SS #40 Time to back

It was a night like any other.

After a night of passionate love with Yuder that lasted until the cusp of dawn, Cordelia fell into a deep sleep, panting and half-dazed.

Even in her drowsy state, Yuder’s embrace was firm yet warm, and cozy at the same time.

‘Abs.’

Hard abs.

Yuder’s abs, which she had desperately wanted to touch—but couldn’t bring herself to—when they had gone to the capital’s heated pool at the invitation of Crown Princess Daphne—no, the woman who was now queen.

She had no idea why a memory from over ten years ago had suddenly surfaced.

Her mind was too fuzzy to think properly anyway.

No, perhaps this wasn’t a thought at all, but just part of a dream.

A dream.

A good dream.

Any dream with Yuder couldn’t be a bad one…

Her thoughts ceased.

Her vision went completely black, and now there was truly nothing.

And then, in an instant.

“My lady, Lady Cordelia.”

She heard a voice calling her from afar.

It was an incredibly familiar voice.

A woman’s voice—gentle and lovely, deliberately lowered a little.

“My lady, it is time to wake up.”

“Dahli…a?”

Muttering in a daze, she half-opened her eyes, and a familiar silhouette came into her blurry vision.

“That’s right, it’s your Dahlia. Please wake up now.”

Dahlia.

Dahlia Aile.

Sorry, Adelia, but she was the guard knight who was more like a sister to her than her actual one.

The Commander of the Royal Knights of the Holy Nation of Yudelia.

The Angel of Protection.

As these bits of information slowly surfaced, Cordelia finally managed to rouse her mind and opened her eyes fully to look ahead.

A ceiling, both familiar and strange, came into view.

She had certainly seen it for a long time, but it was a ceiling she hadn’t seen much in the last ten years.

‘My… room?’

Not in the Holy Nation of Yudelia, but her room in the Chase County estate.

“My lady?”

At the call, Cordelia’s eyes followed the voice.

There stood Dahlia, also familiar yet strange.

“Did you cut your hair?”

Her long hair, which used to reach her waist, was now so short it didn’t even touch her shoulders, a bob that barely fell below her ears.

“My hair?”

“Yeah, your hair. Maia liked it… Oh, don’t tell me you fought with Maia?”

When Cordelia asked in alarm, Dahlia furrowed her brow and quickly placed a palm on Cordelia’s forehead.

As if checking for a fever.

‘Warm.’

The hand, calloused as befitting a knight, was firm but gentle and warm like Yuder’s.

But Cordelia had no time to leisurely enjoy the long-missed touch.

Not with what Dahlia said next.

“You don’t have a fever.”

“Dahlia?”

“My lady, are you feeling unwell? Please tell me honestly.”

“I’m not sick. Though I might be a little sore because of Yuder.”

As she spoke with a small, joking laugh, Dahlia’s brow furrowed even more.

“My lady, did you perhaps have a dream?”

“A dream?”

“I suppose so, since you mentioned Young Master Yuder… Ah, now that I think of it, Young Master Yuder’s personal maid is named Maia, isn’t she?”

It was definitely Dahlia, but her words felt strange.

There was a sense of distance in the way she mentioned Yuder and Maia.

“It seems you had a dream about Young Master Yuder.”

“A dream?”

“Yes, a dream. It’s time to wake up from it now.”

Dahlia said with a soft smile as she helped Cordelia sit up.

It was something she could do because they were practically sisters.

And as she sat up, Cordelia thought.

‘She’s not an angel.’

The Dahlia before her was human.

A pure human, with not a trace of celestial energy.

What had happened?

Was she dreaming right now?

‘I’m different, too.’

She wasn’t an archangel.

The realization brought a new sense of discomfort.

This was the body of a frail girl, completely unlike the powerful archangel’s.

Her mana was weak, too.

Truly minuscule, a tiny amount of mana that couldn’t even compare to her original body.

It felt as if she had entered a deliberately weakened avatar.

What had happened?

What was going on?

“My lady, you remember we’re going to visit Young Master Yuder this afternoon, don’t you?”

Dahlia said as she moved a small, pretty cart with a basin of water for washing and various toiletries next to the bed.

