Not A Regressor - Chapter 109

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Am Not a Regressor Chapter 109
My Sister and the Queen (4)
After stopping by an Ice Cream Specialty Shop nearby.
Each holding a cone in hand, we made our way back to O-jin’s House.
“Is this Mr. O-jin’s home?”
Isabella licked her strawberry ice cream while glancing around curiously.
A modest dwelling of just under 900 square feet.
It was an ordinary residential home with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a reasonably sized living room and kitchen.
“Strictly speaking, it’s my sister’s house. She bought it for me.”
Well, some of my own money went into it too.
But most of it was purchased with money Ha-eun had saved up and borrowed herself.
“Wait… Ha-eun bought this house for you?”
Isabella’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Don’t tell me you two live together?”
She had already learned through investigation where O-jin’s house was located.
But she hadn’t anticipated that O-jin might not be living there alone.
“Yeah. O-jin and I have always lived together.”
Ha-eun shrugged as if asking why that was even a question.
“Way before he even met you.”
“…”
“What? Do you have a problem with that?”
“Oh, no! Of course not!”
Isabella shook her head vigorously, her expression flustered.
Her platinum blonde hair swayed like the fur of a frightened poodle.
“It’s not that I have a problem.”
As she swept her gaze across the room, she asked with a concerned tone.
“I just thought living together in such a cramped and inconvenient space might be a bit uncomfortable for both of you.”
“Ugh!”
This time, Ha-eun’s shoulders flinched.
“Th-this!”
Ha-eun, who had been about to say something with a deeply furrowed brow, suddenly stopped moving.
The image of the Luxury Residential Complex Apartment that Isabella had prepared as a gift flashed through her mind.
The dazzling exterior that rivaled a five-star hotel came into focus.
“…”
Even if it were the same square footage, it would undoubtedly be far more expensive than her current home—and Isabella had acquired the entire building from the first floor to the penthouse.
The difference in value between the two was almost laughable to compare.
“Hehe. It really is a bit inconvenient, isn’t it?”
“Be quiet!”
Ha-eun bit her lip firmly and took a step backward.
Come to think of it, this house was also a surprise gift she had given to O-jin.
-This is our home now!
Recalling how I had puffed out my chest and boasted before a startled Kwon O-jin back then, my face flushed with heat.
“It’s not inconvenient at all.”
The answer came from Kwon O-jin’s lips.
“…Kwon O-jin?”
“My original home was far narrower than this. I’ve never found it inconvenient since living here.”
“….”
Isabella’s expression stiffened slightly, while Ha-eun’s lips curved into a bright smile.
“Hehe, you hear that? My O-jin said he’s never been inconvenienced at all?”
She pressed herself closer to Kwon O-jin without reason, puffing out her chest proudly.
“Well. But not being inconvenienced doesn’t mean he was comfortable, does it?”
“Ugh.”
“Someone as great as Kwon O-jin deserves a home befitting his stature.”
A thick vein bulged across Ha-eun’s forehead.
“Great, my foot! O-jin is perfectly fine with this house!”
“Hmm. For someone who’s been with Kwon O-jin all this time, you seem to know very little about him.”
“…What do you mean I don’t know?”
“Because Kwon O-jin will become a world-renowned hero.”
Her voice was filled with conviction.
She turned her burning gaze toward Kwon O-jin without a shred of doubt.
“…A world-renowned hero, what nonsense.”
Ha-eun muttered, avoiding Isabella’s gaze.
Now that I think about it, I’ve heard similar words from Vega before.
-This child will become a far greater being than anyone else.
Words difficult to imagine coming from the Kwon O-jin I know and have lived with.
‘How annoying.’
Why does everyone speak as though they understand Kwon O-jin better than I do?
‘There’s no one who knows O-jin better than me.’
I know.
His true self.
The miserable, agonizing memories.
How desperately his legs thrash beneath the surface while a crane gliding across a lake appears so graceful and serene.
Only I know this.
