I'm an Infinite Regressor, But I've Got Stories to Tell-Chapter 400

Have you all been well?

I’m not entirely sure who I’m addressing right now.

But then again, it’s no wonder — even I myself have become such an ambiguous being.

Once I was Mugan, then the Cult’s Priestess, then Cheon Yo Hwa, then the Undertaker, then Cheon Hwa again—

At this point, my identity crisis might as well be a national holiday.

They say that when absurdity reaches its peak, it becomes art.

If that’s true, then I must have long since surpassed Leonardo da Vinci himself.

The world is nothing but a bizarre stew — strange, hollow, and full of chaos.

So, a few years ahead of the global trend that will soon sweep across the world, I, Cheon Hwa, have decided to embody the true spirit of an early adopter.

But the world, as always, strives for balance.

If someone runs ahead, another falls behind.

That’s simply how the world works.

Therefore, even I — this jumbled mess of conflicting selves — can still say one thing with absolute certainty:

“That damned senior is so ridiculously late it’s driving me insane!”

“...Unnie?”

It’s been five years since I entered this dream.

And still, that senior — the Undertaker — hasn’t shown even a single strand of hair inside this cult mansion.

On the porch of the mansion’s annex,

I looked up at the neatly sliced line of sky beneath the eaves and muttered dryly:

“You’re late, senior… If this keeps up, I might turn into a monster at this rate.”

Beside me, Yo Hwa was doing push-ups. She tilted her head just enough to glance at me and said,

“You know, Unnie, sometimes you’re an idiot.”

“Oh dear, my beloved sister. If I am an idiot, then due to the genetic similarity between twins, you must also be officially registered as an idiot. And yet, why do you look upward and spit like that, my dear sibling?”

“Ah, sorry, I misspoke. You’re always an idiot.”

“Unbelievable.”

I was mildly shocked.

What happened to that little girl who used to cry and whine, “I hate chocolate ice cream! I don’t want it anymore!” just a few years ago?

“Maybe it’s because someone kept feeding me mint chocolate ice cream for half a year while claiming it was chocolate? Ring any bells?”

“That’s all Father’s fault.”

I said gloomily.

“He insisted that as noble daughters and heirs of the cult, we must always speak with dignity and etiquette. The moment he forced us to use formal speech with each other, your life was already over. Tragic.”

“You talk the same way, though!”

“Unforgivable, Father. For my sister’s mental recovery, I must hurry and perform filial piety at once.”

“…If I ever get married, I’m never having kids. Passing on these genes would be a crime against humanity.”

Well.

Even though my outer and inner self had completely become “Cheon Hwa,” a part of me still remembered the existence of “the Undertaker.”

Not long ago, I had a similar conversation with the Tutorial Fairy.

“Hooeeh, Comrade Secretary-General… As per your orders, we’ve been continuously extending the dream-time, but this is getting dangerous!”

“Specifically, how dangerous?”

“Huek! The only way to extend dream-time is by dreaming within a dream! You’re already at the fourth layer — a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream!”

“A dream within a dream… I see. So I’m falling deeper into the subconscious world where pink entities roam.”

“Exactly right!”

I snapped my fan shut and gently pressed it under my chin.

“That’s fine. Continue.”

“Huek?! A-are you sure that’s okay?!”

“Yes. The subconscious world has seven layers, doesn’t it?”

I smiled faintly.

“Three more years, at most, and the new ‘tutor’ will arrive. Our goal is to last until then. No need to rush.”

“Hoeeh… If it’s just three years, we could probably finish within five layers, but still…”

There was another reason — one I didn’t tell the fairies.

In truth, I wanted to grow closer to Go Yori.

‘This is Yo Hwa’s dream. But since Go Yori appeared, it’s no longer hers alone.’

The data forming this dream — perhaps some of it had flowed in from Go Yori’s side.

‘Information I could never retrieve on my own… I’ll use Go Yori to recover those memories.’

Not just Yo Hwa’s memories — but Go Yori’s as well.

A truly dangerous plan.

‘Once, I’d never have dared to try something so reckless… But after the fortune I gained through SG-Net, I’ve learned how to handle Go Yori.’

It was worth attempting.

“Are you sure, Comrade Secretary-General?”

The fairy looked up at me with worried, sparkling eyes.

“You’ve changed so much — not just your appearance, but everything.”

“Hmm.”

“Usually, one’s self melts away inside a dream. The fact that you’ve held on this long proves your iron will… but I’m still worried!”

I nodded.

“It’s fine. I still have my memories.”

“Hooeeh.”

“Focus on maintaining Yo Hwa’s identity. That’s more important.”

“Eeeh?! We’re already using 60% of our power for that! You want us to reduce your share even more?!”

“Yes.”

My eyes narrowed.

“Even if the appearance of that pink being made things interesting, we can’t forget our real goal.”

“……”

“Our mission is to plant ‘memories with her sister’ inside Yo Hwa’s unconsciousness, to patch even a little of that abyssal hole in her mind.”

If I lose part of myself in the process — that’s fine.

After all, with my [Perfect Memory], I’ll return to normal once I awaken.

“B-but…”

“Do it. That’s an order from the Secretary-General.”

“Eeeek! U-understood!”

The fairies scattered in a panic.

I closed one eye and gazed up at the sky.

In this dream world, no one else noticed, but the sky hadn’t changed in four years — not once.

The color, the clouds, the brightness — all identical.

To conserve resources, the fairies had erased everything deemed “unnecessary.”

