Not A Regressor - Chapter 119

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

I Am Not a Regressor Chapter 119
Where the Dragon Sleeps (2)
Press, press.
Soft hands pressed against my bare back.
When I pushed my thumb into the knotted muscles around my shoulders, a tingling pleasure rippled through my entire body.
“Come on, spread your arms wide like I said. I’ll give you a massage.”
“…Is that what you meant by spreading them?”
“Hehe. What, did you think of something naughty?”
Ha-eun laughed mischievously, circling her fingers around my shoulder blades.
“Well, it’d be more abnormal not to think that way in this situation, wouldn’t it?”
“Well, I… if you really insist, I could indulge you… just a little.”
I felt my face flush as I let out an awkward cough.
“Never mind.”
“Why not?”
“That doesn’t suit you, noona.”
Kwon O-jin turned his head away with an indifferent expression.
Ha-eun’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean it doesn’t suit me! Listen, men drool just watching me walk down the street! Even when I went shopping yesterday…”
“Which bastard?”
“Huh?”
“Which bastard was drooling over you?”
Kwon O-jin asked with an unmistakably displeased expression.
A chilling murderous intent filled the room.
“Oh, no, I was just speaking figuratively! I mean, would anyone really drool?”
“Ah, whatever.”
The murderous intent vanished.
“Anyway, you scared me, you bastard.”
Ha-eun turned her head away with a cough, unable to hide the smile playing at her lips.
“In any case. Just lie still and relax.”
Ha-eun resumed the massage.
“But why the sudden massage?”
“Well, it’s just…”
She trailed off and pressed her lips firmly together.
‘Because there’s nothing else I can do for him like this.’
The unspoken words scratched roughly against the roof of my mouth.
“…Just because.”
I’ve received so much from him all this time.
Only ever received.
Things too precious to ever repay.
When I was a thoughtless child, when I first awakened, when I was cursed and trapped in darkness.
And until now.
Looking back on my life, it was always filled with memories of receiving from Kwon O-jin.
‘In comparison.’
What could I possibly give to him?
“….”
In terms of Star rank alone, I still stood higher.
But what meaning did that hold?
Kwon O-jin already possessed power far exceeding what could be called a 6-Star rank.
I might be of some help now, but in just a little time, he would swiftly distance himself to a place my hands could never reach.
‘There’s nothing… at all.’
Money?
Kwon O-jin was already regarded as the Association’s ace and earning substantial wealth.
A house?
Compared to the house Isabella had gifted him, the one I’d prepared was nothing but a crumbling shanty.
I wanted at least to prepare him delicious meals.
Yet I kept failing with my clumsy skills every time.
The only thing I could manage was giving him a massage after his grueling, almost self-torturous training schedule left him exhausted.
But anyone could do that much—it didn’t have to be me.
‘I am….’
A deep shadow fell across Ha-eun’s face.
“Noona?”
“Huh? Yeah?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ahem! Nothing, you brat.”
-Squeeeeeze.
I pressed harder with my thumb.
“Aaaah! S-stop!”
“Hehe. Such a crybaby for a guy.”
“It’s not whining—I seriously feel like I’m dying!!”
“Just accept the touch of these skilled hands, will you.”
“Kugh! Noona, I’m dying!!”
I’m seriously dying!!!
-Squeeze, squeeze.
Ha-eun’s hands worked across my back.
Time passed in a blur—I couldn’t tell if this was a massage or torture.
-Ding dong!
“Huh?”
The doorbell chimed.
“Who could that be?”
Ha-eun tilted her head curiously and opened the front door.
Click.
As the door swung open, I beheld a radiant beauty with lustrous platinum blonde hair.
“Hehe. Hello there~!”
The woman, her smile as gentle as a spring breeze, bowed her head gracefully in greeting.
Isabella Colgrande.
The young lady of one of Europe’s most distinguished families and an Awakened User known as the “Saint of Rome.”
And.
A mysterious woman who harbored an inexplicable fascination with Kwon O-jin.
“…What are you doing here?”
Ha-eun narrowed her eyes, glaring at Isabella.
“Hehe. I have a favor to ask of Kwon O-jin.”
Smile.
Isabella removed her shoes with a bright grin.
She slipped naturally into the house and dashed into the living room before Ha-eun could protest.
“Huh? Hey, hey! Who just barges into someone else’s home like that?!”
“Hmm.”
Isabella’s eyes narrowed as she gazed down at Kwon O-jin lying shirtless in the living room.
Drenched in sweat as though from intense exercise, he was breathing heavily and ragged.
“…What were you doing?”
A chill flickered across Isabella’s gaze.
“Oh, I was just giving him a massage.”
“A massage? He looks like that from a massage?”
“Well… yes. I was doing it pretty intensely.”
Ha-eun scratched her head, averting her eyes.
“Ahem. My apologies for showing you such an unsightly sight.”
I rose to my feet with an awkward expression.
With my shirt off, my well-defined abdominal muscles and chest were fully exposed.
“—Ah.”
Isabella’s pupils dilated.
“O-O-Kwon O-jin, you… your clothes.”
Her shoulders trembled as a blush spread across her face.
“Ah, my apologies.”
“N-No, it’s fine.”
Gulp.
Isabella swallowed dryly, her gaze burning as she surveyed my physique.
As though beholding a delectable delicacy laid before her.
She exhaled roughly through her nose, repeatedly licking her lips.
“What favor did you wish to ask of me?”
“Well… before that.”
Isabella puffed out her cheeks and pouted her lips.
“Didn’t you say earlier that you’d be more comfortable if I spoke casually?”
“Oh.”
I’d completely forgotten about that.
“You’re right. Sorry.”
“Seriously. If you keep this up, I’m going to get upset.”
