After returning, Bom started bustling inside the kitchen and soon, a salty smell spread across Yu Jitae’s officetel.
Seeing that, Yu Jitae was put into a strange mood, because her last facial expression he had seen in the previous regression was still remaining in his head.
“Hnn hnn~”
As if in a good mood, Bom was humming.
Can their first encounter be considered everyday-like? He asked himself. It seemed to have been okay. A person in a bad mood wouldn’t hum after all, but back when he was kidnapping her, Bom’s expression had been stiff.
Something good must have happened in between but he couldn’t grasp it.
Even then, cooking suited Bom quite well. Out of the previous six regressions, she had a profession four times. She had been a painter for two of those rounds, a sculptor once, and was a novelist once.
Whatever the case, she liked ‘creating things’. Suddenly, he was made curious. In this life where the environment had been changed tremendously, what would she become? It would be quite interesting to watch.
In any case, he thought it was around time.
Recovering his thoughts from the topic regarding Bom, he started searching through the news reports made in a distant foreign land – Africa. Within that continent on the other side of the ocean, incidents were being reported one after another.
– In South Africa, a large-scale armed clash has occurred
– An air raid from the terrorist group formed around demons (魔人), Barkata. 1400 civilian casualties.
– South African Nations United (SAN) says “Africa will not compromise to violence”.
– Barkata side kidnaps and kills 14 workers associated with the SAN and shares the videos. The World Hunter Association denunciates them as the Evils of Humans.
– Clouds of war cover South Africa, as worries on more terrorist attacks continue…
Currently Africa was in the turmoils of war. Unlike wars in the past that used swords and guns, it was a war of superhumans. This long war would continue until the Apocalypse was casted over the Earth, and created lots of victims.
To be honest, he wasn’t interested whether people died or not, but if one of those deaths included a ‘Red Dragon’, things were different.
The time of the regression was one year after the dragons started their Amusement, and the Red Dragon that loved fights played around in the battlefield day and night. Then, it unfortunately got attacked by a top-ranked superhuman and became greatly injured. That was an element that hastened the upcoming Apocalypse.
Therefore, it was better to start looking for it before it got wounded out of arrogance. He reflected on the time and date and realised that there were only a few days left.
He had to move soon.
“Ahjussi.”
That was when Bom waved her hand from the kitchen. It seemed like the food was almost ready.
Inside the plate, there was a food resembling fried rice and judging from how it had a hint of brown, it seemed that the likes of soy sauce had been used. Grabbing the spoon, he raised a spoonful of rice and carried it into his mouth.
“How is it?”
After chewing for a bit, he stopped. Then, he raised another spoonful without saying a word.
“You’re eating well.”
The meal continued in silence. After putting the last spoonful into his mouth, Yu Jitae finally let go of the spoon and seeing the empty plate, a flower bloomed on Bom’s face.
This dish, it was really…
“It was delicious right?”
Terrible.
Thinking that some part of it could be delicious, he ate it till the end but there was no such thing. However, when Yu Jitae didn’t give a response, Bom seemed to have accepted that as a yes.
“Wah, thanks ahjussi. This is in fact the dish I’m most confident with.”
“…What’s it called?”
“Mmm, I haven’t decided yet.”
He had a feeling that might be the case because there was no way a food that salty and bitter could exist in this world. Blankly, he stared at the empty plate before raising his head.
“I’ll make it again next time.”
*
Just like that, the strange joint life of the Regressor and the dragon began. Bom adapted to the house rather quickly. She cooked and washed the dishes, watched TV and read books, living like it was her house and one day, she brought a small flowerpot.
It was a pot without a single sign of life within.
“What’s this.”
“The house is all dark isn’t it? I thought it would need something like this.”
As Bom had said, Yu Jitae’s house was a split copy of himself and was filled with achromatic colours. The wallpaper and furniture were of dull colours, the bookshelves were strictly organised and there was not a single speck of dust on the floor. It was an environment that appeared unnatural to anyone.
“Do you want to have a look?”
Bom placed her hand on the dirt within the pot and slowly closed her eyes. And when she carefully raised her hand back up, there was a small cotyledon budding up. It befitted her characteristic as the dragon of nature.
In any case, the two kept their own distance and space while living together for a few days. Yu Jitae was originally a man of few words and since Bom also had a quiet personality, the two didn’t talk much despite being in the same area.
“I have returned, my lord.”
Meanwhile, the copy repeated going and coming back from work and shared the everyday life of that day with Yu Jitae. Yu Jitae and the copy could share their memories and after closing his eyes for a short while, Yu Jitae reopened his eyes and gave a nod.
“Everyone seems to be having trouble because of that Jo Hosik or whatever.”
Within those memories, there were everyday emotions being felt by ordinary humans. Anxiety that came from the fact that they might not be able to catch the criminal; happiness from finding small pieces of clues; the new recruit feeling tired and the emotions of the team leader comforting him.
Such emotions that he was still unfamiliar with slowly built up inside Yu Jitae’s head.
“Is it correct for me to go up and help the investigation?”
“It’s fine. Leave it until the deadline and if they still haven’t found him, then you can go help.”
“I understand.”
Yu Jitae went through the copy’s memories for a bit and thought of a similar situation. Those living their daily lives would say something like this.
“…Well done.”
This was a sentence spoken by the team leader when the newbie returned from a stake out. Complimenting someone was something he hadn’t done for a long time.
“My loyalty to my lord.”
But the copy with his lowered head cautiously raised a question.
“However, is it possible for me to ask one thing?”
Although he was Yu Jitae’s copy, he didn’t know everything about him.
