Infinite Regressor, Chapter 465 - I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell

Cheon Yo-hwa never considered herself to be a chosen one. She was simply smarter than most, more beautiful, wealthy, eloquent, charismatic, and, crucially, favored by the gods. She thought of herself as not being particularly special—at least in her own mind. Hearing this, commoners outside the mansion would swiftly change their nationality to French and order a guillotine. "After all, if I can't deal with Father as he is, I'll just be a sacrifice to God anyways. What's so special about that?" Cheon Yo-hwa had her own logic and circumstances. "If there's anything special, it would be the two-plus grade of Korean beef kind of special. Are Yo-hwa and I even human beings?" Indeed. In the mind of this silver-spooned lady, she wasn’t yet truly human. Can humans, dominated and bred by aliens, be called human? They were just monkeys with less fur. Whether one could achieve freedom or not: that was Yo-hwa's sole criterion for discerning the presence or absence of humanity. “Ahahahaha! Ah, ahahahahaha!” In that sense, the bold man who leapt onto the road, demanding a personal one-on-one conversation, had succeeded in catching Cheon Yo-hwa’s interest. “Mr., Mr. Go Yo-il—reincarnated?” “Yes.” “Re, reincarnation, as in, like, Gyung-ye's case? Huumm. I know about those well. My father used to often go by the title of Maitreya Buddha in the past. Plus, having teleportation abilities, heh. Pft. Hah! The setting is too over-the-top!” “I understand it sounds outrageous.” In a reception room set aside in a corner of the mansion. Not Reception Room A, but Reception Room B, a place reserved for slightly less important guests. It was also one of the few places inside the mansion free from her father's eavesdropping. On the walls of the reception room, the awards and trophies the twin sisters had amassed shone with golden luster inside glass cabinets. “But I think you might have unconsciously noticed just how special Miss Go Yuri is, haven’t you?” “Yes. But that doesn’t prove that you’re really her reincarnated teacher.” “A mere outsider managed to earn the favor of the cult leader in just a few years. Even monopolizing the education of the heirs from a very young age.” “...” “And there hasn't been much opposition or noise within the cult. It's not something that makes sense logically, meaning it must be something beyond the ordinary.” Hmm. Cheon Yo-hwa cast her gaze downward. 'That's a valid point.' Forty minutes had passed since she brought him into the mansion. Cheon Yo-hwa launched a barrage of questions from various angles. The sole focus was: ‘Is this man truly Go Yuri's brother?’ Her diagnosis—. '90%. No, more like nearly 100%.' She had already set her sister on compiling a dossier. A message that just arrived on her smartphone was the result of that investigation. [PetSister♡: Sis, I checked against some newspaper articles from a few years ago and related school records.] [PetSister♡: He’s definitely the one Teacher mentioned as her brother. He recently went on a trip to Japan and hurriedly returned.] With a gentle motion of her fingers beneath the tablecloth, Cheon Yo-hwa sent a message. It was a dedicated messenger operated within the cult and impervious to hacking by conventional means. After all, it was an instrument lent the power of “God.” [Overturned-Heaven-Alone-Exists: What about the murder incident reported near Fukuoka?] [PetSister♡: Checked through three different pathways with the local Japanese believers.] Blink. Quick to respond as if on standby, the messages came through. [PetSister♡: It’s a dismemberment case.] [PetSister♡: A body was discovered discarded at the location you provided. Unidentified. We couldn’t pinpoint the features, but it was wearing the teacher’s clothes for sure.] [PetSister♡: Sending the photos now.] Swiftly. Without any fanfare, photos shared only within local investigators were uploaded. Looking at them, Cheon Yo-hwa’s expression hardened. ‘It’s the teacher... definitely.’ A chill ran through a corner of her heart. ‘Someone so self-contained.’ ‘Once dead, even the teacher becomes just a body.’ She closed her smartphone. The man, who had been intently watching her throughout, nodded slightly. “It seems you’ve confirmed it.” “...” “To gather such data in barely 30 minutes. Truly, the power of the cult is formidable. Or perhaps it’s the power of the lady here to leverage such cult resources to this extent.” Just how much does this man know? The corners of Cheon Yo-hwa's lips curved naturally. “Alright. Let’s set aside whether you’re really reincarnated or not and just look at the facts. Then it seems Miss Go Yuri was indeed killed—by you.” “That is correct.” “Then why should I listen to the words of the thug who has eliminated the teacher I held dearer than even my own parents? No matter how I see it, revenge seems the right answer.” “...” “I can distort the facts, claim that my sister and I captured the culprit on our own. I could score some points with Father. I could even present you as sliced mackerels to our believers.” Cheon Yo-hwa rested her chin on her hand. Truthfully, she had no genuine intention to reduce this man's biological classification to minced meat. If anything, she might use the pretext of “inflicting a fate worse than death” to enslave him. 'His voice was pretty when I heard it earlier. Maybe if I locked him in the basement and played his cries, it would relieve stress.' Even now, as she looked at the man, dozens of torture methods popped into her head like fireworks. Not with her usual indifference when handling 'sacrifices,' but today, creativity bubbled up like a joyous display. 'A triple win satisfying reason, gain, and hobby!' Such opportunities didn’t come often. Today Cheon Yo-hwa realized even the heart could drool. “My apologies, but I believe you have more than sufficient reason to form a collaborative relationship with me.” “Yes? Why?” “Because I managed to kill your tutor, a person you couldn't even imagine dying, without anyone knowing.” "?" Cheon Yo-hwa tilted her head in puzzlement. "Why would that be a reason for cooperation?" "Because in your world, the people you can't imagine dying aren't just limited to that one person." "..." At that moment, Cheon Yo-hwa's mind buzzed with electricity, like static charging her hair. Her heart started pounding in a wholly different way, her lips parting and her eyes widening. The man facing her continued to gaze at her calmly. "Aren't you tempted?" "..." "I can take care of it for sure." Who? There was no need to ask again. 'Father.' The pinnacle of the cult family that had spread its influence in all directions from its base in this land. The great enemy that must be destroyed for Cheon Yo-hwa and her sister to breathe, to live as human beings. Freedom. "..." After a while, Cheon Yo-hwa finally spoke. "How?" "I have someone to introduce to you." The man, Go Yo-il, smiled. "My family." 3. Not long after that. Cheon Yo-hwa learned the secret of why the tutor, who seemed so perfect, had been taken down without a fight. Whooosh. "..." A four-story abandoned building in the distance collapsed, and Cheon Yo-hwa could only gawk in disbelief as she watched the sight. Could it be that building was made of tofu instead of concrete? That couldn't be right. It was something the cult had used in the past before discarding it. "This is Yu Ji-won. As you can see, she has the power to destroy and cut through anything." Amidst the rising dust cloud, a young girl offered a polite bow. "I'm Yu Ji-won. My lady, you can consider me a tool of Mr. Matiz." "Ah. Uh, uh-huh..." Cheon Yo-hwa’s voice unconsciously softened. Truthfully, she was afraid. It wasn’t just because the girl introduced as 'Yu Ji-won' was incredibly pretty. Having someone capable of reducing a building to rubble from a mere 300 meters away standing right in front of her would make anyone nervous. "Um, even in our cult, devout believers and I can play around with some powers, but this seems a bit, what’s the word... slightly aggressive...?” “You’re too kind, my lady.” That wasn’t a compliment. Cheon Yo-hwa found it hard to calm her pounding heart. ‘It’s simple. So simple, efficient, and easy to understand…!’ A violence that was brutally intuitive. There was no need for elaborate and elaborate schemes. Take the opportunity to simply wipe away Father. ‘Oh my gosh! Gods! Instead of analysis and all that, if you had just granted us such straightforward power!’ Cheon Yo-hwa suddenly felt resentful toward the heavens. ‘What’s the use of making talismans and offering sacrifices if it can’t match that cutting power!’ Of course, it was only an emotional matter. Realistically, if she had powers like Yu Ji-won’s, her father would never easily acknowledge her as his successor. He would have been much harsher with the gaslighting. 'Anyway, the enslavement plan is scrapped!' 'Who knows what calamity might befall us sisters if we recklessly mistreat someone whose ally is such a terrifying monster!' Cheon Yo-hwa felt like she had encountered a life shortener. Rarely had she been so grateful for her habit of not revealing her inner thoughts easily. “Alri—ght, um. Good.” Ahem. Cheon Yo-hwa cleared her throat. “So, with Mr. Go Yo-il and Yu Ji...” “Please, address us comfortably, my lady. I am merely a tool of Mr. Matiz, so there’s no need to use honorifics excessively.” “...With Miss Yu Ji-won.” Finally, the girl gave a nod. ‘Scary!’ Without a hint of emotion showing in her eyes or expression, Cheon Yo-hwa's gentle heart throbbed more anxiously. “...I now acknowledge that you two can indeed deal with our father.” Go Yo-il’s face brightened with excitement. “Then you're willing to cooperate, my lady?” “Yes, of course. I’ll register Mr. Go Yo-il and Miss Yu Ji-won as external agents using my authority. Once we find the right moment, we can eliminate my father. We’ll designate the specific time and place.” “Thank you, my lady!” Go Yo-il bowed deeply. Yu Ji-won, who was glued to Go Yo-il’s side, knelt without hesitation. Cheon Yo-hwa panicked. “No, no, no. Uh, coll—colleagues! We are partners now, so there’s no need to use such formal language!” Go Yo-il remained unmoved. “How could I possibly raise my head stiffly when your assistance is so essential for accomplishing our future achievements? I only ask for your continued guidance.” ‘Why are these two, who could even assassinate the President of the United States if they got close enough, acting so submissive?!’ Cheon Yo-hwa felt like losing her mind. ‘With no presence or posture, they can eliminate a target from hundreds of meters away! They must be useful not just offensively but defensively too!’ ‘With that expressionless face, there's no telling when they might decide to take us out...! We must keep them appeased at all costs. Absolutely!’ After some commotion, she finally managed to get everyone to stand up. A sigh of relief slowly escaped her lips. ‘Father... we can really kill him.’ It was a sentiment difficult to express. As they descended from the building, Cheon Yo-hwa suddenly turned to Yu Ji-won. “Oh.” “...?” “I forgot to ask. Why did you kill the teacher?” “You mean Go Yuri.” Yu Ji-won responded expressionlessly. “Go Yuri wouldn’t let go of Mr. Matiz’s life.” It was easy to deduce that the peculiar title ‘Mr. Matiz’ referred to the man. Yet it was another aspect that piqued Cheon Yo-hwa's interest. “What do you mean they wouldn’t let go of his life?” "Yes. Go Yuri was a reincarnate. To counter the impending threat of world annihilation, she chose Mr. Matiz as her pawn." "Heh..." "And to ensure the pawn wouldn’t move of its own accord, she turned the world around Mr. Matiz into a chessboard." Yu Ji-won reached out and held Go Yo-il’s hand. "But the world is not a chessboard." "...." "At least, I could not permit Mr. Matiz’s world to be treated in such a way. So, I eliminated her." The statement was clear. 'Freedom.' Cheon Yo-hwa could see the transparency in that. It wasn’t because she was as transparent as the girl before her. Quite the opposite. Muddled from head to toe, she could recognize a transparency she herself lacked. 'The condition for humanity to be truly human.' Then, an astonishingly subtle, yet shocking event occurred: a smile appeared on the girl’s face, one that Cheon Yo-hwa assumed would remain expressionless forever. That smile was directed up at the man whose hand she held. The man, in turn, gently returned her smile and patted Yu Ji-won’s head. ‘Ah...’ No words were exchanged, yet Cheon Yo-hwa’s sharp mind comprehended everything. Respect, love, trust, affection, understanding—whatever word might apply. There was some quality, a texture in the air between them, that differed from the bond she had with her teacher or the relationship shared with her sister. And she realized, perhaps eternally, that she might never find herself in such a space. Twinge— "...." Unconsciously, Cheon Yo-hwa placed a hand over her heart. An unfamiliar ache settled there, having arrived unbeknownst to her.