The Heroine Stole My Regression-Chapter 105

The Heroine Stole My Regression-Chapter 105

Monday morning.
I was walking down the hallway.
From somewhere behind me, I could feel a gaze.
Pretending not to notice, I picked up my pace.
“Jeong Haein.”
A voice called out from behind.
I already had a pretty good idea who it was, so I didn’t bother answering.
“Jeong. Hae. In.”
Each syllable deliberately spaced out.
I didn’t turn around—just let out a small sigh.
Last night, I’d received a message.
[1000_y]: Hey there~
[belief_]: Huh? What’s up?
It was Saturday evening when the message came in, out of nowhere.
For a second, my heart dropped—I thought something urgent had happened.
[1000_y]: What’s this? I’m curious~
[1000_y]: (Photo)
But that wasn’t it.
It was a photo from the Association’s event—a party shot.
In the distance, I was standing awkwardly beside Kang Arin.
Wearing a suit, forcing a stiff smile.
[1000_y]: (Photo)
This time, it was a close-up.
My blank face filled the entire frame.
[1000_y]: Wear that in front of me too.
So I just... didn’t reply.
Notifications kept going off afterward—no, more like dozens of times.
But it was late, and I just went to sleep.
I walked toward the very back corner of the classroom like nothing happened.
Cheon Yeoul approached and gently tapped my shoulder with her fingertips.
Tap. Tap.
“Wear the suit in front of me too.”
“Why are you so obsessed with that?”
“Wear it at the Sanctuary.”
“Seriously, what’s wrong with you.”
“I’ll wear a pretty outfit too. I’m confident.”
Cheon Yeoul looked ready to pester me all day.
Without replying, I dropped into my seat.
She sat right next to me.
Her clothes lightly brushed against my arm.
Fully pressed against me.
“Why are you sitting so close.”
“It’s not like you hate it.”
“......”
I was speechless.
She was too much to handle.
With her legs neatly folded and her body leaning slightly against me, she just sat there quietly.
Her scent was stronger than usual.
“And that suit? You borrowed it, right? You don’t even have it anymore.”
A lie, obviously.
Kang Arin had personally gifted it to me.
“......”
Cheon Yeoul narrowed her eyes at my words.
As if to say she didn’t believe me—but she didn’t push.
Just slightly curled her lips up.
That’s when a voice came from the corner of the classroom.
“...What are you two talking about?”
It was Yoon Chaeha.
She was already seated in the far corner of the room.
Sensing the atmosphere, she asked cautiously.
“It’s nothing...”
“Wanna see something?”
I tried to brush it off, but Cheon Yeoul flashed a mischievous grin and opened the screen on her watch.
Yoon Chaeha leaned in to look.
“...Whoa...”
She let out a genuine breath of admiration—loud enough to be embarrassing, especially with me sitting right there.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised too.
Didn’t think dressing up would make that much of a difference.
“What do you think?”
Cheon Yeoul posed the question.
Yoon Chaeha looked between the watch and me.
“Wear it again.”
“...Ah.”
A perfect tag team.
“Fine... I’ll wear it...”
There was no way I could win against the two of them.
Honestly, wearing that thing is exhausting.
It’s not just throwing on a suit—you need the shirt, the shoes, the whole setup.
Sighing inwardly, I looked toward the blackboard at the front of the classroom.
From either side of me came strange little giggles.
“Heehee.”
“Hehehe.”
“...Why are you two suddenly so friendly.”
I thought they’d be total opposites, but apparently, they got along weirdly well.
Should I be glad, or...?
Then, a familiar deep voice cut across the classroom.
“Good morning, everyone.”
The door opened just as Instructor Do Hanseong stepped inside.
The noisy room instantly fell silent, like someone had flipped a switch.
“Did everyone enjoy their weekend?”
It was a standard greeting—but there was an odd undertone to it.
As the students gave vague, scattered replies, he turned around.
Something about the mood felt... off.
“I sincerely hope you rested well.”
He tapped the chalkboard with both hands—thud.
With a mechanical clunk, the board split open sideways with a loud creak.
Beyond it, a familiar space was revealed.
The giant coliseum-like training hall we’d entered during the entrance ceremony’s weapon selection.
A massive indoor arena in the shape of a dome.
This time, though, four screens rose from the center, facing in all directions.
Surrounding them were circular seating sections large enough to accommodate all first-years.
Other classrooms’ boards began opening as well, revealing connected entries.
Do Hanseong turned back to us.
“Shall we move?”
Without a word, the students rose from their seats.
“Ooh...”
Yoon Chaeha, apparently seeing it for the first time, let out a small gasp.
Kalos must’ve been smaller in scale.
We took our seats in the section marked for Class B.
Each class's instructors were beginning to gather at the center stage.
‘Quite the spectacle...’
It felt a bit over-the-top—but this was Gaon.
I had no choice but to get used to it.
“Welcome, students of Gaon.”
With no prior notice, the Chairman stepped onto the stage.
He continued speaking in a calm, measured voice.
“Today, we’ll be explaining the first semester’s final exams.”
He wore a thin smile, but no one relaxed.
Gaon’s finals were infamously brutal.
“First, the written test.”
At his gesture, the four screens lit up simultaneously.
Small text scrolled across, packed with detailed info.
“The written exam will follow the same format as before. It will focus on essay-style questions, prioritizing understanding over mere accuracy. You will be {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} placed in realistic scenarios and assessed on your adaptability.”
