Not A Regressor - Chapter 390

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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 390
Fate-Reversing Star (3)
“So….”
A biting chill permeated the living room.
Within an atmosphere so cold it seemed ready to freeze at any moment, blazing flames surged toward me.
“You were in the middle of training to deploy the Sacred Domain?”
“Yes, that’s right, Elder Sister.”
Before those two eyes burning like wildfire, I bowed my head obediently.
The scorching gaze I felt against my skin sent a chill down my spine.
Was it when I faced Deimos in the Demon Realm before? I’d once witnessed that nonsensical technique called ‘cold flames’—but I never expected Ha-eun could wield such a technique as well.
“You expect me to believe that now?”
What Ha-eun saw upon entering the living room was me sandwiched between two sisters, blood pouring from my nose.
Yeah, no matter how you looked at it….
“That… what do you call it? Sister… fried rice?”
Why fried rice all of a sudden.
“Ugh, I forgot what it’s called. Anyway, it looks like you’re getting a nosebleed from doing that!”
“No.”
Yeah.
I’ll admit the situation did look rather compromising.
But the reason I was sandwiched between Cassia and Isabella, the two sisters, was purely to facilitate the transfer of stigma power more smoothly.
Since stigma power fundamentally emanates from the ‘stigma’ itself, it’s only natural that power can be exchanged more easily when in contact with the body part where the stigma is inscribed.
‘The problem is that the stigma just happens to be inscribed above my left chest.’
It’s not like I chose to have it inscribed there, and all awakeners universally have it inscribed above their left chest—what was I supposed to do about that?
“I’m telling you, it was unavoidable because of the Sacred Domain training.”
Given my extensive track record of past incidents, I wanted to just apologize and move on for most things, but this felt particularly unfair.
‘If I don’t clear up this misunderstanding now, it’ll become a hassle during Sacred Domain training later.’
Though crude as a method, forcibly breaking the Sacred Domain by channeling another awakener’s power into it, then expanding it more solidly and broadly during the reconstruction process proved quite effective for training.
Of course, since it wasn’t a normal training method, the pain was severe and I couldn’t predict what aftereffects might occur, but this wasn’t a situation where I could afford to worry about such things.
“…Really?”
“Have you ever seen me lie?”
“Yeah, tons of times.”
Oops.
“Ahem! This time it’s really not a lie. I was just in close contact to make it easier to channel the power.”
“Hmm.”
“You know that bodies need to be in close contact for power to transfer more easily, right?”
“That’s true, but…”
Ha-eun nodded her head while still unable to erase the suspicious glint from her eyes.
Sensing this wouldn’t work, I turned toward Cassia, who was sitting quietly on the living room sofa, and sought her help.
“Isn’t that right, Cassia?”
“…Ugh.”
“Huh?”
Cassia, who had been sitting on the sofa, suddenly wiped away tears and turned her head.
‘No.’
Why would she start crying at a time like this?
“I refused at first… but Kwon O-jin said it was an order and forced me….”
“No, no, no. Wait a moment, miss.”
How am I supposed to respond to that?
“He said our chests were touching… and then he said he actually liked it….”
“Excuse me?”
This is putting me in a very difficult position.
“I’m sorry… I knew that Ha-eun was Kwon O-jin’s lover…!”
Cassia finally burst into tears, shaking her head.
“….”
Ha-eun, who had been watching Cassia with narrowed eyes, soon let out a deep sigh and shook her head slowly.
“So you really did train.”
“Oh, you caught on?”
“No matter how much of a rut-crazed beast O-jin is, he’s not trash who’d force himself on someone.”
“You have deep trust in him.”
“Do you know how long I’ve been with O-jin? One or two years?”
Is that really what deep trust looks like?
“Anyway. Now that you’re home, explain yourself. Why is Cassia here?”
“That’s….”
“I’ll explain.”
Leaving Cassia, whose expression had stiffened, behind, Kwon O-jin slowly recounted everything that had happened between them to Ha-eun.
From Isabella being kidnapped by the Black Star Constellation to Cassia deceiving Kwon O-jin to lure him in order to save her sister.
Though he spoke in Cassia’s defense as much as possible, he didn’t hide what had actually happened.
That wasn’t what Cassia wanted either.
“So… you deceived O-jin and dragged him straight to the Black Star Constellation?”
After hearing the entire story, Ha-eun glared at Cassia with fierce eyes.
Flinch.
Cassia trembled and lowered her eyes like a criminal.
“I won’t make excuses. My thinking was shallow.”
“…Is that so?”
A heavy silence descended like a curtain.
A silence so profound that the ticking of the clock’s second hand sounded like thunder.
Like a prisoner awaiting a judge’s verdict, Cassia clenched her fists and swallowed hard.
After what felt like hours but was only minutes passed.
Ha-eun, who had been lost in thought with her eyes closed, slowly opened them.
“Haven’t you eaten yet?”
“…Yes?”
At the completely unexpected remark, Cassia’s eyes widened in surprise, as did Kwon O-jin’s and Isabella’s.
“Then let’s eat first.”
Ha-eun turned toward the kitchen.
“W-wait, Elder Sister!”
“Ha-eun!”
Kwon O-jin and Isabella urgently grabbed Ha-eun by both arms.
“Huh? What? Why all of a sudden?”
“Cassia made an unavoidable choice to save Isabella!”
“No matter how much you deceived Kwon O-jin, this is too harsh a punishment!”
“What did I do?”
Kwon O-jin bit his lip and shouted at Ha-eun.
“You’re going to force-feed Cassia your own cooking as torture!”
“No, damn it. That’s not it, you fool!”
“Don’t lie! Then why are you suddenly going to the kitchen?!”
“There’s leftover chicken I ordered yesterday, so I’m going to get it! And why would feeding someone my cooking be torture!”
“Oh.”
Only then did Kwon O-jin release Ha-eun’s arm, exhaling a relieved sigh.
“Phew. I thought Elder Sister was trying to eliminate someone.”
“No matter what mistakes you’ve made, that would be too much.”
“Why are you all blaming me!”
Watching Ha-eun cry out indignantly, Kwon O-jin let out a soft chuckle.
“Thank you, Elder Sister.”
I couldn’t understand why Ha-eun suddenly suggested eating together.
But at least it was clear she had no intention of casting Cassia out.
‘You wouldn’t ask someone you’re going to cast out to eat together.’
In any case.
The suggestion to eat was Ha-eun’s way of showing her heart.
“Th-thank you.”
Cassia bowed her head toward Ha-eun with a trembling voice.
Though she appeared composed on the surface, she must have been worried inside as well.
If Ha-eun had refused for Kwon O-jin to be with Cassia, he likely would have followed her wishes.
“Don’t misunderstand—I haven’t forgiven you.”
“….”
“But.”
If Cassia had truly been willing to stake her own life to save Isabella.
“I thought it wouldn’t hurt to give you a chance.”
“…I see.”
“The more people there are to protect Kwon O-jin, the better.”
It was true that Cassia had put Kwon O-jin in danger.
But it was equally true that she had risked her own life to protect him and Isabella.
“So if you continue to help Kwon O-jin in the future… well, I suppose it doesn’t matter if you stay with us.”
“Of, of course!”
Cassia’s eyes sparkled like someone who had found a lifeline, and she nodded urgently.
“I am Kwon O-jin’s servant! From now on, I will dedicate my life to protecting him!”
“Mm-hmm. Yes, I understand… Wait? What did you just say?”
“That I will dedicate my life to protecting Kwon O-jin….”
“No, before that.”
Ha-eun looked at Cassia with eyes full of suspicion, wondering if she had misheard.
“…Servant?”
“Ah, yes! I am Kwon O-jin’s loyal slave, you see?”
“….”
Whoooosh!
Flames erupted with savage intensity.
Scorching heat filled the entire living room.
“What did you just say? What? A misunderstanding?”
“….”
Damn it.

