Chapter 132: Memoir

Afternoon came, and Ion headed to the meeting place with Butterfly Mask.

Jin Seong-ha and Ade Tuna were already waiting.

Jin Seong-ha wore glasses, mask, and hat—disguised, yet his handsomeness radiated, drawing glances.

Passersby stole looks but kept distance—the two men’s size and aura were intimidating.

“Leader, dressed lightly. You have a padded jacket at home—why not wear it?”

“You keep proudly admitting you sneaked into my house.”

“Didn’t sleep much, huh. Your lips are chapped.”

“Yes. Tried to rest early, but someone dragged me into emergency aid.”

“But rewarding, right? Saving lives is more fun than killing.”

“Not sure. They’re all enemies—wonder how saving them will bite back… Anyway, Ade Tuna-ssi, how’s Shin Sae-mi Hunter?”

Sae-mi hadn’t been hospitalized. External wounds fully healed; internal only from blood loss—otherwise fine.

<Bee Nectar> was practically a revival potion.

Ion asked out of courtesy, knowing she’d be okay—but Ade Tuna’s expression turned bitter.

“Body’s fine, but mentally… probably not.”

What? Trauma?

Ion thought Sae-mi’s personality wouldn’t allow that. Confused, he followed.

A large apartment complex home.

At the door, none of the three could ring the bell—because of the noise inside.

“You! Came home at dawn? Where were you gallivanting? Clothes like this—blood? …Real blood?”

“Mom, it was costume for a party with friends. I came home, no overnight—why mad…”

Sae-mi was getting thoroughly scolded by her mother.

“What kind of party gives you a fever? Didn’t do drugs, right? Awakener or not, drugs kill you and me.”

“Absolutely not. Go already—time for your flight. Family and friends waiting in hometown. Friends coming to nurse me—I’m fine.”

“Those friends the bad ones from the party?”

“They’re pure. One humanist who loves people, one loves animals, one loves plants.”

Not lies.

“Ugh, fine. Believing you this once. My only daughter—always worrying me with no sense.”

“Mom, I’m twenty-six.”

“So what. You look sixteen.”

Time as a bee rejuvenated cells—Sae-mi looked like a girl.

“You’re getting younger every day. Told you not to turn into a bee.”

“Didn’t. Used different skill—why suspect me? Go now.”

Mother nagged another ten minutes.

To avoid being labeled “bad friends,” the three hid downstairs until she took the elevator.

They rang; Sae-mi greeted with a tired face.

Before getting to business around the table, Sae-mi said,

“When I escaped Breeder and returned home, Mom was waiting alone.”

“…”

“Not long after I was kidnapped, that old bastard chased Mom to hit her—got hit by a car and died. Decent insurance payout, but Mom didn’t return hometown. Stayed in that small house waiting for me.”

Mother distributed missing flyers, posted clumsy Korean searches online—never moved in case her daughter returned.

“That’s why I decided to save people scheduled to die. Thinking of their families… couldn’t let them die.”

Silence followed; Jin Seong-ha neatly summarized,

“Got it. Why you’re stuck living under Mom’s watch. Now to business.”

“Ha, f*ck…”

Sae-mi blushed.

The memoir was heavily damaged. Not copy error—original was the same.

Some pages only dates and keywords; others handwritten prose—illegible.

Ion compiled undamaged parts with the pages Butterfly Mask leader stole.

[49.02.05 Cataclysm] [49.02.10 D-NATE] [50.08.23 Human–Demon Alliance] [51.01.03 Celestial Lost Child Returns Home] [51.04.18 Descent] [49.02.05 Cataclysm] [49.06.10 Giant Extinction] [50.04.13 Demon Extinction] [50.04.13 Disciples ■■] [50.11.17 Demon Realm Collapse] [51.06.01 Celestial Realm Collapse] [52.01.21 Idea–Earth Unification] [52.08.24 Demon King Revival] [53.11.30 Finale]

Looking slowly revealed oddities.

Regression aside… demon realm collapse… Idea and Earth unification?

Over a year between Demon King revival and finale—what’s that gap? Demon King dies immediately after revival.

Maybe damaged pages in between—no signs.

“Time reversal from 51 to 49—I don’t get it. Invent time machine?”

