The Heroine Stole My Regression

3 – Gaon (3)

With the weapon selection time over, so was the day’s schedule.

The students, perhaps because it was the first day, gathered in small groups, forging friendships and enjoying their school life.

I wanted to join them, but the problem was, I didn’t have the leisure for casual chats.

“Sixth floor… room 605….”

I muttered as I headed for the dormitory. Originally, I’d planned to approach the protagonist and take further actions, but organizing the complex thoughts that had piled up in my head today took precedence.

The dormitory building was exactly as I’d seen it in the game. A grand, well-maintained exterior, and a structure where the male and female dormitories were completely separated.

I didn’t have time to look around, heading straight for my room.

-Rustle

When I first realized that this world was a game world after my possession 10 years ago, the first thing I did was create a setting bible.

Human memory isn’t limitless. It was essential to organize the key events, characters, and future occurrences of this world as much as possible.

And now, I was meticulously going through that setting bible that I had written.

“Found it.”

‘Easter Egg Collection.’

Hidden devices that game developers insert.

Special events that occur when certain conditions are met—once in tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of times. That was what an Easter Egg was.

This… This goddamn situation, where I was ignoring the protagonist and getting continuously tangled up with random supporting characters, had to be explainable by this.

“Forget it.”

My hand, turning the page, stopped.

Nowhere in the setting bible was there anything to support the current situation.

Every element of the story, I needed to know it all. But this, this was something beyond my ken.

Closing the book, a sigh escaped my lips.

Regression evaporation, an easter egg of the unknown—at this point, the word ‘plan’ becomes meaningless.

I’m royally screwing things up, aren’t I?

But wait a moment.

Isn’t this… actually a good thing?

To nurture the main characters, I had to approach them first anyway.

I don’t know the reason, but if they approach me first like today, it actually makes things easier.

Just build a bridge between the protagonist and the heroines, weave them together naturally, and my role is done.

I’m a little uneasy about how this flow came about, but good is good.

I have to achieve mental victory somehow to survive.

Just then, an alarm on my watch shattered my contemplation.

Slowly, I gazed down at the watch.

[Ha-sion]

:Jung Hae-in! I have to give you what Grandpa gave me ㅠㅠ Where are you? Call me quickly!

It was Si-on.

The granddaughter of the old man I’d been indebted to for the past ten years.

We were the same age, but having lost her parents when she was young, she followed me like a real older brother.

Not family, but close as such.

Not a character with significant plot relevance, but quite skilled.

But what is it, unsettlingly? There’s no way that old man gave me something for my own good….

With a suspicious look, I pressed the phone button on the watch.

-Rrrr, Click

-Helloo~

“Where are you?”

*

The first floor of the school building, a café overflowing with the excitement of the start of the semester.

“Be careful, it’s hot~”

I was just going to receive the item and leave right away, but before I knew it, a coffee was in my hand.

The rich aroma tickles the tip of my nose. It seems I’ll be stuck here for a while.

Coffee hits the spot…

“So, what is it you’re here to tell me?”

“I’ll tell you in a bit. You’ll just run away as soon as you hear it, won’t you?”

“…As if.”

How did she know? Blood is thicker than water, after all.

Sion, pausing a moment, toyed with her coffee cup and tilted her head.

“But, Haein.”

Her gaze lowered slightly.

“Your expression isn’t so good? Are you sick or something?”

Sion placed her hand on my forehead. I flinched almost imperceptibly at the warm touch as she gently brushed aside a strand of my hair.

I tilted my head back, offering a vague excuse.

“No, just a little tired.”

“Ah, yeah. You do look it. I was watching from a distance.”

So, Sion had seen that little farce too.

She continued chattering on, seemingly without a second thought.

“Who were those guys just now?”

“Just kids from my class. First time I’ve seen them.”

“First time and they were grabbing you like that? They’re kind of strange.”

I nodded absently.

Well, strange is right.

In that instant, a soft smile played at the corners of her lips, and she lowered her head slightly.

Her eyes crinkled faintly, her expression bordering on satisfied.

“Right? I thought so too.”

I was about to nod in agreement when the smooth sensation on the back of my hand suddenly tugged at my awareness.

But since a while ago, it’s been—.

Her hand, lightly stroking the back of my hand.

Massaging it, tickling it, somehow just keeping me on edge.

She’s always been affectionate and likes physical touch, but not to this extent.

“…But do you have to keep touching my hand?”

“Yes. I have to.”

“Ah, so it is.”

She answered, smiling naturally, as if nothing were amiss.

The slight lift in her voice at the end made my strength somehow wane.

“It’s because it’s been a while~”

Been a while? I distinctly remember eating with her and the old geezer just yesterday at lunch.

“We ate together yesterday.”

“Did we? Hehe.”

Shion chuckled playfully, emptying her coffee cup. Each of her actions felt familiar, yet strangely alien.

I stared at her face for a moment, then shook my head.

“So, what is it that the old man wanted you to pass along?”

Shion pulled a small box from her bag and held it out to me.

Wrapped in black silk, the box felt weighty, as if securely sealed.

