Ch.99In the End, I Was Caught. (3)

……Suddenly?

Melina had never contacted me first before.

‘……Is it urgent?’

I couldn’t answer with Esthie staring at me with wide eyes right beside me.

I had built up the story that I hadn’t regressed, so suddenly contacting Melina would definitely seem suspicious.

‘But I can’t just ignore it either.’

She must be calling because there’s a problem somewhere.

Olivia sighed softly and said:

“I have a favor to ask. Could you give me some privacy for a moment? I got a call from an acquaintance.”

“……An acquaintance?”

There’s no choice. In situations like this, a direct approach is the only option.

Hide what needs to be hidden, but clearly reveal what won’t cause problems if exposed.

I just need to make sure she doesn’t know the caller is Melina.

Olivia took out a crystal ball from her spatial storage and shook it.

“It’s personal.”

At these words that clearly drew a line, Esthie’s face fell.

“……I thought it might be someone I knew.”

“Why, would you help if you knew them?”

“It’s just, it would be nice. Meeting someone from a past life again.”

Esthie shrugged.

“……Anyway, I understand. I’ll wait over there.”

Someone from a past life.

Indeed, Olivia had never thought from a regressor’s perspective since she wasn’t one herself.

But one thing she could be certain of was that regressors would never be able to use any “game-changing” future knowledge.

The reason was simple.

‘Because I wasn’t there.’

The Academy, the Empire, the Holy Kingdom, the Eastern Union, the Western Archipelago…….

There wasn’t a place on the continent that Olivia’s hand hadn’t touched.

Just look at the Greater Demons.

Aside from Belphegor and Agares, Olivia had quietly dealt with the other two Greater Demons.

Except for Livga, who knew about “Asmodeus,” the other regressors would think only those two would descend to the mortal realm.

There were dozens of major incidents she had handled ‘without anyone knowing.’

Among them was a secret organization working to overthrow the Empire.

This was why Olivia had initially thought about staying in the North.

‘Regressors can’t let go of their future knowledge.’

At first, they utilize future knowledge, but at some point, they start acting as if deviating from that “future” would kill them.

It took Olivia a very long time to stop fixating on “future knowledge” too.

She had to throw away nearly thirty iterations before she could abandon established builds and try new methods.

If the future flows as expected, that’s one thing, but what if huge unexpected events keep happening?

Before they can use their future knowledge, their mental state would crumble.

‘Anyway…….’

After confirming that Esthie was out of sight, Olivia infused mana into the crystal ball.

[……Finally answering.]

“What’s the matter?”

[I have urgent news to share. Something seems to have happened at the Imperial Palace.]

“……The Imperial Palace?”

The perceptive Melina immediately understood what Olivia was asking.

[……Well, given my position, I had set up several safety measures at the palace.]

Apparently, about 70 years ago, she had installed magic formations to protect the Imperial Palace. They were so powerful that even a Grandmaster would struggle to scratch them.

But today, those formations were broken. With a single strike.

[I just found out myself. The alert magic was quite outdated…….]

“Do you have any idea who did it?”

[……I’m not sure. The formation was destroyed before I could analyze the mana…….]

It seems she did discover that whoever broke the formation used magic.

A magician powerful enough to destroy Melina’s formation ‘in one go.’

If that’s the case, there’s only one answer.

‘……A Dragon.’

Not an ordinary dragon. The Empire could hunt adult dragons if needed. It would come with great sacrifice, but not impossible.

To cause such open havoc at the Imperial Palace in the heart of the Empire, it would have to be Lord-class.

‘……Eryas.’

Not all dragon clans have Lords. Only dragons recognized by all members of their clan earn the title of Lord. And currently, there are only two Lords on the continent.

Red Dragon Lord Eryas and White Dragon Lord Carthian.

Since Carthian is currently hibernating, only Eryas remained.

A chill ran through her chest.

Eryas went to the Imperial Palace. The meaning was simple.

The regressors are gathering in one place.

[I’m sorry I don’t know more than this…….]

“No, thank you for letting me know. It’s really helpful.”

This was sincere.

Knowing versus not knowing that the regressors had made contact made an enormous difference.

If she were to meet regressors who had already contacted Aria, it would immediately trigger a regressor buster call, and if her movements were read and she fell into a trap Aria had set, her throat would be slit.

