Regressor Instruction Manual-Chapter 1181. The Demon King of Sunset’s Castle (1)

“Hurry up! What are you doing?!”

“Did you check all the supplies?”

“Hey! Bring that over here!”

“Are there any idiots who didn’t get the memo that we’re leaving in an hour?”

“Troops, line up! Troops, line up!”

‘Now it’s become a bit livelier.’

“Move it already, you slowpokes!”

The word "lively" was the best word to describe this situation.

‘They should’ve made preparations in advance.’

A few days ago, they were told to make preparations so that we could leave at any moment...

‘Maybe they thought they prepared everything based on their standards.’

Now that they were in this situation, it seemed that there were many things they had to check beforehand. It was understandable, though.

The Demon King of Sunset’s Castle raid was an expedition of unprecedented scale on Rohen, so no one had any experience.

The people from headquarters, who had been put in their current positions because they seemed competent, were panicking as if they were experiencing the Great Depression.

“The vanguards will be leaving soon.”

“What about the main force? Are they leaving right on schedule?”

“Yes, they’ll be leaving as planned.”

“Damn it, what about delaying the expedition...”

'You guys are saying that for me to hear, right?'

“No one has agreed to it.”

“Whoo... What are you guys doing?! Move it, move it!”

‘I miss Miss Kim Mi-Young.’

To be exact, I was missing the team that she had created, but it was her responsibility to give the final approval and determine the tasks.

Obviously, the expedition preparations weren’t always perfect on our continent, but I couldn't remember experiencing something like this.

They were moving pieces of luggage on the large carriage; there were shouts and screams everywhere. This had been happening since last night, so I was sure the supply squadron hadn't slept at all.

‘I won’t complain about being slow, so just make sure everything is there. Be thorough, please.’

While I was staring at the people preparing for the expedition, I felt someone's presence beside me.

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young.”

It was a quiet but deep voice. The speaker was obvious.

“Ah! Mr. William! It feels like it’s been a while since we met,” I greeted.

“Yes, it has been a while. Have you been...” William asked.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time with the party members. Talking to each other like this feels new yet strange. I’m sorry, I’ve just been—”

“Haha... it’s fine. You don’t need to apologize. I’m sure you were happy to see your party members for the first time in a while...” William interrupted me.

“Was I too oblivious?” I asked.

“...”

I was acting a bit oblivious. Of course, it wasn’t that serious, but I was sure there were people who would find this problematic because the situation was tenser than ever.

Rohen was about to go on an expedition, and my actions weren’t fitting as the commander-in-chief of the Demon King’s Castle expedition. I was sure many people glanced at me, and William obviously heard what people were saying.

“Singing or chattering loudly are actions I shouldn’t be showing in front of the troops... People have been complaining about it, right?” I asked.

“I'm sure...” William paused.

“Yes?”

“No one will criticize you, Mr. Ki-Young,” William continued.

“...”

“You’ve sacrificed so much already,” William added.

‘Yeah... that’s true.’

“Are you afraid of... losing your comrades, I mean, friends?” William asked.

“...”

“...”

“Something like that. Words aren’t enough to describe how dangerous this expedition is going to be. I don’t know how this story will end... but I’m sure many will die and many will survive. Just like my grandfather... I mean, Mr. Raymond Bolt,” I answered.

“...”

“I... I thought I could calmly say goodbye, stand up like I did before, and that if he were in my heart, he wouldn’t disappear, but...” I paused.

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young...”

“It’s not just the death of others. It’s something I’ve always thought of while experiencing many deaths with you, Mr. William. I thought I wouldn’t be afraid of death anymore, that I would be okay if my meaningless life just disappeared for Rohen and the people I love, but I must’ve been a bigger... coward than I thought,” I explained.

“...”

“It’s sad and heartbreaking... to know that you might not be able to spend time with the people I cherish anymore...” I added.

“Why... why do you think that way? The things you’re imagining won’t happen. If someone tries to harm you—”

I had a feeling that this conversation was going to last long, so I had to end it quickly.

“Thank you for comforting me,” I said before clearly expressing that I no longer wanted to talk about it.

William remained quiet and stepped backward. I made a slightly sad face, and then I smiled brightly as if I were fine. It was like my sadness just now was a lie.

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young...” William said.

“Shall... we get going?” I asked.

“There’s something... I need to tell you...” William said.

“It’s been quite some time since the scouts and vanguards left, so we won’t be that late if we head out now,” I suggested.

“Right.”

“I’ll skip the departure ceremony. The key is how safely and quickly we can pass through the Ashen Sunset Region, so Mr. William, please take extra care in managing the troops,” I ordered.

“Yes... sir,” William mumbled.

William looked dissatisfied. He looked like he was telling me that he was going to back off for now, but unfortunately, there wouldn't be another chance to have a deep conversation like this.

‘I’m going to avoid it.’

As the twenty-three-year-old Flower Ki-Young, I understood my role.

The preparations were complete, and the timing was great, so...

“We’re leaving,” I announced.

“We’re leaving!”

'Right?'

‘We’ve gotten a little closer, right, Hyo-Yeol?’

The time we had spent together was going to be all worth it.

