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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“M-my true identity?”
Su-ah became startled and stumbled backward from Tae-jin’s sudden appearance and question.
“Ah…”
Tae-jin took a step back.
Thanks to his [See-Through] trait, which had reached level 18 through repeated training, he could see inside the cathedral.
Fortunately, the walls of the old building didn’t exceed the 30cm thickness limit of his [See-Through (Lv18)].
However, the scene he witnessed beyond the walls was so shocking that his instincts took over before his reason could catch up.
And who would calmly respond with, “Ugh! I’ve been discovered!” when confronted so abruptly?
“Ah, I misspoke. What were you doing here?”
Tae-jin asked and looked around awkwardly.
A reddish darkness, cast by the prematurely setting sun, was creeping into the secluded, desolate alley.
“…Were you following me?”
Instead of answering Tae-jin’s question, Su-ah responded with one of her own.
She had no intention of blaming him.
This situation was the result of her own carelessness and lack of vigilance.
She had let down her guard, assuming that Tae-jin’s persistent stalking had finally stopped, and that was the root of the problem.
There was no reason to blame him.
Or rather, there was no fault to assign in the first place.
She had revealed her true identity to Choi Do-han in her 16th, 32nd, and 44th regressions.
Of course, she never revealed Retourne Cathedral.
But this place, which was a sacred space connecting her and Eternity, was kept strictly secret.
That was why she visited Retourne Cathedral when Han Tae-jin attached himself to Han-na, Baek Mi-jin, and Professor Ella to avoid being stalked.
Instead, she revealed that she was a ‘regressor from the future’ and ‘indirectly’ told Choi Do-han about the events to come.
Well, unfortunately, the results weren’t favorable.
But those were the consequences of ‘Choi Do-han’ being the agent of her mission at the time.
Even under the same conditions, different agents would yield different outcomes.
Therefore, Su-ah wasn’t afraid of her true identity being revealed.
If this was the fate of her 52nd attempt, she would humbly accept it.
She knew that trying to forcefully suppress, defy, or ignore fate would only lead to worse outcomes, so she had no intention of avoiding Tae-jin’s question.
And through one of her special skills, [Oath of Silence], she could make him swear to secrecy, ensuring that the existence of Eternity remained hidden from the public.
Moreover, if Eternity’s influence on the planet was deemed excessive, they would intervene directly, so there was nothing to worry about.
Furthermore, this 52nd attempt was an entirely new narrative, unlike anything she had experienced before.
In a narrative where even she, a 52-time regressor, couldn’t predict the future, it was naturally impossible to foresee what would happen.
Therefore, she knew that focusing on the present, rather than trying to predict the future, was her duty as a 52-time regressor.
Moreover, since she could only know whether the current situation was beneficial or detrimental at the end of the narrative, how could she be considered a member of Eternity if she lost her composure and succumbed to fear prematurely?
So, she asked him.
If he had been following her.
It wasn’t to blame him, but to confirm that he wasn’t reverting to his old ways.
That was her biggest fear.
If he reverted to his old self now that she had chosen him as the agent of her mission, it would be a major headache.
So, she asked, and if he gave her a typical, clichéd excuse like, “Oh, me? Well, I was in the neighborhood and happened to see you…!” like he always did,
She would be deeply disappointed.
But…
It seemed she wouldn’t be disappointed.
Tae-jin’s sharp, piercing eyes mercilessly dispelled her anxieties as a multi-time regressor.
“…You’re hiding your power. And I saw everything. What happened inside the cathedral. So, tell me everything.”
That was their first encounter as a possessed individual and a regressor.
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*Thud, thud.*
The thick layer of dust on the cathedral floor amplified every step, making it impossible to conceal his presence.
The low ceiling of the cathedral made the sounds even more pronounced.
-Why are you curious about my true identity?
-You seem unusual. Special, even.
-Ho ho… That’s quite flattering. Special, you say.
-So, what’s your answer?
-Follow me. If you’re truly curious.*
Su-ah said and entered the cathedral.
He didn’t know what kind of place it was, or the extent of Su-ah’s power, so it could be dangerous, but strangely, he didn’t hesitate.
Whether it was courage or recklessness,
He couldn’t tell, but he wasn’t afraid of the potential consequences of his choice.
The image of Su-ah he saw with [See-Through] and the pure white woman who appeared from the Virgin Mary statue evoked an unusual sense of awe, but not hostility.
