I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell

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◈ I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell

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The Exile IX

“Hello, my name is Ji-soo. From now on, I will be serving as Team Leader Yu Ji-won’s direct disciple.”

A week after Ji-soo met me, I formally introduced her to Ji-won.

“Nice to meet you,” Ji-won said, offering a handshake with an emotionless expression. “I’ve heard much about you from His Excellency. I understand that in a previous cycle, I recognized your potential and helped develop it. Unearthing talent is the foundation of all endeavors, so you could say that I earned merit in a past life. However, the fact that my contributions translate into benefits for your recruitment rather than rewards for myself...

“How should I interpret this? Should I call it nepotism? Or perhaps a form of cronyism? Regardless, it seems clear that your current skills are insufficient to be accepted as a full-fledged member of the Regression Alliance. His Excellency must have entrusted me with your training for a reason. I look forward to working with you, Miss Kim.”

“I look forward to working with you as well. But... wow.” Ji-soo blinked several times as she shook Ji-won’s hand. “You really... feel like absolutely nothing.”

“If I had to describe it, it’s like tasteless water. No, there’s a faint metallic tang, like tap water.”

“??”

Ji-won tilted her head and looked in my direction. “Your Excellency, I think I’m being mocked right now.”

You think?

And so, the Ji-won–Ji-soo party was formed.

Coincidentally, removing the “Ji” from both their names created the word “won-soo,” the word for “enemies” in Korean. They were, quite literally, an enemy duo.

‘In many ways, they’re perfectly opposite as a mentor and mentee.’

One was an emotionless sociopath. The other was an emotional superconductor who could fully absorb others’ feelings through Empathic Resonance.

One had silver hair. The other, black.

One had blue eyes. The other, red.

‘They’re like a reversed-color decalcomania.’

Their only similarity was their tendency to carry forward their past selves in each cycle, yet even in this, their paths diverged.

Ji-won inherited the power and authority she had achieved through her abilities and accomplishments. Ji-soo, on the other hand, bore the weight of her hatred and guilt—accepting her history of being tortured by Ji-won and her crimes of killing seven ordinary people.

One chose the path to the skies, toward heaven. The other, a descent into the endless abyss, toward hell.

‘How ironic that she would adopt a child so diametrically opposed to herself.’

This too must be Ji-won’s karma.

Anyway, Ji-soo, the “soo” of the enemy duo, was assigned to the National Road Management Corps.

“Hmm...”

Noh Do-hwa, the individual who shared personnel authority over the National Road Management Corps with me, glanced at Ji-soo while flipping through documents.

“Empathic Resonance, huh? It’s certainly a rare ability, but whether it’s impressive remains to be seen. Getting a job here at the National Road Management Corps isn’t exactly easy, you know. So... Do you have any combat prowess?”

“We share a deep connection from a past life, Commander Noh. Assigning this child to the National Road Management Corps will allow her to interact with Ji-won more frequently.”

“Oh. I knew I was the commander in this life, but I didn’t realize I had responsibilities in past lives too. Dealing with regressors means it’s not just a leash around my neck anymore—it’s like I’ve been sentenced to eternal damnation...”

She bore an expression of someone who inherited nothing but debt during a final will reading.

‘To hear about the lives of Ji-won and Ji-soo and still react like that... As expected, the king never understood the human heart. Well, given Do-hwa’s personality, I can see why she wouldn’t like this arrangement.’

Do-hwa had no interest in inheriting her past self. On the contrary, she was hostile toward the very idea of it.

Life was a one-time event. What did it matter if there was a past or future life? Her existence was tethered to the present moment.

That was Do-hwa’s philosophy—diametrically opposed to the worldview of regressors who could never escape the flow of reincarnation.

‘Come to think of it, Do-hwa and I are also opposites in many ways. Our hair and eye colors might be the same, but...’

I wasn’t in any position to lecture Ji-won while flaunting my own superiority.

I smirked wryly. “It’s fine. While she’s Ji-won’s direct disciple, I only plan to make them roommates, not assign them to the same team.”

“Oh? Then where do you plan to station her, if not in the operations command center...?”

“The counseling office.”

Do-hwa raised an eyebrow. “The counseling office? To my knowledge, there’s no such department in the National Road Management Corps...”

“That’s correct. I’m about to create it.”

I had been considering this for quite some time.

“Awakeners tend to have extremely fragile mental states, don’t they?”

No, calling them “fragile” was inappropriate. A more accurate description would be “unstable.”

“The root of an Awakener’s power lies in their deep psychological scars. The stronger their abilities become, the deeper their wounds grow.”

“That’s odd,” she mused. “I don’t recall my mental state changing even when I crafted prosthetics...”

“That’s why you’re so weak, Commander Do-hwa. Your abilities haven’t advanced at all.”

“You little son of a bitch...”

