—Before returning to Korea with the sanctum.
"Come to think of it, I wasn’t able to reach out to Vega a single time."
Ohjin had told her to avoid materializing herself until his call with the reason of preserving her strength for when he needed a blessing, but all his plans went down the drain when Isabella revealed her true colors.
‘It's a relief, now that I think of it.'
If Vega had seen Isabella's true form, the situation would have gotten more complicated.
‘I should give Vega a visit since I'm already at the sanctum.'
She would likely be aghast, as he hadn't contacted her for days.
Step, step—
Ohjin followed the road made of blue starlight and climbed up to the highest point of the sanctum.
—A road that splits in three ways.
One of the roads led to the Star of the Weaver Girl's sanctuary, the place where Vega resided, and the other two led to sanctuaries of Polaris and Deneb, which were ‘North Stars' along with Vega.
‘Polaris and Deneb…'
Deneb had a total of 12 apostles, while Polaris still had none, just like Vega had in the past.
‘I wonder… what will happen if I get the stigmas of other North Stars in my hands?'
Even the stigma of the 12 Zodiacs could grant him unimaginable strength if they synergized well with each other.
But if another North Star’s stigma was added on top of that…
"…I'm not sure."
In reality, even with the stigma of Lyra alone, there was such a difference in strength with equivalent 5-Star Awakeners that it made them look comedic in comparison.
Wouldn't he be able to reach an insurmountable realm if other North Star stigmas were added on top of that?
‘Well… that's only true if they synergize well with each other.'
Ultimately, he could only use one stigma at a time. There was a time when he used two stigmas simultaneously, but he couldn’t expect much of an effect if the stigma didn't synergize well with the ‘Stigma of Lyra', as it was his basic foundation.
‘At the end of the day, my main stigma is the stigma of Lyra."
Other stigmas were just secondary tools he could use whenever the situation called for it.
‘They're not that important.'
Not only was he unable to use other stigmas freely in front of Vega; he had still only scratched the surface of the stigma of Lyra.
"Though I should try to absorb them when the opportunity arises."
If two North Star’s stigmas didn't collide with each other and synergized… it was possible that he would reach an unprecedented realm.
"Well, then."
Ohjin put away his useless thoughts and headed to the Star of the Weaver Girl's sanctuary.
And as he arrived at the sanctuary—
[My child!!]
—Vega suddenly ran to him and embraced him.
[Do you know how worried I was!]
Frightening pressure like that from a press machine tightened around his entire body.
"Kugk, uhk!"
‘Fuck, I can't breathe!!'
‘I'm really going to die!!!!'
‘What is this strength?!'
[Ah, I'm sorry.]
Vega released the strength in her arms that had pulled in Ohjin.
"Fua!"
Was it because they were within the sanctum? It felt like an industrial press machine compressed his body.
‘Isabella is strong, but…'
The real strength of a celestial was unparalleled, as expected.
"Grrrr. Rookie, so what happened?" asked Riak as he sauntered to him.
"Nothing much. It's just that a situation where I needed a blessing never occurred."
Nothing much wasn’t what happened, but having not needed to use the blessing was indeed the truth.
[Have you saved the saintess?]
‘…Saintess, huh.'
‘Should I keep quiet about Isabella?'
It didn't take long for Ohjin to come to a conclusion.
‘Let's reveal it.'
As the number of things he kept hidden piled up, not only would his movements be restricted as if he was standing in the middle of a minefield, but there was also the risk of needlessly receiving suspicion.
‘And moreover…'
If it was Vega, there was a chance she would be able to find out that Isabella wasn't an Awakener of Ares in an instant.
After all, Isabella didn’t have the ‘Black Curtain' trait as he did.
"I did save her… but the situation is a bit of a pain."
[What do you mean? Did something happen?]
Vega asked with a worried expression.
"The saintess isn't an Awakener of Ares."
[What?]
Ohjin slowly laid out the truth about Isabella.
"I didn't know the saintess's true identity because she died on that day in my past life… I couldn't have possibly imagined that Isabella was an Executor of the Black Star Organization."
A Regressor was a being that knew about future incidents through personal experience, not a clairvoyant god that could see through all hidden secrets and truths.
[Th-Then has the situation become worse than your past life?]
"Not exactly."
He firmly shook his head.
"Isabella doesn't know that I know her true identity. We should be able to dig up information about the Black Star Organization if we make good use of it."
There wasn't a need to be unconditionally pessimistic because she was an Executor of the Black Star Organization.
"And by any chance, if we're able to get her on our side…"
Though it was currently pushing it—as she still thought of him as tasty prey—if he could get her in the palm of his hand and control her freely…
[…We'll gain an extremely reliable ally.]
The scariest enemies were always the ones right beside you. If they were able to get Isabella on their side, she would be able to tear apart the Black Star Organization from the inside.
"Yeah, that's what I'm planning to do."
[Hmm. This lady is worried.]
Vega extended out her hand and pat Ohjin’s head.
[What if you get harmed by that little one?]
"Don't worry. I don't have plans on making contact with that woman any time soon, either."
In order to carry out his plans, there was a need to grow his strength to the point where he was able to protect himself.
* * *
* * *
"And… I’m sorry."
His voice trembled faintly, his shoulders helplessly dropped down, and his fists clenched so hard that veins were popping out.
Ohjin acted as if he was subjected to a great amount of guilt.
[Wh-What are you sorry about?]
"I acted rashly without finding things out properly. Because I kept thinking about how I had to change the future… I ended up making a mistake."
He intentionally showed his weak side.
Showing that kind of vulnerable state as a Regressor could have potentially made one lose trust…
‘But it's the opposite in this case.'
