The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 214

214. Finale (1)

Kang Junho returned to Suwon and spent three days drinking alone in his room.

Cigarettes and rare liquors, difficult to find these days, were scattered across the floor.

In the middle of the mess, Kang Junho lay sprawled.

He hadn’t slept a wink in three days, and his eyes were swollen and bloodshot.

Despair had truly taken root in Kang Junho’s heart.

The world felt like it was collapsing around him.

He couldn’t believe he had snapped and cursed at his precious brother.

Kang Junho was completely overwhelmed by his emotions.

He was so distraught that he couldn’t even bring himself to sleep.

His heart raced erratically.

But compared to his rapidly beating heart, his voice was soft and sorrowful.

“This is strange.”

Kang Junho thought, still lying down, as he took a deep drag from his cigarette.

This wasn’t right.

Something was definitely wrong.

‘Hyung [older brother or respected male figure] is going to give up everything and go back.’

‘In the end, he’s going to follow that woman back to that gutter.’

‘I have to stop him. I will stop him.’

‘Hyung is thinking wrong right now.’

‘He’s been corrupted by staying by that woman’s side for too long.’

‘That woman is the problem.’

‘Yeah, it can’t be Hyung’s fault.’

‘Eventually, there will be a day when Hyung will be grateful to me.’

Kang Junho recalled the Absolute’s words.

‘Stop that woman…?’

That meant killing her.

To Kang Junho, those words were an instruction to kill that woman.

If he could kill Jin Jaehee and end this story, Kang Junho would gladly give his life a hundred or a thousand times over.

He muttered and pushed himself up to a sitting position.

“I just need to kill her. That will solve everything. That’s it. It’s simple. That woman is no match for me. She can’t be. It was like that last time. It’ll be the same this time too.”

Junho resolved.

For his brother’s safety and future, he would gladly become his brother’s enemy.

* * *

Traveling from Seoul to kill the Giant of Baekdu Mountain was no easy feat.

Even for a Regressor, defeating the Giant, known as the strongest creature in the system, was as difficult as clearing a round alone.

For Jin Jaehee to accomplish that, she needed transcendent power and a great deal of luck.

The reason Jin Jaehee chose such a difficult path was none other than Kang Junho.

To stop Kang Junho, who possessed great power, she needed to become even stronger than him.

She fought non-stop for an entire month.

In the process, Baekdu Mountain was devastated.

The mountain peaks were cut and split, and all the water that formed Heavenly Lake evaporated, leaving only barren land.

All of this was the result of the battle between two powerful beings.

Jin Jaehee’s whole body was covered in blood after killing the Giant. She gasped for breath.

She eventually absorbed the power of the second Giant and made it her own.

With this, she achieved her goal.

The fatigue accumulated from hunting the Giant for the past few months was greater than the fatigue accumulated from playing in the League for the past few years.

It was an incredibly difficult and arduous journey.

Now, all that was left was to return to Kang Si-On.

Her eyes narrowed sharply.

* * *

A month had passed since Junho left.

During that month, there was no contact from Junho.

I also needed some time to myself.

I don’t think I’ve ever worried this much before.

This time, I couldn’t be sure of the decision I made.

I didn’t know if it was the right path or the wrong path.

Perhaps everything was wrong from the start.

Even though my heart was swaying like a small fishing boat in a storm, the situation was being resolved with mathematical precision.

* * *

Mangyeong’s growth rate was steeper than any other force.

Ha Yoonha’s ability to develop the city was innate.

She understood and represented the hearts of the citizens and was respected as a wise leader.

In addition, the Mangyeong assault force, led by Choi Myungjoon and Jung Hyunsoo, didn’t settle for conquering Seoul but went on to conquer northern Gyeonggi Province.

Those commonly referred to as northern barbarians were helplessly trampled by Choi Myungjoon’s merciless advance.

Like this, several heroes who had been raised by Kang Si-On from the beginning of the League became his eyes and hands, making outstanding achievements in various fields.

Currently, Mangyeong is the most stable both in terms of era and nation, and has become a united country like an ancient nation.

The difference between an ancient nation and Mangyeong.

What ancient nations had to complete over hundreds of years, Mangyeong had accomplished in at most 10 years.

In this way, in just a few decades, Mangyeong might grow into a great empire surpassing the past Mongol and Roman empires.

No, the beings observing this ‘League’ were certain that it would.

The origin, Kang Si-On, might be revered as a creator god in the distant future, and his story would be recreated as a myth.

That’s how great what Kang Si-On had achieved was.

Of course, all of that depends on the choice.

That choice is whether Kang Si-On remains in this world.

And the Absolute who watched this series of events thought.

Even with a variable like Jin Jaehee, Kang Si-On will choose to remain in this world.

That is a fact that has been proven in countless universes.

Kang Si-On seeks infinite knowledge.

What is the truth of this world?

Where is this place he belongs to?

Seeking knowledge was the reason he lived.

The only reason the Absolute could be sure was…

Because ‘they’ did.

* * *

I woke up in the late dawn to a chaotic atmosphere, opened the door, and went out.

It was dawn, but the subordinates working at the Blue House were moving busily.

