The Heroine Stole My Regression-Chapter 126
I hereby withdraw my support for Kang Arin, effective immediately.
Still, she had been my light and my anchor.
In both emotional and financial matters.
Never in my wildest imagination did I think she’d so readily offer 15 billion won.
It couldn’t have been an easy expenditure for her, either...
‘…….’
No—maybe it actually was an easy expenditure.
Even so—
“I’ll definitely pay you back.”
That much, I had to say.
I never planned to just take it for free. Given enough time, it was an amount I could repay easily.
But before I could even finish my sentence, Kang Arin gently pinched my arm.
“No.”
At some point, she had softly grasped the cuff of my shirt.
“I did it because I wanted to. Just… think of it as a gift.”
I couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Kang Arin looked me straight in the eyes.
“And… about what I said earlier.”
She hesitated for a moment.
“When you need someone… when it’s too much…”
Her voice dropped even lower.
“I want to be the first person who comes to your mind.”
I was briefly at a loss for words—but I knew she meant it.
But honestly, that wasn’t something that needed saying.
Because whenever I needed help, the first person who naturally came to mind was already Kang Arin.
Not because she doted on me, but because she always knew what to do, and often ended up taking care of me instead.
If anything, I had been trying to pull away, thinking, “I can’t lean on her anymore.”
I let out a dry chuckle and said,
“At this rate, I might get spoiled.”
Kang Arin laughed softly at that and leaned in even closer.
“It’s fine. I give you permission.”
It was comforting.
The weight of her body pressing gently against mine, the warmth against my arm—it made me feel a quiet peace.
Definitely not just because Kang Arin was clinging to me.
***
Ha Taeseong sat in his chair, the atmosphere heavy.
The faint tendrils of cigarette smoke filled the room.
“Is it today?”
“Yes.”
I nodded in response to the old man’s question.
Ha Taeseong slowly scanned my face.
One eyebrow lifted slightly before he ground out his cigarette in the ashtray.
Click—the end of the cigarette flared, and a faint trail of smoke dissipated.
“You look composed. Doesn’t seem like you’re nervous.”
His voice was lower than usual today.
Though he always acted indifferent, there was a subtle tension in his expression today.
I took a breath before replying.
“No, I’m a bit nervous.”
Until I reached the “true doorstep,” it was still uncharted territory.
Of course I was nervous.
Even though I had made all kinds of preparations for this moment.
“…You don’t need to push yourself too hard. No one’s ever—”
“I’ll succeed.”
I said it with confidence.
Ha Taeseong let out a bitter smile.
Then he stood up and gave my shoulder a casual pat.
There was a faint trace of cigarette scent in his touch.
“Don’t get yourself hurt. I still need to see my granddaughter get married.”
“Married, huh…”
It was said like a joke, but it carried real concern beneath the surface.
I smiled faintly and nodded.
“I’ll be careful.”
Ha Taeseong didn’t say anything else for a while.
He let out a long sigh and stared out the window for a bit.
“Just do… what you’re capable of.”
“……”
A short but weighty sentence.
Those words lingered deeply in my
That was the end of it.
I gave him a slight bow and stepped out of the office.
Waiting in the hallway were members of Vanquisher.
I’d heard they had just successfully cleared a dungeon recently.
Even though they should’ve been resting, it seemed they’d come out just to see me off.
Every one of them looked visibly exhausted.
Normally, they would’ve greeted me lightly and dispersed—but not today.
No one left first.
“You’ve all worked hard. I’ll be back.”
I spoke first.
“We’ll be waiting.”
Park Gwangcheol stared at me quietly—
Then gave my shoulder a firm pat.
The others followed suit, each touching my shoulder once before heading back to their rooms.
Each gesture was a quiet show of support.
I could feel their care.
I smiled slightly and nodded at them, one by one.
The last to remain was Sion.
She approached quietly and hugged me without saying a word.
She had a small frame, but the weight of her arms wrapping around me was unmistakable.
A low voice, almost brushing against my ear—
“Don’t get hurt.”
Without thinking, I patted her back.
“I’ll be back soon.”
After a brief embrace, Sion looked back at me once more, as if still reluctant.
I gave her a small smile.
With all their gazes on my back—
It was finally time to cross through the flames.
***
The Association lobby was quieter than usual.
They’d even cleared the route to ensure no one got in my way today.
“Hero Jeong Haein! Please proceed with the final equipment check!”
I entered the waiting room the Association had prepared and began checking my gear one by one.
[Purgatory of the Yaksha]
Despite its name, the martial robe was dazzlingly white.
As I rolled up my sleeves and slid my arms through, the robe shrank to fit me perfectly, as if it were alive.
Adjusting the collar, I felt a strange chill spreading between the fabric and my skin.