Kwon O-jin chuckled softly as he watched Isabella, arms crossed, huff and blow out a breath of exasperation.
“Yes, understood, Saint.”
“Ugh! There you go again!”
“Haha. Just kidding.”
I let out a light laugh and shrugged my shoulders.
“So what’s this favor you wanted to ask?”
“Um… Have you heard about Dungeons, Kwon O-jin?”
“Dungeons?”
Dungeons.
They were similar to Gates, but with some key differences.
While Gates, once opened, remained open for a set period or permanently, Dungeons operated under the concept of “clearing.”
In other words.
They were one-time Gates that closed once you defeated the boss inside or met certain conditions.
‘Dungeons, huh.’
I’d never actually entered one myself.
But I’d heard plenty of stories about them.
‘They said high-grade holy relics drop frequently from them.’
I’d heard that the probability of finding high-grade holy relics in Dungeons was far higher than in ordinary Gates.
Moreover, since there were separate clearing rewards, you could gain substantial profit even if you didn’t obtain any holy relics inside.
Of course, with rewards came greater danger—powerful monsters and bewildering traps lurked within Dungeons.
“Why the sudden interest in Dungeons?”
“One was recently discovered near Baekdudsan.”
“…!”
Baekdudsan?
“…Are you certain?”
“Hehe. It’s information our family investigated, so it’s definitely accurate.”
“….”
A Dungeon discovered at Baekdudsan.
‘Is this the location where Lee Shin-hyuk said the holy relic was hidden?’
The question arose naturally in my mind.
‘But I can’t be certain yet.’
The holy relic supposedly hidden at Baekdudsan.
A Dungeon discovered at just the right moment.
It was too much of a coincidence to dismiss as mere chance.
‘But the timeline doesn’t match up.’
At this point, the False Star Sect hadn’t even emerged yet, and Lee Woo-hyuk wasn’t burning with fervor to pursue them.
It didn’t make sense for a hidden holy relic to be discovered already.
‘Unless…’
Kwon O-jin’s gaze darkened with contemplation.
‘Has the future… changed?’
I couldn’t tell.
How could I know if the future had changed when I didn’t even know what the future was supposed to be in the first place?
“Kwon O-jin?”
“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something for a moment.”
“Hehe. You seem quite surprised. Well, Dungeons aren’t discovered that frequently, after all.”
“Do the other people not know about that Dungeon? Is there a group targeting the hidden treasures within it or something?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure about that. For now, you’re the first person to mention the Dungeon, Kwon O-jin.”
Does Isabella not know about the False Star Sect either?
‘No, that’s not it.’
Isabella’s true identity was the third-ranked executive of the Black Star Society.
The being known as the Leech Queen.
If there was some connection between the False Star Sect and the Black Star Society, she might be deliberately hiding it.
‘In the end, I won’t know unless I check directly.’
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue lightly.
“So why did you tell me about the Dungeon in secret?”
“I’d like to formally request a Dungeon exploration from you on behalf of the Colgrand Family.”
“A Dungeon exploration?”
“Yes. I heard that while you’re affiliated with the Association, you also take separate commissions and work like a mercenary.”
“That’s true, but…”
A Dungeon exploration.
‘It’s worth considering.’
I could potentially find the holy relic Lee Shin-hyuk had mentioned inside the Dungeon, and even if I didn’t, the massive rewards from exploring a Dungeon made it well worth the venture.
“The commission fee is roughly this much.”
She slid a check across to me.
‘Holy shit.’
How many zeros were on this thing?
“With this amount, you could hire two… or even three 8-Star Awakened Users?”
I had only just reached 6-Star.
Though I was being called a world-class rookie, a rookie was still just a rookie.
“Hehe. I find you more trustworthy than those who only have high ranks, Kwon O-jin.”
Isabella flashed a knowing smile.
“….”
My eyes narrowed.
‘Does she know about my true power?’
In terms of rank alone, she was merely a 6-Star Awakened User, yet even ordinary 8-Star Awakened Users wouldn’t dare approach her.
‘It would be strange if she didn’t know.’
I recalled the sight of her in Italy.
A powerhouse capable of slaughtering a 9-Star Awakened User with a mere gesture—there was no way she wouldn’t have noticed my true strength.
“Fine. I’ll take the request.”
“Yay! This is the first time I’m forming a party with you, Kwon O-jin!”
“…Huh?”
What?
She was coming along?
“Who said you could just form a party with Kwon O-jin like that?!”
Ha-eun, who had been listening quietly, shot to her feet.
“Don’t go dragging down our Kwon O-jin. Just back out, would you?”
“Oh my, I’m quite confident in my abilities, actually.”
“Hmph. What rank are you anyway? Huh?”
“I’m a 6-Star.”
“6-Star? You think a mere 6-Star like you can form a party with our Kwon O-jin?”
“Isn’t Kwon O-jin also a 6-Star?”
“That’s beside the point!!”
Ha-eun’s brow furrowed.
“Either way, if you’re going, I’m going too.”
“There’s no compensation allocated for Ha-eun.”
“I’ll just split Kwon O-jin’s share.”
As if that’s your decision to make.
“…Both of you, stop fighting.”
I gazed at Ha-eun and Isabella, exhaling a deep sigh.
‘This is driving me insane.’
Ideally, I would have gone alone, but the atmosphere made it impossible to leave either of them behind.
“Fine.”
After a moment of deliberation, I nodded with a short sigh.
“Let’s all go together.”
It felt like I was holding antimatter bombs in both hands instead of flowers.
What could I do?
‘This is just how my life is.’
A masochist.

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