Chapter 765: How To Spend Summer With A Childhood Friend
Right, it's not like you have to die to atone for your sins.
It's obvious, but I'd forgotten after living so long in a world where people only die or live.
"Aaaaargh!!!!!"
True, I want to kill Adonis right now, but if I think about it, I'm also an unforgivable sinner to someone else.
I'm just blessed with the special position of being a Regressor.
"W-wait a moment...! Just a moment...!"
Even Yu-na who came to find me in the 1st Turn eventually forgave me after I selfishly acted out.
I don't know if that bastard Adonis has the will to do so, but if he says he'll atone for his sins.
Shouldn't I forgive him?
Actually, thinking about it, this was a ridiculous concern.
I'm trying hard not to think of myself as the Dragon King.
Just because I saw the Dragon King's memories, acting on those emotions...
It's evidence that the distinction between myself and the Dragon King is weakening.
But even if I try to strictly separate myself from the Dragon King, the boundaries weaken with each memory, and thanks to Gang Ha-neul's efforts, I'm somehow maintaining myself.
Still, I can't help being affected emotionally.
I was in quite a confused state.
"Ugh...! Damn...!"
How confused was I? After sending Lilac and Cheon Yu-hak flying, I noticed Ha-ni's sword draw about 0.3 seconds later than usual.
When I blocked her sword draw, Ha-ni tried to use the Mind Sword technique she'd just learned, but her mastery wasn't complete so she stopped moving, and stopping during combat is practically suicide.
After subduing her lightly and making her kneel, everyone ended up retiring from this training session too.
"Hmm, you're all impressive."
Despite my wandering thoughts, they lasted 15 minutes longer than the last sparring session.
It showed that they hadn't slacked off in training while I was away in China.
Well, my mind might be complicated, but I still have to do what needs to be done, right?
"Alright, let's take a 30-minute break and do a little more before we finish."
I heard sighs of despair that it wasn't over yet, which almost weakened my resolve.
But this was necessary, so it couldn't be helped.
*
While Kang So-hyun was overseeing the training of combat-capable personnel, Kang Seo-ha was attending to Cathy.
"Miss Seo-ha. That's not how you become a perfect maid. Now that I've proudly become Master's lover, you said you'd pass my trial too, didn't you?"
Ah, to be more precise, she was attending to her while wearing a maid uniform.
She had thought Rose's trial of demonstrating perfect maid-like movements would be easier than the others' trials that bordered on harassment.
But from walking posture to the angle of pouring tea, even being tested on cleaning skills, and being asked if she could stop time...
Her head felt like it was about to explode.
"Don't bully her too much, Rose."
Cathy, the only one who had acknowledged her trial completion so far, took her side, but Rose coldly responded that she was still helping her.
...Wait, isn't this strange?
I'm sure this summer I connected with my first love childhood friend, and we developed into a couple.
And we definitely went to the swimming pool as a couple.
So why did I end up watching my boyfriend flirting with his other lovers while I was chained up practicing floating with iron balls, like some medieval witch hunt?
Well... watching him with others was, how should I put it, not entirely unpleasant, kind of titillating.
But I can't help feeling jealous.
I know I've done things in the past, so I'm not thinking "I'm the main heroine of this story...!"
But isn't it standard that when a childhood friend who fell to evil returns to the good side, they get special attention for a while?
Is this level of neglect normal?
"Hmm, you don't have to give me a massage though..."
See what I mean?
Now I've developed a habit of doing chores or attending to others whenever my mind wanders.
I'm still considered a heroine, right?
I was prepared to be treated differently until I passed everyone else's trials.
But to be neglected to this extent...?
It's kind of, how should I say it.
We're all living in the dormitory together, but when others are creating a newlywed atmosphere.
I feel like a hikikomori NEET who moved in next door to a newlywed home at the worst possible timing.
Like occasionally going out to throw away trash and accidentally encountering a happy family, getting hurt by the sight...!
I understand I'm being punished, but shouldn't I be guaranteed at least some basic right to happiness...?
"...Hmm, she seems like a combination of the worst parts of Baek Seol and Ga-eul."
"Hmm, Rose, you were in a similar position not long ago..."
The two seemed to be chattering about something, but in my gloomy state, I couldn't quite hear them.
Well, So-hyun has been to where he needed to go...?
Maybe he'll start paying attention to me soon...?
Yeah, that must be it~?
*
"Hmm? Next week? I'm going out again right away."
"What!?"
I just answered Seo-ha's question after training ended, and she shouted with an incredibly wronged expression.
"I still have one more place to visit...?"
Besides China, there was one more place in Korea where traces of the Dragon King remained.
It was a field called the Land of Beginnings.
Though not officially recognized, it was the site of the Dimensional Collision, where all sorts of monsters began to appear.
It was also the origin point where humans began to Awaken as superhumans.
I heard it's a place where not only ordinary people but even most superhumans can't casually enter because the mana density is too high.