‘O-jin is… not some hero or anything like that.’
Squeeze.
Ha-eun clenched her fists with an anxious expression.
Suppressing the uneasy fear that the Kwon O-jin she knows might drift far away.
“Well… let’s talk about that later.”
Isabella’s eyes gleamed as she surveyed the interior of the house.
“Where is Kwon O-jin’s room? I’d like to see it.”
“Here it is.”
I pointed toward one of the rooms.
“Would it be alright if I took a look inside?”
“There’s nothing particularly worth seeing, but…”
“Hehe. Still, I’d like to take a peek.”
Isabella opened the door to the room I’d indicated, her innocent smile radiant.
“Wow. So this is your room, O-jin…”
Click.
Her words of admiration came to an abrupt halt.
Two beds in one corner of the room.
She rubbed her eyes in disbelief and surveyed the room again.
“W-wait… you two aren’t… sharing the same room, are you?”
“Yeah. What about it?”
Ha-eun tilted her head as if questioning why it was such a big deal.
Isabella turned to Ha-eun with an expression of utter bewilderment.
“B-but there are two rooms, aren’t there? So what’s the other room for?”
“The other room is a storage room. Well, even though it’s called a storage room, it’s mostly empty anyway.”
“…Then why on earth…”
Isabella stared at Ha-eun and me with the dumbfounded expression of a Native American seeing British soldiers for the first time.
“Why? It’s only natural that O-jin and I share the same room.
Of course Ozini and I are supposed to share the same room, right?
”
An expression that asked why I was stating the obvious.
Not a shred of hesitation showed on her face about two grown adults of opposite genders sharing a room.
“….”
Isabella’s face went rigid.
“I… see.”
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
She gnawed at her nails with an anxious expression.
Her eyes, which had been as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, turned cold and sharp.
‘Damn.’
My eyes widened as I watched her from the side.
A premonition of danger shot down my spine.
I hurriedly stepped forward and offered an explanation.
“My sister’s body isn’t in the best condition. I’m sharing the room to help take care of her.”
“Ah.”
A short exclamation escaped Isabella’s lips.
Her gaze shifted to Ha-eun’s right leg.
Though she stood naturally enough that it showed no outward signs, her discerning eyes couldn’t be fooled.
“Hehe. So that was the reason.”
A warm smile bloomed across my lips.
The cold glint in my eyes thawed, returning to their usual warmth.
‘Phew.’
I swept a hand across my chest.
‘This is seriously nerve-wracking.’
It felt like standing beside a time bomb, never knowing when it might detonate.
The tension pressing down on my shoulders was several times worse than when Vega and Ha-eun had their psychological warfare.
“Ah, now that I think about it, it’s almost time for dinner.”
Isabella, who had been surveying the house for a while, clapped her hands together.
“Would it be alright if I borrowed the kitchen?”
“Of course. Though most of the remaining ingredients are for Korean cuisine.”
“That’s fine.”
Isabella rummaged through the refrigerator, retrieved the ingredients, and began cooking with practiced ease.
—Sizzle!
She stir-fried the pork and brought out gochujang to season it.
She sliced vegetables into bite-sized pieces, sprinkled a touch of sugar, and seasoned it all with soy sauce.
“…Is she really Italian?”
Ha-eun nudged my ribs with her elbow while watching Isabella cook.
“Yeah.”
“But how does she know how to make spicy stir-fried pork?”
“…I have no idea.”
Moreover, she was making it far more naturally than Ha-eun ever could.
“I practiced the recipe before coming to meet you, Kwon O-jin.”
“Why go that far….”
“Hehe. I wanted to cook something homemade for you, just like last time.”
Isabella placed the spicy stir-fried pork on the table with a gentle smile.
“Please, try it.”
“Thank you for the meal.”
Seated at the table, Ha-eun and I picked up our chopsticks and placed a piece of meat in our mouths.
“…!”
“This is… insane.”
The smoky aroma burst across my palate, mingling with the spicy kick of gochujang.
