Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

‘The first day I regressed, I couldn’t believe it. I mean, who could?’

Allen thought he was having flashbacks of his life before death, but it was all too realistic to be one. The next theory he came up with was that the devil was playing with him. It was quite logical since he had interacted with the devil. However, if devils had the ability to turn back time, the rulers of this world would have been the devils, not the gods.

He also came up with the theory that the spell he used was so unstable that it changed the course of time.

Yet this was close to impossible. Within academia, it had been long determined that it was impossible to turn back time unless the whole universe was reversed.

The last theory he came up with was simple.

His death.

Perhaps his death triggered something which caused this to happen. But Allen couldn’t say for sure. Who knows if a transcendental being passing by saw him and turned back time as a joke?

Allen looked up.

“Those books…”

There were three books floating in the air which were invisible to others. They were proof to him that he had regressed and that this past was a little different than what he remembered. These books were strange. No magic or spell could detect them, and no one but him could see them.

Furthermore, he could move them with his thoughts.

“And…”

He reached for the white book, and it descended to his hands. It spread open slowly.

“Allen Reinhart, dies at age 27.”

That was the first phrase in the book.

The line that followed was longer than the first.

「Allen Reinhart regresses to when he was 17. He cannot accept this fact and starts analyzing the situation.」

「…After recalling multiple of his past experiments on people, he finally accepts that he had regressed.」

All the lines following that were like a record of what he had done ever since he regressed, as if someone was observing him.

Even right now.

「…Starts analyzing all the possible causes of this regression. After that, the book related to ◯◯◯◯ is…」

‘…◯◯◯◯?’

Who could it be? A god? A devil? Or some transcendental being? If it was neither of those, it could be this entire world since there was no limit to imagination…

‘Anyways.’

“It doesn’t matter.”

Whoever it was, they gave Allen a chance to relive the past. When he closed the white book, it floated back into the air. Allen looked at the other two books. Their covers were pitch black. One of the books was wrapped with a chain so he couldn’t open it, but the other book was not.

“One of them is about me… and the others are—”

He opened the book. The first line of the book was already written.

「Reader Kim Woojin, 21. Possessed the extra character, ‘Julius Reinhart’, of the novel “The Feast of the Reincarnated Demon King”.」

* * *

Allen left the room and immediately went looking for Julius. He was in the training ground. Spotting him was easy since the Reinhart family’s bright blue hair was very noticeable. Allen walked into the training ground and headed towards him.

“What are you doing?”

Silence filled the surroundings. Allen stared into the bastard’s face. Still wearing the same face as Julius, but who knew what was inside.

“…Haha, Allen. I was just training with the soldiers.”

Allen wanted to smash his face and scream as he looked at the bastard’s smirk.

However—

“Julius.”

He didn’t.

Allen held all the scorn on the tip of his tongue and softly called his name. The moron chuckled as he scratched his head, realizing the awkward atmosphere.

“…But Allen, what brings you here?”

“Let’s go for a walk, Julius.”

“…Sorry?”

Allen now knew if he acted the same way, he’d meet the same end. So he decided to change the future.

「…Kill.」

The voice he heard at the brink of death.

‘I don’t know if that’s the real Julius or not, but… I still ought to try.’

However, even if the soul inside Julius’s body was destroyed, it didn’t ensure that Julius’s soul would return.

‘…I’m not confident that I can fight him with my current capabilities.’

So Allen smiled and asked again, “I want to apologize for the humiliation I caused a while ago. Won’t you go on a walk with me?”

Since he didn’t have to be hostile to it until he found the way to protect or retrieve Julius’s soul.

Allen and Julius headed to the garden. They could have just talked in the training ground, but Allen didn’t. The reason was quite simple.

‘Because Julius… would have done the same thing.’

Julius wasn’t there anymore, but Allen still wanted to commemorate his existence this way.

The two walked side by side. Magic power surrounded Julius, and his movements were restrained, ready to defend himself at any moment. Additionally, his breathing was steady.

‘Do I have a chance?’

Even though the amount of magic power they each had was different, inside a three-meter range, Allen could overpower him.

‘What if I hit him with a shock wave and ambush him from the back…?’

“…Uh, Allen?”

“Ah.”

Julius called to him.

“So you were saying…”

Allen looked around. When he realized he had already entered the garden deep enough, he started talking.

“Alright, this will do.”

Allen didn’t care that there were still a few maids gardening, since the conversation they were about to have would be better if it got spread around.

“Exactly as I worded it.”

