The Regressor Wants to Become a Hero

“Ian?”

This is bad. Ian hoped she hadn’t heard, but of course, she had.

Eivia hummed the name as if savoring it.

“Ian~ Ian, huh~.”

Judging by her expression, it seemed like she had heard that name before.

Ian frowned. A curse, one he often muttered during his mercenary days, almost slipped from his lips.

Was this what it felt like to have a closely guarded secret exposed?

He knew not everything in life went as planned, but this felt as if someone was deliberately mocking him.

For a fleeting moment, he resented Bellen. If only she hadn’t been so worried. Of all things, why call his name?

“I see, I see.”

In contrast, Eivia appeared genuinely delighted. She smiled brilliantly, her eyes curving in amusement.

“So, you’re Ian. What a wonderful name. It has a lovely ring to it when spoken. You’ve suddenly become much more attractive to me.”

“I’d prefer it if you’d let go of that interest entirely.”

“Why? Shouldn’t you be happy that someone as beautiful and charming as me has taken an interest? This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Shouldn’t you seize it like a real man?”

“No matter how thirsty I am, I won’t drink poison.”

“What a waste of the name Berger. Couldn’t you just burn away the poison, like Granod Berger?”

Ian sighed, gazing at Eivia, who stood just a few steps away.

“So, you know me.”

“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? I’m a fan of yours.”

“……?”

“It’s because of that old man. Oh, do you not understand me when I say it like that? You humiliated Riorg Ribella, didn’t you?”

What nonsense was this? Ian couldn’t follow Eivia’s train of thought.

He knew who Riorg Ribella was—they had even crossed paths once. But the claim that he had humiliated him was absurd.

Yes, he had inadvertently killed two of Riorg’s disciples, but they were far from being significant figures in the hierarchy.

Unperturbed, Eivia continued.

“Because of that, you have no idea how much I laughed. Every time I see that old man’s twisted expression, I feel so happy. If only you hadn’t stolen my treasure, I would’ve really liked you.”

Crackle!

Ian turned around. Bellen had climbed atop a pile of debris.

She looked visibly exhausted, but her eyes remained sharp. Each step she took caused electricity to surge from her body, crackling into the air.

“Oh, I wanted to chat a little longer.”

Eivia stuck out her tongue slightly, gazing wistfully at Ian, as though trying to etch his face into her memory. It was unsettling.

“Your name, your face—I won’t ever forget them. We’ll meet again soon, whether I come to you or you come to me. It doesn’t matter. Should I give you a kiss? That way, you’ll never forget me either.”

As her mischievous voice trailed off, a bolt of lightning struck her.

BOOM!

Ian was forced back by the residual shockwave.

It was a merciless blow. How was she not exhausted?

Lightning magic was notoriously inefficient, consuming an immense amount of mana for each strike. Given the length of the battle, it wouldn’t have been surprising if her mana had run dry by now.

Yet, she showed no signs of strain, relentlessly hurling bolts of lightning.

Crash! Boom!

The relentless strikes illuminated the surroundings with blinding flashes.

Even though Ian was standing at a distance, he instinctively flinched as stray arcs of electricity leapt toward him, forcing him to step back further.

Moments later, all that remained in the spot was a charred black mark. Since Eivia had been an illusory projection without a physical form, there were no ashes, nor was there any trace of her belongings.

Though it was clear nothing remained, another bolt of lightning struck the spot.

“Are you alright?”

Bellen approached him, concern in her voice. Ian let out a faint chuckle.

“I think I should be asking you that.”

“Who’s worrying about whom here? I’m the one who’s fine, you see…”

Her words trailed off as she staggered, nearly collapsing. Ian quickly reached out, steadying her.

She wore a rare expression of embarrassment, her body trembling as though it had reached its limit.

“Wow, this is embarrassing. Could you let me down gently? I’d like to sit for a moment.”

Ian obliged. As she sat down, Bellen rummaged through her belongings, eventually pulling out something to eat.

She chewed it with a grimace, the contorted expression making it clear that it tasted awful.

As Ian quietly watched her, Bellen handed him a similar pill.

“This will help with recovery. Go ahead and try it.”

Ian hesitated, rolling the pill in his palm. It had no discernible smell, and it seemed to have some sort of coating.

“Just so you know, swallowing it whole won’t work. You need to chew it thoroughly,” she explained further.

Taking her advice, Ian bit into the pill. Instantly, an intense bitterness spread through his mouth, and he struggled to keep his composure.

Turning away so she couldn’t see his reaction, Ian grimaced. If anyone saw his expression, they would undoubtedly mock him.

However, as he continued chewing, he could feel his fatigue gradually melting away.

“It’s… effective,” he admitted.

“Isn’t it? Now then…”

Bellen groaned softly as she stood, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Time to search, right?”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to rest a little longer?”

“The longer we rest, the later we’ll get back. We need to salvage something from this.”

Ian had the laboratory director’s notebook hidden in his possession, but he feigned ignorance, letting her continue.

Whatever its true value might be, Ian wasn’t going to hand it over for free.

He didn’t mind being called calculating. After all, he had gone through all this trouble because of Bellen, and it was because of her that Eivia had learned his name.

Irritated, he kicked a small rock, scowling.

“How are we supposed to clear all this? Even magic wouldn’t be enough to handle it.”

“There’s one more way: return to the main building and search through everything piece by piece. Which option do you prefer? Of course, you’ll be compensated for your efforts, so please, absolutely, help me out.”