* * *
The meal that followed was surprisingly harmonious, contrary to expectations.
“My, so this is what they call chicken?”
“You’ve never had it before, Elder Sister?”
“I’ve eaten fried poultry many times, but this tastes completely different from anything I’ve had before…”
Cassia ate the chicken warmed in the air fryer while letting out continuous exclamations of delight.
The crispy coating and the brined chicken leg meat created a harmonious blend, bursting with juices in her mouth.
Watching Cassia devour the chicken, Ha-eun clicked her tongue regretfully.
“Ah, I should have ordered fresh chicken instead.”
“Is the taste really that different from eating it right away?”
“It makes a huge difference. You’d swear it’s a completely different dish.”
“Oh, now I’m really looking forward to it!”
A lively and harmonious meal.
With eloquence befitting Isabella’s elder sister, Cassia naturally continued her conversation with Ha-eun.
Isabella also set aside her verbal sparring with Cassia and created a warm atmosphere.
Everyone was enjoying a harmonious meal… or rather, to be precise, everyone except one person was enjoying it.
“…I know how to eat chicken too.”
“You just sit there quietly and gnaw on bones.”
“….”
This is too much.
“Sigh.”
Kwon O-jin gazed down at the pile of chicken bones stacked on his plate and let out a deep sigh.
While I had virtually no desire for food, watching others enthusiastically tear into chicken while I sat alone staring at a bowl piled with bones was a peculiarly fresh form of misery.
‘I didn’t ask anyone to become a slave.’
What could I do when someone willingly chose servitude of their own accord?
Overwhelmed by indignation, I picked up a chicken bone from the bowl and crunched it loudly.
‘Well… at least we avoided the worst-case scenario.’
In truth, if Ha-eun had vehemently rejected Cassia, the situation would have become quite troublesome.
In terms of raw power alone, Cassia was formidable enough to easily crush most of the Seven Stars.
Even I myself had no confidence in defeating Cassia in combat without using the Heavenly Chasm.
No.
Not merely for that reason alone.
“It feels like it’s been a long time since we’ve all gathered like this for a meal.”
“Really? Well, you were planning to stay here anyway, weren’t you?”
“…Only if Ha-eun permits it.”
“Well, thanks to someone’s renovation work, we have plenty of spare rooms.”
“Then… then…!”
“When our schedules align, let’s gather like this.”
“Ah… yes! Let’s do that!”
Watching Cassia nod enthusiastically with a radiant smile, my own lips curved upward unbidden.
That bright smile gracing her lips now was far more beautiful to behold than the forced smile that had been etched with loneliness and solitude.
“Oh, right. I forgot to mention something.”
As the meal drew to a close, Ha-eun turned to me as if remembering something.
“Vega said to come by the Star Palace when you have time.”
“Well, that’s not difficult… Wasn’t Vega’s constraint from the Divine Law supposed to be lifted soon anyway?”
Once the Divine Law’s constraint was lifted and she could manifest in her incarnate form, there would be no need to visit the Star Palace just to meet Vega.
“To be precise, it’s not Vega—it’s another Constellation who’s looking for you.”
“Another Constellation is looking for me? Who?”
“Um… wait. Who was it again?”
Ha-eun narrowed her eyes in thought, then snapped her fingers.
“Ah, that’s right. Polaris. The name was Polaris.”
“…What?”
The Constellation of Ursa Minor, Polaris.
The first and greatest of all Constellations.
The entity standing at the pinnacle among the North Stars, called the most brilliantly shining star.
“Why would they be looking for me…?”
I furrowed my brow in bewilderment.

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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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