completely different."
Fair enough. Both of them were candidates for the Corrupted, with multiple world-ending events under their belts. Their mental landscapes would be formidable indeed.
"Excuse me." Then, Ji-soo hesitated, staring into her coffee cup. "I'm sorry for making this request, but... can we do it again today?"
"Of course. Don't worry about it."
I reached out and held Ji-soo's hand. Her face, weary from fatigue, gradually softened into a look of serenity.
To be honest, Ji-soo was using Empathic Resonance on me. Whenever her mind was worn down by counseling sessions, she would come to me for support.
Mental tuning, as I called it.
"I can feel it every time..." Ji-soo murmured. "Your emotions are so tranquil, Undertaker. But unlike Team Leader Yu's neutral presence, yours feels transparent—like a blue hole. A blend of sky, water, and shimmering coral."
"Who would've thought I'd receive compliments for my emotions?"
"I wasn't expecting it either..." she admitted with a faint smile. "One day, I hope to reach a level where I can not only feel others' emotions but also share my own."
"Ah, so you'd combine Phantom Torture and Empathic Resonance?"
"Yes. And when that day comes... I want to make Team Leader Yu feel emotions."
Her crimson eyes sparkled with determination.
"My previous cycle once said that the reason she couldn't feel emotions was simply ignorance. One day, however distant, when I help her experience emotions... She might reevaluate the atrocities of the Misfortune Workshop. Perhaps, even in a different cycle, she could apologize to her adopted children."
I thought Ji-soo's declaration was as clear and pure as the waters she described.
Until that day came, Ji-soo would Awaken at the start of each cycle to face herself from the 703rd cycle. The wounds she endured. The wounds she inflicted. She wouldn't look away but would confine herself to the basement of a certain tunnel.
Like still water.
But if the pool of Ji-soo in the 703rd cycle had stagnated and festered, the waters of subsequent cycles were different.
They were transparent, endlessly so, just like the blue holes she admired.
Hence, Ji-soo named her office not for the stagnant waters of a festering pool but for the still waters that remained calm despite storms beyond their reach and remained present despite droughts that threatened to sap them dry. By continuing to absorb and reflect the emotions of others, she aspired to one day bring abundance even to the driest deserts in the world—to Ji-won, who had never shed a single tear.
"Until that day..."
"Hmm?"
Ji-soo shyly fidgeted with her fingers. "Until that day comes, may I call you godfather?"
"Godfather?"
"Yes. You gave me a new life when I would've died nameless. If Team Leader Yu was my godmother in the past... then I think you're my godfather now."
I see.
To think that my first ever goddaughter would end up paired with Ji-won. Life, even for a regressor, was full of strange twists.
"Alright. I'll be your godfather. And when you meet Ha-yul, make sure to address her as your older sister."
Ji-soo smiled brightly.
"Yes. Please take care of me... Godfather."
Afterword to the epilogue.
"Your Excellency, I heard the news. You've taken over as godfather to Ji-soo, whom I once adopted as my goddaughter in a previous cycle. By this logic, isn't it fair to interpret this as an indirect proposal to me? Your Excellency, this is troublesome. There's no need to express your trust and affection for me in such a manner—I've always understood your feelings. However, I am surprised. To think that Your Excellency harbored such personal emotions for me... I apologize for failing to grasp your heart, Your Excellency. As an unworthy disciple and a mere sociopath, I, Yu Ji-won, humbly ask for your forgiveness."
"Ji-won."
"Yes, Your Excellency?"
"Shut up."
"Okay."
The end.
Footnotes:
[1] Editor's note: "SSS-class [X]" is a common enough reference in webnovels, but likely still a nod to the author's other work, SSS-Class Suicide Hunter. The translation team for this novel also works on that comic here on Reaper, so do check out our work there if you're interested.
-x-X-x-
The Inheritor I
This might seem like an abrupt question, but have you ever written a will?
Probably not a common experience, I'd wager.
The title of "will holder" wasn't particularly hard to obtain, but there was no compelling reason to go out of your way to earn it. For some, it might even feel unnecessarily ominous.
"Year-end is will-updating season."
"Everyone! If there are any parts you need to add or remove, don't procrastinate out of laziness. Please revise them before the year ends!"
But in an apocalypse where foreboding was practically a passive trait, circumstances were slightly different.
"The cost to store a will is only 10,000 won a year!"
It was the end of the year. White snow had piled up in the square like whipped cream on a cake. Sometimes, however, black or crimson snow would fall, changing the type of this metaphorical "cake" entirely. Amid this surreal scene, the chiming of bells resonated.
When someone mentions the ringing of year-end bells, one might immediately think of the Salvation Army. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here.
Those dressed in black uniforms, ringing handbells, were members of the National Road Management Corps' Forbidden Books Department.
"Write your wills! Everyone, write your wills!"
"Sudden deaths, deaths caused by Anomalies, unburied corpses. To prepare for all sorts of deaths, leave behind a will for your loved ones!"