‘It’s just like when Yo Hwa and I fought Mugan back then…’

That time too, the world had shrunk smaller and smaller — until it was no bigger than the student council room of Baekhwa Girls’ High.

‘Back then, I tried everything to kill Mugan. Now I’m working just as hard to restore her… Well, not Mugan — Cheon Hwa.’

Life is a strange thing.

Unlike the unchanging sky, time flowed on restlessly.

“Hooeeh, Comrade Secretary-General! Even with four layers, we can’t keep the flow stable anymore! We’ll have to move into the fifth layer!”

“Go ahead.”

“B-but the resonance rate between you and the young lady is off the charts! Some kind of weird event might happen…”

“Weird event?”

“We’ve never seen it before, so we can’t be sure! But I believe that if it’s you, you’ll overcome it no matter what!”

That “weird event” revealed itself soon enough.

When I entered the fifth layer — the dream within a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream — the moment I opened my eyes, I felt something off.

Silence.

“Fairies?”

Nothing.

“Fairy No. 264?”

No answer.

“……”

Of course.

The one commanding the fairies in the dream world was never this young “Cheon Hwa” — it was the Undertaker.

“So now… I’m the only one left who remembers the real world.”

“Unnie? What are you doing over there?”

I turned toward the voice.

It was Yo Hwa.

My only sister — the one bright, living spark in this empty, shadow-filled dream.

Her eyes shone with genuine life as she tilted her head at me.

“Then… I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“…Oh, it’s your muttering time again? Sorry for interrupting your precious adolescent phase. I’ll go back to my workouts.”

“Could you not keep switching to casual speech mid-sentence?”

“Nope. You should try it too, it’s fun.”

“Really? Then I will. Done with your sutras already? Don’t forget — Father said he’ll test you on them next week.”

“I love you, Unnie! Please take the test pretending to be me again! I’m off to work out for my slow-aging body! Bye! Love you!”

“……”

What a terrible sister.

Where did my sweet little sibling go? I should sue the universe for emotional damages.

Time passed.

As it grew harder and harder to recall my “Undertaker” memories—

“Huh. Look at this, Yo Hwa.”

“Yes?”

“There’s an interesting article here.”

Father snapped his fingers over the newspaper.

A newspaper! Honestly, in this age of smartphones, even elders were living their second lives as digital addicts.

I really needed to perform some traditional Korean filial piety on him soon.

“There’s exactly one perfect scorer on the college entrance exam this year. The interview is fascinating.”

“……?”

Out of curiosity, I leaned closer.

Q. What is your religion?

A. “Taoism. My friends think it’s strange when I say that, but I really do believe in it. It’s deeply related to self-cultivation and discipline.”

“What do you think, Yo Hwa?”

Father looked smug.

“Your sister keeps saying Taoism lacks flexibility, but look — even outsiders believe in it sincerely!”

He seemed to want me — or rather, “Yo Hwa” — to validate his worldview.

Well, considering he couldn’t even tell that the “Yo Hwa” before him was actually her older twin, I’d say his eyes were about as sharp as a knothole.

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

I played my part perfectly.

Lately, more and more members of the cult were beginning to side with “Cheon Hwa.”

Of course.

Even with an identity crisis, I still possessed the protagonist’s knowledge and experience as backup.

Even Father — once the cult’s absolute ruler — had started to sense an odd unease.

To overcompensate, he spent more time around “Yo Hwa,” trying to display fatherly affection.

“Sometimes it’s good for outsiders to bring fresh air into the sect!”

“Ahaha.”

He probably thought this would assert his authority over succession.

But did he not realize?

That clinging to that authority was already his biggest mistake.

Yo Hwa could never be my rival.

The idea of her inheriting Baekhwa High and the cult’s assets—

Utterly impossible.

Unless, of course, I willingly sacrificed myself to seal away some outer god again.

Time flowed.

“Cheon Hwa. Yo Hwa.”

One day, during a tutoring session, our longtime private tutor — Go Yori — closed her book of scriptures.

“I’m sorry, but starting next week, I won’t be able to continue our lessons.”

“Huh?!”

Yo Hwa, who was happily nibbling on a chocolate popsicle, jumped in shock.

“What do you mean, Teacher?”

“I’m really sorry. It’s… a family matter.”

She looked genuinely apologetic — the kind of sincerity that makes you believe it instantly.

“Starting next week, my replacement will take over your lessons.”

“A replacement…?”

“Hehe. You’ll be preparing for college entrance exams soon. My successor is far better qualified for that than I am.”

I narrowed one eye slightly.

“You know this person, don’t you, Teacher?”

“Yes.”

She smiled brightly.

“Very, very well.”

“……”

“He’s someone who’s even scored a perfect mark on the college entrance exam. You won’t have to worry about his skills!”

A week later, the door to the study opened—

“Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cheon Hwa, Yo Hwa.”

And there stood someone with a face I knew all too well.

“My name is ■■■.”

The Undertaker.

“I’ve received all of your academic progress reports from your previous tutor.”

The person I used to be—

Before the world’s collapse.

Before the coming of the Void.

“You’re both exceptionally talented.”

“……”

“However, since your father hopes you’ll both attend Seoul National University, you’ll need a proper study partner. Your grades are fine — but I’ve heard your school is in quite a… ‘unique situation.’”

He smiled faintly.

The missing person — the secret that no one could uncover.

And at last—

“Shall we begin our first lesson?”

He stood before me again.