Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“So, you are the owner of this inn?”

The white-haired man stared sharply at the woman before him.

Her shoulders were so narrow they barely looked a handful wide, and her neck was so slender it seemed like it could snap at any moment.

Was this young woman really the person responsible for such a large inn?

“Yes, that’s right, sir. My name is So So-hee, and I’m the manager.”

Even with the woman smiling brightly at him, the man still looked unconvinced and did not speak for a while.

She looked like she had only just turned twenty.

Far too young to be entrusted with something this important.

“How long have you been in Wicheon?”

“I cannot tell you that.”

…What?

The man’s eyes instantly sharpened.

A blue martial robe with wide sleeves, and a gaze sharp enough to cut.

Dang Je-ik, the head of the Tang Clan and one of the supporting characters in the martial arts novel I Became the Immortal Heavenly Demon, silently examined the woman standing before him.

She is young. But…

His wandering gaze stopped on the name tag pinned to her chest.

「General Manager So So-hee」

Three white characters were engraved against a black background.

It was an identity officially guaranteed here in Wicheon.

That name tag proved that she was the person in charge of the Regression–Possession–Reincarnation Motel, the place responsible for handling the regression, possession, and reincarnation of supporting characters and extras from stories.

Then again, one should never judge someone’s abilities by appearance alone.

Had he not met countless martial arts masters in his lifetime, from children to old men?

When Dang Je-ik raised his eyes after briefly sinking into thought, he met So-hee’s gaze.

She was still smiling.

“You’re around the same age as my grandfather. You can speak comfortably with me.”

“…Very well.”

Dang Je-ik casually brushed down the wide sleeve of his robe.

“Begin.”

“Then I’ll start by confirming some basic personal information.”

So-hee opened the life record containing a summary of Dang Je-ik’s life.

She had already checked what kind of novel he had appeared in and what role he had played.

Even so, So-hee always kept these records beside her and checked them constantly.

After all, for the customers who came here, this moment might be more important than all the time they had spent alive.

“Your name is Dang Je-ik. You died in battle at the age of sixty-five. Is that correct?”

“Correct.”

“I assume you already know what kind of place this is.”

“An inn for insignificant beings below even the level of supporting characters to regress, possess bodies, or reincarnate.”

So-hee’s brow twitched.

That sounded like he was insulting himself while subtly insulting her motel at the same time.

Still, So-hee quickly forced the corners of her lips upward.

It had been so long since she last had a customer.

There was no reason to upset him unnecessarily.

“Yes, exactly. Although technically, this place is a motel right now… I mean, yes. An inn.”

When Dang Je-ik’s eyebrow twitched, So-hee hurriedly corrected herself.

She checked the documents she had placed down and asked again.

“This is your fifth death, correct?”

“It seems so.”

“Yes. You’ve appeared exclusively in martial arts novels until now. In I Became the Immortal Heavenly Demon, you appeared as a supporting character for the first time… Let’s see. Your previous work was The Sword God Hides His Power. And before that…”

“I have no interest in my past lives.”

So-hee lifted her eyes from the papers and looked at him.

In all the novels he had lived through before, this man had been nothing more than a nameless bandit, passerby, merchant, or warrior.

And each time, he chose annihilation.

As he himself had called them, those past versions of him had been “insignificant beings.”

There had been little reason for them to regress, possess another body, or reincarnate after death.

They had no real story worth returning to.

For such characters, choosing annihilation, ending that character’s existence entirely, was far more beneficial.

Characters whose roles were finished disappeared without interfering with the story.

And the reward for choosing annihilation was clear.

In their next work, they would be assigned a character with slightly greater importance.

Dang Je-ik had done exactly that.

He had chosen annihilation four times.

With each new work, the importance of his role gradually increased.

Finally, in this novel, he had been given the name Dang Je-ik and the identity of the head of a prestigious martial clan.

And yet he came to the motel at such an important point in his character’s existence…

So-hee could not help wondering why.

If he chose annihilation again this time, there was a high chance that his next role could be a major supporting character.

He might even become a protagonist.

“Innkeeper.”

So-hee snapped out of her thoughts and quickly looked into his eyes.

Dang Je-ik’s dark eyes, already dead after completing their role in the story, stared directly at her.

He hesitated for a moment.

Then, as though he had finally made his decision, he let out a long breath.

“I wish to regress.”

He was saying that he intended to defy the fate given to him by the novel.

So-hee’s heart was pounding.

“I’ll just look around before leaving.”

“Now that I think about it, regression, possession, or reincarnation doesn’t sound right for me.”

“There’s a chance it might fail? Then I won’t do it.”

Nine out of ten customers were like that.

Standing before Dang Je-ik, who firmly wished to regress, So-hee desperately tried to remain calm.

There were still several major hurdles to overcome before his decision became final.

So-hee placed a document in front of Dang Je-ik.

“This is the Regression–Possession–Reincarnation Agreement. Please read through it and sign at the bottom.”

“An agreement?”

Dang Je-ik picked up the paper and quickly scanned its contents.

「I hereby confirm that I have clearly expressed my intention to undergo regression, possession, or reincarnation.

I understand that no representative may undergo the process in my place.

Characters ranked as supporting characters or below are granted only one opportunity for regression, possession, or reincarnation….」

He frowned.

How stingy.

I have seen protagonists who regress hundreds of times.

Of course, Dang Je-ik already knew that the opportunities granted to protagonists could never be equal to those granted to supporting characters and extras.

Was that not exactly why everyone desperately chose annihilation over and over again, hoping to eventually become a protagonist?

Still, understanding something logically did not mean he had to feel good about it.

He continued reading.

「I understand that regression, possession, or reincarnation may fail.

The required processing fee may be paid using physical assets or currency….」

Yes.