Inside the cathedral, long benches were lined up, a large stained-glass window at the front was shattered, and the statue of the Virgin Mary stood silently before it.
In short, it was an ordinary abandoned cathedral.
A very old one, at that.
*Thump.*
Su-ah sat on a broken bench, and he sat on a bench across the aisle.
“I never thought I’d bring someone here… This time is truly special.”
Su-ah murmured and looked up at the statue of the Virgin Mary with a nostalgic gaze.
Her murmur was like the lament of an old woman, filled with reminiscence.
There was no hint of hostility in her voice.
“Who was that woman summoned from the Virgin Mary statue? The one covered in pure white light. She seemed to be someone important.”
“Before I answer, may I ask you something?”
“…”
When he remained silent, Su-ah continued,
“May I ask how you were able to see Sister Ercia and perceive the depth of my power?”
“It’s simple. I have a useful trait.”
“I see. Well, it doesn’t matter now.”
The breaths of someone scheming to control the situation and someone accepting their fate were different.
Their tones of voice were different too.
Su-ah’s breath and tone belonged to the latter.
“May I ask you a favor?”
Su-ah asked with her voice filled with sincerity.
He nodded.
“Before you see my true form, I’d like to ask you to offer a prayer. A vow of secrecy before the statue of the Virgin Mary.”
“…A vow?”
“A vow of silence. There will be no harm to you, Brother, if you don’t break it.”
What was her true identity that she was being so evasive?
It was clear that she had no intention of hiding it, but her hesitation made him slightly apprehensive.
It wasn’t fear of the consequences, but fear of the shock.
He felt like he would be faced with a tremendous shock when her true identity was revealed.
But there was no point in hesitating now.
If he was going to hesitate, he shouldn’t have come here in the first place.
“Alright. I just need to pray?”
“Yes. Just pray and vow to keep the secret.”
“Okay.”
He immediately put his hands together and prayed and vowed to keep the secret as Su-ah instructed.
He opened his eyes, but nothing seemed to have changed.
“Is it done? There’s no reaction.”
“Thank you for complying.”
“Really? Is it all done now?”
“Yes. All preparations are complete.”
“Then tell me. The reason you’re hiding your power, the woman who appeared from the statue, and everything that happened here.”
Ever since his Telepathy failed, his mind had been consumed by thoughts of Su-ah.
It felt like he had discovered a time bomb.
It wouldn’t explode right now, but the question was whether it would go off in his hands, in the enemy’s hands, or because of some bizarre whim of the original author.
That’s why he followed her.
To find out her secrets.
Fortunately, Su-ah wasn’t trying to hide anything; she was willing to reveal everything to him.
Honestly, he hadn’t expected her to be so forthcoming.
The fact that there was no mention of this in the original story until the later half suggested it was a huge plot twist meant to be revealed later.
He would definitely need to hear the reason why she was so readily revealing this to him.
But right now, her true identity was his priority.
With Choi Do-han seemingly broken, he needed to know Su-ah’s true nature, a crucial main heroine in the original story….to determine whether she would be an asset or a liability.
If Choi Do-han was truly broken, someone had to stand against Illusion.
So, he braced himself and waited.
He didn’t rush her, knowing this must be a big decision for her.
And then,
“Please don’t be too surprised, brother.”
*Flash!*
The same radiant light he saw from outside the cathedral engulfed his vision, and he felt the heat on his skin.
The blinding light was like the descent of the sun which obscured everything.
When the light subsided, and the dim evening light returned to his vision,
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
Her clothes were the same.
But…
Her sky-blue hair now flowed down to her legs, her skin was pale white, and her eyes shone with a brilliant gold.
She exuded a sacred, mystical aura.
But…
Her face was undoubtedly the same as the woman who appeared from the Virgin Mary statue.
The same face as the woman who sat gracefully on the statue’s pedestal and looked down at Su-ah.
The only differences were the color of her hair and eyes.
And the large, brilliant white wings folded neatly on her back.
She clasped her hands demurely, bowed her head, and said,
“My name here is Yoo Su-ah, but my real name is Ercia. Although, my appearance is slightly different.”
‘Slightly different…?’
‘What, is transformation a trend these days…?’
‘Am I the only one out of the loop?’
“Hmm… It seems you’re quite surprised…?”
Seeing Ercia, or Su-ah, scratching her cheek nonchalantly, he was left speechless for a moment.
‘Seriously… Author, are you there?’
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