The Heroine Stole My Regression

48 – The Eve (1)

Free time had been granted. Today, at least, skipping class was permissible.

A legitimate excuse, provided.

As a mentor, I was meant to take my time, show my mentee around Gaon’s infrastructure, and the school life in general. Volunteer hours were a bonus.

However, I found myself in a quandary. Yoon Chae-ha was, from the start, an exceptional student. It was likely she had already mastered most academic and magical knowledge in Kallos.

In that case, what could Gaon, with its less advanced magical prowess compared to Kallos, offer that would pique her interest?

…No real answer came to mind. Therefore, I thought it best to simply ask her.

“Is there anywhere within Gaon you’ve wanted to go?”

She walked quietly beside me.

“Not really… I don’t know it well.”

Her answer wasn’t far from what I expected.

An attitude of little interest.

Then, I’ll decide.

I nodded. There was one place I thought she might like. And since she didn’t seem to have a strong preference, we’ll go where I choose.

“Then, let’s go out.”

I led her toward the portal terminal.

To leave school grounds, one had to pass through the terminal.

A terminal attendant sat there, and I handed her my badge, launching into my spiel with practiced ease.

“A field trip for the Mentorship Exchange. Experiential learning, you see.”

The attendant compared my face to the badge, scrutinizing them. Apparently, all was in order, administratively speaking. My access was quickly approved.

“The communal portals leading to the Academy won’t open after ten o’clock, so you have to be back before then, okay?”

“Yes, yes.”

As if I needed reminding. What would I even be doing with her until ten?

Yun Chae-ha watched my face from beside me, a hint of wonder in her eyes.

“Let’s go. Just like you wanted.”

Probably right.

*

Emerging from the portal and stepping outside the terminal, a familiar landscape unfolded.

Yeouido.

The streets bustled as always.

And we headed towards an oddly out-of-place building amidst them.

“…Where is this?”

Yun Chae-ha asked me. Standing before us was a massive penthouse. The same place I’d come to test the Shards before. The Vanguisher’s base. I immediately approached the iron gate and reached out. But before I could even touch it, the gate opened automatically.

“Come in.”

“….”

Yun Chae-ha continued to scan her surroundings, pure curiosity radiating from her.

The reason for bringing her here was simple. There was nothing particularly interesting for her in Gaon. But this place was different.

I led her through the garden and into the building. It was unusually quiet today.

“I’m here~”

I announced casually as I entered. But there was no response.

‘Is no one here?’

Not a soul. All the better, perhaps. I slowly began to speak to Yun Chae-ha.

“Gaon, Kallos, they’re much the same. There’s not much to do inside.”

She nodded.

“This place…it’ll be different.”

I stopped in front of the door to the deepest room on the first floor.

The study. The place where the Vanguisher’s mage, Yukal Perman, and Yeongam had stored all the materials they’d gathered over the years. Perhaps it could even rival the finest tomes in the Magic Tower.

And they unlocked the library, granting us leave to gather knowledge. Though for some, it was just inspiration to be found.

I pushed the door open, announcing,

“Feel free to wan— oh.”

There, a man was seated quietly in a single armchair. Hair the color of ash, a robe that pooled on the floor.

A book in his hand. His head unlifted.

As if oblivious to our presence, he turned the page with a soft rustle.

“You were here?”

I’d thought it empty, as he often absented himself. But he was, indeed, present.

He remained still, unmoving even at our intrusion.

I swallowed, continuing in a hushed tone,

“Say, would it be alright to read a little? I’ve become a mentor and there’s nothing to see in Gaon—”

“…”

Then, he rose from his seat. Robe trailing, he approached us.

Not a sound did he make.

And, he halted before Yoon Chaeha. Surprise flickered across her face. Yukal was a renowned mage, after all. Not affiliated with the Magic Tower, yet unmatched by any of its members.

Then, Yukal’s sky-blue eyes glimmered faintly. As if in response, Yoon Chaeha’s orange eyes flared with equal intensity.

And, a brief silence. He slowly closed his eyes.

Yukal then nodded once, turned silently away. Not a word spoken.

Opening his book. He resumed his seat.

I turned to Yoon Chaeha. Her expression still one of astonishment.

“He said it’s alright to go in.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

He was engrossed in his reading, but the permission was implied. He never was one for excessive words.

We stepped into the library, quiet as mice.

The air hung heavy with the scent of old books, the peculiar aroma of forgotten lore. Her eyes were already alight.

“…’Kalos’ Visionary School: A Retrospective?'”

A book penned by the founder of Kalos Academy himself, it seemed. That must be something quite rare.

“‘Necromancy?? Irreversible Entropy and Mana!??'”

She had already entered a world of her own. I watched her as she turned the pages, one by one.

Unlike her usual, icy demeanor, she seemed a completely different person. Calm yet hurried, her fingertips flicked through the pages, utterly focused. I swallowed a chuckle.

‘I did well to bring her.’

I spoke quietly.

“I’m watching. I’ll be back in a bit.”