The savory and sweet sauce achieved perfect harmony.
‘No exaggeration—this tastes about fifty thousand times better than what my sister makes.’
Ha-eun’s lack of cooking skills played a part, but Isabella’s culinary talent was simply exceptional.
“This… this can’t be real.”
Ha-eun trembled, her chopsticks quivering in her grip as she felt the weight of defeat.
“Does it suit your taste?”
“Yes. It’s delicious.”
I nodded and eagerly devoured the spicy stir-fried pork.
“Hehe. Thank goodness.”
Isabella didn’t touch the spicy stir-fried beef, instead resting her chin on her hand as she watched Kwon O-jin eat with unwavering attention.
Her gaze was tender, as if she were gazing upon a beloved lover.
“….”
Kwon O-jin regarded her with a complicated expression.
‘Is this an act or genuine?’
Despite knowing her true identity.
It was difficult to discern whether the peculiar obsession she displayed toward me was an intricately crafted performance or something sincere.
‘If… it were genuine.’
Then her bizarre fixation on me wasn’t merely the obsession of a predator toward its prey.
Come to think of it.
From a rational perspective, no matter how obscenely wealthy one might be, they wouldn’t bestow gifts worth hundreds of billions on mere prey.
There would be no reason to display such blatant jealousy toward Ha-eun either.
‘If that’s the case.’
Kwon O-jin observed Isabella through narrowed eyes.
If she genuinely harbored goodwill toward me.
‘━I can exploit this.’
The third-ranked executive of the Black Star Society.
The blood-hungry Leech Queen.
I could manipulate her to suit my purposes.
‘Though it will be difficult for now.’
If I could only draw her completely to my side.
It was certain that she would become an invaluable asset in dealing with the Black Star Society going forward.
‘And if that happens, I could naturally prevent the catastrophe two years from now.’
In any case.
There were more than enough reasons to maintain a good relationship with her consistently.
“Well then, I should be going.”
After the meal ended.
Isabella rose from her seat.
“Once the renovation is complete, please use the apartment however you’d like.”
“Thank you.”
I planned to renovate the apartment Isabella had gifted and convert it into a training facility.
“Oh, one more thing—would it be alright to ask a favor?”
“Please, ask away.”
After giving an entire apartment, what request could I possibly refuse?
‘I’d dance breakdancing in my underwear on the street if she asked.’
I’m confident I could nail everything from windmills to aerials.
“Just… could you call me Isabella instead?”
“Pardon?”
“Adding a title makes it feel distant somehow.”
“…Is that really all it takes?”
“Ah. Please speak comfortably with me!”
Isabella’s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed.
“Got it.”
I let out a soft chuckle and nodded.
“Hehe. Thank you.”
A bright smile bloomed across Isabella’s lips.
“You should speak comfortably too, Isabella.”
“Hm. No. I’m more comfortable this way.”
Isabella shook her head lightly.
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
“How long are you staying in South Korea?”
“I’m planning to stay for a while. I have things to do.”
“Things to do?”
“Yes. There are some personal matters I need to investigate.”
In that instant.
A chilling murderous intent flashed across Isabella’s eyes.
‘She has things to investigate.’
My eyes narrowed.
It wasn’t difficult to guess who she intended to investigate.
‘The Owls.’
There was no one else worthy of the Leech Queen’s personal attention.
‘As expected. She didn’t come to South Korea just to meet me.’
I nodded and saw her off.
“Understood. See you next time.”
“If you don’t contact me like last time, I’ll be upset.”
She placed her hand on her waist and feigned an angry expression.
“Haha. I’ll contact you often.”
Isabella turned and walked away.
Watching her receding figure, I curved my lips into a grin.
‘If those bastards learn that the Leech Queen is moving, they’ll fall into chaos.’
In that case.
“Now’s the perfect time to hunt the Owls.”
The method I’d only theorized before—a way to explosively build power in a short span of time.
The moment had come to put that plan into action.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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