Absolute Regression

“You were far more beautiful.”

The Evil Smiling Demon leaped lightly over the trap. At his words, the Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion smiled brightly.

“Please don’t say that. I wasn’t as beautiful as her.”

“No, you were much better in my eyes.” 1

Having experienced countless battles and hardships, Soma showed no signs of being shaken by the sudden ambush.

Yet, the Evil Smiling Demon’s gaze was fixed on Lee Ahn. Indeed, it wasn’t easy for anyone to take their eyes off such a beautiful woman.

Up until this moment, the Evil Smiling Demon hadn’t recognized Lee Ahn, who had come in with them.

It was Yo Jeong who recognized Lee Ahn.

“Congratulations, Martial Artist Lee.”

“Thank you, Mistress.”

Hearing Lee Ahn’s voice, the Evil Smiling Demon was startled.

He widened his eyes and asked, “No way, that ugly heart??! No way?!!!!!”

He was so shocked that he repeated “no way” twice.

Lee Ahn smiled and said, “Yes, it’s that ugly heart with the funny tricks.”

The Evil Smiling Demon jumped up and approached Lee Ahn. He stared at her face intensely. Under the pressure of his white mask, Lee Ahn trembled in fear.

The Evil Smiling Demon tilted his head.

“There’s some resemblance, but no, it can’t be. Absolutely not.”

The Evil Smiling Demon looked at me.

“Are you trying to fool me?”

“I’m here to fool you, and she is indeed that heart.”

“Really?”

The Evil Smiling Demon looked over Lee Ahn again.

“That can’t be. No, absolutely not!”

Strongly denying it, he turned to look at the Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion. She nodded once, with a knowing expression that confirmed the truth.

The Evil Smiling Demon bafflingly asked me, “What on earth happened?”

“She originally looked like this, but gained weight due to the side effects of the All-Body Petrification Technique.”

“So, this was her original appearance, and she was a bodyguard? That’s the greatest waste of talent in our Cult!”

Simultaneously, it was the highest praise from the Evil Smiling Demon.

Lee Ahn smiled and spoke to him.

“Well, it was because I wanted to protect the young master.”

Of course, it was me who corrected the facts.

“Do you think she did it because she wanted to? You know very well how our Cult operates.”

“Our Cult operates so ruthlessly, which is why we end up acting as both the Demon Supreme and the successor. But…”

The Evil Smiling Demon’s gaze turned to Lee Ahn.

“This case should be an exception.”

The gaze directed at her by the Evil Smiling Demon now held a new layer of admiration. It wasn’t simply admiration for her beauty, but also for her sacrifice.

Yo Jeong approached Lee Ahn and took her hands.

“You are so beautiful. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“Come with me. I’ll complete you as a true martial artist.”

“Complete me? How?”

“You don’t know how to apply makeup, do you?”

“…No.”

Having lived her life as a bodyguard, when would she have ever had a proper chance to apply makeup?

“There are times in life when you must fight with something other than a sword. For a woman, makeup is a weapon stronger than a sword.”

The Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion led her by the hand and left the room. Lee Ahn, who seemed to want to learn how to apply makeup, followed her reluctantly.

“It’s suffocating here. Let’s go out too.”

“Sounds good.”

I left the room with the Evil Smiling Demon. The surroundings of the Mistress’s residence were well-decorated and perfect for a walk.

“Being with you, Young Master, is truly an unending series of astonishing experiences.”

“You must have been surprised. Even I, who resolved the side effects of her martial arts, was shocked.”

But the astonishing experience Soma referred to was not about Lee Ahn but the recent fight.

“While fighting that day, I thought we might all die at the hands of Baek Mang-gi.”

I had no idea he would be so strong either.

However, the truly surprising aspect wasn’t Baek Mang-gi’s strength. It was the fact that the Evil Smiling Demon was revealing his honest feelings.

“I felt the same.”

“But you killed him, Young Master.”

“If you hadn’t helped, I would have been the one to die.”

That was an undeniable fact.

The Evil Smiling Demon stared intently at me.

“I think I understand what you’re thinking right now.”

“And what might I be thinking?”

“That it’s certain I’m the one who killed the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme!”

The Evil Smiling Demon laughed loudly.

“Wrong. Didn’t I tell you before? I already believed that. I believed it, which is why I fought Baek Mang-gi. If not, I would have fled without looking back.”

