The Regressor Wants to Become a Hero

The schedule had been much longer than expected, but the city looked as it always did.

It was still noisy, and the streets were crowded with people.

Passing through them, they arrived in front of the magic shop, Milky Way.

Bellen opened the door with a weary motion. As they stepped inside, a middle-aged man organizing the display case turned around.

“I’m back, Haman.”

“You’re quite late.”

“The schedule got messed up in the middle, so I couldn’t help it. Nothing out of the ordinary, right?”

“No. There were some materials that went out of stock, but I already placed an order with the Magic Tower. As for the customers who came looking for the boss, I arranged for them to return another time. I’ll give you the details later.”

“Alright. We’ll talk in a bit.”

Bellen brushed her bangs aside and spoke to Ian.

“Stay here. I’ll bring your payment.”

Waiting for a moment wasn’t a difficult task.

The man had already returned to the display case. Diligent.

His relationship with Bellen seemed strictly businesslike—just boss and employee, nothing more and nothing less.

He didn’t seem to care what she did outside or why she was late.

Ian quietly observed the man, called Haman, from behind.

“Doesn’t seem like a mage.”

Even under his loose clothing, his broad shoulders suggested he was more of a warrior.

Assuming as much, his gait and the way he held the feather duster were those of a trained swordsman.

Sensing the stare, Haman glanced back briefly, his sharp gaze cutting through.

“Haman, was it?”

Ian couldn’t guess what circumstances had led him to work here, but he was no amateur.

Judging purely by the aura he exuded, he was far superior to Mathis’s janitor they had encountered recently.

Could it be blackmail? While Bellen had a tendency to work people hard, she didn’t seem like a ruthless merchant.

As Ian mulled over various thoughts, Bellen returned.

“What are you staring at so intently?”

“Oh, just observing your employee.”

“Why? Interested?”

“A little.”

“Hmm, so that’s your type? Now I understand why you weren’t swayed by that woman.”

Ian frowned and immediately refuted her.

“What are you talking about? That’s an offensive assumption.”

“Wasn’t it? I thought that’s what you meant.”

“Don’t make normal people sound strange. I was just observing him because he looks like a skilled swordsman.”

“Oh~ How did you figure that out? Impressive. You’re right. Haman was a swordsman. A swordsman who yearns for magic. He works under me in exchange for learning magic.”

It meant he was walking the path of a Magic Swordsman. A rare case.

To delve into both martial arts and magic—each of which demanded lifelong dedication—was essentially abandoning hierarchy.

While many pursued the romantic ideal of becoming a Magic Swordsman, only a few ever reached a level worthy of renown.

Considering that most of those few were heroes, it was clear that even attempting this path with mediocre talent was unwise.

Surely, he knew this. Yet, what could drive him to take on such a grueling path?

Not that it mattered—there was no particular connection between them to warrant Ian’s interference. That would be needless meddling.

“In that case, you could have brought him as your escort.”

Skill and trust—both were evident. There seemed to be no reason to hire someone like him with an expensive elixir.

What Bellen said next was ridiculous.

“Then who would run the shop?”

It was as if resting wasn’t even an option. Ian found himself speechless.

Bellen placed a wooden box on the counter with a loud thud and sat on a cushioned chair in the back, pulling out a pipe.

“This is it?”

There was no answer. Ian didn’t ask again and opened the box.

Inside, resting on soft silk with a texture as smooth as feathers, was a brownish pill.

It was small, about the size of a fingernail, and perfectly round. At first glance, it looked entirely ordinary.

Ian glanced at Bellen skeptically, but she only exhaled a long puff of smoke before speaking.

“That might not look like much, but it’s a genuine elixir. Don’t take it here. Make sure you’re in a secure location when you consume it. And under no circumstances should you chew it—just swallow it whole with water. You can lie down, but if possible, sit cross-legged on a flat surface. Once you feel like something is weighing on your stomach, wait until that sensation fades—that’s when it’s fully digested.”

Ian already knew the basics of taking an elixir. This wasn’t his first time.

Bellen continued speaking while puffing on her pipe.

“I can’t promise when you’ll receive the additional payment, but if there are results, I’ll contact you as soon as possible.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“Alright, see you next time. If you get any byproducts from a monster, bring them by whenever.”

After securing the box, Ian bid Bellen farewell. He wouldn’t be returning for some time.

As he left the magic shop, the overcast sky came into view.

People hurried by, likely anticipating rain.

Holding the box, Ian quickly made his way back to his family’s home.

***

Whoooosh!

As expected, he barely avoided getting drenched by the rain.

Following the butler’s guidance, he took a warm bath and changed into old clothes.

An old blanket lay spread on the floor. He had prepared it intentionally, knowing it would likely be discarded after taking the elixir.

There was nothing else he needed.

Ian had also instructed the butler. If anyone—be it Dior or Verdan—came looking for him, they were to be told he was asleep.

Unless his father summoned him, he wouldn’t be disturbed until at least the next morning.

Click.

He opened the wooden box.

Usually, an elixir would emit a fragrant aroma and radiate with a brilliant hue the moment the box was opened.

But inside lay something resembling a dung beetle’s handiwork.

He carefully picked it up with his fingers and, as Bellen had instructed, swallowed it whole with water. He could feel the foreign object sliding down his throat.

“Phew…”

Soon, a faint warmth began spreading through his entire body, starting from his dantian. The digestion had begun.