Allen walked a few steps ahead and turned back to face Julius.

“I want to apologize to you.”

“…What?”

He scowled, as if he heard something he would never have heard.

“You? To me? Uh… Apologize?”

“Yes.”

Allen answered plainly, but scoffed internally after seeing Julius’s bewildered expression.

‘Apologize?’

He couldn’t possibly imagine doing that before the regression, nor could he believe it right now. But if it disarmed the bastard’s wariness… If it brought him one chance to strike…

“I know words aren’t enough, so…”

Allen bowed his head.

“I’m sorry.”

He was willing to pretend he was genuine.

As if he was stating the obvious, Allen continued, “I think I couldn’t believe that you, once a renowned scoundrel, could have changed this much. I should believe you since you’re my ‘family’. I’m sorry for not trusting you and judging just by your previous actions. So, please forgive me.”

The bastard stood there with his jaw hanging open.

‘As I expected. Since he never would have expected to hear a word of apology from me.’

Allen smiled bitterly at that sight and made a sorrowful face.

“I see. You can’t believe it after all. Since I, who was so cold and distant this whole time, am behaving this way. I understand if you’re thinking I have other intentions or that I’m acting. I wouldn’t believe me if I were you, either.”

He flinched, as if I had read his mind. The bastard today was nothing compared to the monster he would grow into in the future. Thankfully, Kim Woojin was naive for his 21 years of age.

“I don’t mean for you to trust me immediately. That’s just forced. So, just watch from now on. How I act, how I change.”

Allen didn’t care how complicated the bastard’s thoughts would be right now. He accomplished his goal by apologizing. Their relationship could be defined anew from now on.

“Now, excuse me.”

Julius stood there frozen as Allen left the garden.

* * *

It had been more than five minutes since Allen had left when Julius started to move.

“What went wrong?”

Did his actions have a butterfly effect and change the original plot’s villain? But why? How? For what reason?

Allen wasn’t a villain with a significant appearance in the story. He was just a mini-villain that would be defeated by Julius. Aside from Allen making a contract with the devil to recover Julius, there was—Ah.

“Is it because of that? That Allen decided to change? Since I’m changing? No, but still…”

Considering that Allen made a contract with the devil for Julius’s health, it was right to assume that Allen and Julius were on good terms. One wouldn’t risk their life to become a devil’s contractor if not for a deep brotherly bond.

Perhaps the original Julius was at least nice to his family? Julius scoffed.

“Then why did Allen remain in the Academy?”

Did he come to find a cure but turned down the wrong path when he ended up with nothing?

‘But still, this is…’

Everything started feeling unnatural, as if it had been forced into making sense.

“Ugh, I’m already going through enough trouble thinking of the original plot and collecting points… God damn it.”

You are the scoundrel of the family! Recover your reputation in 102:33:47.

Reward: 10 random potion draws

He studied the Status Window and Quest Window which were only visible to him.

Then, a maid approached him. It was Laina, a loyal maid who stood by Julius’s side even when he became the scoundrel.

“Milord, what are you doing here?”

“Ah, Laina.”

“I’ve heard from the other servants that you came here to the garden with Master Allen. Did anything happen?”

Julius made an awkward smile.

“Erm, well… He apologized to me.”

“Really? Master Allen?”

Seeing her astounded face, Julius was relieved, thinking he wasn’t the only person who was weirded out by it.

“Yes, Allen brought me here and apologized. He even bowed his head, saying that he feels sorry for not trusting me before…”

“Hmm…”

Laina thought for a while before nodding.

“If Master Allen did that… Then he must have really meant to apologize.”

“Really? Why?”

“Master Allen would never bow his head unless it is required or truly his mistake. But since he did…”

“He probably genuinely meant it.”

Julius wondered, ‘Is the original plot already changing?’

Laina cautiously spoke, “Also… You probably don’t remember, but you and Master Allen were very close when you were younger. Considering that, maybe Master Allen changed his mind after seeing your recent actions.”

“Hmm…”

“Anyways, it’s a good thing that he did. It’s a shame that you lost your memories, but… You changed for the good. And Master Allen apologized to you first too.”

She smiled in relief and bowed to Julius.

“I have some errands left, so I’ll excuse myself.”

“Alright. You’ll come before dinner, though, right?”

“Yes.”

After Laina left, Julius decided to just let go of his doubts and observe the situation.

“Ah, whatever. Whatever will be, will be. He’s just an extra, after all. An insignificant character.”

Julius headed back to the training ground with a lighter heart. There wasn’t enough time to complete the quest.