I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 137

“I know it’s been a headache entrusting you with the sales of our products as soon as you joined the team, but thank you for your hard work.”

“What hard work? I told you before, I’m doing it because of the incentives. And it’s fun, too.”

“Is everyone fawning over you?”

“Yeah. I’m supposed to be the one selling the products, but they’re the ones who are more eager to buy.”

“They must be desperate.”

“It looks like the sales will all be finalized by March 7th. 45 Identification Glasses, totaling 200 billion won. 250 packs of Enhancement Potions, totaling 175 billion won. Top-grade Mana Potions, totaling 25 billion won. So, a total settlement of 400 billion won.”

“Wow… Nice, nice.”

“It feels like I’m playing a game. There have been quite a few high-value transactions in the KSA [Korean Special Association, a fictional organization], but nothing like this.”

“It’s probably just this time. It’ll be quiet for a while since we’re out of Identification Glasses and Enhancement Potion materials.”

Shin-hwa licked his lips.

To get Catabella’s blood, the main ingredient for Identification Glasses, he had to go to the Guam dungeon.

But when he inquired with Marina, she said that the WSA [World Superpower Association, a fictional organization] was attacking the dungeon every day.

Their schedule was booked for more than three weeks, so they couldn’t spare any time before then.

‘Did a VVIP [Very Very Important Person] catch wind of it?’

It was a slim chance, but he wondered if they had found the connection between Identification Glasses and Catabella’s blood.

Of course, that didn’t mean they could produce it. Production also required a high level of mana emission.

Besides, the task of rescuing Katra also required going to a specific dungeon, so there were many troublesome aspects.

So, for the time being, he planned to earn money through mana potion sales and stock investments.

He was going to invest all his capabilities in increasing his mana, that is, ranking up. He had clearly decided on his path.

“Shin-hwa.”

“Hmm?”

“There’s something I want to ask you. You don’t have to answer if it’s difficult.”

“I’ll think about it after I hear it.”

“Do you… perhaps like Bo-mi?”

Yoon-byeol’s voice, asking with a flushed face, was trembling.

“Bo-mi is a good business partner, but I don’t have any romantic feelings for her. Of course, Bo-mi is a very attractive person. I’m just not good enough for her.”

“I see.”

“Why?”

“I was just curious. I’ve never seen Bo-mi so passionately follow and be with someone like this before.”

“I think it’s because she’s grateful for the treatment she received in the past. It’s about time she forgot about it, though.”

“Hmm…”

“Did Bo-mi ask you to ask me?”

“No! It’s nothing like that at all. Bo-mi would never do that! I was just a little curious.”

Yoon-byeol waved her hands at Shin-hwa’s question. She was worried that Jin Bo-mi might be misunderstood.

“Haaam… I’m sleepy. Is your condition okay, Noona [term of endearment used by a younger male to address an older female]? I don’t think you slept much in the dungeon.”

“I am tired. Are you going back to sleep now?”

“I have to. I need to return to Korea by tomorrow and prepare for the next schedule right away.”

“……”

In a fleeting moment, Yoon-byeol, who had been thoughtless, gazed intently at Shin-hwa’s face.

It was because past memories flashed through her mind like a panorama.

In particular, what happened in Jeju Island was so impressive that it came to mind as soon as she closed her eyes.

All the aspects Shin-hwa had shown at that time were truly perfect and wonderful, to the point where she developed feelings for him.

“Is there something on my face?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

“I’ll be going. Thank you for your hard work. Let’s continue to do well together in the future. I have high expectations for you, Noona.”

“Okay. I’ll work hard.”

She clasped Shin-hwa’s hand, which he suddenly extended.

It was soft and warm.

At the same time, she felt that her hand, which fit perfectly into Shin-hwa’s big, long hand, was very petite.

“When you return to Korea, try a team play without me. I think I’ll be away for a few days.”

“Was it the Rolana Kingdom? You said you were going there?”

“That’s right. I recently leased several islands for the long term, and the kingdom insisted that I attend their appreciation banquet…”

“I understand. I’ll check the schedule. I’ll ask Ji-hyuk Oppa [term of endearment used by a younger female to address an older male] and So-joon.”

“Then sleep well. Good night?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Go in. Get some rest.”

Yoon-byeol’s eyes, giving an awkward greeting, were full of regret.

But it seemed that her innate personality couldn’t be helped.

In fact, her heart was already pounding just from drinking beer with Shin-hwa alone in one room.

Squeak. Thump.

The guest room door closed.

Thus, their short time alone came to an end. Without anything happening.

“Haa…”

Yoon-byeol sighed deeply and flopped onto the bed.

And after groaning for a while, Yoon-byeol threw self-reproachful words at herself. With plenty of emotion.

“You idiot.”

That’s right.

* * *

After taking a good rest for a day after returning to Korea.

The morning of March 7th dawned.

Looking at the domestic stock market situation that closed yesterday, the stock price of Korim Chemical was steadily rising.

There were times when the upper limit was cut off as profit-taking sales came out, but it drew a steady upward curve.

“It’s still a long way to go to 17,000 won. Let’s wait a little longer and process it in stages.”

A smile naturally appeared.

Looking at the chart of Korim Chemical, which was plastered in red, he felt the anticipation that it was all money.

“Shami!”

-Huh? Why are you calling me? I’m enjoying the sunshine.

There was a plan that I had decided to do today. It was to create an awakening recipe for Shami.