‘……If I were Aria, where would I go?’

Wouldn’t she meet her most trusted companions first?

The regressors from the 10-something clues.

‘Or maybe not. She might have gone to the southern continent, or perhaps the Great Forest.’

Olivia’s expression grew increasingly complex as she considered the possibilities.

‘I really can’t tell.’

While other regressors seized Lactea’s protagonist role through force, Aria claimed it through strategy alone. It was only natural that a genius’s thoughts would be unreadable.

But if Aria had strategy, Olivia had experience.

Even if she couldn’t predict Aria’s movements, she could predict places she wouldn’t go.

“I understand for now. How are the kids doing?”

[You’d be surprised if you saw them.]

Melina hesitated before continuing.

[Well, I’d like to see your face after so long.]

Olivia paused.

“…….”

She responded after a moment.

“Ah, that’s……well…….”

[I understand you have a lot to do. But listen. At this rate, your disciples might develop in ways you don’t intend. Would that be acceptable?]

A valid point.

With a magician of Melina’s caliber teaching them, it would be stranger if their magical tech tree didn’t change.

She couldn’t abandon disciples she had originally planned to use against the Demon God.

Especially not now, when facing a faction war.

‘Even if my disciples can just tie up one regressor, that’s a win.’

Since all her disciples had died long before the massacre occurred, they could be used as secret resources to catch Aria off guard.

“I’ll come within this week.”

[If you don’t come this time…….]

“I will. Definitely.”

Melina nodded, seemingly satisfied.

[And please contact me at least once a day.]

“……Yes.”

-Click.

Melina disappeared from the screen with a pleased expression. Perhaps this was her goal from the beginning… but sometimes you have to play along even when you know you’re being manipulated.

Shortly after, the water rippled as Esthie emerged from the sea.

“……Are you done?”

“For now.”

Olivia looked down at Esthie with a troubled expression.

The regressors would think Esthie died from the lightning that struck Icail.

So if they discovered Esthie was alive and well, rather than being relieved, they would first try to figure out why she was still alive.

They might conclude that ‘Olivia subdued Esthie and is using mind control to bring her to her side.’

It wasn’t mind control but memory manipulation… but once such suspicion arose, it would be over.

If no one else, Kiel would definitely side with Aria.

Olivia asked:

“What are you going to do now? You don’t need to protect Icail anymore.”

“Well… I’ll do what I did last time.”

“……What do you mean, last time?”

Come to think of it, she hadn’t considered how Esthie lived after the clue ended that way.

The timing and method of eliminating the ‘voice’ were different from the massacre timeline.

Could this be another snowball effect…

“I went up along the Rasen River mouth.”

The Rasen River, connected to the sea in front of Icail, extended deep into the mainland.

‘Oh damn it.’

Following the Rasen River leads to the Atilla Mountains.

And in the Atilla Mountains is the free city of Mikabel.

“Do you know the King of Martial Arts? I stayed with him.”

“…….”

We’re doomed.

*****

“He’ll wake up soon.”

“Hehehe, of course he will.”

The King of Martial Arts cackled at the shaman’s words. His hair had turned white, but his enormous muscles still proclaimed his youth.

“Still, he’s quite weak for someone with the reputation of Sword Master.”

“He’s much better than when this one was young, you fool.”

The King of Martial Arts was certain. In this continent, only Kiel could satisfy him as a warrior.

Rumble rumble rumble…….

Vibrations emanated from Kiel’s body as he lay on the floor. It was the residual aura boiling up to heal his body.

“Oh, he’s waking up now. Youth certainly has its advantages.”

Unable to wait even that brief moment, the King of Martial Arts slapped Kiel’s cheek with his massive hand.

-Slap!

After the brutal sound echoed several times, Kiel lifted his eyelids like a broken machine.

“You… brute.”

“Hehehe. Stop exaggerating and get up. Let’s have one more round before the hunter arrives.”

“……Hunter?”

Instead of answering, the King of Martial Arts just cackled.

“Don’t worry. This time, I’ll take your life myself. If you’re going to die anyway, isn’t it better to meet your end at the hands of the most warrior-like one—me?”

The King of Martial Arts raised his fist.

“Now, pick up your sword.”