There was nothing else to do. All he needed was to stay focused and observe the flow within.

The elixir Bellen had given him was designed to revitalize, purge impurities, and permanently enhance mana recovery.

While it wouldn’t increase his mana itself, improving recovery meant he wouldn’t have to fear exhaustion anymore.

Naturally, this would enhance his endurance in battle as well.

His stomach felt heavy. He had only consumed a single elixir, yet it felt like he’d overeaten. He would have to wait for this sensation to pass.

Sweat began to drip down his face, even though he was just sitting still.

How much time had passed? Though Ian felt he might doze off, his mind remained sharply alert. Yet, he couldn’t think of anything, as if his thoughts had ceased entirely.

Whoooosh.

Listening to the relentless sound of pouring rain, Ian slowly opened his eyes. At last, his stomach felt settled.

In contrast, his body felt sticky with sweat, and an unpleasant odor wafted around him.

His clothes and the blanket he’d lain on couldn’t simply be washed—they reeked.

After washing himself once more and changing into fresh clothes, he called for a servant to clean the room.

Though he wanted to fling the windows wide open, the rain continued outside.

It had been daylight when he consumed the elixir, but now it was the dead of night.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Ian checked his condition. There was no immediate change he could feel. He did feel a bit less tired.

“I guess I feel refreshed… maybe even lighter?”

Then again, that could have simply been because he had just washed off all the sweat.

He raised his arm and partially activated the Sacred Flame Armor.

Flames engulfed his arm from hand to elbow before solidifying into a metallic-looking gauntlet.

“So far, nothing seems too different…”

No, wait. The mana consumption had clearly decreased compared to before.

This was noticeable. It made sense why people went to such lengths to obtain these expensive elixirs.

Stopping his mana usage, he observed how much faster his recovery had become. The improvement was significant.

“Should I try asking for one more?”

Even if he consumed another elixir of the same kind, the effects wouldn’t stack completely. The benefits would diminish. Still, even a fraction of the effect was worth it. He wouldn’t mind continuing to consume them until there were no gains left.

Satisfied with confirming the elixir’s efficacy, Ian lay down.

It had been an exhausting day. Perhaps it was the soft blanket beneath him, but his eyelids felt heavy.

“I’ll rest for now and plan ahead tomorrow.”

With that, his consciousness sank into the depths of sleep.

***

“Master Ian.”

How long had he been asleep? A faint voice calling out to him came from beyond the door.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

The door opened, revealing Lord Allford, the steward of the household. Though well into his later years, he still radiated health.

After exchanging brief morning pleasantries, Ian heard the purpose of the visit.

“A guest from the Great Temple has arrived. They claim to be here on behalf of the Arbiter of Flames. How should I proceed?”

Ah, so they’d finally arrived. It was later than expected.

“I’ll meet them. Let them wait while I get ready.”

Stretching his arms and loosening his body, Ian felt oddly refreshed. Perhaps it was just the first morning after taking the elixir, but his body felt light.

Throwing on appropriate attire, he made his way to the drawing room.

As he opened the door and stepped inside, he spotted a priest seated in one of the chairs.

Noticing Ian, the priest rose slowly and greeted him with courtesy.

“Blessings of the Flame be upon you. It has been a while, Ian Berger. I am Priest Michael.”

“Ah, I thought you looked familiar. You were with the Arbiter back then, weren’t you?”

Ian recalled the priest vividly. It was hard to forget someone who had fainted after accidentally banging his head on the wall while purifying a dark mana stone.

Michael offered a sheepish smile at Ian’s remark.

“If you remember that incident, I’d appreciate it if you could forget it. Honestly, I wish I could crawl into a hole just thinking about it.”

“Anyone in your position would have reacted similarly. Even the knights escorting it displayed comparable behavior during the transport.”

“…Ahem. Thank you for your kind words, but it doesn’t change the fact that I showed you an embarrassing side of myself as a priest serving Lady Rahania. Anyway, here are the documents Lord Eor instructed me to deliver to you. He said you’d understand once you reviewed them.”

Ian tore open the envelope Michael handed him.

Inside was an invoice. The front page was filled with a detailed list of materials used for purifying the mana stone.

As he skimmed through it, Ian couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Do you know what’s written in here?”

“…Yes. I reviewed it and sealed it myself.”

“Then, what’s this ‘Sweet Repose for the Hungry’?”

“That’s….”

Michael’s eyes wavered. It seemed he had hoped Ian wouldn’t notice.

Ian found a few more items with similarly whimsical descriptions among the materials.

“*‘Black Water for the Thirsty,’* ‘A Gift for a Fatigued Tongue’—so, coffee and cake, I assume. Next time, tell them not to write it like this. Just be straightforward. As long as the costs aren’t outrageous, I’ll let it slide.”

“…Thank you.”

It appeared that Eor had a sweet tooth. It might be a good idea to prepare some desserts when visiting him in the future. A small gift could go a long way in earning goodwill.

Even the invoice’s total cost was much lower than Ian had expected.

“How should I make the payment?”

“You can send it to the Great Temple under Lord Eor’s name. Alternatively, you’re welcome to visit in person and settle it directly.”

Nodding, Ian flipped to the next page, and his expression turned serious.

Unlike the invoice, the document on the heavy, dark-hued paper contained details regarding the delegation of the Arbiter’s duties.

———-