Regressor Instruction Manual - Chapter 353. Kim Hyun-Ah (3)

“Oppa… became a little sister,” Kim Ye-Ri mumbled.

What she said completely described Kim Hyun-Sung’s current appearance. I looked around without saying anything, and I saw the others staring at him. Obviously, they started laughing soon afterward. Elena warned us earlier, but it was an extremely surreal scene. Kim Hyun-Sung now looked like he was 17 years old at most, and it seemed like other parts of his body had changed as well. His height, arms, and legs had shortened, and the straight hair that came down his shoulders stuck out the most. It was the very definition of glossy hair. It seemed like someone had coated his hair with oil, but surprisingly, it was still swaying in the wind. His face looked like Kim Hyun-Sung’s face was transplanted onto a woman. I had always thought that he was handsome, but he became as beautiful as an elf with this gender change. I had no idea if he had realized it just yet, but he became so beautiful that he could be considered to have become a woman of great beauty. This wasn’t a subjective opinion.

The party members were glancing at him, and even the elves looked at him as if they found him interesting. The most interesting part was Kim Hyun-Sung’s behavior. He looked unnatural because he acted like a middle-aged man even though he looked like a woman in her late teens. For example, he stroked his chin and frowned. However, even though his actions didn’t match his current appearance, he still looked really cute. Of course, his current looks didn’t make my heart race because even though he looked young, I knew better than anyone that—at the core—she was Kim Hyun-Sung. However, I really wanted to pat her head at least once.

The situation rendered me speechless. I looked at Elena, and she started talking cautiously.

“I’m sure it’s temporary, so you don’t have to worry so much.”

“Is that so?” I asked.

“Yes. The spell will disperse outside the Fairy Forest, so once you leave the Fairy Forest or as time passes, you’ll return to your original form. Surprisingly, ordinary dispel magic doesn’t work on it…” she replied.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“I assume it’s because the mechanism of the magic works differently. The boundary of whether the magic used by fairies can even be considered magic or not is still not clear. I don’t know much, but I can guarantee one thing: it won’t be a huge problem,” she assured.

“That’s a relief,” I commented.

Kim Hyun-Sung nodded at Elena’s words. Kim Ye-Ri and Jo Hye-Jin sighed openly, and they had to have been worried. Since Kim Hyun-Sung reacted the same way…

‘He has never been here before.’

He was pretending like it wasn’t a big deal, but he probably got surprised as well. After confirming the information he had heard, I saw a small smile on Kim Hyun-Sung’s face, I wasn’t sure if it was true, but it seemed like this was his first time experiencing the fairies’ tricks. As such, it should be his first time entering that dungeon we talked about. I could remember him saying that it was an above legendary dungeon, so this expedition could never be a walk in a park.

‘It would have been better if he had been to the dungeon before…’

Unfortunately, the incessant approach of the fairies ruined the atmosphere. The way they flew around didn’t fit the serious atmosphere, and even though it was only for a bit, everyone looked kind of relaxed. Kim Hyun-Sung looked like he was about to say something, but he kept quiet as if he had made a decision. He definitely thought that it was okay to have a day like this.

‘Resting is important, too.’

The others definitely noticed Kim Hyun-Sung’s acceptance, and Ahn Ki-Mo broke the silence.

“So it’s true! This is really interesting. The guild master, ah, Miss Ye-Ri as well… they have been affected by the fairies’ magic.”

“What?” Kim Ye-Ri asked.

“Your gender,” he replied.

“Mister Ki-Mo… I’m still the same,” she said.

It was only for a moment, but her face turned scary. Ahn Ki-Mo had to have realized that he made a mistake because I saw him frantically trying to change the subject.

“T-There must be something wrong with my eyesight!”

“…”

“N-No one else changed other than Mr. Hyun-Sung. Is there a reason?” he asked.

“Isn’t it because of the fairies’ whim? I thought I had already seen enough interesting things after arriving here, but it looks like I still have a long way to go. The way Hyun-Sung bro transformed like that… Even though it’s only temporary, shouldn’t we change his name? I think Kim Hyun-Ah is suitable,” Park Deok-Gu suggested.

“That’s rude,” Jo Hye-Jin commented.

“Your problem is that you’re too serious, Hye-Jin noonim,” he told her.

“The name is good enough for the guild master,” she said.

“Ahem. That’s why it’s a joke. I just wanted to say something ridiculous. It looks like it’ll be a special experience, but for some reason, I don’t want to be a part of it,” added Park Deok-Gu.

“I’m sure that’s the same for everyone,” Kim Ye-Ri chimed in.

“I kind of want to see it…”

I wasn’t sure why Hwang Jung-Yeon made that strange comment, but I had to agree with Kim Ye-Ri’s remark. That was when I realized the fairies had good eyes, and during all of this, the fairies continued to attack Han Sora, which made me feel kind of bad for her.

The other female guild members were preparing the meals, and unlike my assumption that we would have a simple meal, it was a pretty legit meal. I thought Kim Hyun-Ah had given a direct order, and it was probably about how we would enter the dungeon tomorrow. Now that I thought about it…

‘Wasn’t she going to say something earlier?’

I turned my head and saw Kim Hyun-Ah approaching me. She had always been slightly taller than me, so it felt strange to look down at her. The way she patted my back also seemed unnatural for some reason.

“By the way, I haven’t heard your answer… Are you feeling better?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m feeling fine… Miss Elena mentioned that it’s best if we take a break, but I didn’t want to cause any harm,” I replied.

“It’s fine. We’re almost there anyway. Resting properly for a day is a good idea. Everyone followed without any complaints, but I’m sure the rearguards are tired. Miss Ha-Yan, Miss Hee-Young, Miss Sora, and Miss Jung-Yeon, I’m sure they’re exhausted,” she explained.