"Please fill out the name, profession, workplace, and residence of the will's recipient as accurately as possible! Every year, the number of wills that are undeliverable due to incorrect information increases!"
Ding-ding-ding-ding.
As if this world didn't already lack an ounce of good fortune, the National Road Management Corps was spreading their own brand of cheer: "Hey everyone! You're all going to die anyway!"
Truly, the pinnacle of festive year-end vibes.
Could anyone really adapt better to this ruined era than the Corps, though? Ordinary people walked past the square, their expressions completely indifferent.
Reflexive defiance of government order had long ago become a staple of Korean culture. Blame the ancestors for that one.
Next to me, Dok-seo lowered her chin. She probably thought she looked serious.
"A will, huh? For a writer like me, such a document is unnecessary. Every literary work I publish serves as my will to the world."
So was she essentially publishing a will every time she discontinued a serialized novel?
Suddenly, I pictured a scene where heirs of a conglomerate gathered to hear a will reading, only for someone to announce, "Sorry, the chairman stopped writing here and left it incomplete." The heirs punishing the chairman to posthumous punishment would be understandable, really.
On SG Net, readers constantly inquired about Dok-seo's parents' well-being in the comments section, forming legions thousands strong. Nevertheless, she remained unbothered. Her nerves were made of steel, a quality worth admiring.
"By the way, did you write a will too, mister? Well, if a regressor dies, that run's a failure, but the people left behind still have to survive, right?"
"Of course."
Would the world reset to the regression point upon my death? Or would it continue and reboot at some later time? This question remained one of the great unsolvable mysteries.
Personally, I leaned toward the latter option.
Why? Even in Go Yuri's unconscious world, the echoes of Heavenly Flame's memories lingered—memories of losing the Undertaker and Ha-yul.
"But I don't write my will as a document."
"Huh? Then what? Do you record it as a video?"
"No. Videos are too easily corrupted by Anomalies. My wills are made using far safer and more advanced methods."
"What kind of method?" Dok-seo, ever the writer, asked in a tone brimming with curiosity.
Thus, I brought her back to the hideout to show her.
"Here. Meet your new acquaintance: Will Executor - Undertaker Unit 05: Dok-seo's Exclusive Model."
Suddenly, Dok-seo was very quiet.
"Hello, Dok-seo. If you're hearing this voice, it means I've died under certain circumstances."
Dok-seo stared at the miniature Undertaker doll, identical to me in every detail except its size. She remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.
"Mister..."
"What?"
"You're a crazy lunatic bastard."
As revealed in the previous story, chaos always followed whenever the Saintess met a sudden death during a run. Ji-won, for example, would take her newfound freedom from worrying about appearances and go berserk, establishing a torture factory.
Naturally, this raised a pertinent question:
Q: If this much turmoil occurs when the Saintess dies, what would happen if I were to die in an accident?
This question served as a litmus test to gauge the protagonist's personality across all regression stories.
A1: Who cares what happens to the world after I die? Let's hurry up and move to the next run.
Sadly, many regressors chose this answer. These individuals had not a shred of conscience despite making the world so reliant on them that it couldn't function without them.
Here's hoping your worldline doesn't fall prey to such regressors.
A2: If I've made others dependent on me, I must take responsibility. Prepare for the worst and devise countermeasures for a hypothetical "world without the regressor."
As someone with the code name Undertaker and who was known for his responsibility and ethics, I naturally chose the latter answer.
The result? The doll I had just shown Dok-seo.
"So basically, since Ha-yul is good at carving dolls, you had a bunch made to look exactly like you and stored your will in them?"
"Oh, come on, Dok-seo. The doll's functionality doesn't stop there. It's a technological marvel, the culmination of Awakened abilities."
"What the hell are you saying?"
Undertaker Unit 05 doll's jaw creaked open.
"Dok-seo, I apologize for always pressuring you to update your serializations. I know Infinite Metagame has sapped your writing motivation."
The lifelike response from Unit 05 caused Dok-seo's face to contort. "This is so creepy!"
"Hmph." I allowed myself a smug smile. "As you can see, the doll has an AI embedded within, modeled after me. Credit goes to Yo-hwa for the programming."
"So... Yo-hwa used NPC Creation to input behavior patterns into the doll?"
"That's right. We scavenged anonymous corpses nearby, harvested their brains, and attached them. While complex behaviors are impossible, they can recite pre-programmed lines with ease."
"Damn..."
"Now, even if I meet an unfortunate end, a substitute will always be by your side, Dok-seo."
"Well, don't act all romantic about it! This is too creepy to even keep— No, hold on. Mister, you called this Unit 05?"
I nodded. "Correct. It's your exclusive model."
"Don't tell me you've made similar dolls for other people?"
Naturally. It was impossible to divide a human Undertaker among everyone. But doll Undertakers could transcend such limitations.
"One for every household!" I bragged. "Meet Unit 01, the Saintess's exclusive model."
"If pretending to be a Constellation becomes too much, let me know anytime. I'll assist you."
"This is Unit 02, assigned to Commander Noh Do-hwa."