“Open it~”

Slightly apprehensive, I opened the box. Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if a snake popped out, knowing that old geezer.

But, surprisingly enough, inside was an obsidian bracelet.

The black sheen, engraved patterns, and intricate craftsmanship immediately caught my eye.

“What’s this?”

“An artifact. They say it helps with vitality.”

Shion leaned back in her chair, peeking at my face, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

‘Vitality…?’

Surely not *that* vitality, right? Surely he wouldn’t send his granddaughter something like *that*.

What on earth is the intention behind this gift? Wasn’t he more the type for snake liquor than artifacts?

She wore a playful smile. Shion took my wrist, lifting the bracelet.

“Let me put it on for you. Give me your hand.”

“It’s okay. I’ll do it myself.”

“Aww, don’t be like that! Just stay still.”

Shion giggled playfully, holding my wrist firmly. Then, carefully, she fastened the obsidian bracelet.

Her touch was gentle and delicate, but I felt an odd energy from her.

As the bracelet snapped perfectly into place, I felt a faint warmth on my wrist. Like energy spreading along my veins, a liveliness began to stir.

…I feel like I’m getting a little hot all over, though.

“…How does it feel?”

She asked, her eyes brimming with anticipation.

“Hmm… It does feel sort of warm, I guess.”

“Right? G-Grandpa really went all out, I’m telling you!”

Sion studied the bracelet for a long moment, then nodded, seemingly satisfied.

“But you have to be careful. Apparently, it’s quite valuable. If you lose it, I’m seriously going to be mad.”

I glanced at the bracelet and nodded.

“Got it.”

Sion laughed playfully and got up from her seat.

“Don’t just hog all the good effects of this thing to yourself later, tell me about it too~”

She waved as she left the café.

“She’s awfully excited.”

It seemed the thrill of a new semester wasn’t just affecting the other students.

I watched her retreating figure for a moment before slowly rising myself, realizing it was time for me to head back as well.

*

Having left the café, Sion turned into a dark hallway on one side of the building.

The lovely face, full of laughter only moments ago, was completely gone, replaced with a cold glint in her eyes.

She raised her smartwatch to her wrist and lit up the screen.

Several messages had already arrived.

[Sender: OnE]

[You actually gave it to him? lol. You crazy b*tch.]

[Sender: Rin]

[But I mean, it’s not a bad thing, is it?]

Sion stared at the messages, letting out a short sigh.

Then, she moved her fingers to type a concise reply.

[F off]

A moment later, a new message popped up, and the corners of her lips faintly lifted.

[Sender: Jung Haein]

[Thanks for delivering it. Sorry you had to hang out with him instead of the others.]

This time, it was the same cute, playful smile from before.

[Nah, it’s okay, haha. You did great today!!]

Sion closed the message, her fingers tracing the obsidian bracelet on her wrist, identical in design to the one she wore.

Lost in thought for a moment, she lowered her head, murmuring almost inaudibly.

“This time, I’ll…”

Her voice was low, but the resolve within it was anything but small.

*

Warm water cascaded down her neck, easing the tension from her weary body, bit by bit.

It had been a long day. From weapon selection to the strange incidents, her head felt like a tangled mess, but for this moment, she wanted to let it all go.

She finished her shower and stepped out of the bathroom.

A drop or two of water trickled from her damp hair, tracing a path down her skin.

The obsidian bracelet on her wrist still exuded a weighty presence.

‘I should express my thanks.’

It was an artifact that seemed far from ordinary in many respects. She wasn’t sure what wind had blown that made the man, who used to beat her with a club if she relied on her equipment, to change his behavior.

She raised her watch and found the call list.

[Old Geezer]

-Rrrring, rrrring….

-What is it.

The moment the call connected, a dry, grave voice sounded from the other side.

She already wanted to hang up, but barely managed to restrain herself.

“It’s me. Old Man, I received what you sent. Thank you.”

A moment of silence passed.

Then, at long last, he spoke in a low, heavy tone.

-What are you talking about.

“Excuse me?”

-What did I give you? Don’t talk nonsense, go to sleep.

The moment she heard those words, a strange twist coiled in her gut.

What?

“The bracelet, the bracelet. You said it was an artifact.”

-Artifact? Why would I give you something like that?

The Old Man’s voice sharpened.

For a moment, I was flustered, but a chuckle almost escaped me.

Oh, the old geezer has a cute side.

Considering how he usually booms about, handing it over himself would’ve been… awkward.

Is this what they call tsundere?

“Ah, yes, yes, my mistake. How are you doing, by the way?”

-Saw you just yesterday… Go back to sleep.

“Yes, you too.”

Ending the call, I sat on the edge of the bed and pressed the mattress with my palm. The plush yet firm mattress responded to my touch.

‘This isn’t a hotel?’

Without hesitation, I threw back the covers and sprawled onto the bed.

For sure, with a school this good, the dorm facilities are something else.

The complex thoughts swirling in my head, stirred by the day’s events, began to settle, little by little.

Looking back on the day, there were many strange things… no, it was *only* strange things, but my weary body wouldn’t allow deeper thought.

Slowly, I closed my eyes, surrendering myself to the approaching waves of sleep.