Though a knight, her movements were as practiced as a maid’s.

“A visit?”

“Yes, he is your fiancé. You should visit him from time to time.”

What did she mean, Yuder was sick?

Her Yuder was so sturdy you couldn’t make him sick even if you tried.

But instead of asking what she meant, Cordelia blinked once.

And with a brain that Yuder himself admitted was superior in terms of raw performance, Cordelia instantly processed several thoughts at once.

Everything Dahlia had said so far.

Dahlia’s short hair.

Cordelia’s own condition.

The familiar yet strange room in the Chase estate.

If this wasn’t a dream—no, even if it was—there was only one situation she could assume.

‘I’ve… returned to the past?’

Unless this was a truly elaborate prank, it was the most likely scenario.

Of course, Yuder was just the kind of person who would pull such a prank to surprise her, but Cordelia didn’t think so.

Yuder sometimes played mischievous pranks, but never this kind.

‘I’ve returned to the past. A regression. I’ve come back to the past with my memories intact.’

A cold sweat trickled down her back.

A ‘regression’ was an opportunity only when one had many regrets.

For Cordelia, who had already achieved a perfect happy ending, regression wasn’t an opportunity, but a calamity.

“My lady? Are you… alright?”

Perhaps her feelings showed on her face.

At Dahlia’s worried question, Cordelia forced a smile and said she was fine.

If she had truly regressed.

If she had returned to the starting point.

What should she do?

For a moment, Yuder’s voice came to mind.

Alexei’s words.

His teaching to always think about the victory condition.

‘Help me, Alexei.’

Muttering inwardly, Cordelia washed her face, hiding it from Dahlia.

And she thought.

‘I have to meet Yuder.’

Together, they could overcome any crisis.

And maybe, just maybe, Yuder had regressed too.

‘Right, thinking is Yuder’s job.’

To each their own. To each their own.

Just the thought of meeting Yuder, just the fact that Yuder existed, calmed her heart a little. Cordelia took a deep breath and continued washing her face.

‘This is also familiar and strange.’

The Bayer County estate, which was more like a wartime fortress than a nobleman’s mansion.

As Bailun transformed from a northern border town into a metropolis known as the heart of the north, the Bayer estate had undergone changes as well.

Recalling the main gate with its much higher walls—truly reminiscent of a castle—and a moat, Cordelia stepped forward with an awkward smile.

And inside the mansion.

Seated in the drawing-room with Dahlia, Cordelia gently pressed her chest to calm her pounding heart and moved her lips.

‘Did Yuder regress too?’

‘What if he didn’t?’

‘Do I have to tell him everything?’

If the knowledge from Yuderwiki and her own knowledge of the future were combined, wouldn’t they be invincible?

Perhaps it would be possible to achieve something beyond a perfect happy ending, like a super ultra perfect ending.

Recalling a name that would have made Yuder comment, ‘Your naming sense really is a problem,’ Cordelia fidgeted with her fingers anxiously.

A few minutes passed as she habitually tugged at her hair, not even noticing Dahlia staring at her strangely from behind.

A knock came from outside the door.

“The young master has arrived.”

It was Maia’s voice.

Cordelia swallowed hard and nodded, and Dahlia gave the okay to open the door.

A moment later.

Yuder appeared through the open doorway.

Yuder.

Her Yuder.

Her Yuder with black hair and green eyes, the owner of those magnificent abs.

The door opened, and Yuder appeared.

He bowed with a stylish greeting and then raised his head.

His face, too, was familiar yet strange.

A pale face devoid of color, with deep shadows under his eyes.

But thanks to his handsome features, he didn’t look unsightly, but rather like a boy who resembled a glass doll that might shatter at any moment.

The moment their eyes met, Cordelia felt a sensation run down her spine.

She knew what this feeling was, like an electric shock she had felt over a decade ago.

And—

“What are you doing here?!”

Yuder shouted reflexively, and Cordelia knew instinctively.

She was the only one who had regressed.

Yuder was Outboxer009, who had awakened his past life’s memories only a few days ago.

So, what she had to do now was—

“What are you doing here?!”