It was clear that someone had arrived.

I could tell even without a report.

I could feel the familiar power covering the area.

Even though she was quite a distance away, I could clearly sense her.

Jin Jaehee had returned to Mangyeong.

There were no high-ranking officials inside the Blue House.

I had no choice but to grab my coat and go outside myself.

At that moment, a boy ran from the opposite side of the hallway and bowed deeply.

He was a young staff member at the Blue House.

The boy stammered and shouted.

“C-Chairman! News that Jin Jaehee is here!”

“I know. Do you know where she is?”

“T-That, well… I-I’m sorry!”

The boy screamed and kept bowing his head.

I put my hand on the boy’s shoulder and said.

“It’s okay. Go do your work.”

“Y-Yes!”

It hadn’t been long since I moved my residence to the Blue House, so the internal system hadn’t been properly established yet.

It was an unfortunate situation that occurred because I moved in a hurry.

But there was no need to make a fuss.

A gust of wind blew through the hallway.

A weak wind, too weak to be called a whirlwind, blew in from the window.

I immediately turned my head and looked at the window, and she was there.

“…….”

Wearing a long coat that reached her ankles, she stood precariously on the windowsill, silhouetted against the moonlight.

Thanks to the wind that rushed into the hallway as the window opened, her black hair and the hem of her black coat fluttered.

Jin Jaehee, who had been on a long expedition, looked exactly as she did when she left.

Jin Jaehee, still perched on the windowsill, looked at me and asked.

“I thought you were sleeping. Did I wake you up?”

Her casual question made me feel disoriented.

Even though it was the first time I had seen her in months, her actions were as natural as if we had parted yesterday.

I was relieved that she seemed safe.

* * *

Kang Si-On had a meal with Jin Jaehee and they shared stories about what had been happening.

Jin Jaehee told him everything that had happened in the past month.

Si-On only nodded or gave short answers to Jaehee’s words.

“After swallowing two Giants, the feeling is definitely different from before. How should I put it? You could say I’m overflowing with power.”

“So, were those two Giants the power you originally wanted to obtain? After regressing?”

“That’s right. But it’s a variable that your brother obtained the power of the Giant so quickly.”

“When were you originally planning to obtain it?”

“When Round 3 ends.”

“That’s quite early.”

“The moment Round 3 ends, no one knows what will happen after that.”

Jin Jaehee finished her meal and put down her fork.

After that, the two exchanged a few more words.

Just a few meaningless words.

They were just making small talk about meeting after a long time.

Si-On was relieved that she seemed to be doing well.

He had been very worried after she left. The lack of contact had been unsettling.

Only when Jin Jaehee returned did a small smile begin to appear on Si-On’s face.

How many minutes had passed?

Si-On finally confided in Jaehee about what had happened with Junho.

This time, Jaehee just listened quietly. Si-On watched her expression.

“So, Junho seems to be in Suwon now. Except for the occasional check-in, I haven’t seen him either.”

Jin Jaehee nodded carefully and said.

“I see. So, staying in this world without going back was what your brother wanted.”

Si-On took a sip of water and watched Jin Jaehee’s expression.

When he told the same story to Junho, he protested.

He said it wasn’t right, and the kid who had never been angry in his life raised his voice.

So, he was curious about how Jin Jaehee would react.

Would she say that he should go back unconditionally like his brother? Or would she say she would think about it?

Whatever it was, Si-On was ready to accept it.

Originally, Jin Jaehee wanted to go back.

That was the reason why she had been with Si-On until now.

The two were not originally known to each other, nor were they family.

They only stuck together to help each other achieve their dreams.

So, perhaps Jin Jaehee was more firm in her intentions than Kang Junho.

Kang Si-On was prepared, and he was waiting for her to say it herself.

But Jin Jaehee’s response was different.

“I don’t care.”

Kang Si-On was surprised by that answer. His eyelids trembled.

“What? What do you mean?”

It was rare for Si-On to stutter.

“Literally. I don’t care.”

“You mean you don’t have to go back?”

“If you want.”

Kang Si-On couldn’t hide his surprise. Jin Jaehee was looking down at the table.

Si-On asked again in a low voice.

“Are you lying?”

“I’m not lying.”

Nevertheless, Jin Jaehee’s answer was firm. And Si-On, who had been with Jin Jaehee for a long time, could tell she wasn’t lying.

Jin Jaehee maintained a silence for a while and then said again.

“I want to go back. Last night, today, and probably tomorrow too, I’ll want to go back. Because that was my dream. But I don’t want to break up with you for that dream. I don’t want to be at odds with you. I definitely want to go back, but it’s also true that I want to be with you. And anyway, I can’t do anything alone. If you choose not to go back, I’ll just follow you.”

Kang Si-On slightly lowered his head, hiding his eyes.

Jin Jaehee’s words continued.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what’s right anymore. I’ve lived my whole life thinking this world is fake, but maybe my dream was fake. So…”

After that, Jin Jaehee paused, swallowing her words. Then she immediately revealed her true feelings.

“I don’t want to break up with you. I’d rather just follow you than have a bad relationship with you. I don’t care anymore.”

(To be continued in the next episode)