Infinite Regressor, Chapter 459 - I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell

From that day onward, strange things began happening to the Undertaker. "Um, Guild Master." "Yes?" "Could you...brush my hair, please?" For instance, this was a scene from an ordinary day. Whenever he took a brief rest on the sofa at the guild's hideout, a green-haired figure would scurry over and plop herself down onto his lap. "Alright, then." "Hehehe..." The Undertaker was a master of aura manipulation. Even though Sim Ah-ryeon seemed to defy all modern standards of hygiene on her own, he skillfully wielded his aura to serve as a complete haircare solution—shampoo, conditioner, hairdryer, and scalp massage included. It was no wonder Sim Ah-ryeon would dash towards him like a hamster the moment she saw him. How could she resist when simply sitting on his lap meant having her hair styled perfectly? Just like that? If other awakened ones knew that the aura they bled and trained for was being used as a mere substitute for shampoo, many would probably faint. But Sim Ah-ryeon couldn't care less. Therefore, she had to pay a price. What price, you ask? The stern yet undeniable truth: if she disregarded others, others would disregard her in return. [Time Stop]. "...Hmm." "......" Sim Ah-ryeon, frozen in place with a silly grin plastered on her face, became an unmoving statue, whilst a light breathing sound drifted around them. Quite some time had passed. The Saintess had approached unnoticed and was now sharing a kiss with the Undertaker. "Um, Saintess." "Yes." The Saintess smiled bashfully. "Good morning... Mr. Undertaker." Not long ago... The two had agreed not to disclose their budding relationship to anyone. This decision was largely due to the Saintess's fervent insistence. -If the Regression Alliance or any associates suddenly learn about our relationship, it might shock them. -Most importantly, love... it doesn't have to be so extravagant or public. We don't need to spread rumors about it. If the Saintess claimed she could build the Eiffel Tower with beans, the Undertaker would believe her. He nodded in agreement without a second thought. '...But I never imagined our secret romance would unfold this way.' It happened not only when he was with Sim Ah-ryeon. In conversations along the corridor with Yu Ji-won, during private meetings with Noh Do-hwa, in street chats with Cheon Yo-hwa—regardless of time or place—[Time Stop] awaited, permitting the Saintess and Undertaker their clandestine courtship far from prying eyes. 'Could it be... Is it possible the Saintess is actually enjoying the thrill...?' While it was unlikely, one might argue she was simply swept away by the thrill of a first love. The Saintess just wanted to be near the Undertaker. And she possessed the means to make that happen. Why resist pressing the [Time Stop] button? The Undertaker felt the same. Though to others they always appeared composed and collected, just dissecting their thoughts revealed a landscape tinted with rosy idiocy. 'It's alright. If ever things become too dangerous, Mr. Undertaker will surely stop himself.' The Saintess consoled herself by patting the Undertaker's leg. 'It's fine. If we ever cross a line, the Saintess will say something.' The Undertaker reassured himself as they exchanged their twenty-first kiss of the day. They shared a miraculous trust. Their mutual trust meant there was no one to stop the rollercoaster, which naturally led to a drastic heightening as time passed— And finally, one day... "Hmm...?" In a meeting room at the Tower of Babel. Noh Do-hwa tilted her head. "This is unusual. Why has someone who always attends meetings via video suddenly decided to come in person today...?" "I happened to be in Busan." The Saintess responded with an unchanging, neutral expression. "It felt wrong to skip the meeting when I was so close by." "Hmm. Well, it doesn't really matter..." Thus began the meeting of the Regression Alliance. The Undertaker took his usual seat next to the Saintess, and no one found it odd. This seat was always left empty for the absent Saintess. "Considering requesting increased cultivation space from the Sword Queen has been on our agenda." As Yu Ji-won delivered her report... "Thanks to His Excellency the Undertaker spending ample time with the Sword Queen recently, the National Road Management Division is positively considering the proposals—" Yu Ji-won suddenly stopped. Standing still, with papers in hand, her silver hair turned monochrome. Across the round table at the meeting room: "..., ...." "......" Underneath the table, the Saintess and the Undertaker held hands tightly and kissed. "Saintess." "Y-Yes." "So this was why you attended the meeting?" "Um, no. But I think it's alright." No point in hiding it. Embracing