Chapter 13

Chapter 13

“…….”

They were given one week to decide whether they would choose regression, possession, reincarnation, or complete disappearance. If they chose regression, possession, or reincarnation, they would be given plenty of time to organize their story and could remain in Wicheon for up to three months.

So, this man was saying that he would verbally agree to undergo regression, possession, or reincarnation, then stay at the motel for a week.

His purpose was obvious. He wanted to see Elisha.

And the motel could not refuse a character who claimed to want regression, possession, or reincarnation.

There was a law stating that every customer who wished to undergo one of those processes had to be accepted first. After counseling, they could decide whether to officially sign the contract or simply leave.

“People really can use the law however they want.”

At that moment, Sohee's face hardened. This man did not truly want regression, possession, or reincarnation.

Dylan Brown opened his mouth in a huge yawn, then stretched.

“Can't be helped. I thought I'd try doing it legally for once.”

“…….”

“You should've gratefully accepted what I offered you earlier. Either way, one week is more than enough time for me to meet her, isn't it?”

Heh heh heh.

He placed a hand on his bulging belly and burst into an amused laugh. Sohee took a deep breath before continuing calmly.

“…Sir, please wait for a moment.”

“As long as you like.”

Sohee turned and headed toward the front desk. For now, she had to follow the rules, retrieve the record of his life, and begin the consultation. As she walked, deep in thought, Sohee suddenly stopped in place.

“Why bother waiting a whole week?”

Dylan Brown lifted his head at the welcome voice he had been waiting for. Elisha appeared on the stairs leading down from the second floor.

“Instead of wasting time here, why don't we go to my room?”

“You should've come out immediately if you knew your father was here. Tsk, you're still slow even in this place.... Oh, this really is exactly the same.”

Inside Elisha's room, Dylan Brown wandered around, touching various objects. Tap, tap. The sound of his cane striking the floor was far too familiar, and Elisha felt as though her entire body had turned cold.

She desperately forced herself to sit straight in her chair.

“Why did you want to meet me?”

“It's not really about anything in particular... You're going back, right?”

While needlessly running his hand over the wooden dresser, he finally brought up the main subject.

“I came here because I plan to.”

“I've been thinking, possession would suit you perfectly.”

Dylan, who had been looking around the room, sat in the chair across from Elisha. She had been frozen like ice until then, but without realizing it, a small laugh escaped her lips.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Father, somehow, you and I were thinking exactly the same thing.”

“Hahaha! Right? I knew you'd choose possession!”

Dylan finally let out a large sigh of satisfaction.

“I heard some rumors on my way here. Apparently, the new motel manager is quite capable.”

“Is that so?”

When Elisha answered with a smile on her lips, Dylan briefly fell into an illusion.

The layout and colors of the room were identical to those in the novel. There was even the room's unique scent. And with Elisha sitting before him, smiling gently as she always had while obediently accepting everything, he felt as though he were still a powerful man living inside the story.

As if he had never died in prison, suffering from terrible aftereffects.

He merely thought that his honor ought to be restored. If Elisha returned and handled things properly, she would surely prevent him from dying that way. Wasn't I the adoptive father who raised this child all the way to the highest position?

Once again overcome with emotion, he continued speaking.

“Haah, I don't like how strict that manager is... but honestly, doesn't that make the success rate higher? It's better than having someone flatter you all the time, only for you to fail and waste your regression karma.”

“…That's true.”

“I've got an amazing idea. You should use possession to enter the real Saintess's body.”

Excited, Dylan poured out his thoughts.

“Go back and take everything! The Saintess's money, honor, love, all of it!”

“…….”

“And save your father while you're at it.”

When Elisha said nothing, he quickly added,

“No, I'm not asking you to save me. Just make sure I can die honorably as a noble.”

“Father.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how I died?”

Dylan suddenly stopped talking. Then he shot to his feet and shouted.

“That damned woman! If it weren't for the real Saintess, you never would've ended up like this!”

“…….”

“Come to think of it, even your holy power was originally no worse than the real Saintess's! At your peak, no one could deny that your healing power was exceptional!”