"Take a break. You always overwork yourself. Don't forget to stretch for 10 minutes after every 50 minutes of sitting."
"Unit 08 belongs to Seo Gyu. In terms of physical performance, it's the best among all models."
"One more set! You can push harder! Heavyweights won't build your body—drop the weight and switch to a drop set, Seo Gyu! Focus on proper form and breathing!"
"And over there are the exclusive models for Seo-rin, Yo-hwa, Ha-yul, and Ah-ryeon."
"Seriously, what kind of regressor makes dolls for every character like this?" Dok-seo groaned as she surveyed my collection of dolls. "Also, the ones for Ha-yul and Yo-hwa are oddly high-quality..."
"They helped with the manufacturing. Naturally, their models turned out better."
"That's just you being biased..."
Dok-seo removed her cap and scratched her head vigorously.
Legend has it that scalp massages can stimulate one's brain. Perhaps thanks to her overgrown nails, which furrowed trenches into her scalp, Dok-seo's previously fatigued and contempt-filled eyes sparkled with sudden inspiration.
"Mister! Let's run an experiment!"
"Experiment?"
"Yeah! You don't know what the world looks like after your death, which is why you made these substitutes, right?"
"This is not some trivial matter! These dolls are the pinnacle of advanced technology—"
"By directly observing what happens, you could come up with even better countermeasures!"
"..."
Ignoring my silent protest, Dok-seo whispered thus in my ear:
"Let's fake your death, mister."
"..."
-x-X-x-
[Everyone.]
[I'm addressing all members of the Regression Alliance at once.]
[Please remain calm and listen carefully.]
[Mr. Undertaker has disappeared.]
[It's presumed that he is dead.]
I did it.
I pulled the trigger on this grand deception.
-x-X-x-
The Inheritor II
Today, the Undertaker died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know.
The apocalypse at the turn of one century into another begins with the opening lines of a novel that few in this almost bygone era can still understand.[1]
Following the example of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, I initiated the meta of "Do not announce my death."[2] With exception to Dok-seo, the informant, and the Saintness, the recommender, no one knew that my death had been faked.
"I'll be in your care for a while."
"Of course. Please use this bed during your stay."
This meant that I had to vacate the Inunaki Tunnel—where Ha-yul, Ah-ryeon, Ji-soo, and others resided—as soon as possible. The place chosen as my hideout was none other than the Saintess's home: a 1.5-story single-family house built at an angle on a hillside in Dongbingo-dong, Yongsan.
There was, of course, a method to this particular madness. Several of them, in fact.
Would the accomplice hide me? YES
Are there few houses around, meaning fewer potential witnesses? YES
Ever since the "Bright Night" incident devastated the area south of the Han River, 99% of the residents north of the river had also fled. Even the Han River basin was infamously desolate. The population density in this area could rival that of Siberia, known as "home" only to oddballs like the Saintess.
Are very few friends dropping by to hang out, greatly reducing the chances of being discovered? YES
Surprisingly, the Saintess had even fewer friends than Ah-ryeon. While Ah-ryeon at least enjoyed her roommate life of bickering with Dok-seo, the Saintess...
Well, she had none.
She was a lone wolf. A solitary predator. A possessor of adamantium-level human strength— No, let's stop there. It's just getting sadder.
'How can someone not have a single friend?!'
Doubly so since her personality wasn't anywhere close to the shambles that passed for a personality in Do-hwa.
As I listened to the Saintess delve into a detailed explanation of the layout of her house, I suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
"There's plenty of extra water in the rainwater tank, so feel free to use it... Mr. Undertaker? Are you listening?"
"Oh, yes. I am listening, but I've been to your house many times before, so you don't need to explain."
"...Right. No matter the timeline, we've held study sessions here every Wednesday, so from your perspective, this is a place you've visited thousands of times."
The Saintess eyed me as if seeing me with fresh eyes. Though it was just a slight droop of her eyelids of approximately 3 degrees, I had maxed out my Saintess Expression Reading skill. I didn't need Mind Reading to understand her.
"Of course, please refrain from accessing SG Net using your account," she added eventually. "Seo Gyu will notice immediately."
"Tch. This is ridiculous. Millions of readers are waiting for the sequel to my Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Gongsun Zan's Story!"
"They'll wait. Maybe even until the day the world ends."
This was absurd. My masterpiece, which I had maintained at an average of 2,000 views per chapter by using multiple alt-accounts with Seo Gyu's help, was now ranked in the top 3!
Main comments
- Why does this trash keep making it to the best list??
- Seriously, SG Net must be using bots. There's no other explanation.
That day, my isolated life with the Saintess began. With, however, the added twist of hidden cameras of our fellow Awakeners.
"As expected—or perhaps I should say, unsurprisingly—Noh Do-hwa continues to perform her duties without any change despite hearing of your death."
"Really, no reaction at all?"
"Yes. Among your colleagues, she's the only one who hasn't spoken to the memorial doll or shown any indication that she might in the future. Oh, though she did sip Château d'Yquem alone last night."
The Saintess's real-time updates had my chest brimming with a strange emotion, a fluttering in my heart.
