Regressor Instruction Manual

Chapter 1602. Transmigrated to the Central Plains’ Murim (7)

It was important to show that there would be no further negotiations. I had to make it clear that I was determined to leave the Murong Clan, even if the sky itself were to come crashing down on me. As I gnashed my teeth and looked at the Murong Clan Head with undisguised contempt, he predictably flinched.

I had no idea what happened between him and Hwa-Yeon’s mother, but it seemed the Clan Head also carried a sense of guilt toward his daughter.

"..."

'What the hell happened, anyway?'

"..."

Looking at the situation objectively, I could somewhat understand the Clan Head's actions. From Murong Hwa-Yeon's perspective, it seemed she believed her father cared only about the clan's honor and reputation, but in reality, that didn't appear to be the case.

It would become even more apparent if one realized that he wanted to protect the clan because of his son and daughter. If only his actions weren't so rough and clumsy, their relationship would undoubtedly be far better than it was now.

Honestly, it felt like the wounds between the two of them could still be mended if they truly wanted to do so.

'But I'm not here to play family counselor and help them reconcile.'

I reminded myself once again that I was here to force a concession from the Murong Clan Head. The atmosphere felt as though it could explode at any moment, and then it actually exploded.

"Then leave! Leave right now!!!" Hwa-Yeon’s father shouted at me, and he sounded like he was desperately trying to suppress his emotions.

'And the counterattack comes immediately.'

"Even if you hadn't said so, I would have left anyway!" I yelled back at him.

'And the other side fires back right away too.'

"Then let’s see how well you’ll survive after abandoning the Murong name!”

'More things he doesn't actually mean.'

"It will certainly be better than remaining in this wretched place!"

As we shouted at each other, the most flustered person wasn't me, nor was it the Murong Clan Head. It was Murong Yul. His face had gone pale, and he suddenly stepped forward, stammering, "Wh-What are you doing, Hwa-Yeon? Apologize to Father at once..."

"Let go of me, Brother! Father just told me to leave!" I shouted.

'It's always the person caught in the middle who suffers the most.'

"Father, Hwa-Yeon only spoke out of anger. Please don't take it to heart. We can discuss this again later..." Yul suggested.

"Silence! You heard exactly what that brat said! She declared with her own mouth that she's abandoning the Murong name! Why should I stop that troublesome child?! In fact, this is for the best! If she's willing to leave on her own, then it's a cause for celebration! A celebration!" he argued.

"Please don't say that, Father! Hwa-Yeon! What are you doing? Hurry and apologize to Father!" Yul urged.

"What exactly have I done wrong that requires an apology?! There is nothing left to discuss!" I yelled at him.

Murong Yul fidgeted helplessly. He had probably never imagined that both the Murong Clan Head and his sister were secretly hoping that he would stop the fight.

They were both shouting at the top of their lungs, yet at the same time leaving little openings for compromise.

Unfortunately, the thoroughly panicked Murong Yul couldn't see any of it. His Intelligence was high enough that he wasn’t actually foolish, but it was painfully obvious that he was terrible at handling situations like this.

He couldn't move forward or back; he could only stand there in a panic.

Even the gorilla standing beside him had broken out into a cold sweat and was nervously reading the room. As a subordinate of the Murong Clan, he couldn't interfere in a situation like this, but he kept opening and closing his mouth as though he wanted to say something.

'It looks like he's trying to tell Murong Yul to fix this.'

He was staring at Murong Yul with a grave face. Of course, there was nothing Murong Yul could do. His temperament was a little too gentle, so all he could manage was getting crushed between his strong-willed father and younger sister.

Even Squirmy seemed to be reading the room, staying completely silent instead of bursting into tears.

"What’s there left to wait for?! Since I've been told to leave, leaving immediately is the proper thing to do!" I shouted.

"That's right! Leave!!! NOOOW!" Hwa-Yeon’s father shouted at me.

"..."

"..."

Naturally, I spun around sharply. As though there was truly nothing left to say, I headed straight for the door. Behind me, the furious roar of the Murong Clan Head echoed, accompanied by Murong Yul's desperate attempts to calm his enraged father.

I had expected someone to come after me, and sure enough, I sensed a presence approaching from behind.

"Hwa-Yeon..." It was the gorilla, and his voice was filled with emotion.

"..."

'W-Were those two close from the start or something...?'

I never expected him to call me by my name so casually, but there he was, doing exactly that. When I turned around, I saw a hint of awkwardness on his face. Apparently, it wasn't the form of address he usually used to address me.

"It's been a long time since you last called me by my name," I said.

"..."

"Indeed. It feels as though it's been a very long time since I last spoke to you so casually," the gorilla said in agreement.

"Lord Baek. If you're trying to stop me—"

"No, that's not why I came after you. How could I possibly stop you? You've always been like this since you were little. Once you've made a decision, you've never once gone back on it," he denied.

"..."

"Do you remember?" he asked before continuing, “When we were children and entered that cave while playing with the Young Clan Master? The Young Clan Master and I were both terrified and afraid to move forward, yet you were the first to take a step. You said that since we'd already decided to go in, we had to see it through.”

“...”

“You've always been that way. You were never afraid of anything. Because of that, the Young Clan Master and I were always worried sick about you, but looking back now, I don't think I've ever been happier since then. It was fun watching you shine," he added.

"..."

"..."

"Th-that was a long time ago... and besides, I'm not that kind of person..." I muttered.