He already knew that much.

But the very next line left him speechless.

“…Regardless of whether the process succeeds or fails, I will begin again as an extra in my next work?”

Dang Je-ik immediately looked at So-hee in disbelief.

In other words, whether his regression succeeded or failed, all the merit he had accumulated through repeated annihilations would be reset to zero.

Starting from his next novel, he would once again begin as a completely nameless character.

It was the worst possible condition.

Dang Je-ik’s thoughts became complicated.

Four lives I cannot even remember.

Including this one, I have lived as five different characters.

And everything I accumulated through all those lives will return to nothing in an instant?

Was this not practically telling them not to even attempt it?

“Hah…”

At his sigh, So-hee nervously swallowed.

No matter how determined a person had been when they arrived, most gave up after reaching this final hurdle.

Hiding her anxiety, she quietly waited for Dang Je-ik’s answer.

“Tsk.”

“…!”

With an annoyed click of his tongue, Dang Je-ik began writing his name neatly on the agreement.

Once he finished, he lightly placed the paper on the round table before him.

“How troublesome.”

“Thank you, sir.”

So-hee bowed deeply.

She understood his reaction perfectly.

The entire process was troublesome and difficult.

It even cost money.

And whether it succeeded or failed, the applicant would still have to restart as an extra.

The conditions were almost absurdly harsh.

So-hee quietly stared at Dang Je-ik’s firm signature.

“I will definitely…”

“Hm?”

Her eyes burned like flames.

Dang Je-ik had chosen to risk his entire existence as a character despite these terrible conditions.

That meant he had a reason important enough to justify everything.

“I will definitely make your regression succeed.”

Seeing the light shining in her eyes, Dang Je-ik gave a faint chuckle.

Unlike his own black eyes, which had already lost their light in death, hers were bright and pure.

Strangely, the uncomfortable feeling inside him eased slightly.

“Naturally, you should. However, determination becomes even stronger when the reward is sufficient.”

From deep inside his sleeve, he pulled out something equally dazzling and placed it lightly on the table.

“…!”

“A golden turtle should be enough as payment.”

It was the Tang Clan’s seal, which he had carried with him throughout his life.

The reward was far greater than So-hee had expected.

She steadied her trembling voice before answering.

“…Yes. This is more than enough to cover the fee.”

“Then I shall look forward to the result.”

As soon as he finished speaking, So-hee quickly brought over a room key.

“You may stay here for a maximum of three months. However, preparations for regression are usually completed within one week.”

“I trust you will handle it properly.”

“Then please follow me, sir.”

“Wait, young lady.”

So-hee, who had been about to guide him to his room, stopped.

“Yes?”

“You are human, are you not?”

“I am.”

“Then are you among the living, or among the dead?”

As though she had heard the question countless times before, So-hee smiled.

“That is a secret.”

“A secret? What secret? You just can’t be bothered explaining it.”

The motel’s exterior was completely pink.

The inside was baby pink mixed with a little more white.

The lobby had only a few small sofas and tables.

Overall, it was an ordinary, old-fashioned motel without anything particularly special about it.

As soon as someone entered through the motel’s frosted-glass doors, they would see the small front desk.

There, So-hee was busily writing something down.

“There are far too few customers for you to claim you’re too busy to answer.”

“Poor attitude. Insincere answers to a customer’s ques-tion.”

“This is part of my strategy.”

Done.

So-hee proudly examined her notebook.

There were only a few items listed inside, but the golden turtle she had received from the elder of the Sichuan Tang Clan was the most expensive thing she had received so far.

At least by South Korean standards.

After carefully recording everything, she finally leaned back in the luxurious chair that looked completely out of place in the old-fashioned motel.

“Stra-tegy?”

“Of course. Think about it. What would happen if the motel manager and regression–possession–reincarnation expert introduced herself as ‘a human who was unwillingly dragged from Korea into another world’?”

“What about it?”

“Wouldn’t it make me seem a little less trustworthy, reliable, and professional?”

“You were never professional to begin with. You are simply skilled at ly-ing.”

“That’s not true! I just take something genuine… and package it more impressively.”

As though she had been struck somewhere painful, So-hee’s voice gradually grew quieter.

It was true that she had occasionally sprinkled a little seasoning onto the bland backstories of supporting characters to make regression, possession, or reincarnation more likely.

As if regression, possession, or reincarnation happens that easily.

There needs to be a clear justification and a proper story behind it.

And I’m the one who has to create that.

Unlike protagonists, supporting characters could not easily regress, possess another body, or reincarnate.

For characters like them to even attempt the process, they needed an appropriate “publicly beneficial reason.”

That was one of the fundamental rules.

Basically, they’re telling supporting characters not to even try.

But…

So-hee searched through every corner of their stories, eyes practically burning as she desperately tried to find even the smallest possible justification.

No matter how much of a heavy web-novel reader she had been, there was no way this process could be easy.

Even so, there was another reason she absolutely could not give up.

“Besides, I need to return to my own world too! That’s why I’m risking everything to make these regressions, possessions, and reincarnations work!”

So-hee spun her chair around and looked at the white porcelain jar.

It was a beautiful moon jar, perfectly white and spotless, with a smooth surface and elegant round curves.

A stiff mechanical voice came from inside it.

“The characters who come here are the ones risking their lives. What use is your life?”

“…Then should I stop trying? I don’t age here anyway. Maybe I should just enjoy eternal life.”

There was a brief silence.

“…Risk your li-fe.”

Wicheon.

The afterlife of fictional characters.

It had been exactly three months since So So-hee arrived at the Regression–Possession–Reincarnation Motel located there.

A great many things had happened before twenty-five-year-old So So-hee was finally able to accept this reality.

Truly.

A great many things.