The trust between Ohjin and Vega had already built considerably. Revealing his weak side in that kind of situation would only plant a deeper kind of trust.
It was a scam technique that utilized sympathy.
[Do not feel down, my child. This lady knows best of how much effort you desperately put in.]
The biggest advantage of this technique was that it…
—didn't need evidence,
—didn't need reasoning,
—and dug deep into the minds of others.
"…Vega."
[Come here.]
Vega opened her arms and gently embraced him.
Her hug felt boundlessly soft and didn't contain any strength like before.
[You do not need to try and carry all this weight on your own.]
She slowly stroked his head and smiled faintly.
[Fufu. Do you not have me by your side?]
"…"
[It is alright to take things slow. The pages of destiny already started to be written anew since the moment you met me.]
"Thank you."
Ohjin hugged Vega back and answered with a voice that was a step brighter than before.
"This time… I'll make sure to change it—the tragic future where the world faces destruction by the Heavenly Demon."
[You are more than capable of doing so.]
Vega patted his back and rested her chin on top of his shoulder.
When around five minutes of staying in that state had passed…
"Grrr! Lady Vega, if you keep pampering that kid, he'll develop bad habits later o—"
[Pshaw.]
Bzzzzzzzzzzzt!!!—
Blue lightning struck down Riak.
"Kugh! Kuaaaaaaaaah!!!"
Riak struggled from the pain.
[Fuu. It's been a while since I was able to share quality time with my child, but you… you should learn how to read the room.]
Glare—
Vega stared at Riak with displeasure.
"I-I apolog—"
[Hmpf. I don't need it.]
It seemed that Vega was thoroughly upset as she quickly flicked her head away.
‘I feel bad for Riak.'
"Then I'll head home now since Ha-eun's probably worried. Ah, you can stay materialized like usual now that urgent matters have finished."
[Hmm. That is truly welcoming news, but I'll hold myself back for today.]
"Hm? Why?"
[Fufu. Won't Ha-eun also need time to share the happiness of your reunion?]
‘Ah, so that's what she meant.'
[However…!]
Vega's golden eyes shone.
[Do not eveeeeeer~ forget that you are nothing but ‘friends' with Ha-eun.]
"Uh, yeah."
He was caught by the mood, which made him involuntarily nod his head.
"Then I'll take my leave now. See you tomorrow."
[Be careful on your way.]
‘What is there to be careful of in the sanctum?'
"Phew."
Ohjin exited the sanctum and headed home.
"Should I buy some food on the way?"
It just happened to be around time for dinner. As he looked around, trying to find something suitable…
"Wow. It's been a while…"
Ohjin looked at a hamburger restaurant at the corner of the large street and smiled.
Although he didn't eat them frequently those days, the food embodied quite a lot of memory and sorrow.
‘The first things I bought after awakening were also hamburgers.'
He reminisced about back then and entered the store.
"Here are your two Whopper sets~ Have a nice day!"
Ohjin bought hamburgers and headed back home.
Step, step—
His steps became lighter the closer he got to the house. They had only been separated for a mere week, but his legs sped up on their own, wanting to see Ha-eun as soon as possible.
"Huhu. I bet she's crying aga…"
—At that moment.
His field of view twisted.
-Ring
[Part of Awakener Lee Shinhyuk's memories has been successfully restored.]
‘Huh? There was a third?'
-Brother… Let's go now.
-…Alright.
Lee Shinhyuk held onto the rooftop rails as he dwelled on his regrets and then turned back.
He went down the stairs with Lee Woohyuk.
—A heavy moment of silence.
The one who broke the silence was Lee Woohyuk.
-The reason the Queen of Leeches lost her rationality and started going on a rampage is because of the incident two years ago, right?
-Yeah. That's what I've been told by Cheon Woosung.
-What about what happened?
-I don't know about that…
Lee Shinhyuk shook his head with a perplexed expression.
-Right before that incident, I heard that she tried to save the Italians that were suffering from the mafia…
-How did that kind of woman become a witch that made the entire country soaked in blood?
-I don't know what happened back then, but…
Grit—
Lee Shinhyuk fiercely ground his teeth and gripped his spear.
-If I could return back in time… I'd make sure to kill her.
The Queen of Leeches, Isabella Colagrande.
The tens of thousands of people that died miserably by her hands flickered in front of his eyes.
-Brother. Let's up the speed. The Pseudo Star Cult might catch on to us.
-Alright.
Lee Shinhyuk activated the stigma of Pyxis and searched for a path after exiting the building.
-This way.
Lee Woohyuk and Lee Shinhyuk sped up.
Lee Woohyuk ran through the roads like a wild beast, and Lee Shinhyuk strenuously followed his trail.
‘Woah, he grew a lot during those two years.'
Ohjin exclaimed shortly as he observed the memories of Lee Shinhyuk that flowed into his head.
Needless to say, Lee Shinhyuk's growth speed was extremely embarrassing compared to his own, but still, it appeared that he had managed to reach around the 7~8-Star rank within those two years.
-Do you know where she's at?
-She should be looking after the boat at the coast.
-Let's head there.
‘I wonder who it is.'
Ohjin focused on the memories with amusement.
-Hey! Why were you so late!
-Sorry!!
-Hurry up and get on the boat!!
‘Huh?'
–Then I'm starting the engine!
-Okay!
‘What's going on…?'
-Sigh. Italy’s totally done for. Are you hurt anywhere?
-No. I'm okay.
-Here, have some water.
Why? Why? Why?
Just…
Why?
-Thank you—Ha-eun.
‘Why is Ha-eun with that bastard?'