"You have never lost your luster for even a single moment, Hwa-Yeon," he added.

"..."

"..."

'Wh-What is this...? Gorilla... why are you being so sweet?'

"..."

"..."

"Even now,” he added.

'Koni-chan[1]... my heart... is going doki doki[2]...'

"..."

"Would it be alright if I hug..." he muttered.

He wasn't talking about me. He was talking about Squirmy. As I slowly nodded, I watched the gorilla carefully lift Murong Jin-Cheon into his arms. The look on his face was so sweet it caught even me off guard. It was practically dripping with affection.

Squirmy seemed to realize he was being loved, too, as he wriggled happily in his embrace.

"Leave the Murong Clan. Go and do what you want to do," the gorilla said.

'Umm... but I wasn't actually planning on leaving, Gora-bro.'

"If you wish to see the wider world, then do so. And if you want to live quietly with your child, that won’t be a bad choice either. Hardships and storms will undoubtedly come your way, but if you're the Murong Hwa-Yeon I know, then I believe you can overcome all of them," he added.

'I can't, Gora-bro. I'll probably be back within a month.'

"B-Baek..." I muttered.

"And..." He paused before continuing, "I didn’t accept this marriage because it was an order.’

"???"

"I didn’t agree to marry you because of the Clan Head's command," he said, clarifying things.

The burning intensity in the gorilla's eyes was overwhelming. Honestly, it was so intense that it was difficult to meet his gaze. Still, the correct response here was to look completely stunned. Afterward, tears had to well up in my eyes. This part was important.

I had to look like I had secretly been harboring feelings for him this whole time.

"I've hidden my feelings for a very long time..." he confessed.

"..."

"But now... it feels pointless to keep hiding them any longer," he said.

A look of regret; a look of disbelief; trembling hands, and trembling lips. It was important to act like I had just realized what I had done. I had to look like I was reflecting on the foolish mistake that had led me to bear another man's child.

As though I had decided to bury the love of a lifetime deep within my heart, I asked, "W-Why... why are you only telling me this now..."

'And that's my cue.'

"I-I... hng... I... I also—" I cried. 'Just give him a little hope...'

"Enough. I didn’t confess my feelings to hear your answer," he interrupted me.

"..."

"..."

"I don't want even the slightest scar to remain on you. Whether this is truly for your sake or not, I honestly don't know. I'm a foolish and ignorant man. But I hope you continue to live true to your convictions until the very end," he said.

The gorilla handed Squirmy back to me before continuing, "Just remember that I will always be standing behind you. While sharing a cup of wine with Young Clan Master beneath the full moon, I vowed to dedicate my life to the Murong Clan. I make a vow to you here as well."

'Young Master Murong, you worthless piece of trash... damn it. You've already sold the full moon story to the gorilla, too?'

"Until the day I die—no, even after death, I will protect you," he declared.

'...'

"That alone is enough for me," he added.

Once again, tears came pouring out. The heartwarming news that a top-tier meat shield from the Central Plains had practically rolled right into my lap made my tear ducts react automatically. It was touching—so incredibly touching. I realized I had to hug him. As I slowly leaned forward, he tried to gently push me away.

Apparently, after everything I had said earlier about my wastrel husband, even hugging me felt awkward for him, but I pressed forward anyway and leaned into the gorilla's chest. I could feel him awkwardly wrapping his arms around me. And this idiot...

'Are you... crying?'

I couldn't really see his face, but for some reason, it felt like he was bawling his eyes out. We held each other tightly, sharing each other's warmth. Squirmy's position became a little awkward in the middle of all this, but we had no issues confirming each other's feelings.

After a long while, the gorilla slowly pulled away. I tried to look as though I couldn't let this end, like I couldn't bear to part from him like this, but the conviction-filled gorilla seemed unwilling to stand in the way of my future.

He pushed me away a little more firmly, and I finally came back to my senses. After wiping away my tears, I set off once more, leaving behind the gorilla who watched me from afar.

'It's going to be a little embarrassing when I come back later.'

Of course, I would pack my things and leave immediately. I had already told the three Shim sisters to prepare their belongings, so they were probably already looking for a suitable place to stay, but I could confidently say that we wouldn't last there longer than a month.

The Jin Family's wastrel or a search party would probably find me first, but before that happened, wouldn't the Murong Clan Head wave the white flag and surrender?

Murong Yul would keep trying to persuade his father, and eventually, they'd extend an olive branch first. When that happened, I'd just casually move back in while pretending that I had no choice but to do so.

'A parent can’t stay mad at their children forever.'

Of course, that wasn't true for everyone, but at least it had been true for that guy's family back on Earth. I could already picture the Murong Clan Head grinning at Squirmy and doting on him endlessly.

"M-My lady... are you really leaving?" asked one of the Shim sisters.

"You don't have to follow me," I said.

"H-How could we possibly stay here and abandon you, my lady?" she said.

'Good choice. You'll all be back within a month anyway.'

"We'll go with you," another sister said.

'You’ve passed the loyalty test.'

Taking the three maids with me, I strode out through the main gate with the determination of someone who would never look back at the Murong Clan again, while inwardly promising myself that I would return in a month.

'Just wait and see...'

'We'll find out who's more stubborn...'

'Let's see how long you’ll keep refusing to back down...'

'Because I'm never gonna compromise...'

"..."

And just like that, damn it, eight years passed...

1. Veela: Seems to be a reference to Dotto! Koni-chan ☜

2. means a fluttering heart ☜