If Do-hwa ever enhanced her Awakener abilities, she wouldn’t stop at prosthetics or artificial limbs. She’d mass-produce cyborgs entirely composed of mechanical parts—a dystopia devoid of humanity, populated by beings with artificial intelligence and synthetic bodies.

But I digress.

“This dynamic is what drives Awakeners to fall to Corruption as their powers reach their peak. Their wounds consume them, destabilizing their mental state and compelling them to depend on others.”

“Can’t you heal them? You’re pretty good at it.”

“I’ll do so whenever I can, but I’m too close to my comrades,” I said with a shrug. “The trust I’ve built with them borders on worship. Honestly, even Yo-hwa and Ah-ryeon are treading dangerous ground.”

“Your knack for rubbing people the wrong way is truly something else...”

Studiously ignoring that jab, I placed a hand on Ji-soo’s shoulder. “This child, however, is perfectly suited for psychological counseling. In one cycle, the Saintess played the role of a counselor. But like me, she had a tendency to make people dependent on her, even unintentionally.”

“Hmm...”

“We’re too focused on diagnosing and resolving issues. Ji-soo, however, simply uses Empathic Resonance to feel exactly what the client feels.” I smiled. “It’s an extraordinary ability, don’t you think?”

The foundation of trust between a counselor and client ultimately hinged on one question: “Does this person truly understand my emotions?” To ensure a “yes” to that question, counselors typically relied on expert techniques and extensive time.

But Ji-soo?

“She doesn’t need all that. Her ability guarantees that she can perfectly feel and understand 100% of a client’s emotions. With that alone, Ji-soo has a fast track to becoming an SSS-class counselor.”[1]

Of course, she still needed experience and theory. Fortunately, as a regressor, I could provide her with plenty of both.

Do-hwa rested her chin on her hand. “This counseling office... Is this your first time implementing it?”

“Yes. Until now, the Saintess filled in as a pseudo-counselor using her Constellation status. This led to severe dependency issues among Awakeners in the Korean Peninsula.”

“That doesn’t sound entirely bad. But if that’s your decision...”

Thud.

Do-hwa stamped her seal on the documents.

“Fine. I’ll provide the necessary facilities and personnel. Do your best, Counseling Director... No, that’s too long. Let’s just call you Director.”

“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

“Hmph...” Do-hwa spread her fingers, her black leather gloves clinging to their lengths like webbing on a frog. “Whether you take revenge on Ji-won or not is up to you. But don’t even think about touching me—not even in your dreams. The idea of having my emotions read disgusts me.”

One of the reasons I seldom used Mind Reading was because of people like Do-hwa. Back in the 579th cycle, she warned me she would quit her position as commander and return home if I ever used Mind Reading again.

“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind.”

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And so, Ji-soo’s Counseling Office was established.

Although she was granted the title of Director within the National Road Management Corps, the counseling office itself wasn’t located in the Tower of Babel.

After all, the Tower of Babel was an intimidating place for most Awakeners to visit.

“Wow! Another business has been registered in the Tunnel!”

The counseling office, aptly named “Ji-soo” for its primary practitioner, was situated in the basement of the Inunaki Underwater Tunnel.

Ji-soo had set up her psychological therapy center at the very site where Ji-won had once operated the Misfortune Workshop in a previous cycle.

“To ruin people’s desires with a casino and then heal their minds with counseling... Secretary-General Undertaker’s schemes are truly terrifying...!”

I ignored the slander from Fairy No. 264.

With the help of the tutorial fairies, the counseling office’s interior was completed within half a day. Unlike the claustrophobic Misfortune Workshop, the external walls were replaced with glass, revealing the faint underwater scenery.

“This way, clients from not just Busan but also Seoul or Pyongyang can have an easier time visiting.”

“Thank you so much, for everything.”

“Don’t mention it. If you can ease the minds of Awakeners even a little, it will ultimately benefit me too.”

Looking back, the Inunaki Tunnel, initially encountered as a Japanese Anomaly, had undergone a remarkable transformation.

- Tunnel entrance: A casino operated by tutorial fairies, named the Dream Casino or Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land.

- Tunnel midsection: An underwater café called Azit, stretching from a depth of 100 meters to 1,200 meters. It was rated five stars out of five.

- Tunnel exit: Private facilities for me and my guild members, including a lobby and personal rooms. These areas were classified and off-limits to outsiders.

- Tunnel basement: Ji-soo’s Awakener-exclusive counseling office, Ji-soo.

‘I never imagined it would turn out like this.’

Reflecting on it, every facility I had established in the long underwater tunnel—excluding the guild lodgings—was designed to support people’s mental well-being.

The casino? It provided survivors of the apocalypse with a form of dreamlike entertainment in a world that lacked any semblance of leisure.

The café? It gave Awakeners a clear goal amid the chaos of a collapsed civilization: leveling up through depth challenges to become the café’s top patron.