“Did you trust me? Even with your life on the line?”

After a brief pause, Soma answered hesitantly.

“It seems I did.”

We walked silently for a while. Experiencing life and death together created a significant emotional bond between us. When the Evil Smiling Demon’s mask was nearly sliced off, I had been incredibly angry.

It was then that I first realized how much I cared about him. It seemed he felt the same.

Then the Evil Smiling Demon suddenly picked up a fallen twig from the ground and drew a line.

“How far have we come now?”

I took the twig he handed me and drew a line where we once said was the line of survival.

“I think we’ve come this far.”

It was the very place where I had said he needed to reach to survive.

At that moment, I saw it.

Through the eye holes of the white mask, I saw him smile. A genuine smile.

He smiled without making a sound, and it wasn’t a smile of anger. It was pure and natural, just a simple smile.

Even in my past life before the regression, I had never seen that smile, and surprisingly, I saw it now at the end of this journey.

“Of course, depending on what you and I do from now on, the line might move. It could go further this way or we might return to the starting point.”

“What happens if we go all the way to the end?”

“We’ll become true friends. We’ll eat meals together, drink together. Enjoy good times and fight each other. When in danger, we’ll come to each other’s rescue. And if one of us dies first, the other will pour liquor on the grave.”

“All of that sounds unnecessary, pretentious, and burdensome.” 2

“But when you actually do it, it’s nothing special.”

I never expected the Evil Smiling Demon to go that far. My initial goal was just to reach a point where we were neither enemies nor allies. At least through this journey, I feel that goal has been sufficiently achieved.

At that moment, Cheong Myeon appeared where we were.

He handed something to Soma. It was a white mask.

“As promised.”

The Evil Smiling Demon handed me the mask that Cheong Myeon brought.

He had promised me a new mask on the day we fought Baek Mang-gi, and he had not forgotten that promise.

“Thank you.”

I tried on the new mask. It was definitely lighter and more comfortable.

“It’s nice. I don’t think I’ll sweat as much.”

“Cheong Myeon made it himself. My mask was also made by Cheong Myeon.”

“He’s very skilled.”

At my compliment, Cheong Myeon gave a slight bow.

Then, two people walked towards us.

It was Lee Ahn and Yo Jeong, who had gone to apply makeup. Both I and the Evil Smiling Demon, as well as Cheong Myeon, were surprised.

The made-up Lee Ahn looked like a completely different woman. She was enchanting, sensual, intense, and dazzling. 3

“This martial artist has such dignity, so I tried to create a different atmosphere.”

It felt like looking at yet another peerless beauty. Is makeup a woman’s weapon? In that case, we were witnessing the world’s greatest sword.

“From now on, I’ll call it a beautiful heart, not an ugly one.”

It seemed even the Evil Smiling Demon liked Lee Ahn’s transformation.

At that moment, the Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion said softly.

“She’s prettier than me when I was young, isn’t she?” 4

Then, Soma spoke coldly to Lee Ahn.

“Make sure to repay the carriage cost!”

Meanwhile, upon realizing that the beauty before him was Lee Ahn, Cheong Myeon was truly shocked.

“This person is that martial artist?”

Lee Ahn smiled and answered him.

“Yes, Cheong Myeon. It’s me.”

“Is it really her?”

His expression behind the mask was so surprised that it was almost palpable. Though he usually acted extremely cautiously and spoke little in front of Evil Smiling Demon, he even forgot about the situation in front of him.

Realizing this belatedly, Cheong Myeon stepped back.

At that moment, Lee Ahn spoke to me cautiously.

“Can I wear that mask?”

Considering the gazes she endured on the way here, I could understand Lee Ahn. She wasn’t the type to enjoy such attention.

“I don’t mind, but you should ask Soma-nim. It was given by him.”

Lee Ahn then spoke to the Evil Smiling Demon.

“May I wear that mask?”

“No!”

Then we won’t be able to see that pretty face? I guessed this must have been his thoughts.

“Why?”

“The makeup will get ruined. Who did it for you?”

Soma gave the exact answer till the end. Yo Jeong, in an excellent mood, lightly pinched Evil Smiling Demon’s arm. She was probably the only person in the world who could pinch him.

“If you want, you can wear it.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Ahn was overjoyed by the Evil Smiling Demon’s permission. She took the mask from me and put it on her face.