Her shout was a little late, so their voices didn’t overlap perfectly, but she put on her best act of being shocked. And thanks to a certain black-hearted someone, her acting skills had improved by leaps and bounds, allowing her to surprise Dahlia, Maia, and Yuder just like that day over a decade ago.

‘This way, Yuder will be suspicious.’

He would wonder if she was Yellow Storm.

‘For now, let’s just let things flow naturally.’

The immediate task was to make a promise to meet Yuder in a corner of the Bayer estate tonight.

Steeling her resolve, Cordelia clenched her fists tightly even as she continued her act of being utterly surprised.

The beginning was very strange, but Yuder and Cordelia sat facing each other anyway, each taking a sip of the tea Maia offered with a worried expression.

And Cordelia realized a few things she hadn’t known over a decade ago, when she had been just as surprised.

‘He’s cute, my Yuder.’

Her Yuder had grown up so much and become so dependable, but there was a time when he was this cute.

A frail, pretty boy, slightly smaller than herself.

He was so surprised he still couldn’t get his expression under control, which was incredibly cute and endearing.

‘He probably doesn’t have abs now, right? Just a soft belly?’

I want to touch it.

Cordelia, thinking something that would have made Maia summon the family knights on the spot, chuckled and set down the teacup she had raised to hide her smile.

‘Now it’s about time for Yuder to start his confirmation process.’

A truly crude yet effective method to confirm if she was Yellow Storm.

‘Look at him being all cautious.’

Now that she looked closely, he was even sweating a little.

Hesitating.

He knew it was the most effective way, but that face clearly said he was too shy and embarrassed to do it.

‘Alright, this big sister will give you a hand.’

Smiling to herself, Cordelia spoke in a composed tone, as if in passing.

“Aha.”

“N-Noha.”

Yuder flinched as he replied.

And so, Cordelia nodded with a serious face.

Like spies confirming each other’s identities with a secret code.

‘And next is…’

Normally, Yuder would be the one to say the code phrase, but Cordelia decided to try something different.

‘Hey, Yuder.’

‘Wait, did you just call me?’

‘Yeah, I called you.’

‘What is this? A whisper? No, wait. Is this eye contact right now?’

‘Yep, it’s eye contact.’

A conversation not through message magic or telepathy, but through their gazes.

One of the proofs that she and Yuder were a match made in heaven, their bond forged over several past lives.

‘Yellow… Storm?’

‘Yeah, that’s me. It’s nice to hear that name again.’

‘Again?’

‘Oh, it’s nothing. Anyway, Yuder. It’s hard to talk in detail with Maia and Dahlia here. Let’s meet separately later.’

‘…Alright. Let’s meet tonight at midnight, in the north corner of my garden.’

‘Okay, see you then.’

Looks like it’s my job to climb the wall again this time.

With a tiny, bitter smile, Cordelia exchanged a few pleasantries with Yuder before getting up.

And that night.

In the garden of the Bayer estate.

“Yellow Storm.”

“Outboxer009.”

Responding to the soft call, Cordelia pulled back the hood she had pressed down on her head.

Yuder, who had been hiding in a corner of the bushes, quietly revealed himself.

“Are you really… Yellow Storm?”

“Yeah, I’m real. And you’re Aboki, right?”

The boy next door.

My swindler, Yuder.

Yuder flinched at the affectionate call, but only for a moment.

He soon narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to Cordelia.

“How did this happen? I awakened my memories… yes, my past life’s memories, two days ago.”

“Me too.”

She considered telling him about her regression right away but decided to postpone it.

He was already confused, and it might just cause more chaos.

And—

‘This is kind of fun, isn’t it?’

Seeing Yuder at a loss for what to do?

‘Should I surprise him a little more?’

With a mischievous smile that only she could see, Cordelia decided to go with the flow for now.

That is, they talked about whether they had been male or female, that this was reincarnation and not possession, and that they had to work to prevent the destruction of Pleiades.

And right after that.

“Then we’ll have to solve the Nine Yin Severed Meridians problem first.”

“Huh? Oh, right.”

When Yuder nodded, slightly surprised, Cordelia deliberately put on a thoughtful expression, then crossed her arms and said.