“Huh? Are you coming with us as well?” Lim Chae-Ryeong asked.

“I intentionally asked to be moved to a different unit because I wanted to be with you guys on our way there...” I answered.

“Man, you must really like us, hehe...” Lim Chae-Ryeong giggled.

“Hmph.”

‘We did get closer, right?’

It was difficult to make an accurate diagnosis since he rarely expressed himself, but it was an undeniable fact that we had gotten a lot closer compared to before.

The time I spent stuck in a sweat-smelling training ground wasn’t an illusion.

'Look, he looks like he’s secretly waiting for me to talk to him.'

“You really must have nothing to do,” Woo Hyo-Yeol grumbled.

‘He... talked to me first.’

“Only until something happens...” I said.

“Is it okay for you to be here?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“You don’t have to worry since I don’t have a lot to do. We have a lot of troops, so the minor tasks are all being divided among them. I also don’t have a lot of time to come out and walk around like this.

"Normally, I’d be spending time in the situation room inside the carriage,” I answered.

“...”

“I wouldn’t really be outside like this unless it’s my break time or unless it's necessary, like I have to build my tent,” I added.

Nam Goong-Seon joined the conversation, saying, “What about now...”

“We still haven't entered the Ashen Sunset Region,” I replied.

“Hey, you.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you too relaxed right now?” Woo Hyo-Yeol questioned.

“Why are you picking on him again all of a sudden? Don’t worry, Mr. Ki-Young. He must’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He’s nice at first and then starts acting mean sometimes,” Lim Chae-Ryeong said.

“Shut up, kid. I’m not wrong. It’s okay to fool around before leaving for the expedition, but we’re at war right now. I can’t understand your actions,” Woo Hyo-Yeol said.

‘He’s trying to stack his karma.’

“We’re not on a camping trip. We’re here to raid a well-known dungeon and take down the enemy whose identity is unknown. All I’m saying is that you should take this a little more seriously. If laughing and talking is your way of comforting yourself, then there’s nothing I can do... but you’re not hostile enough,” Woo Hyo-Yeol explained.

“But...”

“That’s all I wanted to say,” Woo Hyo-Yeol said.

‘He’s being a little sensitive.’

I wasn’t sure if he disliked this kind of atmosphere or if he was simply taking out his anger, but I noticed that Hyo-Yeol was more sensitive than usual.

It was probably because he knew the importance of this expedition.

It was Rohen's first mainstream expedition, and this was necessary for the demon lord to turn Hyo-Yeol into a regressor. This situation would stress out even the most insensitive person, so I understood his reaction, but what if...

‘What if he's worried about losing his comrades?’

I was really hoping that those motions were hidden in his subconscious. I really hoped that he was unknowingly affected by Raymond Bolt’s death, and he liked his comrades more than he thought.

Lim Chae-Ryeong was always grumbling, Nam Goong-Seon was supporting the party quietly, and No Dam-Hye probably had a connection with him in his first life. Then, there was me—the man who appeared in his life one day.

I hoped his subconscious, which considered those people as his family, was worried about them dying during this expedition, and that anxiety was what led to this situation.

‘I have a feeling that’s the case.’

'We've become really close, and it’s about time you start liking me. You're being sensitive because you’re worried that the expedition might lead to the worst possible situation, right? Right?'

Of course, I wasn’t going to be understanding of him just yet. I was pretending to be mature, objective, and understanding of everything, but I was also an ignorant young man.

I was anxious as well, and I was probably more anxious than he was.

“You... don’t know...” I mumbled...

“What?”

“You don’t even know how I feel by being here,” I said.

Glaring at him with resentment was a natural thing to do...

“What did you say?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

‘It’s the perfect timing.’

Their connection was already on the right path, and the actors were heading to the stage. Also, no writer would deny the fact that, when it came to tragedies like this, it was more entertaining when people became a bit distant in the middle of it.

I tried to suppress the disappointment rising inside me...

“Lee Ki-Young, you...”

And I immediately headed to the carriage.

Obviously, Jung Ha-Yan followed me immediately, and the expedition group finally started moving toward the Ashen Sunset.

It was going pretty smoothly as well. Although "strong winds" and "high waves" occasionally blocked our path, the expedition members definitely knew that these endless trials would bring them a brighter tomorrow, and it was proven by how no one stopped marching.

‘We’re just walking on an open road though...’

Seeing Hyo-Yeol looking around the carriage anxiously from time to time was great.

After some time, he looked as if he was waiting for me to exit the carriage, but it was better not to say anything until something happened.

And then...

“...”

We finally reached the Demon King of Sunset’s Castle...

‘You’re not even going to give them a chance to correct their mistake. You obviously won’t accept their apology, and you’re just going to leave the misunderstandings and the conflicts as is,’ I told myself.

Right after I got off the carriage, the first thing I noticed was Woo Hyo-Yeol standing nearby, but... I ignored him... and I had to have hurt his pride because he frowned and ignored me as well.

He was a brat.

[Mainstream Event: Monarch of Sunset's Second Story[1]—the Demon King of Sunset's Castle has started.]

1. Yes, the author wrote second story ☜