“They had no choice but to keep on exhausting their mana. By the way, are you doing fine, Miss Hyun-Ah?” I asked.

“Yes, of course. Physically, I… Ah, are you asking about my current condition?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“The clothes I’m wearing are uncomfortable, but it’s not a big problem and aside from my short height. I won’t have any issues when I fight. My appearance changed, but my physical stats are still the same. If I were in Mr. Deok-Gu’s or Miss Ah-Young’s position, I would have felt pretty uncomfortable, but there are some advantages to a smaller body as well. Of course, I’ll find out soon enough which body size is more efficient,” she replied.

‘That’s not what I was asking…’

“I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I feel lighter and more nimble. Ah, thank you, Miss Hye-Jin,” she added.

I was sure that they had been in a rush to prepare the meals because Jo Hye-Jin quickly returned and handed Kim Hyun-Ah a bowl of stew. Of course, I got one as well.

Kim Hyun-Ah took a sip and continued talking. “Anyway, I’m relieved that there’s some improvement. You’re not having a seizure as often, so I’m truly relieved.”

Her bright smile was an absurd side to behold, and she even continued talking with stew all over her mouth. It seemed that she still hadn’t gotten used to her temporary body.

“Isn’t it really pretty?” Kim Hyun-Ah asked.

“What?” I asked.

“This place,” she replied.

“Ah, I agree. I’m sure you won’t be able to see a place like this on Earth. Haha,” I laughed.

“Of course not. A place like this probably doesn’t exist on Earth,” she said.

“…”

“…”

“Mr. Ki-Young,” she called out.

“Yes?” I answered.

“This may be random, but I’ve resented coming to this place many times,” she started.

“Probably…”

“Yes, I’m sure that’s the case for most people. Anyone would hate getting dragged to a place without knowing what’s going on. I’ve cried and screamed while questioning what the hell a quest was, why I was here, and it was all because I couldn’t understand anything,” she confessed.

“That’s surprising. You didn’t seem that way at all…” I commented.

“It’s because I thought that keeping my calmness up as best as I could in front of others was the best thing to do. However… people are pretty cunning. I must’ve taken a liking to this place. I sometimes miss the castle walls and Lindel, even though I despised seeing them. I don’t want places like this to disappear. It’s also the same for you and the others,” she continued.

“…”

“I never imagined we’d become this close, and I didn’t think I’d rely on you this much,” she added.

‘It’s the same for me, man.’

“It’s funny, but recently, I’ve been thinking that it’s a relief,” she said.

“A relief?” I asked.

“Yes. Meeting all of you has created all these connections. This is random, but even after a long time, I’d like to see this sight again with everyone. So… just hang in there a little bit longer,” she added.

Kim Hyun-Ah stood up and extended her hand out. Naturally, I grabbed her hand, and she helped me stand up.

“I’ve said something embarrassing, but I’m telling the truth,” Kim Hyun-Ah told me.

“No, I’m glad you told me that. I have the same thought,” I said.

At that moment, the sunset stood out, and it was as if the sunset was helping her set the mood. Her bright smile was a memorable sight to behold.

All of a sudden, I discovered a scary-looking Jung Ha-Yan standing a bit far from where we were. It had been a while since I saw her twisted lips, so I was startled. She pretended like nothing was wrong with her, but her expression looked twisted.

‘I hope she’s not going to cause trouble again.’

I let go of Kim Hyun-Ah’s hand. However, she was unbothered by it because she still had that bright smile.

‘Stop smiling, man.’

If I hadn’t let go, a true monster would have come charging at her.

My anxiety caused me to wave at Jung Ha-Yan, and she ran toward me with a bright smile.

“Haha. Looks like I’ve used up a lot of your time. I’ll go and take a look around the area with the other elves. If we rest up today, we’ll be able to enter the dungeon tomorrow. As I’ve mentioned before, I trust that you’ll endure it, Mr. Ki-Young,” Kim Hyun-Ah said.

“I will…”

I felt ashamed when he tiptoed with a satisfied look and patted my shoulder twice. His eyes were filled with a strong sense of trust. Now that we were about to enter the dungeon, I started to feel even more bothered about the idea of wrapping up this matter.

‘It’ll be troublesome if Kim Hyun-Sung misunderstands…’

I would be in big trouble if he mistook me for the masked scum instead of Jin Cheong because there was nothing more painful than getting backstabbed by someone you really trust. Of course, I was innocent, but I had to think about what I should do if the treatment didn’t work or if the situation took a turn for the worse.

‘That Big Ear is the problem.’

It would be a relief if Kim Hyun-Sung’s solution worked. I was kind of uncomfortable at the idea, but it should be a good thing to get my soul cleansed. However, if nothing changed, it would be a huge problem. A few lies and even the smallest variable could truly worsen the situation.

I had been continuously searching for a solution, but the problem was that I couldn’t find one. At first, I was leaning toward hindering the expedition to the dungeon, but the moment Kim Hyun-Sung mentioned the ultimate fight, I had to scratch that plan off. We had to clear the dungeon because that was the only way to respond to that future threat.

‘Is my soul so disgusting that it really needs to be purified?’

While I was deep in my thoughts…

‘I wonder how I look in Ha-Yan’s eyes…’

Strangely enough, Jung Ha-Yan was glaring at Kim Hyun-Ah. I stared at Jung Ha-Yan and noticed that she was holding my arm so tightly that it started to become painful. It was then that a thought popped into my head.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” I asked myself, as it should have been an obvious idea.

‘Why did I never think about influencing that elf?’