He added:
“Naturally, it will be much harder than last time.”
A low murmur swept through the students.
“Ah, damn.”
“You’ve got to be kidding...”
He paused to let the grumbling settle before continuing.
After displaying a few sample problems, the screens flicked off.
“That concludes the written exam portion.”
He walked across the stage, making eye contact with various students.
“Theory and written knowledge are crucial. But you are heroes—or future heroes.”
“And in the real world, theory doesn’t always solve the problem.”
His voice lowered slightly.
With a gesture, the screens came back on.
“This is the final practical exam for first-years.”
On all four screens, a single bold word appeared.
『Practical Evaluation: Bell Chase』
Everyone in the hall looked up at once.
“This is the core of your finals.”
His voice rang low and heavy.
“Your teamwork, combat ability, and situational awareness will all be evaluated. This score, combined with your written exam and midterms, will determine your final rankings.”
The word ranking carried immense weight.
Unlike the somewhat intangible midterms, this would decide everything in a single shot.
Tension quietly spread through the room.
“We’re calling this test: Bell Chase.”
At his gesture, the screens changed again.
A large map of the entire Gaon Academy campus appeared, with two colors representing opposing sides.
“You’ll be split into Blue and White teams, and the entirety of Gaon will become your battlefield. Each round is divided into offense and defense. The defending team protects the bell, while the attacking team tries to steal it.”
Only quiet breathing could be heard now.
Everyone was focused.
“Lose the bell, and you're out. Steal it, and you gain points. Simple, right?”
It really was a straightforward rule.
But of course, that wasn’t all.
“However, that’s not the end.”
With a faint chuckle, the Chairman gestured again.
The screens shifted once more—now highlighting red markers all over the battlefield.
Special zones were marked across the terrain.
“Each region contains unique objects. At the center of each lies a giant bell, guarded by a Boss.”
Students’ eyes began to change.
“The Boss might be one of Gaon’s combat instructors, or a famous hero specially invited for this exam.”
Smiling faintly, he continued.
“However, there’s a condition. You can only challenge the Boss while on defense. If you succeed, you secure the giant bell and earn a massive point bonus.”
He gave a subtle nod.
“Oh, and don’t worry too much—the Bosses have limits when facing defenders. They won’t use their full strength.”
But then—
“However... what if the round switches before you finish the challenge?”
The Chairman’s smile turned serious.
“Once the round shifts and you're now the attacking team—every Boss’s limit is removed.”
Someone gulped audibly.
“From that point on, you’ll be facing the full power of active heroes and instructors.”
A brief silence swept the hall.
The screen changed again, showing a simplified chart of rules and scoring.
“Attackers aim for the opponent’s bell. Defenders avoid combat and go for the Boss. The test ends either when all rounds are completed or when a certain score threshold is reached.”
He smiled lightly as he added:
“Also... several hidden elements are scattered throughout. What they are—you’ll have to discover for yourselves.”
That was welcome news to me.
When it came to hidden objectives, I had a knack for sniffing them out.
Whichever team I ended up on—meeting me would be their lucky break.
Then he lowered his hand with a smile.
“Now, let me introduce the Bosses you’ll be facing.”
Spotlights lit up one by one on the stage.
First were Gaon’s instructors.
As their names were called and faces appeared on screen, cheers erupted from all over.
Then the screens shifted to even brighter, more dazzling figures.
“...Wow.”
“No way...”
“Isn’t that the Maengju?”
These were real famous heroes—not just the title, but the actual legends.
Just seeing the lineup sent waves of excitement through the students.
These were the people we’d only seen on TV and in news articles—and now, they stood right in front of us.
And then, the final spotlight turned on—slowly.
A graceful silhouette came into view.
“...Huh?”
I couldn’t help but be stunned.
Yu Serin.
“Yu Serin?”
“Is that really her?”
With her signature radiant smile, she waved at the students.
They cheered wildly, and she responded with a playful wink.
“What is she doing here...?”
Wasn’t she supposed to leave the nest and spread her wings?
Yet here she was—her first destination was Gaon.
Totally unexpected.
As I muttered in disbelief, Yu Serin turned her head—looking right at me.
As if she’d heard me.
Her eyes met mine exactly.
Then, she raised her thumb.
A cute little thumbs-up.
Ah.
“She’s cuter than I thought.”
“She looked right at me.”
“Wait, who was that even for?”
The classroom buzzed with whispers.
I slowly lowered my head.
There had never been any reason for Yu Serin to appear here.
She was a hero among heroes, a core force in Lotus.
Even for Gaon, recruiting her should’ve been out of the question.
And yet—she was here now.
I couldn’t shake the feeling...
That I might have stirred something I shouldn’t have.
And I wasn’t the only one who caught exactly where her thumbs-up had landed.
Cheon Yeoul narrowed her eyes beside me and asked,
“Do you know her?”
“...Sort of. A little.”
Yoon Chaeha didn’t miss a beat.
“Sounds like that party was real interesting.”
I didn’t answer.
But I couldn’t do anything about the burning stares heating up both my cheeks.

Chapter 105