I draped a black overcoat over it.
Next, my weapon.
Aldebaran’s Fang—Catastrophe.
I tapped the hilt lightly with one hand to get a feel for it.
Then fastened it tightly to my back.
And finally, the artifact to keep me from losing my way—
[Compass of Salvation]
[Even in the abyss of despair, it points unwaveringly toward the correct path.]
A palm-sized metallic device pulsed faintly against my fingers.
If I lost my way, this would be my last hope.
[Magma Booster]
[Absorbs surrounding heat and converts it into a defensive barrier.]
I had that too, though hopefully I wouldn’t need it.
It was backup in case the robe couldn’t withstand the heat.
“All done.”
I informed the Association staffer.
I gave everything one last press to ensure there were no issues.
Having finished my final check, I nodded to the staffer.
It wouldn’t take long.
Time flowed extremely slowly inside, compared to the outside world.
Even if I paid the full price inside, barely any time would have passed out here.
Behind me, the door slowly opened.
The entrance was a plain stone structure, like a secret passageway in an old castle, with only a small keyhole in the center.
“Here it is.”
I took the cube containing the key from the Association Chairman.
“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
A short word of encouragement followed.
I bowed silently and held the cube in my hand.
Then immediately—
— Clink!
I injected mana into the cube and shattered it.
With a crisp sound like breaking glass, the key within fell and landed in my palm.
The moment I held it, a faint heat began to radiate from the metal.
I took a deep breath and slowly inserted the key into the hole.
The cold metallic friction crawled along my fingertips.
The instant the key went in, the entire wall began to subtly tremble.
— Click.
The lock disengaged, and the wall slowly split apart.
“Kh…”
Crimson light and a blast of searing heat gushed through the gap.
It was as if the fire beyond the door was trying to devour me.
Sweat gathered on my forehead.
Just taking a step felt like plunging into a volcano.
The flame and heat weren’t just physical—they threatened to tear apart my very spirit.
I steadied my breath, narrowed my eyes.
Fastened my robe again and tightened the strap on Catastrophe.
Sweat trickled down from my forehead along my jaw.
Endure it.
I gritted my teeth and took a step into the Workshop of Bugaram.
***
At that same moment, in the Arcadia Order—
Beneath the vast dome of the grand cathedral, a long round table stretched endlessly through the chamber.
Opinions clashed, voices rose.
As always, the Saint Faction and the Hero Faction argued, each championing their ideology.
To Cheon Yeoul, this time was no different from any other—tedious and overly academic.
There was no tension.
Morning light spilled through the windows, and Yeoul quietly traced circles on her desk with her fingertip.
One ear half-listening to the debate, one eye secretly glancing at her watch screen to pass the time.
When is he going to call…?
It was about time to head to the Vatican.
Just then—
A large system alert suddenly popped up in the center of her vision.
[Where flames swallow blood and molten steel pounds against hearts—the Workshop of Bugaram now tests a new master.]
Brilliant red letters filled her sight.
So it’s today.
A subtle smile curled across Cheon Yeoul’s lips.
Jeong Haein had entered the Workshop.
He would undoubtedly emerge having achieved what he sought.
“What… What is this?”
“Is it true?”
But within the Order, chaos erupted.
The Saint Faction remained composed, but the Hero Faction—especially Bishop Seong Yeongil—leapt to his feet.
After all, the next expected challenger of Bugaram was Johan.
That had been the internal consensus.
The Hero Faction was in an uproar.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
Seong Yeongil frantically grabbed his watch to call the Vice-Chairwoman of the Association.
But the answer that came back was completely unexpected.
“…What? TV…?”
He snatched up the remote and turned on the television. Every gaze in the cathedral turned to the screen.
The monitor showed an emergency broadcast from the Hero Association.
The Association Chairman began reading a statement with a grave expression.
“We officially designate the hero who achieved great merit in the Apostle War as the new challenger of Bugaram’s Workshop…”
The Hero Faction’s faces instantly twisted.
“Damn it!”
Seong Yeongil threw his watch to the floor.
The broadcast’s message was clear.
“Who is it?!”
The Association was publicly declaring their intention to back a new leading figure for the next generation.
Johan’s face also darkened visibly.
Soon, the Chairman’s voice echoed from the speakers again.
“The one in question, formerly known as the ‘Silent Ghost’…”
The screen changed.
A boy in a white martial robe and black overcoat filled the display.
“Once called a dark phantom—now to be known by a new name: Hero Jeong Haein.”
Silence descended over the entire Order chamber.
And in that silence, only one person—
Only Cheon Yeoul kept her eyes fixed on the screen and whispered sweetly,
“So handsome~”
A bright, uncontainable smile bloomed on her lips.
.
!
Chapter 126
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