The Regressor’s Answer

Yunis-ssi offered to buy me dinner for coming all the way. She said she’d take me to the most delicious place in Eldorado, and I couldn’t help but get a little excited.

As we left the school gate side by side, Yunis-ssi kindly explained the famous shops in Eldorado that were visible as we walked. It seemed we arrived at our destination before long. I couldn’t see the restaurant, but I could see people lined up for a long way.

“Looks like there’s a wait?”

“I told you, it’s the most popular place. Can you handle waiting about an hour?”

Waiting an hour to eat something delicious is well worth it. I thought that making good memories of a city was all about the food.

While waiting to enter the restaurant, Yunis-ssi, full of curiosity, asked me various questions. Most of them were about club members or Transcendence. Because my activities were mostly in the classroom and the club room, there were a few vague answers.

Finally, it was our turn, and I opened the sliding door with Yunis-ssi and entered the restaurant. And I couldn’t help but let out a nostalgic exclamation.

“Uh…?”

Most of the restaurants I’d been to so far were closer to restaurants. But the place Yunis-ssi brought me to… reminded me of a samgyeopsal (Korean BBQ) place I used to go to often.

The tables inside the restaurant were full of people. I sat down at an empty table for four and looked around with a nostalgic feeling. The staff were busily moving between the tables, grilling the meat.

“How is it? This is the most popular place these days.”

Yunis-ssi seemed curious about the reaction of someone from the capital. I smiled and nodded my head in satisfaction.

“It’s good.”

At my simple answer, Yunis-ssi pouted her lips and handed me the menu, and we chose what to eat together. I always feel this, but why is the set for two called a couple set? We weren’t a couple, but because there were two of us, we chose the couple set.

The restaurant, filled with the smell of meat and delicious aromas, was bustling with people’s conversations. I poured water into the cup in front of Yunis-ssi and told her about the problem I was struggling with.

“If, let’s say. You suspect someone is a regressor, what method would you use to prove that person is a regressor?”

Yunis-ssi, who was eating the side dishes that had come out earlier, shrugged her shoulders while eating the sauce left on her chopsticks.

“Do you really need to prove it? I don’t think it’s a good idea to do anything dangerous that would turn a regressor into an enemy.”

“What if the relationship with the regressor isn’t bad, and it’s a situation where you can cooperate?”

Yunis-ssi narrowed her eyes. She looked suspicious for some reason. Yunis-ssi, who had been staring at me intently, asked.

“Don’t tell me your secret is that you regressed?”

“…It’s not that.”

It’s not a lie. Because I didn’t regress, I possessed. Yunis-ssi, who was examining my face as if observing, pulled her body back when the employee brought the brazier.

“It’s hot. Be careful~”

As soon as the employee disappeared, Yunis-ssi, who was holding the tongs, immediately put sausages and meat on the grill. Yunis-ssi was in charge of grilling today. I obediently followed her words that she couldn’t entrust the tongs to a friend who had come from afar.

Yunis-ssi, who put down the tongs, said.

“I think the method will vary depending on how they regressed, how far back they regressed, and various other conditions.”

Certainly, the position of strategist has different details of thought. Unlike me, who thinks vaguely only about the framework, the conditions are clear, and the perspective of thought is diverse.

“Let’s say they regressed about 5 years. And let’s say the regressor is a hero who has gone through all sorts of trials to save the world.”

Yunis-ssi, who listened to my explanation, frowned slightly and pondered, then looked around and fixed her gaze on something and said.

“Do you want to drink alcohol?”

I, who had been expecting an answer to the sudden suggestion, scratched my cheek.

“I have to go back today, so just a little.”

“Then let’s have a bottle of beer each. Hey, can you get it from the magic refrigerator over there?”

Nodding my head, I headed to the magic refrigerator that Yunis-ssi pointed to. I opened the door of the refrigerator without thinking, but I felt a strange feeling and raised my head. I was startled by the green light floating above my head and shrank my shoulders.

When I came back to my seat with two bottles of beer, Yunis-ssi, who was looking at me with an amused expression, asked.

“When you opened the door, do you know what the light that floated above your head was?”

I thought about Yunis-ssi’s question for a moment. The light that suddenly appeared must be magic. It’s probably a kind of magic engraved on the magic refrigerator.

“Is it magic that automatically writes the items taken out of the refrigerator on the order form?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea too. But you’re wrong. The menu is the order form here. There’s an order list on the back of the menu. It’s enchanted so that it automatically writes the order form from the moment we sit at the table and touch the order form until we leave the store.”

