Regressor Instruction Manual

Chapter 1316. The Magic Tower (29)

“Damn it... we’ll be fine, right? Carlton?” Big Boy asked.

“I told you we’re fine. It’s the Blue Guild. And it wasn’t just the guild master. Jo Hye-Jin herself swore that she’d protect us. Just relax and get some rest, Big boy,” Carlton answered.

“It’s just... I can’t help feeling uneasy. Because of that bastard Song Soo-Kyung. Every single Blue Guild member who was there saw that the kid had a retainer's brand. How the hell am I supposed to relax knowing that?” Big Boy questioned.

“You idiot. If the Blue Guild had any bad intentions toward the kid, we’d already be dead. They could’ve just cut our throats alongside Song Soo-Kyung’s, right then and there. Why bother bringing us all the way back to the Blue Guild? If they wanted the kid, they would’ve made their move already,” Carlton explained.

“Y-You think so?” Big Boy asked.

“Of course. Damn it, Song Soo-Kyung got you once, and now you’re acting like an overprotective parent. You think psychos like him are common? I’ve seen all kinds of lunatics in my time, but that bastard was the real deal.

"He was a complete maniac. Even the way he died... gave me chills. Besides, the Blue Guild isn’t just some random group. Sure, they’ve declined a bit compared to before, but they’re still the Blue Guild. Jo Hye-Jin’s alive, the guild master’s still around, so they’ll climb back to the top soon enough,” Carlton remarked.

“...”

“So stop clutching the kid like that already, idiot. What, are you hugging a stray cat or something? How long do you plan on keeping him like that? Can’t you see how uncomfortable he looks?” Carlton complained.

“No... it’s not like I’m being overprotective. The damn brat just won’t let go. He’s holding on tight. Even while sleeping, for crying out loud...” Big Boy said.

‘What the hell are you talking about? You’re the one holding me, dumbass.’

While Carlton and Big Boy were bickering, Yoojin chimed in, “Anyway, thanks to all this, I finally get to rest a little. I don’t know about you two, but I really need a break. I just recovered not long ago. Funny how things had turned out. Not long ago, we were scraping by in back alleys, and now, we’re staying in the Blue Guild’s VIP suite.”

“Right?”

“Man, just look at this room. They've just started the reconstruction project, but everything’s already so shiny,” Yoojin added.

‘Shiny? What the hell are you guys talking about? It’s all cheap stuff.’

“As expected from the Blue Guild,” Carlton said.

‘They’ve completely fallen for the Blue Guild.’

The wary suspicion they’d once shown toward Jo Hye-Jin was gone without a trace. Just days ago, they’d eyed her with doubt when she suggested coming to the Blue Guild together. Now, they had completely settled in, sprawled out in comfort.

“Hey, what if we end up getting scouted into the Blue Guild?” Yoojin asked.

Hearing Yoojin spout such nonsense while lazing around made me think that these guys were hopeless.

‘What carefree lives they’re living.’

Even Big Boy, who’d been the most grounded of the bunch, was starting to let his guard down. Sure, there was no real worry that the Blue Guild wouldn’t pull any tricks on them, but watching how quickly these fools were adapting to something good was still absurd.

“I’m hungry. Let’s ask for some food. What we had yesterday was really good,” Yoojin suggested.

“Right? High-class food just tastes different,” Carlton commented.

“Even the little brat was devouring it like crazy... Today, we should ask for hambier meat... I mean, it’ll be hambier meat from the Blue Guild. They’ve got to be different,” Big Boy suggested.

“Ahh, that sounds perfect. Fine rum and hambier,” Carlton said.

At this point, it was only natural for me to suspect that Big Boy simply had a fetish for hambier meat. Clearly, my sincere warning hadn’t gone through. They probably thought I was brainwashed and was rambling nonsense.

“Look at this brat drooling in his sleep. Hehehe. Just hearing the word hambier actually made him react like that,” Big Boy said, pointing it out.

‘Quit tugging on my cheeks, you idiot.’

Even Yoojin and Carlton were tugging at my cheeks, like they were performing some ritual to wake me up. With that kind of treatment, I had no choice but to open my eyes.