But she didn’t respond. Elevated now to the art of simultaneously reading two, perhaps three, books at once.

As I emerged from the bookshelf maze, I asked Yucal.

“Yucal, is the Old Man around?”

Without even pausing in his page-turning, he replied tersely.

“He was a moment ago.”

He *was* a moment ago. Meaning he wasn’t now.

Quietly, I left the library, surveying the main house. I walked along, stopping abruptly before a single door. The Old Man’s office.

I hesitated at the door.

Then, I turned the handle and stepped inside.

A silent room.

Heavy bookshelves and neatly arranged documents.

And on the desk, a single document lay.

Silently, I picked it up.

[Operation Plan]

I flipped the cover.

And as I scanned the contents.

A warning bell clanged in my mind.

It was slowly becoming time. One of the reasons I’d come here, after all.

“…”

Silently, I read the document. This was no simple task.

The event I most feared, had to prevent.

The complete annihilation of Vanquisher.

The plan detailed a mine clearing operation, requested by the Association.

The contents were simple. Intelligence indicated that a Mine Sect force was active in an area of Hamgyeong Province. Attack and eliminate their nest.

I checked the participating members.

Everyone was participating, with the exception of the dispatched members.

The date and time… three weeks from now.

I closed my eyes, quietly adding my name to the list of participants. Not physically written, only in my mind.

‘I will stop it.’

No matter what, I will stop it. According to the original flow of the story, this mission ends with the annihilation of the Vanquishers. I had no intention of standing by and watching that ending unfold.

“Phillip, are you there?”

-Hoo?

A white snowy owl silently materialized from the shadows.

I held up the document and said, “This is going to the Association, right?”

Phillip nodded.

This document would soon be in the Association’s hands.

There’s still time.

I set the papers down as they were and leaned back in the chair of inspiration. My head was a mess. Slowly, I glanced down at my waist. An empty space. Ever since the spear broke, I decided on a new weapon, but hadn’t acquired it yet. So, this emptiness was to be expected.

I couldn’t stay like this for long. Multiple options surfaced in my mind.

Durandal.

It’s a holy sword, sure, but it’s in the French museum.

Longinus.

Good, but someone’s already using it.

Gungnir. That one’s a bit… too difficult.

There were many options, but none of them satisfied me.

Then, something perfectly suited to the weapon type I’d recently decided on flashed through my mind.

‘Catastrophe.’

“That’s right, I have that.”

The conditions are a little demanding, but if I can use it, it’ll be great.

It was time to retrieve my weapon.

I turned on the computer of inspiration and quickly started organizing my thoughts in the notepad.

How much time had passed? Looking outside, I saw the sun had already set.

There was more to prepare than I thought, and quite a bit of time had flown by.

After sending the finalized plan to my email, I shut down the computer.

And then I went out and headed toward the study.

Opening the study door with quiet care—

“Aish, really. This arcane school nonsense.”

‘…?’

From within came the sounds of an argument heating up.

“You’re simply being short-sighted.”

Yucal’s voice, firm.

Before him stood Yoon Chaeha, nearly buried beneath mountains of books. Her face flushed, she held a quill in one hand and retorted with fervor, her book still open.

“So you’re saying—it’s an illusion, this primal entropy? Can you even *prove* that?”

“It already *is* proven.”

Yucal countered calmly.

“Arcane magic is magic in its purest form. Elemental magic, sorcery, all of it—merely fragmented streams derived from arcane magic. This form and control you so desperately seek, they too are nothing more than derivatives.”

“No, but… ah….”

The air in the study grew thick with tension.

She exhaled sharply, turning her head. And then, her eyes met mine, and she started, surprised.

I spoke quietly.

“Looks… interesting.”

Yoon Chaeha jumped, turning away. Her face was lightly flushed now.

“What to do, Yucal. I think it’s about time I took her.”

“I don’t mind. It’s this fervent mage that’s the problem.”

“Ha….”

She was clearly agitated by his words. But it wasn’t just her. Yucal too, had the barest hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips. I’d never seen him look like that before.

“Seen enough?”

“…Yeah.”

It was obvious without asking. Mountains of books, marked as ‘read,’ towered beside her.

With a gesture from Yucal, the books rose together into the air. Then, one by one, they flew back to the shelves.

“W-Wait a moment!”

Yoon Chaeha sprung to her feet, snatching up one of the books.

[Memoirs of the Kalo Arcane School]

The same book she’d been looking at earlier.

“I’ll… borrow this, then.”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t interested?”

“…”

“Do as you please.”

Oh ho, even lending out a book now.

“…”

With that, she crept slowly toward the door.

Reaching the doorway, she paused for a beat, and quietly lowered her head.

“Thank you.”

A neat, concise greeting.

And then she was gone.

Seemed she took a liking to this place, in her own way. As she left, Yucal spoke quietly.

“…What’s her aspiration?”

“I don’t know, but I think she will go to magic tower…”

“Is that so.”

-Thud.

“That’s a pity.”

He closed the book he was reading.

His expression held, uncharacteristically, a hint of wistful regret.