Yunis-ssi took out the order form that was stuck next to the table, telling me to check it. I nodded my head at the order form that said, “Add two bottles of honey beer.” It’s a strange magic that I’ve never seen even in the capital.

Yunis-ssi, who focused on flipping the meat and sausages for a while, said.

“The magic from a while ago is a simple age verification magic. It’s magic that checks whether the person taking out the alcohol is over a certain age. Green means no problem. Red means can’t buy.”

Yunis-ssi, who put down the tongs, asked.

“Do you know how age verification magic works?”

“No, actually, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Yunis-ssi, as if she hadn’t expected my answer, scratched her head for a moment and explained.

“Magic is engraved on the doorknob. When you grabbed the doorknob, the magic was activated and checked the age you unconsciously thought of in your head.”

“That’s why I felt strange.”

For some reason, I’m getting more and more focused on Yunis-ssi’s words. She had a talent for making people feel interested. Yunis-ssi cut the well-cooked sausage with scissors and put it on my plate, continuing her words.

“Magic shows stronger power if it has a simple formula structure and a clear goal. That’s why destruction magic made tremendous progress before the continent was unified. Because it was simply for the purpose of killing the enemy. Magic that simply checks age shows power even in the realm of the unconscious. Age is not a secret, so there is no unconscious rejection, so it’s easier.”

Certainly, a strategist needs to know various things. A lot of information shows Yunis-ssi various perspectives. I thought once again that Yunis-ssi could fill what I lacked.

We both played with our chopsticks diligently for a while without saying a word. I was very happy thanks to recruiting Yunis-ssi and the delicious food. When I was full to some extent, I took advantage of the gap where Yunis-ssi’s chopsticks slowed down and asked.

“But I don’t think it’s easy to find clear evidence that they are a regressor with that magic.”

When I asked that while drinking honey beer, Yunis-ssi mumbled with her mouth full of meat.

“Of course it’s difficult. The age magic there is simply magic that only checks whether they are over a certain age. But you can find evidence in a similar way.”

I didn’t rush Yunis-ssi, who was blowing on the hot meat and bringing it to her mouth, and I waited while eating the properly grilled meat.

“The reason why it’s important how far back the regressor has regressed, as I said earlier, is that. Even if a 25-year-old regressed to the moment of 20 years old 5 years ago, they would unconsciously think of themselves as 25 years old.”

At Yunis-ssi’s gaze as if asking if I understood, I put the well-cooked meat on Yunis-ssi’s plate and nodded my head.

“If you use the age measurement artifact developed by the Blue Magic Tower on the regressor, there will definitely be a difference from their actual age. However, considering the special nature of the regressor, there is a possibility that there will be defenses even in the unconscious. If you add a relic or artifact that can confirm lies along with the age measurement artifact, it can be clear evidence that can find the contradiction of the regressor.”

Something came to mind at Yunis-ssi’s explanation. It’s the golden cup used in Modest’s meeting.

It is a relic that fills the empty cup with wine if you hold the cup and say what you think is true. If you say what you think is a lie, the cup becomes empty. If you use that, can’t you reveal that Roel is a regressor?

While I was thinking about that, Yunis-ssi stopped using her chopsticks and said.

“If there really is such a thing as a regressor, you have to be careful. Even if you have the same goal, you should really think carefully about the cooperative relationship.”

My chopsticks stopped in the air at Yunis-ssi’s words.

“Why?”

“Think about it. The regressor must have regressed with some goal. That goal becomes a blind purpose in the life of the regressor who never gives up no matter what trials come.”

Yunis-ssi said, tapping the empty beer bottle on the table.

“Let’s say the regressor’s goal is to break this beer bottle. We won’t understand. Why break this beer bottle? What is this for? It’s just one of many beer bottles. Of course, we’ll ask for an explanation or try to persuade them to come to their senses. But the regressor will blindly break this beer bottle. Even if it means hurting the people who are stopping them, they will do whatever it takes.”

Suddenly, the triathlon came to mind. Unlike Yunis-ssi’s words, the members waited until I explained. But that’s because there was a belief that I would explain.

“Even if you have the same goal as a hero who regressed 5 years ago with the idea of saving the world using a better method. The method will inevitably be different. The regressor will think that the previous method was wrong. Because of that, even if the regressor’s actions become a disaster for us, we can’t persuade them in any way. Because that action will be the only definite answer for the regressor.”

Yunis-ssi added, twisting one corner of her mouth.

“In the end, you’ll just be dragged around by the regressor’s blind purpose under the guise of cooperation.”