“Regression. Breeder who taught us was a regressor—possible. I’m more uneasy about ‘finale.’ If Demon King defeated, why not ‘Demon King extinction’ or ‘death’—why ‘finale’?”

“Last chapter. Strange expression. Sounds like novel or play ending.”

To Ion—who knew everything was [Joy]’s play—“finale” felt natural; to others unaware, suspicious.

“Disciples probably mean you guys. Orphans, Butterfly Mask.”

“We should exclude ourselves. We escaped midway. Orphans and Butterfly Mask.”

“Yeah. Anyway… need to decipher the illegible text. ‘Finale’ bothers me less than these two characters. Same date as demon extinction too…”

Jin Seong-ha tapped the table.

Ppuru?

Ppuru flattened ears, rubbing against his apparently upset hand. Jin Seong-ha stroked it, but mind still on memoir.

“You guys say I’m protagonist, but this memoir doesn’t mention me or Sara Harundas at all—just disciples.”

Another oddity.

“Maybe mentions in illegible prose pages. Don’t worry. If real regression, regressor would be you and Sara—not orphans. You’re protagonists.”

“Not worried about that…”

Jin Seong-ha met Ion’s eyes, sighed—then shut his mouth as if further talk was pointless.

What? Offended?

Ion couldn’t tell why.

“Handwriting check results?”

“Expert says same person.”

At Sae-mi’s question, Jin Seong-ha answered calmly—Ion thought he’d imagined it.

“Breeder had regression and cloning skills. Creepy bastard. Why regress to torment people?”

Sae-mi defined Breeder as regressor with cloning skill.

Jin Seong-ha seemed to trust this more than “world in novel.”

They discussed memoir and plans longer, then stood as time came.

Jin Seong-ha lifted Ppuru—playing slide on Sansevieria leaves—onto his shoulder. Ion hugged Sanse.

At the door, Jin Seong-ha said,

“They know you’re alive—won’t stay quiet. Horizon can prepare safehouse.”

“No need. Mom’s in hometown, Tuna will stay with me. Careful a week—they’ll give up.”

Ion didn’t ask why not call the leader. If leader was Shin Min-ji, she’d be in Idea.

They communicated their way, but no spatial travel.

Ion and Jin Seong-ha left Sae-mi’s home. In elevator down, Jin Seong-ha whispered,

“Butterfly Mask leader is Team Leader Lee Jin-ah.”

“Huh? I thought Shin Min-ji Hunter.”

“Wager?”

Confident, Ion answered,

“Sure.”

“Ten meal tickets.”

I’ll give them to Hong In-soo.

They had destination set—got in car immediately.

Next: meet Dam Sa-on and Dam Se-on.

Met orphans at Dam Da-on’s villa—site of last orphan gathering. Ion familiarly entered keypad; Jin Seong-ha asked,

“Fine entering empty villa?”

“Okay. Da-on gave permission this morning.”

Sa-on and Se-on arrived soon.

Shared recent events—reactions as Ion expected.

“Gloomy bastard. Knew he’d turn out like this.”

“F-finally…”

Se-on clenched fists.

“B-but Yeo-on’s desired world… fundamentally different from System Age. Only ‘no conflict’ similar—so joined them… If we promise same world… m-maybe he’ll return…”

“Shut up with stupid talk, Eye Se-on.”

“…!”

“Must’ve shocked our On-on. But he didn’t hurt you—hasn’t gone completely mad.”

Sa-on’s voice—harsh to Se-on, gentle to Ion.

“Recently awakened, probably.”

“Likely.”

Overwhelming skill like telekinesis—hidden until now.

From Yeo-on’s words, Unimbara approached him first.

Took Wendy Lowell, found awakening method, awakened Yeo-on with it.

Method unstable—why not public yet.

Ion showed orphans memoir copy.

Se-on confused; Sa-on calm. No unease at “finale.”

“Regression story.”

“Butterfly Mask called it regression skill.”

“Same thing.”

At Jin Seong-ha’s words, Sa-on shrugged.

“Now research. What’s this time reversal and damaged text.”

“Wait. One more thing to discuss.”

Ion pulled notebook from compressed pocket.

Teacher’s diary.

He’d extract maximum progress today—centered on [Joy] memo.

Plan: reveal everything is Apostle’s play.