The counseling office? Its purpose spoke for itself.

‘Step by step, cycle by cycle, I’m making progress.’

This café, in particular, could be seen as the guiding spirit of its time.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.

Of course, success didn’t come overnight. As a novice counseling director, Ji-soo made her share of mistakes.

“The world is filled with so many emotions and such a wide array of minds.”

On days when she counseled high-profile Awakeners like Yo-hwa or Seo-rin, Ji-soo would drag herself up to the Azit café, utterly exhausted.

“President Cheon’s psyche... It’s too complex. While the Great Witch Dang Seo-rin’s mind was fascinating, President Cheon’s was terrifying. I can’t even comprehend how she maintains her cheerful facade every day.”

A counselor wasn’t supposed to share their personal impressions with others. But she was still a beginner, so it was understandable.

Curiosity got the better of me.

“Who’s more difficult: Sim Ah-ryeon or Cheon Yo-hwa?”

After much groaning, Ji-soo finally let out a sigh. “Their challenges are completely different.”

Fair enough. Both of them were candidates for the Corrupted, with multiple world-ending events under their belts. Their mental landscapes would be formidable indeed.

“Excuse me.” Then, Ji-soo hesitated, staring into her coffee cup. “I’m sorry for making this request, but... can we do it again today?”

“Of course. Don’t worry about it.”

I reached out and held Ji-soo’s hand. Her face, weary from fatigue, gradually softened into a look of serenity.

To be honest, Ji-soo was using Empathic Resonance on me. Whenever her mind was worn down by counseling sessions, she would come to me for support.

Mental tuning, as I called it.

“I can feel it every time...” Ji-soo murmured. “Your emotions are so tranquil, Undertaker. But unlike Team Leader Yu’s neutral presence, yours feels transparent—like a blue hole. A blend of sky, water, and shimmering coral.”

“Who would’ve thought I’d receive compliments for my emotions?”

“I wasn’t expecting it either...” she admitted with a faint smile. “One day, I hope to reach a level where I can not only feel others’ emotions but also share my own.”

“Ah, so you’d combine Phantom Torture and Empathic Resonance?”

“Yes. And when that day comes... I want to make Team Leader Yu feel emotions.”

Her crimson eyes sparkled with determination.

“My previous cycle once said that the reason she couldn’t feel emotions was simply ignorance. One day, however distant, when I help her experience emotions... She might reevaluate the atrocities of the Misfortune Workshop. Perhaps, even in a different cycle, she could apologize to her adopted children.”

I thought Ji-soo’s declaration was as clear and pure as the waters she described.

Until that day came, Ji-soo would Awaken at the start of each cycle to face herself from the 703rd cycle. The wounds she endured. The wounds she inflicted. She wouldn’t look away but would confine herself to the basement of a certain tunnel.

Like still water.

But if the pool of Ji-soo in the 703rd cycle had stagnated and festered, the waters of subsequent cycles were different.

They were transparent, endlessly so, just like the blue holes she admired.

Hence, Ji-soo named her office not for the stagnant waters of a festering pool but for the still waters that remained calm despite storms beyond their reach and remained present despite droughts that threatened to sap them dry. By continuing to absorb and reflect the emotions of others, she aspired to one day bring abundance even to the driest deserts in the world—to Ji-won, who had never shed a single tear.

“Until that day...”

“Hmm?”

Ji-soo shyly fidgeted with her fingers. “Until that day comes, may I call you godfather?”

“Godfather?”

“Yes. You gave me a new life when I would’ve died nameless. If Team Leader Yu was my godmother in the past... then I think you’re my godfather now.”

I see.

To think that my first ever goddaughter would end up paired with Ji-won. Life, even for a regressor, was full of strange twists.

“Alright. I’ll be your godfather. And when you meet Ha-yul, make sure to address her as your older sister.”

Ji-soo smiled brightly.

“Yes. Please take care of me... Godfather.”

Afterword to the epilogue.

“Your Excellency, I heard the news. You’ve taken over as godfather to Ji-soo, whom I once adopted as my goddaughter in a previous cycle. By this logic, isn’t it fair to interpret this as an indirect proposal to me? Your Excellency, this is troublesome. There’s no need to express your trust and affection for me in such a manner—I’ve always understood your feelings. However, I am surprised. To think that Your Excellency harbored such personal emotions for me... I apologize for failing to grasp your heart, Your Excellency. As an unworthy disciple and a mere sociopath, I, Yu Ji-won, humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

“Ji-won.”

“Yes, Your Excellency?”

“Shut up.”

“Okay.”

The end.

Footnotes:

[1] Editor’s note: “SSS-class [X]” is a common enough reference in webnovels, but likely still a nod to the author’s other work, SSS-Class Suicide Hunter. The translation team for this novel also works on that comic here on Reaper, so do check out our work there if you’re interested.