“What is it.”
“What meaning is there to a daily life like this?”
“What do you mean.”
“Among the existences in charge of myself, there has never been anyone wishing for a daily life. They tried to use me in a field more meaningful, for example killing someone that must be killed and sending me to a place for stronger influence.”
‘Myself’ mentioned here referred to the [Shadow of an Archduke (SS)] itself, rather than Yu Jitae’s copy. Due to exceeding the limits, the skill itself had formed a personality.
“And?”
“And yet my lord is trying to feel what daily life is. My insignificant self cannot understand it.”
Hearing the copy’s words, Yu Jitae closed his lips and looked outside the window in deep thought.
“…If that happened to be an insolent question, I beg for your pardon.”
“It’s fine. Go back now.”
“Yes.”
Returning the copy, Yu Jitae looked outside the window for a long time. The reason I must find daily life – he thought back on the last regression.
That day, thunders roared crazily and rain poured down. Looking above at the skies, an enormous fissure with its diameter reaching 200km was being formed with a border in the centre. The Green Dragon covered in mud collapsed on the ground and glared up at Yu Jitae.
“Is this the ending you wanted?”
It was a cold voice, but he did not respond.
He could declare with ease that the ‘sixth round’ was the fiercest round out of the hundred years of regression. In order to become stronger, Yu Jitae opened a crevice in the dimensions and headed to the Demon World and repeated wars for tens of years. Then, he would occasionally return to Earth and kill all the organisations and people that became threats to the dragons in the previous lives.
It was a repetition of war, and all that penance was to put an end to the f*cked up regressions.
And yet…
“Was this child becoming like this the ending you desired? Was this the future you said you were preparing?”
While crying, the Green Dragon glared at Yu Jitae with eyes filled with hatred. She placed a hand on the forehead of the girl that was resting its head on her knees. The girl’s skin was turned cold.
He just thought hiding them well enough would be enough.
And yet one of the dragons had ended their own lives.
And the [Dragon’s Memories] of the dead transcended dimensions and were sent over to their family in another dimension. All of his hard work had turned into nothingness and in front of such a conclusion, Yu Jitae could not do a single thing.
Like a statue, he turned solid.
“The reason this child ended her own life, you don’t know right?”
“…”
“Of course you don’t, and by yourself you’ll never know in the future. Because you have never considered us a living being.”
“…”
“So I’ll teach you now what Amusement means to us.”
Words he had never heard despite the repeated regressions started flowing out from the Green Dragon’s mouth.
“We, the dragons, are beings that live for thousands of years, and we never forget. Throughout a long life, we experience everything that an existence can and when we become an adult after a thousand years, there’s nothing new remaining. We lose stimulation and slowly start losing our emotions.
“Even then, we live on. We have to live thousands of years without feeling anything – without any emotions, because we are the Mediators of Cause and Effect. That is our life, a boring life. But did you know? Even for us, there is one thing that we enjoy.
“Those are the experiences we had during our Amusements. When we were babies, when everything in the world was foreign, new, and even frightening. Getting to know things was fun. We could empathise with others’ sadness, get angry at injustice and be honestly happy when our efforts had results – those memories. Unlike humans you see, we cannot lose those memories because we just don’t forget.
“Adult dragons think back on the memories and emotions of when they were young and relive those moments. Endlessly, until the day of our deaths, we live in nostalgia forever. For us, Amusements, and first Amusements like now have that kind of meaning.
“And yet you have ruined all that.”
While crying unceasingly, the Green Dragon did not avoid the Regressor’s gaze. Yu Jitae let out a cold breath as all sorts of emotions started storming up within. For the first time in almost forever, he wanted to make an excuse, but he couldn’t. And he therefore didn’t.
“I won’t forget the things that happened today. Ever.”
After finishing her words, the Green Dragon buried the dead kindred in her arms and wailed. Although it was the Regressor that had repeated its life, something in the depths of his heart that had never moved for a long time wriggled. That became a drop of poison and spread throughout his veins. Feeling like he would crumble if he were to stay there any longer, the Regressor turned away and walked endlessly without a destination.
He did not stop his feet for a long time.
“Ahjussi.”
It was then. There was a voice that woke him up from his thoughts.
It was Bom.
“Are you sleeping?”
Yu Jitae slowly opened his eyes. There, the Green Dragon that had just been cursing him looked at him with a bright expression.
“I’m sorry if you were sleeping.”
“I wasn’t. Why.”
“It’s this. I bought it because it looked interesting but I can’t figure out how to solve it. Please help.”
She selfishly pushed a mixed rubik’s cube forward.
“Where did you get this?”
“I heard there was a place called Lair so I went there. Oh right, ahjussi works near that as well right?”
“Yeah.”
“I bought it there while playing around. They sold these as souvenirs.”
Like her words, there was Lair’s logo drawn in the middle of the cube.
I also don’t know how to solve this. Yu Jitae was about to say that but stopped before he could say those words. Inside the memories brought by the copy, there was a word spoken by a senior towards a junior that was forced to undertake a task too difficult.
Half doubting, Yu Jitae decided to copy the senior’s words in his memories.
“…Let’s solve it together.”
“Really?”
“Why.”
“It was just unexpected.”
Then, Yu Jitae and Bom contemplated for a long time and started solving the cube together. And after few hours passed,
Click!
The cube had been solved.
“It worked.”
Bom glanced at the cube, then turned to Yu Jitae with widened eyes. From the 100 years he had spent watching the Green Dragon, this was the first time he had seen such an expression.
“Do you like it that much?”
Her eyes bent like bows.
“I do.”