their 'first love' milestone, the two discovered that the power of [Time Stop] was exceedingly convenient. Want to wrap your arms around each other? Just do it. Want a kiss? Go ahead. For these lovebirds, challenged by public decorum, time stood still with [Time Stop], leaving etiquette undisturbed. No one noticed the world coming to a pause, so there was no judgment, and the couple had no need to tread lightly. It was indeed their personal luxury. For someone who always had to carefully adjust the narrative filter, it was a delight, albeit complex. If I may tell you a secret, this manuscript was stealthily revised three times. As a result, what felt like a swift 35-minute meeting to others mysteriously stretched to take thrice the time for the pair. "......" As the meeting adjourned and everyone departed, The Saintess and the Undertaker walked side by side until something caught—tugged—on the hem of his clothing. He turned to see Sim Ah-ryeon standing there. "What's the matter, Ah-ryeon?" "Ummm..." "What's going on, Ah-ryeon?" Sim Ah-ryeon stared blankly at the two of them. "A-are you two... dating?" "..." "..." It was an inevitable conclusion. 10. Sim Ah-ryeon immediately wanted to burst out and cause nationwide chaos screaming, ‘Extra! Extra! The Guild Master is dating! The Guild Master is dating the Saintess!’ To prevent her from spreading the news far and wide, many promises and bribes were necessary. In any case, they succeeded in keeping Sim Ah-ryon's mouth shut. At least for the time being. -[Samcheon] Witch Judge: (Photo) Isn't the experience of dining perhaps more about who you're with than the taste of the food? The meal with friends tastes good again today. └Goryeo Master: Haha └[Samcheon] Witch Judge: ? Why are you causing trouble again? -[Baekhwa] High School 9th grader: I just got back from Busan! I confirmed that Busan doesn't ignore Sejong! >_<);; └Goryeo Master: LOL └[Baekhwa] High School 9th grader: ?? A few unsuspecting others got caught up in it, but considering the consequences of exposure, this was a manageable price for a secret romance. "Love is beautiful." Against the backdrop of a glowing sunset beach, the Undertaker and the Saintess were savoring yet another day that felt ten times longer than everyone else's. They were enjoying an evening stroll. Of course, time was stopped. The monochrome sea bathed in eternal sunset silently watched over them. "If I had known happiness could be like this, I would have confessed to you sooner, Mr. Undertaker." "I feel the same way." The Undertaker smiled. "I often think that perhaps it was inevitable for us to end up together. These thoughts keep crossing my mind." "Why do you think so?" "In the end, I live within my own timeline, unable to communicate with others. The same goes for you, Saintess. We are in similar situations." "…Yes." The Saintess kissed him. And the Undertaker kissed her back. They sat on a bench in the sand, leaning into each other, sharing their weight equally. "I don’t want to leave this cycle." "…" The Saintess, resting her head on his chest, looked up at him. "Then..." "Yes. Even if we fail to save the world, I will make this world my final destination. Or at least, I'll save the world enough to confidently claim it to be my end point." "…" "Please don't make that face, Saintess. I just want to be with you." "So do I." In that moment, both of them lingered upon a shared thought. Saving the world might be impossible. But avoiding ‘world destruction’ was always within reach. How? By activating [Time Stop] and never releasing it. "For us, a year can turn into a hundred, or even a thousand. We can spend even more time if we wish." "Yes, we can." "The world, if it's truly going to end, won't do so for at least another decade. In the worst case, we can just halt the passage of time before that time comes." "…" Was this right? Of course not. They both knew that this was merely a loophole at best. But... They couldn't bear the thought of losing the person in front of them. "I love you, Mr. Undertaker." "I love you too, Saintess." Underneath the everlasting sunset. Moment, freeze. You are truly beautiful. Both were prepared to make such a vow together. "Ah." Finishing the kiss, the Saintess murmured with slightly flushed cheeks. "It's a bit warm. I'll go grab some ice cream." "Oh. Let me go with you—" "No! I'll go alone. Mr. Undertaker, please rest here." Tap, tap, tap. The Saintess hurried off somewhere atypically for her, and the Undertaker watched her retreating figure with a smile. 