'This is more fun than I thought!'
I did feel some guilt over deceiving my colleagues about such a significant matter. But still, within that, like a lotus blooming from muddy water, I felt a faint but unmistakable pleasure.
'Is this the view of the world that the Saintess usually sees?'
Newfound rediscovery of myself:
Humans are said to have three basic desires: sleep, sex, and hunger. If I were to add one more, it would be the desire to sneak glances at others' reactions.
"Who's the greatest risk?"
"Cheon Yo-hwa. The air around her is dangerous. Based solely on my intuition, I predict she'll Fall within the next week."
"Yikes." Isn't that too soon?
"Surprisingly, Dang Seo-rin is holding up well," the Saintess continued. "She's currently meeting with Do-hwa to discuss how to handle your funeral."
"Oh..."
"Lee Ha-yul was also in quite the precarious condition until yesterday, but thanks to Sim Ah-ryeon, she's improved."
"Huh?" Ah-ryeon did that?
"'The guild leader hasn't disappeared. He's just gone ahead and is waiting for us.' If you ignore the missing stuttering, that's how she explained it to Ha-yul."
I gasped.
"'Whether you meet the guild leader again with a dejected face or in good health is up to you, Ha-yul.' Hearing that was what pushed Ha-yul to pull herself together and regain her composure."
Ah-ryeon...! I knew I could count on you, Ah-ryeon! When it comes to tenacity, you're truly the best in the Three Kingdoms! Your Guild Leader is proud of you!
"However."
"However?"
"I'm a bit worried that her words stem from genuine belief. She seems to truly, literally, believe that 'the guild leader isn't dead.' She's completely ignoring anyone who talks about your death. Hmm. It seems she'll refuse to attend the funeral itself."
Well, how can anyone be perfect? Let's just gloss over it.
"As for Yu Ji-won―"
"Ah, you don't need to tell me about her. It's pretty obvious."
"Okay."
I thought up a comprehensive evaluation a week after Undertaker's (fake) death.
'Surprisingly, it's not bad.'
It wasn't terrible.
Sure, some groups of people collectively lost their minds and wrought havoc over the disappearance of one regressor, but overall, it was passable.
'As expected, Do-hwa and Seo-rin are working together to hold the center. Since Busan is running smoothly, the ripple effects on other cities aren't as severe as I thought.'
To pat myself on the back a bit, my eye for talent was spot on.
'Of course, I have to consider that I've been running around putting out fires without being noticed by others...'
Though I was in hiding at the Saintess's home, I continued to roam the desolate areas, stomping out Anomalies. The Saintess would immediately notify me via Telepathy if I were at any risk of encountering other Awakeners. As for ordinary people, I avoided them on my own.
'All the effort I put into building the system is paying off!'
Indeed. The Korean Peninsula was creaking along, but somehow managing to sail smoothly.
"Yo-hwa has started to go berserk."
Except for one place. Sejong City.
"Currently, the Awakeners on the Korean Peninsula are divided into two factions. First, the south. The faction that organized your funeral, Mr. Undertaker."
Entry Number 1: The Funeral Faction
Members: Noh Do-hwa, Dang Seo-rin, Yu Ji-won, Seo Gyu
"Next, the north. Yo-hwa's Sejong City and Ah-ryeon's Pyongyang City are rapidly growing closer. Naturally, they view Mr. Undertaker's funeral as invalid."
Entry Number 2: The Anti-Funeral Faction
Members: Cheon Yo-hwa, Sim Ah-ryeon, Lee Ha-yul, Oh Dok-seo
"Wait, why is Dok-seo involved with...?"
"Hmm. Maybe because the north is a coalition of more mentally unstable people? Considering Dok-seo's preferences... Besides, all of Dok-seo's close friends are in the north. She doesn't have many friends, aside from Ah-ryeon and Ha-yul,."
Why do most of my colleagues struggle with human relationships? I couldn't wrap my brain around it.
In any case, the conflict over my funeral was intensifying. It was worthy of being called the modern-day revival of the Yeongnam and Honam debate.
"And there's a neutral faction. Though it doesn't hold much significance in terms of the power balance."
Final Entry Number 3: The Neutral Faction
Members: Saintess, Sword Marquess, Kim Ji-soo. That's it.
"Actually, if the Saintess were to side with either faction, the balance would shift significantly. The same goes for the old grandpa, Sword Marquess."
"Isn't calling Sword Marquess an old man a bit of a stretch now since he underwent rejuvenation?"
"Just as I shouldn't be called an old man," I acknowledgely sagely. "That's a reasonable point."
"I'll revise my statement. Sword Marquess is younger than you, Mr. Undertaker, so it should be hard for you to call him an old man."
"There's a path we must take, no matter how difficult."
"That path seems nonexistent for me. Perhaps the two of us can't be grouped together as 'we.'"
I was hurt.
"Anyway, I'm not easily swayed."
"Is that so?" I asked hollowly.