“You’ll have to offer me a top-grade potion at the very least. Neither option is going to be easy. And more importantly… if you overheard my conversation with that woman earlier, you’d know this, Bellen: because you called my name, I’m in a rather awkward—no, very awkward—position.”

Bellen tilted her head, puzzled.

“If I hadn’t held her back, wouldn’t you have been the one in trouble? Sure, we dealt with the lab director somehow, but if you’d faced that woman directly, she’d have taken your liver, your heart, and everything else.”

If she was going to frame it that way, Ian had plenty to say. From the start, everything about this mission had strayed far from the initial request.

She had only asked for an escort, yet he’d been forced to guide her, been dragged into this otherworldly mess, and even encountered beings from the Outer World.

As Ian narrowed his eyes, Bellen, sensing the shift in his demeanor, nodded.

“Fine… Alright. In a situation like this, every helping hand counts. If we find anything significant, I’ll make sure you get a share of the results. First and foremost…”

“Are you planning to use Mathis’s research data to create potions?”

“Yes. While they may have failed, I’m confident I can succeed. Their research will help me bypass unnecessary steps. Like I said before, Mathis is a setting sun.”

“……”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Was I supposed to respond?”

Ian frowned, reluctant to indulge in this kind of exchange. But under Bellen’s silent pressure, he finally opened his mouth.

“…Cordelia is the rising sun.”

“Exactly. And as long as I’m around, that’s an unchanging truth.”

“Your confidence is remarkable.”

“Because it’s justified. Without me, Cordelia wouldn’t have been able to surpass Matis. So, since you agreed to cooperate, maybe do something? You should’ve stopped the building from collapsing in the first place.”

Ian pulled the notebook from his coat and held it out to her.

“Check this.”

“…Did the lab director have this?”

“I found it inside the building.”

Bellen took the notebook and flipped it open on the spot. Her murmurs about medicinal properties were hard to follow.

After skimming through the pages for a while, she nodded.

“Is this what you were looking for?”

“Yes. Was there anything else?”

“There was, but it didn’t seem significant, so I left it behind.”

“Where was it? Let’s go.”

“If we go now, there won’t even be ashes left. Everything was burned along with the Outer Gate and the idol.”

“If the data isn’t enough, shall we search the main building further? Who knows, we might find something useful.”

“No, let’s head back. Staying here any longer doesn’t seem worth it.”

Fine, let’s return.

***

Eivia opened her eyes, exhaling deeply as she lay submerged in a bathtub filled with vibrant red rose petals.

“Haaaa…”

Her eyelids felt heavy, a reaction to having projected her consciousness so far away.

If it had only been for a few minutes, it might not have been so taxing, but she had spent days in the other place. It was no surprise she felt this way.

Staring at the ceiling, she slowly retraced her memories.

Yes, she remembered everything. Her sense of self was still intact. Closing her eyes again, she called out a name in a weary voice.

“Ailen.”

“Yes, Lady Eivia.”

“Come in here and massage me, would you?”

Turning her head slightly, Eivia raised her wet right arm from the water, curling her fingers to beckon.

Ailen felt his heart race at the sight.

How could even her smallest gestures be so captivating? She was stunning, her beauty unblemished even without makeup.

“Hurry up.”

“Yes.”

Ailen removed her outer garments and stepped into the bath, placing her hands on Eivia’s legs.

She felt blissful. To her, this was a reward, a privilege. It was likely because they were the same gender that she could even remain this close. If not, such proximity would have been impossible.

“Did you get what you wanted?”

Eivia let out a soft hum. Ailen knew, just from that sound, what her answer would be. Their long time together had allowed her to discern even Eivia’s smallest habits.

“Of course. And without paying any price. Hahaha.”

“Congratulations.”

“But I met someone rather amusing there.”

“…Someone amusing?”

Ailen asked back in a puzzled voice.

“Is it a man?”

“Why? Would you be jealous if it were?”

“Of course not. I just find it unexpected.”

It was rare for Eivia to express a positive impression of someone.

Most of the time, she found people unpleasant, annoying, or downright intolerable.

And jealousy? That wasn’t right either. Ailen’s only wish was for Eivia’s happiness. That was the sole purpose of her existence.

“Remember when I said there was someone who stole my treasure?”

“A mercenary with black hair, red eyes, and a rude way of speaking. I remember.”

Ailen vividly recalled the mercenary’s appearance, which Eivia had shown her. She had already resolved that if they ever crossed paths, she wouldn’t let him go unpunished.

“I ran into him again this time.”

“……”

“Turns out, he’s Ian Berger. Isn’t that surprising? The one who embarrassed that old man also dared to tarnish my pride. And even the Faceless Herald seems to have taken an interest in him.”

“The Herald?”

“Yes, they even pierced the heavens to peer down at him. Next time we meet him, don’t kill him—capture him.”

“Do you plan to offer him as a sacrifice?”

“That seems like the best course of action, doesn’t it? The Herald wouldn’t show interest without reason. Our Herald will undoubtedly find him intriguing as well. Oh, by the way, did anyone from Eclipse come by while I was asleep?”

“Yes, they’re staying in the guest room.”

“I figured it was about time. Good.”

Letting out a breath, Eivia slowly stood up and stepped out of the bath. Water dripped from her bare form, unadorned by even a thread of fabric.

The waiting maids approached silently and began to dry her off with the towels they carried.

“Since we have a guest, I should at least go greet them as the host. Summon them to the parlor—I’ll join them once I’m ready.”

Eivia’s golden eyes gleamed dangerously as she spoke.

———-