'Keeping our romance secret is fun for now, but we should tell the others eventually.' They’d already been discovered by Sim Ah-ryeon. It was unclear when the secret might be revealed again. Might as well explain everything clearly. The Undertaker trusted his comrades. After a while— Crunch. The sound of footsteps on sand. In a world frozen in time, there could only be two sources, so he turned around to face the other person. "Oh, Saintess. You returned faster... than expected?" In the middle of the sand. There stood the Saintess. Her face and attire were identical to when she had dashed off to get ice cream just moments ago. But— "..." The Undertaker sprang up from the bench, stepping back while gripping the handle of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment. He glared at her. "Who are you?" "Oh dear." The figure, identical to the 'Saintess,' smiled broadly. Static noise distorted the voice, and words slipped out, unrecognizable in their humanity. "Impressive. To recognize me even in this situation. Is it intuition? Instinct? Either way, love is certainly powerful!" "…I'll ask one more time. Who are you?" "The Saintess. Jeong Ye-ji." "Don't lie." The Undertaker's voice turned icy. "You are not the Saintess. I can feel it." "Yes. But it would be troublesome to say my real name. For it's already been devoured. By all of you." "…?" "Even maintaining my voice like this won't last long. At this rate, in a week—no, perhaps three days—my voice too will be consumed. It's troublesome. Really troublesome." Devoured? What does that mean? The Undertaker couldn't comprehend it, and the inability to do so furrowed his brow. The essence of something 'incomprehensible' was indeed the quintessence of anomalies. Yet, to see such an anomaly take form as a reflection of his love was deeply unsettling. "Are you a doppelgänger?" "Hahaha." The person laughed. "Indeed, you're a troublesome one." And then came more bewildering words. "With no penalties on [Time Stop], you went around sealing people recklessly. Bad ending. So conditions were hastily added." "What?" "If you monopolize Sim Ah-ryeon's attention, problems arise. So this time, I gave both of you a suitable hobby." "..." "But what was the issue this time? No, I know. I'm the problem. It's just me not being satisfied, and I'm imposing it on you. I'm truly sorry for that." "What on earth are you talking about...?" "But I won't give up." Step by step, the figure approached. "I need to push Jeong Ye-ji a little harder. Imagine still believing you can share your time with someone else... Really. Her faith in humanity is just too stubborn, wouldn’t you say, Ye-ji?" "..." "I never wanted it to come to this. But, by any means necessary, I must instill the terror that you'll never intertwine with others." He understood then. It was odd that the Saintess hadn't returned with the ice cream. She should have been sharing the Undertaker's sight through their connection by now. In other words, the Saintess was dead. Or at least incapacitated. As soon as this conclusion settled, the Undertaker attacked with silence and ferocity. In this frozen world, he had defeated its master before. He couldn't let down his guard, not even for a moment. "As for you." But it didn't reach her. After only a few exchanges, his body lay upon the beach. Limbs completely subdued. The creature, wearing the Saintess's face, looked down at him with a smiling gaze, pinning him down. "You are no different." "..." "If you let me slip by so easily, it’ll be troublesome. Then I'd truly turn into a monster, wouldn't I? With even [Time Stop] mastered, once every last human trace is erased from me, how will you defeat me then?" Swish. She pulled something from her coat: a vial filled with a crimson liquid. With a pop, she removed the stopper. "Now, say ahh." Just like a lover might offer a bite of cake to their partner, she pressed it to the Undertaker's lips. He resisted. Yet his mouth was forcibly pried open. Trying to bite down with his teeth was futile. "Swallow it." "..." "Oh, I'm sorry, I misspoke. You'll swallow it anyway." And so it happened. The scent, all too similar to human blood, filled his mouth and throat. As his vision rapidly receded, the Undertaker spoke. "You... Go Yuri, aren't you?" "Correct!" "Why... do this to me?" "I can't explain. Nor can it be understood. But I can tell you this much." Through his rapidly fading vision. A light touch, like a whisper on his forehead, as the Saintess-like figure smiled gently. Her forefinger playfully pushed against his nose. "Lovey-dovey couple. Forbidden." The words, as incomprehensible as ever. Yet, for the Undertaker, one fact provided a small comfort. ――At the very least, the last face he saw in this world was the face of his beloved. And that was... ...the end for the Undertaker, unable to reach the next day. -The Woman J. End. ---TL NOTE: I know that these side stories will always end in a reset due to their inherent nature but I just can't help but wish that they would continue on for just a little longer ╥﹏╥ ---