Chapter 137

The Impostor II

“Wait, hold on, mister!”

Oh Dok-seo, who had been listening to my story, was startled. She spoke so abruptly that some espresso splashed around.

“That, that means that Japanese person was a regressor!”

“Calm down.”

“How can I calm down? If there's another person besides Old Man Scho and you, that makes three regressors!”

“Well, for now, just calm down.”

I calmly wiped the table with a handkerchief. Dok-seo, who had been focused on the Monkey's Paw, was now entirely captivated by the diary. The page with the sentence ‘Time is looping’ lay open.

“I was just as excited as you when I read that sentence in the diary.”

It was only natural. How could my heart not race?

If a ‘Third Regressor’ existed, it would be an incredible discovery.

Even if the person was found dead at Seongsan Ilchulbong, it didn't matter. There was still a possibility they would survive in the next cycle.

But to spoil things a bit, no such miracle occurred.

In the next cycle, and the one after that.

No matter how much time passed, the hairy corpse remained in the corner of Seongsan Ilchulbong.

“Can I read it too? The diary?”

“Sure. Unlike the Monkey's Paw, that diary is just an ordinary notebook.”

“Thanks, mister!”

Flip.

Dok-seo hurriedly turned the pages.

For a moment, her actions overlapped with my own past self.

When I first discovered that diary.

《Day 5???》

It happened again. Centaurs attacked and started killing our party.

Why do we keep returning to Day 5? Was it because of the wish I made with the Monkey's Paw?

I don't know anymore.

Knowing the ambush was coming, we managed to drive the centaurs away without losing anyone this time. The party members praised me for it.

Even the usually stoic Yō looked at me with surprise, but for some reason, I didn't feel happy.

To you, this will note might look neatly written, but the reality was different.

The handwriting in the diary grew more chaotic, resembling the scrawl of a madman.

Occasionally, when sanity returned, the writing was neat, but it was only a façade.

The content of the diary reflected the writer's deteriorating mental state, spiraling rapidly into madness.

《Day 12??????》

It's certain. No matter what I do, I can't leave this dungeon.

Next, I'll try capturing and interrogating the ‘fairy’ who seems to be the host of this death game. That bitch should have some information.

《Day 13??????》

The fairy ran away as soon as it saw me.

‘Hoeeek! This is the wrong place! It's a mistake!’ it said. I don't understand.

I wanted to capture it by force, but honestly, it was impossible. When it swung something that looked like a magic wand, people died instantly and it turned invisible.

I've reached the final stage again. Koreans call this mountain Seongsan Ilchulbong.

When others reached the summit, they disappeared into a bright halo of light. But I remained inside the dungeon.

Why?

Why can't I leave the dungeon?

I begged the Monkey's Paw to let me out of this dungeon, but nothing changed. Why?

I wished to see my family and friends again, but there was no response. Why?

In a fit of anger, I threw the Monkey's Paw away. The next day, I woke up with it on my chest.

《?????????????》

Someone please help me.

《Day 5??????????????》

Another Day 5 ambush.

Suddenly, I felt overwhelmingly apathetic. This time, I didn't bother to fight the centaurs.

Instead, I joined them. I attacked my party members from behind as they fought the centaurs. Without Yō and me, the group fell apart pathetically quickly.

I saved Yō for last. When she saw my face, she widened her eyes.

You――― she started to say.

At that moment, a centaur's massive body struck her.

But I, the Undertaker, was a seasoned 'True Regressor.'

Even if something seemed useless at first glance, I never neglected building networks with others.

Therefore, I could easily inquire about the ‘Japanese person’ dragged into the tutorial dungeon in Jeju Island.

“Nya? You mean Yō?”

Sway. Manyo Neko's tail swayed. Across from me, Manyo Neko blinked, interrupting her tea drinking.

“You suddenly want to meet Yō, nya? What do you mean, Undateikeo, nya?”

“She’s your childhood friend, isn’t she? I heard she’s from the Jeju tutorial dungeon.”

Yō.

The person frequently mentioned in the diary was actually someone I was familiar with.

There were many people named Yō, but several pieces of evidence convinced me.

She was stronger than other awakeners. She still had black hair despite being awakened. Most importantly, she murmured the name ‘Rika’ while being tortured.

That’s right. She was mentioned a few times in the Inunaki Tunnel episode.

Manyo Neko's real name was Rika, and she had a childhood friend named Yō.

If I hadn't conquered the Inunaki Tunnel, I wouldn't have been able to request this meeting.

Fate is mysterious.

“Nya. It’s true that Yō was spirited away to a Korean island...”

“I’ve been investigating the Jeju dungeon recently. It’s linked to a troublesome anomaly. I need to hear your friend’s testimony.”

For reference, the Magical Girl Association was extremely exclusive to outsiders.

From naming their group 'Magical Girl' 'Association,' it was clear they cared little for public opinion.

“Nya, if it's a request from the Undateikeo, I'll comply. Got it!”

Also, I had received a plaque of appreciation from their leader, known as the Grand Shaman, naming me an 'Honorary Magical Girl.'

I didn't appreciate it much.

In any case, in a society run on networks, my request was easily fulfilled.

Soon, I met with Yō, whose Magical Girl name was Obsidian Qin.

“You wanted to see me?”

Among the many eccentrics in the Magical Girl Association, she was relatively normal.

Obsidian Qin covered her mouth with a black mask marked with an 'X.' For those who experienced the COVID era, this could be seen as fashion.

“Yes. We met briefly during the Inunaki Tunnel incident, right? Nice to see you again.”

“Ah... Yes. Thank you very much for that time.”

“I heard you conquered the tutorial dungeon at Seongsan Ilchulbong in Jeju.”

“...”

“There’s an anomaly suspected to have originated there. I need your testimony to gauge its danger. Can you tell me what happened in the tutorial dungeon?”

I was cautious when bringing this up.

According to the diary, this person had likely been tortured by the diary's owner.

If even a fraction of the diary was true, Obsidian Qin would have a deep-seated trauma.

People usually react negatively when such buried topics are brought up.

A flinch or a shudder.

“That's news to me. Was there an anomaly so dangerous that the Undertaker would be interested?”

But Obsidian Qin's reaction was neither.

Her puzzled look contained only curiosity. It was too calm for someone with trauma.

Despite sensing something odd, I continued my inquiry.

“...Have you seen this figure before?”

The photo I took out showed the ‘hairy corpse.’

Finally, Obsidian Qin said, “Ah—” as if she recognized it.

But still, her reaction was strange for someone who had been deeply hurt.

“...I think I know who it is. Is this person related to what you want to know?”

“Yes. Any information, no matter how small, would be helpful.”

“I can share, but...”

Obsidian Qin frowned.

I tensed. This might be the moment I learned about the third Regressor.

“I’m not sure if it’ll help. Honestly, I don't know much about her.”

Her lips moved slowly beneath the black mask.

“—She was so weak that she died almost as soon as the tutorial dungeon began.”

Footnotes:

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