How to Use a Regressor

“… Huh?”

Jeong Min couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Did he hear that right?

“What…?”

“Hey, aren’t you Yoon Seong’s friend?”

‘What… Why all of a sudden…?’

“What… What, what are you talking about? Wait, did you just tell me to shut up…?”

“Are you going to answer me or not? Who are you? What’s your relationship with Yoon Seong?”

“…Ms. Yoo Ju, why are you acting like this all of a sudden…?”

“Ms. Yoo Ju? Trainee Jeong Min, are you messing with me right now?”

The sudden change in the woman’s attitude left him at a loss for how to react.

‘…F*ck, what the hell?’

He had planned to subtly plant distrust and suspicion about Lee Yun-seong in her mind, but it seemed like she had caught onto something.

‘Damn it, that bastard Yun-seong, always…!’

Nothing was going as planned.

No matter what he said about Yun-seong, she didn’t show even a hint of doubt.

Instead, her gaze and tone seemed to be filled with suspicion and hostility toward him.

‘…F*ck.’

“What’s your relationship with Yoon Seong? Not going to talk?”

“…I-I already told you, we’re friends.”

“And you expect me to believe that? Friends? Badmouthing him is what friends do?”

‘This b*tch…’

Her reaction to him saying even the slightest negative thing about Yun-seong pissed him off.

“Badmouthing? N-no, you’re misunderstanding. I was just stating the facts. I-I was really worried about you, Ms. Yoo Ju…”

The atmosphere had changed, and he found himself sweating buckets without realizing it.

“How dare you… talk about Yoon Seong like that in front of me? What? Inferiority complex? Telling me to keep my distance?”

“…Hah, I was just speaking out of concern for you, Ms. Yoo Ju!”

‘Damn it.’

He instinctively realized that things were going in a weird direction.

‘F*ck, this isn’t how it was supposed to go.’

This wasn’t the situation he had intended.

If things had gone as planned, the woman in front of him should have started distrusting Yun-seong.

At the very least, she should have asked him what Yun-seong had done, or if he could tell her more.

But instead, the emotions and reactions he was getting from her were suspicion and disgust—directed at him.

“…I told you not to call me that, didn’t I? And you. Do you think I don’t notice?”

“Notice what…?”

“Stop staring at my legs. Your gaze is way too obvious.”

“……”

He had unintentionally glanced at her legs, and it seemed she had noticed.

“And do you think I’d distance myself from Yoon Seong because of whatever nonsense you’re spouting? All your words do is make me feel disgusted.”

“…Hah, f*ck.”

He couldn’t hold back anymore.

‘You and your f*cking attitude, huh?’

He cursed, but the woman just looked at him like she had expected it.

There was no sign of panic or fear on her face.

“Get out. And don’t come near me again. Got it? Trainee Jeong Min, was it? If you ever spout that kind of nonsense again, I won’t let it slide. If you don’t want your life to be over, remember that.”

‘F*ck… F*ck!’

His pride was bruised by her attitude, but there was no way he could fight back.

At the very least, he realized the situation had gone south, and all he could conclude was that this Yoo Ju woman trusted Yun-seong a lot.

In the end, as he turned to leave, he couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.

“Hah, f*cking hell… What’s so great about that bastard Yun-seong, that orphan piece of sh*t…”

It was just a quiet remark born of frustration and wounded pride.

As proof, Jeong Min’s body was already facing the door.

He had muttered it quietly enough that she shouldn’t have heard, but from behind him came an icy voice.

“…What?”

‘Huh?’

*Thud—*

At the same time he felt something grab him from behind.

“Huh? Huh?”

*Crash—!*

“Gah…! Wha, what is this?! Ugh! Aah—!”

“…Say it again. What did you say?”

The cold tone in his ear was on a completely different level from before.

“Guh…! Ugh…!”

The murderous aura and pressure pouring over him in an instant left Jeong Min unable to keep his composure.

‘Run, I have to run. Run…’

The only thought in his head was to get out of there.

‘I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die!’

But even though his instincts told him to run, his body wouldn’t budge.

It wasn’t listening to him at all.

‘Ah…’

Seeing the woman’s cold gaze, his legs went weak.

After all, the look in her eyes was anything but normal.

******

Yoo Ju had initially listened carefully to the man’s words.

She had felt something was off, but she thought it was just her own feeling.

The man in front of her had introduced himself as Yoon Seong’s friend.

So, to confirm if he really was friends with Yoon Seong, she asked him about how things were on Earth with Yoon Seong.

But as she listened, her expression hardened.

Because throughout the conversation, the man in front of her didn’t seem to have a friendly relationship with Yoon Seong at all.

The lecherous gaze he kept giving her, and the resentment he held toward Yoon Seong.

Yoo Ju felt that the man in front of her had malice toward Yoon Seong.

She was annoyed. No, she was furious.

The way he badmouthed Yoon Seong, the way he kept staring at her legs.

From the beginning, she had sensed that the man was subtly trying to drive a wedge between her and Yoon Seong.