“If we wait for my father to get the Sun Fire Lily like in the original story, it’ll be too late. We’d waste nearly half a year. So it’s better to move up the timeline. What should we do then? We need yang energy comparable to the Sun Fire Lily to melt the yin energy of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians. And as for such a method… yes, there’s one not too far away. You know it too, right, Yuder?”

She spoke with a confident face and asked as if testing him. Yuder flinched again before nodding.

“One thing… comes to mind.”

“Right, me too. The Sun Necklace. With the Sun Necklace, we can cure your Nine Yin Severed Meridians. Of course, you and I are still low-level, so we can’t get the Sun Necklace through normal means. The one who drops it, Raizekang, is a Demon Prince. At our current level, he’s an opponent we couldn’t beat in a million years. But… this isn’t a game, it’s reality. If we use a shortcut, we can get the Sun Necklace from Raizekang.”

Cordelia paused for a moment to catch her breath, then placed her hands on her hips and said.

“I have one solution in mind. A method even we can use right now. What do you think it is?”

She asked, her face full of confidence, as if testing him again.

Yuder flinched once more, then narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth.

“Bella…”

“Yes, Bellastin’s Magic Circle. Using that, we should be able to temporarily summon the sealed Raizekang. And we just have to snatch the Sun Necklace from the immobilized Raizekang. We can get some level-ups as a bonus. What do you think, Yuder? Sounds like a viable plan, doesn’t it?”

Yuder couldn’t answer Cordelia’s question right away.

He just blinked with a bewildered expression.

‘Yes, this is what I wanted to do.’

A situation where I can show off to my brilliant Yuder as much as I want!

Just look at that surprised face.

Feeling ecstatic, Cordelia did a little shoulder dance out of habit. Yuder, who had been staring blankly at her, narrowed his eyes as if looking at something bizarre and said.

“You…”

“Yep, me.”

“Are you… really Yellow Storm?”

His rude question seemed to scream, The Nopoki I know isn’t this smart, but Cordelia just snorted and puffed out her chest.

“Yeah, that’s right. Yellow Storm, the eternal second place.”

But it’s okay now.

Because to you, Yuder, I’m always number one.

“Hmm… right. I guess you are. Anyway, you’re right, Nopoki. The Sun Necklace is the best option we can find right now. The problem is how to get to Raizekang’s seal…”

Yuder trailed off, glancing at Cordelia.

As if waiting for her to give the right answer again.

But this time, instead of excitedly blurting out the answer, Cordelia kept her lips sealed and waited for Yuder to speak.

She hadn’t admitted it back then, but it had later become a precious memory—the situation where Yuder asked her out on a date for the first time.

So Cordelia just stared at Yuder, blinking with a clueless expression. Yuder, biting his lip slightly, averted his gaze as if avoiding her eyes and said.

“How about… we go on a da… te.”

“Huh? Go on what?”

“…A date.”

Yuder and Cordelia.

Outboxer009 and Yellow Storm.

At Yuder’s shy(?) date proposal, Cordelia wanted to beam with a huge smile but managed to hold it back and replied with a hum.

“Fine, whatever. It’s not like there’s any other way.”

Can’t be helped.

I’ll accept your date proposal.

“Then you send a letter to my house asking me on a date. Got it?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“Good, look at you all flushed from the cold wind. I’ll cast Heal on you. Go inside and get some rest. Alright?”

Cordelia spoke gently and cast Heal on Yuder’s forehead with an equally gentle touch. Lost in bewilderment and confusion, Yuder blushed without realizing it.

“See you on our date, then.”

Cordelia waved and flew over the wall with Fly magic. Yuder, blinking with a dazed expression like someone possessed by a ghost, raised a hand to the forehead Cordelia had touched.

‘Look at him blushing.’

My Yuder is so cute.

Pretending to climb over the wall, Cordelia had actually clung to it to sneak a peek at Yuder’s face. She smiled to herself again before silently dropping down.

And two days later, in the morning.

The date between Cordelia, whose affection level was already maxed out, and the confused Yuder began.

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Translated By: Meher (RaidenTL)

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