The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player Novel - Chapter 315
Chapter 315 – Do You Feel Better Now?
‘Do you feel better now?’
Ryu Min was heading to the meeting place with hope in his heart after receiving a message from Min Juri to meet.
Ding-dong-
Opening the door of the café, he saw Min Juri waiting.
“Over here.”
Her expression seemed lighter, as if she had finished sorting out her thoughts.
“Did you wait long?”
“No, not long.”
Although Min Juri said no, Ryu Min could read her thoughts and knew that wasn’t true.
‘Did you wait an hour?’
What thoughts would she have had sitting alone for an hour?
Min Juri smiled at the concern on Ryu Min’s face, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
“Sit down quickly.”
“Yes, yes.”
“I received the summoning message from the Church of the Four Gods. I’m sorry, I had a lot to think about and couldn’t attend.”
“Don’t worry.”
Min Juri began to speak in a calm voice.
Ryu Min, better than anyone, knew that although she seemed calm, inside she was anxious.
“I heard they handed out 2.3 billion gold to each player?”
“How did you know?”
“Seo Arin told me. She wondered why I didn’t go and sent me messages.”
Min Juri, who was smiling carelessly, soon showed a look of respect.
“I read in the news that you also made a donation. They said it was almost a trillion won.”
“Well…”
“That’s impressive. I couldn’t have done it. How could you donate 99% of your fortune?”
“The last round will soon be here, so I needed to put my affairs in order. It could be the end of my life.”
“Are you the Black Scythe I know? Why are you saying such unusual things? Is this the same Black Scythe who was so charismatic?”
“……”
Ryu Min looked silently at Min Juri, who was smiling playfully.
As if telling her she could stop pretending.
Then, the smile disappeared from Min Juri’s face, which seemed like it would never stop laughing.
“Huu… It’s hard. Talking like before.”
“……”
“You don’t have to look at me like that. I’ve realized it. How foolish I’ve been.”
Min Juri was no longer smiling.
She only let out a long sigh, her face full of worries and anxiety.
“I’ve been in love with you for three years. Counting the time in the survival game, it’s four years. All that time, I only looked at the back of my friend Ryu Min. But…”
Min Juri paused and then spoke with a sigh.
“It turns out I was the one who turned my back on you first. Like a fool.”
“The emotional impact was strong.”
“Yes. Knowing your identity was a shock. My friend turned out to be Black Scythe. How could you deceive your friend for four years, someone who was in love with you for four years?”
“……”
“I really thought that way. Isn’t it ridiculous? Who am I to think that? What do four years of unrequited love mean? I did nothing about it. I made no effort. But I acted like you were already mine. Isn’t that ridiculous?”
Ryu Min couldn’t say anything.
He knew that inside, her emotions were intense and turbulent.
“I already saw you as my person and created an image of you in my own way. That’s why, when I found out that two completely different people were the same, the impact was huge. The image I had of you, formed by my prejudices, shattered in an instant.”
“…….”
“Afraid that those fragments would turn into wounds, I pushed you away. The cause was in me, but I only saw problems in you. I said it was your fault.”
Min Juri, who seemed unable to smile, gave a self-deprecating smile for a moment.
“Isn’t it ridiculous? Not understanding the feelings of the person you love and pushing them away first out of fear of getting hurt, only to blame them.”
“……”
“Calling this love? It’s not even funny. I’m a selfish person who only thought about my own safety. It was all due to my selfishness.”
Min Juri’s gaze slowly turned to Ryu Min.
Her eyes reflected a mixture of indescribable emotions.
“Do I even deserve to love you?”
“Juri…”
“It’s disgusting.”
“……”
“I can’t stand how repulsive I’ve become.”
A tear rolled down Min Juri’s cheek.
“So I’m going to let you go. I won’t love you anymore. I don’t have the right to.”
Min Juri wiped her tears and forced a smile.
“I’m sorry. I’ve only talked about sad things. That’s all I wanted to say. Now I feel more relieved.”
“……”
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m fine. I’ve had enough time to sort out my thoughts and this is what I decided. To let you go. I realized that both love and friendship are luxuries for me. So…”
Min Juri stood up from her seat.
“I won’t bother you anymore. I’m sorry for everything.”
“Min Juri.”
Ryu Min’s low voice made her stop.
“Are you really leaving? Won’t you regret it?”
“Yes. I don’t regret my decision.”
“Lies.”
Ryu Min stood up and looked her in the eyes.
“Do you think I don’t know? You’re suffering a lot inside.”
“That’s not true.”
Although she denied it, Ryu Min knew the truth.
He knew that Min Juri still loved him.
And precisely because of that, she wanted to let him go.
“Can you live without me?”
“Yes.”
“Can you live without seeing me?”
“Yes.”
“Look me in the eyes and say it.”
