REGRESSOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Chapter 986: Altanus (23)

I looked at the hand mirror again, but nothing changed.

“...”

I stared at my face again at the thought that perhaps there was something wrong, but nothing changed. My golden eye, which was our bond and a symbol of the Regressor Instruction Manual, was returning to its original color.

My cool, odd eye disappeared.

The odd eye made me feel edgy as if I were a teenager, but I still cherished it a lot.

‘I really liked it…’

“Father?”

“...”

‘I’ve done so much for you. Damn it… how could you forget me?’

‘You really forgot me?’

“...”

‘You actually forgot me? You bastard. You really are useless.’

Of course, I understood why this happened.

I understood better than anyone that this was inevitable.

It wasn’t that the Blue Guild had forgotten about me.

I would cease to exist, so saying that he had forgotten about me probably wasn’t the best way to describe it.

The future had changed completely.

I wasn’t even sure if Kim Hyun-Sung was still a regressor, as I had yet to decide whether to make him a regressor or not.

I didn't want to be separated from him, but I thought that taking care of everything in the first life was the right thing to do, but there was no guarantee that my plan would work out as I had intended.

If there was a variable, I could execute the round again… but if things did go the way I planned…

‘It might get taken care of in the first life.’

The masked hero wouldn't exist in the first life, and it wouldn't be Altanus' Regressor anymore, but Altanus' Warrior. I was sure many things would change, but the basic framework would stay the same.

In other words, they had experienced the Continental War, the 27th Legion Summoning, the Outer Gods War, and other major events. Today, they were now raiding the Mole Saint's Cozy Sanctuary.

'I'll adjust the overall timeline… so that has to be it.'

Kim Hyun-Sung probably went through many incidents, but he was a hero who had grown stronger through my support. He was going to experience an incident unknown to me, and that incident would awaken him as the Sunset Warrior.

No, there was a chance that he would no longer be the Sunset Warrior.

‘No, he has to be the Sunset Warrior.’

The sunset was extremely suitable for him, and I couldn’t imagine him awakening as something else, so I needed to make sure that my plans would go smoothly.

Perhaps he’d awaken as the Sunset Holy Knight.

As soon as he was summoned, he’d start off as Altanus’ Warrior.

It wouldn't be bad if he walked down the path of a holy knight.

Jung Ha-Yan and Park Deok-Gu would probably grow in a similar direction.

Ha-Yan could become a temple mage—a job that had never existed before, and Han Sora could become a black mage. It'd be great if they ended up working together upon experiencing hardships together.

Park Deok-Gu could grow in a similar way. If he was given a shield, he could follow the same path.

I still had no idea what would happen to Jo Hye-Jin. As for Kim Ye-Ri, she could become a Heretic Inquisitor along with Lee Chang-Ryeol.

Miss Hee-Young could become an archbishop or something.

I imagined them working as Altanus’ Holy Knight Order instead of as members of the Blue Guild, and I nodded at that thought.

They’d look cool wearing the same special uniform that was different from the Templars.

The current overall timeline was similar, but it was a completely different world from the world I was familiar with. They hadn't really forgotten about me, and it wasn’t a regretful situation, either, as I expected it to happen.

I knew this was going to happen, so I had to be clapping rather than feel disappointed.

The fact that my eye returned to its original color…

‘Means the Altanus plan was a complete success, right?’

It hadn't been executed yet, but if the future proceeded at this rate and there were no errors or variables whatsoever, then I could say that it was a huge success.

‘As expected from Lee Ki-Young.’

There were no openings in the plan, and the future was set.

‘I’d expect nothing less…’

I know I was supposed to nod in joy, but I was angry.

I knew I had to do this, but I was feeling sad.

‘Shouldn’t he have resisted even a little bit?’

Wasn't there supposed to be a cliched moment where he'd try his best not to forget about me? There were still eight hours left, so wasn't it a bit too much for him to forget about me so early? Wasn't it too much for everything we had done so far to end up as if it had never happened at all?

Was it okay for everything to change this easily?

‘Shouldn’t you have endured it until the end?’

Wouldn’t it be beautiful to forget about me when there were only ten minutes left?

'Ha-Yan still remembers me, right? I’m sure Ji-Hye noona remembers me. Actually, I’m sure there’s at least one person who remembers me.'

I was surprised by the fact that I was having this thought, but it felt kind of miserable to be forgotten like this—wait, no…

“Bonds can be built again,” I muttered.

It wouldn't be between the Blue Guild and me, but it could be between Altanus and the Holy Knight Order. I still couldn’t think of a clear method, but I could find a way to get their memories back once the Blue Holy Knight Order had taken me out from the iron maiden.

It was only a possibility, but it was better than nothing.

“Father… are you okay?” Metel asked.

“...”

“Father.”

“What did you say?” I asked.

“Just now…”

“It’s nothing,” I told her.

“What? But…”

“You don’t have to worry. Why do you keep asking uncomfortable questions? You’re making me angry… More importantly, I should tell you about the future plan,” I told her.

“You said finding a place to meet Mr. Bahamut…” Metel reminded me.

“That’s right.”

I had taken care of both Draktaris and Templar Genny.