"Yes. Ah-ryeon and others are well aware that I am the true identity of many Constellations. If I were to side with the Funeral Faction, the Anti-Funeral Faction wouldn't hesitate to expose the truth about the Constellations."
"Ah."
"Then it would be difficult to prevent the collapse of public order on the Korean Peninsula. Once lost, the trust of the Constellations is impossible to regain. From my perspective, it's better to remain neutral."
My god. Is this how a perfectly balanced game is made?
"Honestly, in terms of fighting force, the Funeral Faction, a coalition of the National Road Management Corps and Samcheon World, is overwhelming..."
"But in terms of cohesion, the Anti-Funeral Faction is far superior. Cheon Yo-hwa, the student council president. Sim Ah-ryeon, the Saintess of the North. Both have absolute support and act like the leaders of a fanatical group."
Not to mention, the Anti-Funeral Faction functioned like the northern frontier lords. They served as the first line of defense against monster waves descending from the north or various Anomalies invading the Korean Peninsula.
'Of course, the role of the National Road Management Corps in stomping out Anomalies within the peninsula is equally important...'
Which faction is more necessary for the Korean Peninsula?
In this battle of legitimacy, neither side was willing to back down.
"Ah-ryeon's influence is especially enormous."
"...To that extent?"
"Yes. Unlike other Awakeners, Ah-ryeon visibly and directly heals the wounded. All Awakeners within the Anti-Funeral Faction's sphere believe they owe their lives to Ah-ryeon."
As for Do-hwa? She was a typical bureaucratic talent. She didn't engage in propaganda. Compared to Ah-ryeon, who made flowers bloom wherever she stepped on the battlefield, she inevitably fell short in terms of "splendor."
"At least Seo-rin enjoys overwhelming recognition and popularity in the Busan area, so she can hold her own. The further you get from Busan, the more Ah-ryeon's reputation dominates."
"The world is truly messed up..."
"Huh?"
"It's nothing."
The signs of division were clear. The problem was the lack of a mediator to resolve the situation.
Just look at Seo-rin and Yo-hwa—their personalities were polar opposites.
Do-hwa was even more extreme. The only members who liked Do-hwa on a personal level were Dok-seo and Ha-yul.
The one who had gathered all these diverse personalities, built connections through regression, and somehow brought them together under the banner of the "Korean Peninsula Awakeners Alliance" was none other than me.
'If Ji-soo becomes more established as a psychological counselor, she might be able to act as a mediator...'
But that was still far off. She lacked experience and know-how. We would need dozens of regression cycles to gather enough data at least.
In the end...
"Yo-hwa has made her move."
Of all times, on Christmas Eve.
Even in the apocalypse, where the meaning of holidays had almost vanished, people's guard was slightly lowered during this time.
"She led elite troops out of the Inunaki Tunnel and launched a surprise attack on Busan. She's secured Sword Marquess."
Yo-hwa...!
In a situation with no mediator, the balance would tip based on who controlled the food supply, and thus, by the very act of securing Sword Marquess, victory was assured. Even in my absence, she had calculated this perfectly...!
On top of that, having Ah-ryeon, Ha-yul, and Dok-seo, all of whom knew the secret passages of the Inunaki Tunnel, on her side made for the perfect setup for a surprise attack...!
Why does your mind work at a cheetah's speed for things like this, Yo-hwa?!
You're already the boldest among us, however unnecessary that distinction is, with how you jump into action once a decision is made...!
This Teacher is sad!
"Oh. Just now, Seo-rin declared war on Baekhwa Girls' High in the name of the Samcheon World guild leader. The declaration of war has been posted on SG Net."
"..."
"The Eastern Holy State, which was allied with Baekhwa Girls' High, immediately declared war on Samcheon World. Samcheon World has issued a mobilization order to all guilds under the Korean Peninsula Awakeners Alliance."
"..."
"The National Road Management Corps, which acted as the sponsor of the Korean Peninsula Awakeners Alliance, naturally declared war on the Eastern Holy State."
"..."
"Oh. Ji-won had prepared a declaration of war in advance for this situation. Should I read it? It's been translated into Korean, Japanese, English, French, and Latin. It's quite a masterpiece."
Breaking News. Here to you live on Christmas Eve, 3 seconds before the collapse of the Korean Peninsula!
Footnotes:
[1] This is in reference to the opening lines of Albert Camus's L'Étranger or The Stranger, a novel which centers around the protagonist finding peace and happiness in the indifference of the universe following his mother's death: "Today, Maman died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know."
[2] Another reference to a quote, this time Admiral Yi's final, dying words: "The battle is at its height. Beat my war drums. Do not announce my death."
-x-X-x-
The Inheritor III
Just as the Southern and Northern factions—the Funeral faction and the Anti-Funeral faction—were about to clash in a decisive battle, the Saintess broke her quiet neutrality and finally made her move. As if she had been waiting for this moment, she sent a telepathic message to all the key members.
Everyone, stop what you're doing. I've come to end this war.
The Saintess's declaration wasn't anywhere near as domineering in tone, of course, but the message was similar in effect. The two factions that had been ready to blow each other's heads off were left with no choice but to lower their fists.