Dylan spoke so fiercely that spit flew from his mouth. He went on and on about how Elisha had died because of the real Saintess, what kind of life he had been forced to live afterward, and how disgracefully he had died.

By the end, he seemed so wronged that tears were gathering in his eyes.

“So, Elisha, you go back. If you do, I, Dylan Brown, won't have to meet such a miserable end.”

Hearing his voice filled with strange excitement and expectation, Elisha's fingertips began to tremble.

How could he still be exactly the same, even after death? She tightly clenched both hands and looked at Dylan.

“What if there's a better way?”

“What is it? Tell me.”

“You should regress, Father.”

“…What?”

“Go back yourself and find a way to change how your life ends.”

“Don't say something so ridiculous!”

He frowned at her just as he had when she was alive. However, he could not bring himself to reveal what he truly thought.

Use up all of my disappearance karma to enter the story and change my own ending into an honorable one? It isn't worth that much. Of course, it'd be wonderful if someone else did it for me.

Dylan cleared his throat several times for no reason, then gave a suitable excuse.

“What great grudge do I have against the Saintess? Naturally, I'm going to choose disappearance.”

“…….”

“In my next work, I'd like to have a more impressive appearance... Someone like Cedric, for example.”

“……!”

Elisha barely managed to stop her expression from collapsing. Her breath came out in faint trembles.

How dare Cedric's name come out of your mouth now? You used me until the very end simply because I loved him.

Elisha bit her tongue to suppress the nausea rising inside her. The taste of blood spread through her mouth.

And Dylan noticed that Elisha was sufficiently shaken.

“Now that we're talking about him, Cedric, that bastard, had such a grand wedding with the real Saintess....”

“I don't want to hear it.”

“Go back. Become the real Saintess. Then the place beside Cedric will belong to you.”

Dylan roughly grabbed both of Elisha's arms.

“You can do it. You have to! How do you think I raised you all the way to that position? You were nothing but a girl running errands at a convent, and I turned you into a noble Saintess!”

By deceiving people, killing people, hiding things, and committing every dirty act imaginable.

Elisha's breath caught in her throat.

Every time his thick hands violently gripped and shook her slender arms, fragments of the past resurfaced. The habits, obedience, and fear carved into her body were once again forcing her heart into submission.

“So if you go back, you must treat me, your father, with the utmost respect. Understand?”

The moment she looked directly into his eyes as he passionately tried to persuade her, laughter burst from her lips. Her laughter grew louder and louder until it echoed strangely through the room.

Dylan's blue eyes, which had been gleaming intensely, were completely empty and black inside. Only then could Elisha face reality.

This is Wicheon. We are dead. And no one can hurt anyone here.

“E, Elisha.”

Flustered, Dylan released her shoulders. Watching him retreat hesitantly, Elisha wiped away the tears gathered around her eyes.

“Father, say something that actually makes sense.”

“…What?”

“If I risked my life to possess the real Saintess's body, do you honestly think I'd keep you by my side?”

Keep you by my side? That was simply a polite way of asking whether she would really let an obstacle like him stay alive. The closer a man who had committed every kind of evil act remained to Elisha, the greater the danger he would pose to her.

However, Dylan looked completely calm, as though he could not understand why she would even ask such a question.

“Isn't that obvious?”

“…What did you say?”

This time, Dylan snorted and gently patted Elisha's shoulder.

“Do you think I don't know you? You couldn't even kill a single ant.”

He lowered his face beside the ear of Elisha, who had stiffened like a stone statue. As his unpleasant, hot breath drew closer, she felt as though insects were crawling all over her body.

“That's why you couldn't even deal with one real Saintess and ended up like this.”

“…….”

“Go back and take care of it properly this time. I'm sure you understand.”

Dylan groaned as he straightened his back. He had said everything he wanted to say, so there was no reason for him to remain there any longer.

“Damn it, what's so important about these initial character settings? Why do I still have to limp even after dying?”

Displeased, he repeatedly struck the floor with his cane.

“Father.”

“What is it?”

The instant he finished speaking, a streak of blue light brushed past Dylan's knee. His eyes widened with joy as he turned toward Elisha.

“Don't tell me...!”

“Yes. The holy power that dried up inside the novel has returned to normal. And because of that....”