Min Juri looked away.
There was no need to ask to perceive the pain in her feelings.
That’s why Ryu Min had no other choice.
He couldn’t bear to see Min Juri suffer.
“I’ll give you a gift.”
“…?”
“Close your eyes and open your mouth.”
“What?”
Min Juri looked at him suspiciously at the strange request.
“Eat what I’m going to give you. Don’t ask what it is.”
“What are you doing?”
“Do you trust me?”
Without hesitation, Min Juri answered Ryu Min’s question.
“Of course.”
“Then do as I say. You’ll feel much better.”
“……”
Although she felt a bit uncomfortable, Min Juri closed her eyes and slightly opened her mouth.
Meanwhile, Ryu Min took out a potion from his inventory.
A memory-erasing potion.
‘This will erase Min Juri’s painful memories.’
Ryu Min opened the bottle and poured it into Min Juri’s mouth.
‘Ryu… Min?’
Feeling something liquid in her mouth, Min Juri slightly opened her eyes.
But an irresistible drowsiness made her eyelids heavy.
‘Ah…’
The last image she saw was Ryu Min before her consciousness completely faded.
————-
“Ugh…”
Min Juri opened her eyes abruptly, surprised.
‘When did I fall asleep? I don’t remember.’
A wry laugh escaped her lips as she saw herself asleep on the café table.
‘I’m probably the only person who comes to have coffee and falls asleep.’
With a wry smile, she looked around and noticed she wasn’t alone.
There was a young man who seemed to be her age.
‘When I entered the café, he wasn’t here.’
He had probably arrived while she was sleeping.
Just as she was trying to turn her head awkwardly to avoid the man’s gaze, a doubt struck her.
“Excuse me, have we met before?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Aren’t you a player?”
If he was her age, he must be a player.
However, the man shook his head, contradicting her expectations.
“No, I’m not a player. I’m a normal person.”
“A normal person? Aren’t you in your twenties?”
“I’m 32 years old.”
“Ah, sorry. You look my age…”
“No problem.”
“You look very young, ha ha.”
The man only looked at her without responding.
‘Do I have something on my face?’
Feeling uncomfortable with the man’s intense gaze, Min Juri got up from her seat.
She didn’t know what she was doing there, falling asleep instead of having coffee.
‘This isn’t the time for this. It could be the last round, so I should spend as much time as possible with Dad.’
With that thought, Min Juri left the café, while Ryu Min watched her until she disappeared.
Only when he was alone in the silent café, did he murmur with a sad smile.
“What a relief. It seems her memories have been erased. She won’t have to suffer because of me anymore.”
His smile had a hint of bitterness.
——————
Ryu Min’s mood didn’t improve upon arriving home.
“Brother? Are you already…?”
Clack—Bang.
He didn’t respond to his younger brother’s greeting and locked himself in his room.
“Uff…”
A long sigh filled the silent room.
It was understandable.
He had erased his friend’s memories with his own hands.
‘My memories, to be exact.’
Ryu Min had decided to erase Min Juri’s memories related to him using a memory-erasing potion.
‘By removing myself from the equation, she won’t suffer anymore.’
Without her memories, Min Juri wouldn’t be able to link Ryu Min with Black Scythe.
Moreover, she wouldn’t remember Ryu Min at all.
In her life, Ryu Min had disappeared completely.
However, he hadn’t erased the memories of Black Scythe.
‘If I had erased the memories of Black Scythe, it would have been difficult to proceed with round 20.’
He needed Min Juri’s help for the final strategy. That’s why he had kept her alive until the last round and hadn’t erased Black Scythe’s memories.
“The memory erasure potion worked well. His reaction earlier confirms it. But…”
Was it really a good idea to erase his memories?
Suddenly, he felt a doubt about his decision.
Hence, a self-deprecating smile formed on his face.
It was ridiculous to have these doubts after having done it.
“It was the right thing to do. Min Juri was suffering a lot. Because of me.”
If he hadn’t erased the memories, she would have suffered so much that it would affect round 20.
That alone could lead to a dangerous situation.
“Facing round 20 with an unstable mental state is the most dangerous thing I could do.”
Being the last round, he had to be completely alert.
Hadn’t he overcome numerous rounds to survive?
That’s why Ryu Min didn’t regret his choice.
Easing Min Juri’s suffering this way was the best he could do at that moment.
“I just have to get through round 20 and start a new life.”
For him and for Min Juri.
Each would follow their own path.
Although it was inevitable to feel conflicted.
“Phew.”
Ryu Min let out a sigh of frustration, although it wasn’t all bad news.
There was something that lifted his spirits a bit: the Rune of Transcendence, obtained with all his resources and gold.
[Rune of Transcendence]
Effect: The level limit disappears, and experience can be gained from all enemies.