“Damn it, Yoojin! You woke the kid up!” Big Boy criticized her.

“Hey, why are you yelling at me? You guys were pulling too!” Yoojin shouted.

“You little—”

Still half-asleep, I couldn’t help but rub my eyes to look drowsy.

‘Damn it. I don’t even know what I’m doing here with these idiots anymore.’

But what could I do? I hadn’t seen Hye-Jin since the first day. Of course, she had to have been busy. The Blue Guild’s situation was a mess, and on top of that, she had to file reports about Heren and Song Soo-Kyung.

She probably hadn’t even gotten a proper night’s sleep. Dragged overnight into this parallel world and forced to serve as Kim Hyun-Sung’s sub guild master, it was only natural that she was drowning in work. But even so...

‘Isn’t she leaving us unattended a little too much?’

It had already been four days since we’d been cooped up in the guest suite. Officially, the Blue Guild was keeping Big Boy’s group here for the Heren incident investigation, but that was just a pretext. The real reason was because of me.

‘Still, shouldn’t she be showing up by now? Don’t tell me she’s still working.’

Just then, while I was worrying about Jo Hye-Jin’s well-being, I heard a knock.

“Ah... guys... someone’s here,” I pointed out.

At the same time, Big Boy turned toward the door. And then...

“...”

I saw Jo Hye-Jin with bags under her eyes.

“...”

“...”

She looked just like the first time we met here. She looked as if she were cursing with her eyes. I had been grumbling and complaining only moments ago, but the instant I saw her face, all of my complaints vanished.

“...”

Looking at Jo Hye-Jin’s haggard face, I realized something new.

“...”

Kim Mi-Young, Sun Hee-Young, and none of the capable team members were here. That fact was extremely terrifying. Big Boy, Carlton, and Yoojin went silent, stealing glances at her.

Then, as if suddenly waking herself up, Jo Hye-Jin finally said, “I apologize. I should’ve come to see you in person earlier.”

“No... it’s fine...” Carlton said.

“First... let’s start by having a meal together...” Jo Hye-Jin suggested.

“Ahh, yes. That would be good,” he said.

“First, I want to let you know that the Blue Guild has confirmed that you were not involved in the Heren incident,” Jo Hye-Jin revealed.

“Whew... that’s a relief,” Big Boy said.

“Of course, it’s not that you had absolutely no connection at all,” Jo Hye-Jin added.

“Excuse me? What do you mean?” Carlton asked.

“Were you aware that the stolen goods you transported were full of chimera parts?” Jo Hye-Jin asked.

“Wh-What?” Big Boy questioned.

“The items you moved on the black market were materials for chimera synthesis. And not just yours... all the stolen goods you brought in for Heren at the time...” Jo Hye-Jin paused.

“W-We didn’t know,” Big Boy stuttered.

“No need to make excuses. The Blue Guild has already confirmed that you were not directly involved. Of course, technically, charges could’ve been pressed, but since you played a major role in the defense of Heren, we intend to grant you a kind of immunity,” Jo Hye-Jin explained.

“R-Really?” Big Boy asked.

‘We were this close to getting our heads chopped off.’

“This has been agreed upon among the top-ranking adventurers in Lindel, including the leaders of the three major guilds, so you can rest assured,” Jo Hye-Jin added.

“...”

“...”

“Honestly, there were people insisting you should be punished... but even so, your contributions cannot be ignored,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“But is that really possible? I mean.. How...”

“I won’t deny that our guild intervened on your behalf,” Jo Hye-Jin revealed.

Naturally, they couldn’t help but look at Jo Hye-Jin with suspicion. Under normal circumstances, whether intentionally or not, if someone had unknowingly caused an incident of such a massive scale, the standard rule would have been to just chop off their heads.

They hadn’t transported the stolen goods legally, and Heren exploded as a result of their actions, even though they had done it unknowingly. Losing their heads right then and there wouldn’t have been surprising.

From Big Boy’s perspective, it wasn’t exactly something that could be considered lucky. It wasn’t unreasonable for him to think there could be some hidden motive.

“There is a condition, though,” Jo Hye-Jin revealed.