After all, the Saintess was an absolute powerhouse with the abilities of Time Stop, Clairvoyance, and Telepathy. The reason she had remained silent until now was solely to protect the peace of the Korean Peninsula. If she were to join the battle, risking the exposure of the Constellations' true identities, the balance of the battlefield would tip in an instant.
"However, this doesn't mean the conflict is completely resolved. We've only managed to secure an hour-long ceasefire," the Saintess said with an emotionless yet somehow triumphant tone. "Once time is up, the fighting will immediately resume. That is why you need to step in now, Mr. Undertaker."
"Me?"
"I've stopped the conflict for now, so you should use this time to intervene and reveal to the world that you didn't actually die."
"Saintess, are you a demon?"
The Saintess tilted her head, her face as innocent as a child's.
That made it even more terrifying. She genuinely believed that the key players in this pandemonium would accept my suddenly appearing on the battlefield and saying, "Surprise! It was all a hidden camera prank! Teehee☆ Did I scare you?"
Yes, sometimes, the purity of an angel is no different from the cruelty of a demon—
"No, even I'm not that naive," she said, stopping my thoughts in their tracks. "In all likelihood, Mr. Undertaker, you will face the fiercest ire and scorn of your comrades. Should the worst-case scenario come to be, you might even be ex-communicated."
Shouldn't I be more worried about being physically dismembered over basic ex-communication?
"Wait a minute. You know that, and yet you're still urging me to go out there?" I countered, balking. "Why?"
"Hmm."
The Saintess's indifferent gaze swept over my shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Coincidentally, those were the parts that would look nice if they were cleanly severed. A chill ran down my spine.
"Because your relationships and physical health being put at risk is better than innocent lives being lost," she concluded. "You have to give what you can and let go of what you must."
In other words, regardless of what role I played—Undertaker or otherwise—the safety of the Korean Peninsula would always, absolutely take precedence above all else!
Goosebumps slithered across my skin. Could this really be the personality of someone who held the title of Saintess? Perhaps it was this very cold-hearted nature that led her to falling into Corruption faster than anyone else.
"Mr. Undertaker, four minutes have already passed," the Saintess urged. "If you use the passage under the suspension bridge, you'll reach the Inunaki Tunnel quickly. But given that tensions are high, you need to intervene as soon as possible."
"If I go there, I'll die."
"Maybe. But if you don't go, Dang Seo-rin or Cheon Yo-hwa might die."
A groan escaped my lips.
What should I do? What should I do?
'Should I go with the scenario that I was briefly kidnapped by an unknown Outer God and barely managed to escape? Yeah, I can manage that. With my acting skills, I can even deceive the heavens!'
Yes, no matter how you sliced it, it was all the fault of the Anomalies at the end of the day.
Just as I was about to pull out this all-purpose excuse that proved infallible in our bleak, apocalyptic times, something caught my eye. On the Saintess's computer, beneath the table surrounded by fish tanks, there was a decoration that didn't fit the interior at all.
Executor of Wills – Undertaker01: Saintess's Exclusive Model
It was a doll that replicated my appearance and physique down to the very last detail. If you carefully manipulated your Aura to act as a fuel supply, the doll would automatically output my voice in recorded lines.
I stared at the doll, which had been deactivated and was lying there lifelessly, and the moment our eyes met, a bolt of realization struck me.
"That's it!"
"Huh?"
"Saintess! I've found a way to stop the fight between the Funeral faction and the Anti-Funeral faction without getting dismembered!"
The Saintess tilted her head again. "If you're suggesting that you take turns serving everyone for a year, I can only advise you to reconsider Ah-ryeon's personality..."
"That would just be a different kind of hell. I'm not that foolish. Let's go with a more traditional method."
"Traditional?"
I looked her dead in the eye. "Saintess. Have you ever watched Korean dramas?"
In the dark depths of the Inunaki Tunnel where the Funeral faction and the Anti-Funeral faction had set up opposing barricades, a clear voice suddenly rang out.
[Everyone, please listen to me for a moment.]
It was the Saintess's voice. Of course, not everyone was allowed to hear it live—that right was reserved for the members of the Regression Alliance stationed in each faction, such as Do-hwa and Yo-hwa.
Seo-rin was an exception. She wasn't ostracized for not joining the Regression Alliance. She was just transported to the rear after being injured during the battle.
[Don't be alarmed.]
[The Undertaker has been found.]
"What?"
"Huh?"
Confusion echoed back at her from across the battle line, and a commotion broke out in both factions, who had been eagerly waiting for the ceasefire to end.
If it had been anyone else speaking, they would have dismissed it as nonsense, but the trust the Saintess inspired was as valuable as gold-standard medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. After all, it was the Saintess who had guaranteed that the Undertaker had gone missing, which led to this mess in the first place.
Ji-won was the first to regain her composure, according to the Saintess's later testimony.
"I always knew His Excellency was safe. His Excellency is the center of the world, the salt of the earth. If someone like him had passed away, the world would have collapsed immediately. The fact that we're still alive proves his grace."