Sure enough, the man eventually showed his true colors.

Yoo Ju no longer wanted to deal with the man in front of her.

All she could think about was wanting to see Yoon Seong and wanting to get rid of the thing in front of her.

‘Sigh…’

After telling the man to leave, she tried to ignore him, but the words he muttered made something in her head snap.

‘What? Did he just call him an orphan b*stard?’

The insult toward Yoon Seong made it impossible for her to think rationally, and Yoo Ju found herself moving without realizing it.

The man screamed something, but…



My head is getting hot, and I can’t hear properly what’s being said.

‘Die. Die. Die.’

Someone who dared to harbor malice towards Yoon Seong.

I could tolerate insults directed at me, but I couldn’t stand insults aimed at him.

Crack—

“Ahhhhhhh—!”

The sound of something breaking accompanied the man’s scream, but it felt more like pleasant music to my ears.

At least, unlike his earlier insolent remarks, he seemed to have realized his place, which was a sight for sore eyes.

“Save me, save me! Please save me! I was wrong! I was wrong… wrong… ugh…”

The sight of him begging for his life with tears and snot streaming down his face was oddly satisfying.

But this wasn’t enough.

“You have to pay for your sins.”

Insulting him is a crime. This man was a sinner.

“If you’ve done wrong, you must be punished. That’s the natural order of the world. Right, Trainee Jeong Min?”

“Please… what are you even talking about! Damn it!”

“Don’t worry about treatment. I won’t leave any evidence. I’ll make sure that rotten mouth of yours can’t spout nonsense ever again. Oh, and a warning.”

“What, what are you…”

The man looked at me with eyes full of fear, but Yoo Ju paid no attention and continued.

“Even if you expose what happened today, the only one who’ll be at a disadvantage is you.”

******

“…Huh?”

“Trainee Shin Han-sol, can we talk for a moment?”

She seemed slightly flustered, not answering but just staring at me.

I couldn’t tell what she was thinking, just looking up at me without a word. She didn’t respond.

‘Stop staring and say something, please.’

I felt frustrated by her attitude but waited patiently with a smile.

‘Well, to get someone of her caliber, this much is nothing.’

I couldn’t let a momentary emotion ruin things.

People around us were whispering as they saw me talking to Shin Han-sol.

It’s understandable since it’s rare for instructors from the top four or large clans to approach someone personally.

‘It’s practically the same as officially declaring that I want to recruit Shin Han-sol.’

Especially since Yoo Ju had approached her before, so it’s no wonder people are talking.

“Hey, hey… looks like Eternity is thinking of recruiting her.”

“Damn… I’m jealous.”

“Some of us can’t even get into a clan…”

Feeling the weight of the surrounding gazes, she glanced around and finally responded.

“…Alright, Instructor Lee Yun-seong.”

We moved to the office, and I tried to keep my expression as gentle as possible.

“Please, have a seat. Think of this as your own room and make yourself comfortable.”

“Okay.”

‘Where should I start?’

Shin Han-sol probably already knew why I called her personally.

I decided to go straight to the point.

“Trainee Shin Han-sol. Eternity wants to recruit you.”

“…Why?”

“Because you fit the profile of what Eternity is looking for.”

She looked puzzled by my answer.

“Fit the profile… My grades are barely average. Eternity is one of the top four clans, right? I don’t understand why you’re making an offer to me.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

‘As if she doesn’t know.’

A girl who could join any clan she wanted saying something like that was just absurd.

“It’s because we’ve recognized your potential.”

“Potential?”

“Yes, watching you manipulate mana, I could tell. You have quite a talent for it.”

She flinched slightly at my words.

She gave me a suspicious glance but seemed relieved that her hidden strength hadn’t been fully exposed.

After the relief came surprise.

She seemed quite impressed by my insight. Well, she must have been confident in herself.

‘Even if I didn’t catch everything, she must have realized I noticed something.’

Of course… truth be told, I was almost fooled by her.

If I didn’t have the ability to see status windows, I wouldn’t have paid any attention to Shin Han-sol.

There were hints, but it was Ha Yu-ri who figured out that she was hiding her strength through the flow of mana.

‘Well, she doesn’t know the truth, but it doesn’t matter.’

“…I understand the reason. So, Instructor Lee Yun-seong, is that the only reason you want me?”

‘Is she coming around?’

Not entirely sure, but she didn’t seem completely opposed.

I was nervous since Yoo Ju’s attempt had half-failed, but surprisingly, the situation wasn’t turning out badly.

“Of course. We at Eternity are confident that we can nurture you to be second to none.”

“……”

Her eyes seemed to gauge whether I was sincere.

Of course, I meant every word. I was fully confident in supporting her.

We have more than enough resources. The funds flowing in from Eternity, Madan, and Acacia are mostly under my control.

I could also connect her with Ha Yu-ri and Ha Yul.

Funds, items, mentors.

Even if it’s a stretch right now, given her talent, Eternity and I could elevate Shin Han-sol to the top tier in no time.

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