She asked, looking at me.

“How does it look?”

“What do you mean, how? It’s a mockery of beauty and a despair for all men in the world.”

“Didn’t you tell me I should be happy? I think this will make me happier.”

I went over and lifted Lee Ahn’s mask above her head.

“When we’re among ourselves, wear it like this comfortably. During these times, your mask will enjoy looking at the sky.”

“Sounds good.”

Perhaps emboldened, Lee Ahn asked Cheong Myeon.

“Does the beauty trap work on you?”

Cheong Myeon, not understanding the meaning, hesitated to answer. I guessed what she was trying to say.

“If it’s you, it will work every time. You’ll make even a monk who has spent a hundred years in seclusion break his vows.”

“That’s too much of an exaggeration!”

“Just wait and see if it isn’t true later.”

Lee Ahn spoke to Cheong Myeon again.

“The earlier comment was a joke. I’d like to invite you to be the first captain of the organization I’m going to create.” 5

Cheong Myeon was shocked by this unexpected proposal. Unsure of how to respond, he hesitated, and at that moment, the Evil Smiling Demon spoke up.

“I gave you the mask as a gift, and the first thing you do while wearing it is try to take my person.”

“Please don’t misunderstand. Even before I received the mask, Cheong Myeon was my first candidate.”

“You’re telling him to give up his position as next Demon Supreme to become a captain. Do you know what you’re asking?”

“Yes!”

“Do you think Cheong Myeon looks that foolish?”

“No. I thought he might have the courage to throw himself into a new life, at least once.”

“Of all the arrogant hearts, yours is the most arrogant! Saying such things in front of me.”

“I was bold because I trust the Young Master. I apologize.”

She respectfully bowed to Soma.

I saw it.

The conflict in Cheong Myeon’s eyes. Yes, when a beautiful leader like this makes a request, any man would feel conflicted.

However, I also thought this beauty could be a hindrance. If it were the old Lee Ahn before the procedure, he might have accepted, but now that she had become beautiful, there might be those who wouldn’t want to look like opportunists by following her.

“Please think it over.”

Cheong Myeon gave a slight nod.

Even after seeing this, the Evil Smiling Demon didn’t say anything more. Even if Cheong Myeon decided to go, he seemed like the type who would just say, “Fool,” and let him go. If he showed such an attitude, the line drawn in my heart would move further to the right.

Soma said to me.

“Young Master. Let’s go back now.”

“You go ahead. I’ll stay and play with the beautiful heart a little longer before I return.”

It was for Lee Ahn, not for me. Having shed her old self, she should soar high before settling down again.

The Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress saw right through my intentions.

“You are a truly good person, Young Master.”

The Evil Smiling Demon replied.

“Don’t be fooled. This Young Master is the worst of the worst. Can’t you see that mask? He was born wearing a mask. Now there are two people wearing masks standing there.”

Yo Jeong smiled and said.

“That’s why they suit each other well.” 6

As I was about to leave with Lee Ahn, I turned back to Evil Smiling Demon.

“Thank you for showing me such a wonderful world. Please show it to me again next time.”

Before parting, the Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion said.

“Young Master, please take good care of our brother from now on.”

Normally, it would have been Lee Ahn who asked her to take good care of our Young Master. But the Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion was playfully, yet earnestly, entrusting the Evil Smiling Demon to me.

Had she seen something in the relationship between Soma and me?

At least one thing was clear. The Mistress of Sky Flower Pavilion was the only person in this world who truly cared for and understood him. 7

I laughed and said loudly.

“Yes, I will take good care of Soma-nim for your sake, Pavilion Mistress.”

Leaving behind the Evil Smiling Demon, who seemed dumbfounded, I turned and took Lee Ahn’s hand.

“Let’s go, Lee Ahn. Let’s explore the Central Plains.”

From now on, a completely different world from what you’ve known will unfold before you.

1 : Smooth dodge !!! Barely avoided !!!

2 : His father, old man Blade and now Soma ^^ Everyone find his sentimentality cringe XDXDXD

3 : I think Lee Ahn is gonna have a lot of fun changing her tails everyday ^^

4 : Persistent, huh ? Be wary of a woman’s anger.

5 : Woohoo, confidence boost !!! Right in front of Soma !!!

6 : A fellow shipper, welcome aboard !!!

7 : I’m shipping them, I hope they’ll end up together ^^

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