“...”

“...”

And naturally, anyone would assume that the condition had something to do with the little brat in front of them. Instantly, hostility flashed across Big Boy, Carlton, and Yoojin’s faces.

They looked like they would attack Jo Hye-Jin, even though they knew they weren't supposed to do that.

‘Put down the knife, Big Boy.’

Jo Hye-Jin quickly said, “I can guess what you’re thinking, and you are correct. But I should tell you beforehand that it’s not quite in the direction you’re imagining.”

“What do you mean?” Carlton asked.

“The Blue Guild would like to invest in you,” Jo Hye-Jin answered.

“...”

“To be exact... we’d like to invest in the little mage in front of us,” Jo Hye-Jin clarified.

“...”

“We’ll find a way to erase that retainer brand. We’ll even get you a proper mage... and we’ll help ensure everything is done with all of you involved,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

For a moment, silence hung in the air. Even the simple-minded Big Boy knew Jo Hye-Jin's intentions. In other words, it was no different from saying that she wanted to recruit me into the Blue Guild. If I were a normal kid born in a rural village, there would be banners hanging up and a party celebrating my greatness.

Unfortunately, I had a complicated past. A retainer brand was etched clearly on me, which meant there was no one I could fully trust.

Of course, Big Boy seemed to be thinking that my thoughts mattered most... but after experiencing the Song Soo-Kyung incident firsthand a few days ago, he couldn’t treat this news as purely good.

“I seem to have caused a misunderstanding,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“Huh?”

“This doesn’t mean that the Blue Guild wants to recruit the little mage,” Jo Hye-Jin clarified.

“Then...”

“It literally means we want to invest. To be exact, the word sponsor might be a better fit,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“...”

“As you know, Lindel’s current magical forces have been severely weakened. If I were to say that the continent, not just the Blue Guild, needs talented mages, would you understand what I'm saying?” Jo Hye-Jin asked.

“I do understand, but... why go to such lengths...?” Big Boy asked.

‘Why? Hye-Jin and I probably coordinated this.’

“It’s exactly like I said. We simply want to cultivate talented mages. For the present, and for the future, Lindel, no, the continent, cannot ignore gifted individuals. Especially if they might be a genius, or perhaps a second Jung Ha-Yan. It’s natural for us to make this kind of offer,” she explained.

“A second... Jung Ha-Yan?” Big Boy asked.

‘Hye-Jin’s talking has improved.’

“O-Our brat... a second Jung Ha-Yan...?” Big Boy questioned.

“I’m not a mage, so it’s hard to say with certainty,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“...”

“The magic he learned by observing over the shoulder played a central role in the Heren defense, so calling him a genius is no exaggeration. And at his young age... no, let me be clear. He is a genius,” Jo Hye-Jin added.

Even Big Boy was nodding.

‘Me? A genius?’

Except for myself, the whole world knew I was a genius.

“Th-Then... what exactly would this sponsorship look like?” Yoojin asked.

“Yoojin! What the hell are you saying?! We haven’t even decided yet!” Big Boy shouted.

“Shut up, Big Boy! This is all for the kid’s sake,” Yoojin said to him.

“What? Are you out of your damn mind? Did you already forget what that lunatic did to us just days ago?” Big Boy asked.

“So what, you plan on raising him yourself forever?! You idiot. You think chances like this come around twice?” Yoojin argued.

“Carlton, what about you? Say something—”

“No, I think Yoojin is right, for once. I’m sorry, Miss Jo Hye-Jin,” Carlton said, interrupting Big Boy.

“It’s fine,” Jo Hye-Jin said.

“Then... could you tell us what kind of support you could provide?” Carlton asked.

“First... I think it would be best for him to begin as an apprentice at the Magic Tower,” Jo Hye-Jin answered.

Jo Hye-Jin looked at me and nodded.

Big Boy was still hesitating, of course.

Sneaking a glance at me, he muttered, “The Magic Tower...”

“...”

“Apprentice... mage.”

What truly shone in the genius brat’s eyes was a pure longing for the unknown and an insatiable thirst for magic.

“Th-The Magic Tower.”