She received glares from everyone without discrimination between factions.
As a reminder, Ji-won had the Mini-Map ability, so she knew full well that I was alive. Even without any hints from the Saintess or me, she had played along with my act without a single misstep.
At this point, it was starting to get scary.
As the tunnel grew colder, Do-hwa spoke up with a smirk.
"Well, it was a disappearance from the start, not a death. But if he's alive, why hasn't he shown up yet? What kind of nonsense has he been up to...?"
[There's a reason for that.]
"Oh, I'm already looking forward to how heart-wrenching that reason will be. My tear ducts are ready to burst..."
[Everyone, come to my place. Mr. Undertaker is waiting here too.]
A short while later, the members of the Regression Alliance gathered one by one at the Saintess's residence. When they saw me lying on the bed, they each cried out in their own way.
"T-Teacher!"
Yo-hwa, who had the fastest legs, rushed over and grabbed my shoulders.
"A-Are you okay? Teacher?"
"He was found in the Void," the Saintess said.
"He was already unconscious when found. He responds to external stimuli, but he doesn't seem to recognize me. You can think of him as being in a vegetative state."
"A... vegetative state..."
"More accurately, you can think of it as amnesia."
I blinked at the flustered Cheon Yo-hwa and said, "I'm sorry, but who are you? Do you know me?"
Yes, that's right. I pulled out the cliché of amnesia, a time-honored tradition in countless K-dramas. No, in creative works worldwide!
"Hmm, this is strange," Ji-won, who never hesitated to prove she was the top dog in any situation, chimed in. "I thought His Excellency the Undertaker had Complete Memory. But amnesia? Isn't that the exact opposite?"
"Yes, that's why I was surprised too," the Saintess replied. Since we had already coordinated our stories, her response was smooth.
Above all, the Saintess was a professional loner who used Time Stop to practice her lines before she spoke to another human being! There was no risk of anything in her tone or words giving her away!
"Last I saw him, Mr. Undertaker mentioned that he was going on a business trip to track an Outer God. I'm cautiously speculating that this Outer God might have interfered with his Complete Memory."
"This can't be."
"An Outer God powerful enough to erase even His Excellency's ability... Just how strong is it?"
Murmurs filled the air.
I continued to play the fool, pretending not to remember anything. It was truly a performance of a lifetime—especially given the dubious dagger-eyes Do-hwa was shooting my way. I had to put even more effort into my acting.
- Dad.
Ha-yul approached the bed and clung to my legs. Her Aura wavered, giving her voice output a trembling quality.
- Dad... As long as you're alive, that's enough. That's all that matters.
"Th-that's right, Ha-yul." Ah-ryeon crouched by the bedside and patted Ha-yul's back. "As long as the guild leader is safe— Right, it's a huge relief. I-I told you, didn't I? If we believe, the guild leader will definitely return."
Ha-yul sniffled, wiping her tears.
- Yes, you're back, and that's all that matters.
My conscience!
My conscience hurts!
And then, last and maybe least was Dok-seo, staring at me from the back with a hint of some inscrutable emotion playing across her face. Her eyes seemed to say, Mister, do you really have to go this far?
Whenever I thought about just who caused this mess, the urge to beat her up and do so much more overwhelmed me.
If I ever fall for Oh Dok-seo's sweet talk again, I swear I'll quit being a regressor. Seriously.
"Ah, s-so, Teacher," Yo-hwa stuttered. "Are you going to stay like this, not remembering us? Huh? Will you recover in the next cycle?"
"Calm down, everyone," the Saintess said calmly. "Although I didn't anticipate this outcome, Mr. Undertaker always prepared for the possibility of something happening to him."
"Teacher did...?"
"Yes. As you all know, what Mr. Undertaker feared most was his mind being Corrupted. A situation where his perception was distorted."
Everyone nodded in agreement. The people gathered here had heard my warnings to beware of that pink entity dozens, if not hundreds, of times.
"And the amnesia Mr. Undertaker is experiencing is undoubtedly a form of perception distortion. He has prepared for this situation meticulously."
"Ah...!"
"Moreover, the countermeasure is something you're all familiar with."
Under everyone's gaze, the Saintess pointed to a corner of the living room. There, sitting quietly in its display was the Executor of Wills – Undertaker01: Saintess's Exclusive Model.
"The dolls he gave you—they contain memories of each of you. You could think of them as backup external hard drives."
"Th-then?"
"Yes. If you gather all the Executor of Wills dolls in one place and connect them to Mr. Undertaker, his amnesia can be cured."
Exclamations of admiration filled the room.
"As expected of His Excellency the Undertaker. I always wondered why he recorded his will in dolls instead of writing it down. So he thought this far ahead."
Actually, no.
The dolls didn't have any function like that. They were just simple dolls that mimicked my voice.
"I-I really... It's just such a relief. When Teacher suddenly asked me to use NPC Creation on the doll, I-I thought, 'Teacher seems fine, but there must be something wrong with his brain.' But in fact, Teacher had it all planned out!"