That is, a recipe for animal awakening.

Of course, it didn’t mean that they would have tremendous talent like an Awakener, but rather that their sense of smell or body would be slightly enhanced.

Even that was probabilistic, so there was no guarantee that they would awaken.

Also, if you failed, you couldn’t try again, so it was like a lottery ticket.

‘Shami is a human trapped in a cat’s body due to Leccetro’s curse, so maybe the reaction will be a little different.’

He was secretly expecting a variable.

If Shami gained more useful abilities, she would be able to spend her time less bored.

“I’m thinking of making you a special Churu [a creamy cat treat] today. You have to keep eating it even when I’m not home.”

-What, are you going somewhere again? It was hard to feed myself because you were away for a few days.

“What’s so hard about it? All you have to do is press a button once, and food and water come out as much as you want.”

-That’s also annoying, is what I’m saying.

“Are you just going to starve?”

-Hey! It’s too much to take that word like that!

“Anyway, I’m going to make some Churu, so make sure to eat it while I’m gone. You have to eat it for about two weeks.”

-What kind of Churu is it?

“It’s a Churu that can give you a special ability like a gift, although the probability isn’t high.”

-Is that possible?

“Of course. Anything is possible if it goes through my hands.”

He took out the ingredients from the refrigerator.

It was the Dimensional Water and Rasult Leaves that he had brought from the K-10004 dungeon this time. Both were not easy to obtain.

He took out the Waterdrop Flower from the subspace. The name contains ‘flower,’ but it is a basic type.

A flower that can be made artificially.

It was the first mass-producible flower developed by Awakeners through research.

Of course, the only effect was to induce awakening, which could only be used for animals like now.

So, the market price wasn’t that expensive. Considering the name flower, it was rather cheap.

Pound. Pound.

While pounding the Rasult leaves and trimming the ingredients, Shami was watching me with curiosity next to me.

“Shami.”

-Huh?

“If you return to human form, is there anything you want to do?”

-I just want to walk around in a pretty dress. That’s all I can think about right now.

“If you go back to the Nas Continent?”

-…I’ll definitely look for any survivors among the people I miss. There will be, for sure. Someone who survived Leccetro’s demonic hands!

“Okay. Let’s wait healthily until the day we return.”

In five years, a natural connection will be created between the Nas Continent and Earth.

If Shami spends the next five years without any problems, she will be able to return to the Nas Continent without external force.

Of course, a fierce power struggle will begin between Earth and the Nas Continent from then on.

After a while.

The Churu, which was carefully made according to the awakening recipe and mixed with pre-minced fish ingredients, was completed.

It was a much healthier and tastier Churu than what was commercially available.

“How is it? Is it edible?”

-Wow, it’s so delicious! And every time I eat it, I feel a pleasant energy swirling around my chest!

“It seems to be working for sure.”

The awakening recipe seemed to be reacting well to Shami’s body.

If she continues to eat it steadily for two weeks, the lottery results will be out.

“I’ll put it in the simple refrigerator so you can open it and eat it easily. Make sure to eat it when the time comes, okay?”

-Hmph… Don’t stay away for too long. I’m really bored. There’s nothing to do since Wilson isn’t here either.

“Should I buy you a stuffed animal?”

-Shin-hwa… I’m a person. I’m not a thoughtless cat.

“Or a male cat?”

-No! I hate it!

“Now, eat your Churu quickly. I’ve made plenty, so you can just eat it whenever you feel like it for the time being.”

-Hehet! Hooray! I really like it!

As soon as he finished speaking, Shami buried her nose in the bowl and began to eat the Churu diligently.

I, who was watching Shami’s meal with a satisfied smile, went to Facegram [a fictional social media platform] for a while to pass the time.

An account with only old graduation photos posted a long time ago.

In fact, it was a dead account with only a few acquaintances as followers when I was working as a porter.

But as I started to gain fame, the number of followers increased rapidly.

I didn’t manage it separately, but everyone came looking for me.

As a result, countless personal messages flew in.

From begging for money to confessions of unrequited love from people who used to like me.

All sorts of contacts came.

At first, I read and replied, but from a certain point on, I just organized the messages in bulk.

I left only the phrase ‘Personal messages will be deleted without checking!’ in my profile.

But right then.

‘What is this?’

As always, I was about to delete them all, but the moment I casually scanned the message list, I saw a striking name.

[Nicolas Hagan]

It was undoubtedly Nicolas’s name.

“…Could it be?”

My fingertips, which had never trembled before, trembled slightly.

Did he finally regress?

I immediately checked the message.

It was in English, but there was no problem with the interpretation. I was a master of eight languages in the first place.

‘It’s really Nicolas.’

Before reading the message, the face in the profile picture next to it was too familiar.

Just in case, I pressed and held the photo to go to Nicolas Hagan’s personal profile.

‘100%. Unless there’s a doppelganger, it’s definitely Nicolas.’

The exact same photos as the Nicolas I knew came out one after another.

I immediately returned to the message.

Is he going to start by leaving me a word of thanks for my hard work? Or another offer to join the team?

The moment I started checking the contents with a trembling heart.

“Huh…?”

I couldn’t help but tilt my head at the content of the message, which was going in a completely different direction than I had expected.

[Kang Shin-hwa, I’m a fan!]

The first line of the message he sent.

It was starting with content that was completely different from the chic first greeting I had expected.