According to the Cintamani, traces of the Black Dragon should remain there too.
Since I can no longer search through memories, I planned to briefly check that place before starting a full-scale investigation.
"Then what about me! What about my summer!"
"We all went to the pool together."
"I was just practicing floating while chained up there!?"
"What? Weren't you doing that for fun?"
"What kind of crazy person would do that for fun! That's like witch hunting from the medieval ages! It was a trial from the others!"
"Hey, that's discrimination. Someone in this world might have a hobby of swimming while restrained in chains."
"Where would you find such a person!!!!"
Well, even netorare is an incomprehensible hobby to me, but seeing that there are two people around me who enjoy it, maybe there are people who like that too?
"No, anyway, do you really have to go right away...? Summer's almost over, and this is the first summer I'm spending with a boyfriend, and it ends like this...? Isn't that too much...?"
Our timid Seo-ha is so cute.
Hmm, I guess I haven't been taking good care of her.
I just enjoy being with her, and I've had a lot on my mind lately, so I seem to have neglected Seo-ha a bit.
...Of course, I deliberately kept some distance because I was worried others might dislike it if I showed too much affection for her.
But still, that was too much.
"Then shall we play, just the two of us?"
I've heard I should take a break from searching for the Dragon King's memories anyway.
It seemed like a good opportunity to close the distance with Seo-ha and strengthen our relationship, but...
"Really!?"
The effect was much better than expected.
"Yeah, let's go swimming or something. Bring your swimsuit."
"W-when? When are we going?"
"Well, next week is a bit much, so let's do it today. I'll get ready soon, so just wait a bit."
"O-okay!!!!"
...Why is she so happy? We used to swim together often before.
Ah, but we've both grown bigger since then, so it might be a bit small for both of us to get in.
*
Well, this was strange.
"Is this...the feeling of despair...?"
For some reason, our childhood friend collapsed in her swimsuit after seeing the pool I had prepared.
"Why are you dressed so elaborately? I said we'd play, just the two of us."
"I dressed up because you said we'd play, just the two of us...!"
Her navy blue bikini, while not flashy, suited her current appearance quite well.
But while it might be appropriate for a beach or public pool, it didn't quite match the medium-sized vinyl pool I had prepared specially for Seo-ha.
"Why this!? You want us to get into this tiny pool together!?"
"We used to play in it often. And this one is bigger than back then."
"I do miss it, but that was until middle school...!"
...Most people probably wouldn't even use this in middle school.
"Every summer you'd beg me to set this up, and you'd run to get in before your siblings."
"I-I was immature then! I'm older now, I thought we'd go to a nice night pool or something!"
"Night pool...? Look at you being all risqué...?"
"What! Night pools aren't just that kind of place!?"
"I went through all this trouble to prepare this for you. Inflating this was harder than you think."
Actually, being a superhuman, it wasn't that hard, but seeing her complain so earnestly about my prank made it feel worthwhile.
"I prepared watermelon and a shaved ice machine too."
"Ugh...!"
"I bought your favorite melon syrup and condensed milk."
"Urgh...!"
"I even brought out three duck floaties..."
"Hey! Duck floaties are for bathtubs...!"
"You liked them until middle school."
"That was years ago! Ah...! Really...!"
Hmm, did I tease her too much?
I played this prank because I wanted to see this reaction, but maybe it was a bit much.
Just as I was about to say it was a joke.
"Fine!"
Seo-ha finally got into the pool filled with cool water and started splashing water at me.
...Oh, she actually got in? It was just a joke.
Before I could reveal that I had actually planned to take her to a hotel pool, Seo-ha's expression, as she splashed water at me with an indignant face, began to brighten.
...Well, she always used to complain a lot but quickly brighten up.
Like during elementary school sports days, or when we played in the valley in middle school.
When the little one fell into the lake and got soaked, it was funny, so before I could dry her off...?
Wait, that last one isn't my memory.
The memory of a girl who looked just like Seo-ha but much younger, almost falling into a lake.
That was the Dragon King's memory, not mine.
Hmm, they're mixed up in small places.
"Found an opening...!"
"Nope, not a chance."
If you're going to ambush someone, you should do it quietly, but Seo-ha tried to splash me without the basics of surprise attacks.
She ended up getting counterattacked by me and started coughing.
"Ah! Shouldn't a real boyfriend let me win sometimes!?"
"Hey, if you wanted me to let you win, you should have splashed slowly, not tried to ambush me."
"Ugh..."
...Well, things seem okay for now, so I should focus on cheering up my girlfriend?
"Watermelon! Let's eat watermelon!"
Look how excited she is already.
But you know what, Seo-ha?
Everyone seems to have caught the scent and they're approaching one by one.
Hmm, I'm already looking forward to seeing her happy face with the watermelon turn into a pout.
Shaved ice syrup.
I'm glad I secretly prepared various flavors.