Actually, no.
More importantly, being treated like my mental cognizance wasn't all there by Yo-hwa of all people had this teacher starting to doubt our student council president's objectivity.
"Th-that's right. I also thought the guild leader might have a doll fetish... I'm so glad the guild leader isn't just a pervert. Right, Dok-seo?"
"Huh? Oh, um, uh-huh! That's right! Yep, there's no way Mister would give out 1:1 scale dolls of himself to people around him without any thought! He's not a lunatic!"
Dok-seo, I'll deal with you later.
Anyway, my allies quickly made round trips to and back from their quarters with their dolls in tow. The bed was lined with dolls upon dolls that looked exactly like me. Seeing this, Noh Do-hwa muttered, "No matter how you look at it, this looks like a suspicious ritual of the Void..."
"Please restrain yourself, Commander Noh. By the way, only your doll seems to be covered in dust."
"What's so pretty about this creepy doll that I should take care of it? It's even creepier that everyone else has been diligently maintaining their dolls. Sorry, but please stay away from me..."
Whoosh!
A magic circle formed under the bed. The extraordinary light made the comrades instinctively step back.
"Oh! His Excellency's magic is activating!"
"Hmm. There's something scribbled on the magic circle. Team Leader Yu, can you read it...?"
"It's runes. My apologies. I can read Latin or Greek, but runes are beyond me."
Of course she couldn't read them. The runes were just "magic" text I scribbled randomly.
The magic circle that was bright enough to fill the living room with light was actually the manifestation of Aura I had secretly leaked under the blanket.
The Aura mastery I had built up over hundreds of cycles finally proved its full use here. The magic circle moved in three-dimensional geometric patterns, creating an ominous atmosphere― and eventually exploded, converging into my body.
"Ugh?!"
Now was the time for my Academy Award-worthy acting skills to shine.
I clutched my head as if suffering from a severe headache.
"Where am I...?"
"T-Teacher! Are you awake?!"
"Yo-hwa...? What's going on?"
"Teacher!" Yo-hwa hugged me tightly. "Waaah! Teacher, I-I thought you were dead! Y-you disappeared into the Void! They said you were missing! They said you were likely dead, and I...!"
"Ah... I see. I understand what happened." I smiled warmly like a Buddha and patted her head. "You must have had a hard time while I was away. I'm sorry."
"Waaah!"
Following Yo-hwa's example, Ha-yul joined in, flooding my blanket with tears.
I ignored the prickling of my conscience and comforted my comrades. Ah-ryeon watched us with a giggle.
In the distance, Do-hwa was still sending me suspicious glances, but it seemed she couldn't be sure of my crime.
[As expected of Mr. Undertaker.]
The Saintess sent a telepathic message.
[Even from my perspective, knowing the whole story, your acting was flawless.]
[Congratulations. You've achieved your goal and even avoided blame.]
Is that a compliment? I'll take it as one.
Of course, now that I had returned, there was no reason for the Funeral faction and the Anti-Funeral faction to continue their conflict. The Korean Peninsula returned to its newly festive atmosphere as if it had never been engulfed in internal strife.
The only minor side effect was that Yo-hwa and Ha-yul clung to me like sticky rice cakes and wouldn't let go, but it was a perfect ending otherwise.
Happy ending. Happy ending.
There's a short epilogue.
"G-Guild Leader..."
"Oh, Ah-ryeon. What brings you here at this late hour? You must be tired from leading the Eastern Holy State lately, so get some rest."
"Hehe. Yes. I-I'll sleep soon. But before that, I have something to tell you, Guild Leader!"
"Oh? What is it?"
"It's all a lie, isn't it?"
Silence.
"Dear Ah-ryeon... Wh-what are you saying? Our Guild Leader doesn't understand..."
"Oh, th-the story about you being kidnapped by an Outer God, suffering from amnesia, and recovering your memories by gathering the dolls. Um, so, basically everything!"
Silence: Second Gear.
"D-dear Ah-ryeon... H-h-how did you come to think that everything is a lie?"
"Um, well, I didn't feel like you were lying, Guild Leader, but... Dok-seo unnie. She seemed too calm for someone who had just lost the guild leader... Hehe. Even though your acting was perfect, Guild Leader, you couldn't control Dok-seo unnie's expression. That was the flaw, wasn't it?"
Silence: Third Gear.
"So."
"Yes?"
"Dear Ah-ryeon, since you always cherish this Guild Leader so much, you wouldn't spread this story outside, or try to expose it on SG Net for popularity, right? Such a mishap wouldn't happen, would it?"
"Ahhh! O-of course not, Guild Leader! I wouldn't run to Captain Noh or the Great Witch Dang Seo-rin and blabber about a secret that might very well get you killed...!"
Silence: Fourth Gear.
Eye contact.
A bright smile.
Kneeling.
"I'll give you all the knowledge and legacy of a regressor. Please, just spare my life."
"Okay!"
The result of wielding a time-honored cliché was, likewise, a time-honored tale of justice and retribution.
-x-X-x-