After taking care of Bahamut, my story would end with a beautiful farewell to Benigoa.

Naturally, I started walking with Metel.

I didn’t hear anything about a quest being completed, but I still needed to do my job.

“What should I—”

“You’re going to summon a demon,” I interrupted her.

“What?”

“Summon a demon,” I repeated.

“Excuse me?” Metel questioned.

“Why are you having a hard time understanding me? A demon summoning. I don’t have enough mana to hold a summoning ritual… so I’m going to need your help, Miss Metel. Actually, I won’t need just your help. It’ll be your job,” I explained.

“Are you serious right now?” Metel asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be serious?” I asked.

“...”

“You're a Rift Guardian, anyway. It doesn’t matter whether you summon a demon or their parents because it’s nothing compared to that rift being torn open.

"You'll never know what will come out of that rift. Aside from the program you’ll be learning from me, making a contract with a demon isn’t so bad. There are things I can’t tell you, but if you look at just the contract alone, you don’t have to worry about your soul getting taken away.

"In fact, there are some cases where they’re better than the gods and goddesses above, like Lucifer,” I told her.

“You…”

“I have an idea as to what you’re thinking right now, but it’s not what you think, Miss Metel. Haven't I shown you my wings? I’m embarrassed to say this myself, but I’m more of an angel than a demon,” I added.

“...”

“As soon as this is over, you just need to focus on stopping the rift. Except for taking care of the continent, you have many things to do here.

"If possible, we'll find a way to communicate with each other. Otherwise, I’ll give you this. Right now, this item isn't supposed to exist, so I can’t give you everything, but you’ll get what you want,” I continued.

“What do you mean by impossible?” Metel asked.

“It’s embarrassing to say this, but I might ascend,” I answered.

“What do you…”

“What I’m saying is I might become a god who is going to watch over the continent,” I told her.

“You’re crazy. How could you actually…”

I unfolded my wings because Metel and I were alone here.

‘The future is set.’

I did overdo it a bit, but my eye wasn't going to take on that hue anymore.

“...”

“...”

Obviously, Metel cast a dumbfounded gaze at me.

“Do you believe me now?” I asked.

Metel's mouth stayed open in a daze. Then, she cautiously asked, “Who… the hell are you?"

“Didn't I tell you when we first met? Incomprehensible things happen on the continent, like rifts. Who do you think I am? Do you remember the voice you heard back then? The voice that sounded like a divine message? It’s up to you to decide who you think I am,” I told her.

“...”

“Poor little sheep. I’m the God of Revival and Sacrifice. I traveled back in time because I found you pitiful and to take Lucifer's place," I said.

I was half-joking, but I could tell that she was confused. She was thinking that my ridiculous words could actually be true. I was sure she could feel it because she had received a quest from me before.

This incomprehensible item, the fact that I knew about the rift, my wings that gave no room for suspicion, and the holiness radiating from me. I was kind of sad that I had lost the ability to unleash light from my eye, but it was nothing more than an embellishment.

A saint with such radiant holy power was a shocking sight to everyone, and it would always make them think of something divine.

“Half of it is true,” I said.

“...”

“Do you believe me?” I asked.

“Yes…” Metel answered.

“Really?” I questioned.

“I’m not really sure… I’m confused as well… b-but… I feel like I should believe you,” Metel replied.

“That’s enough, and I’ll correct what I said before,” I said.

“Okay.”

“Do you remember the first time we met? I told you to forget about me,” I asked.

“Yes, you did say that…”

“I’ll take that back. Don’t forget about me,” I told her.

“...” “Don’t forget about me,” I repeated.

“Okay, I won’t forget,” Metel said.

Hearing her say that suddenly made me angry.

‘Damn it.’

It was all because Metel reminded me of Kim Hyun-Sung.

He told me the same thing as well.

‘Damn it.’

Now that I thought about it, I clearly told him not to forget about me.

‘This is why giving love is useless.’

His words suddenly popped into my head, making me gnash my teeth again.

‘Do they really think that they can be happy without me? We’ll just see about that.’

Despite that thought in mind, I wasn’t sure either because I was the reason behind their mental illness, but…

'I still gave them many things, you know?’

It was true that I was the reason why they had one or two mental illnesses, but I gave them many things to compensate for that. The pros outweighed the cons.

‘They’re probably really unhappy right now.’

I wasn't there, so I was sure they couldn't even dream of having a normal life. I believed they were feeling nervous about the raid without me there.

Once I had become Altanus, I’d focus a little more on the well-being of those disgraceful fools, but I was convinced that they wouldn't be as happy as they were when I was by their side.

Right now, I was sure they were unhappier than me.

***

“Hahahaha!”

“Hahahahaha! Hey, Hyun-Sung bro! Is it okay to be joking around at a time like this? We’re still in the middle of a raid!” Park Deok-Gu shouted.

“T-T-That’s our motto. To always have fun…” Jung Ha-Yan chimed in.

“Ha-Yan noonim is right. Always have fun… that's a good motto. We're in a pinch right now, but… I’m sure we’ll pull through this time as well. Like we always do,” Park Deok-Gu said, nodding.

***

They were probably just as unhappy as me...