Regressed With A Copy System: Breaking the Loop-Chapter 57: A New Team

Nolan and Liana walked past a group that seemed to know why Cyndy's team had returned already. They were pretty much gossiping rather.

"It seems like someone died?" Liana said, and Nolan nodded.

Alexander suddenly blocked their path. "Good morning, Master," he greeted Nolan, completely ignoring Liana.

"Could you stop calling me that?" Nolan muttered, looking at the boy with dull eyes.

Liana squinted at Alexander, feeling offended, because he greeted Nolan alone. "Oh, so I don't deserve a gree—"

"No," Alexander replied casually, before she could even finish.

"What's happening?" Nolan asked, interrupting them.

"Oh, one of the defense teams fell to a demon attack. The village was burnt down. No one survived, I think," Alexander explained. "Remember that man who led our first training mission? I heard he was the leader."

"Sir Einicht is… dead?" Nolan and Liana synced, in disbelief.

Liana turned to Nolan and whispered, "Was that supposed to happen?"

"No," Nolan replied, putting a hand on his chin. "You see, unlike the others, this one is completely different and unpredictable. My extended years of knowledge has only been so close to becoming completely unreliable."

"Why?" she asked.

Nolan turned to her, his voice firm. "Because this may be my last."

Liana blinked, fascinated. She still could not believe it was actually real, that Nolan is a Regressor. "You have a lot to tell me about yourself."

Alexander stared at the both of them, scratching his head. "What are you talking about? I'm lost."

Alexander's eyes lit up as he remembered something. He looked at Nolan with narrowed eyes, not blinking. "Liana, I just figured this out yesterday, and I think you need to know," he said, dropping his voice.

Liana raised a brow, "Which is…?"

"Master is not only the Chained Regressor, but an actual regressor."

Liana clapped, "Oh, wow. What a discovery, I never knew that, even though I did," she muttered, in a bored tone.

However, Nolan was actually moved by what Alexander said. Now he wanted to know more than ever who Alexander Zerath actually was. Liana was a known variable that just broke out of a determined fate over his past lives, but Alexander on the other hand was completely different. He was a new variable entirely—one that never existed.

Right now, Nolan's theory was that both Alexander and Liana were able to believe he was truly a regressor because they had no predetermined scripts from previous lives, telling them it is something they should not believe.

The only other people who knew he was a regressor, were told by one of the forces trying to keep him in his prison.

Nolan looked at Alexander and said, "I would like to meet your parents."

"Eh?" Alexander blinked, caught off guard by the request. "W-why do you—"

"Is there a problem?" Nolan interrupted.

Alexander looked down, shoulders slumping, and he shook his head. "No. Not at all."

Minutes later their team grouped up and were about to head out, when Sylvia told them they had a meeting with the guild's Special Advisor.

"Why does she want to see us?" Cedric asked.

"Has to do something with the reason why Ace Cyndy is back. The gossip should have already gotten to you, about why they are back," Sylvia replied.

"Yes, we are aware of that," said Finn.

"Are we supposed to wait for her or go meet her in her office? Our questions will be answered when we are there," Kayra said.

"Thank you," Sylvia praised. "Let's go."

They walked into the Atrium of Founders and headed for Elite Loretta's office. Nolan felt the looks of Liana, Alexander and Selena on him. They were either nervous or outrightly scared—Alexander and Liana in particular.

Sylvia opened the door and they entered.

The woman was already sitting there with three others. Amanda, a Sentinel that was recently promoted to Guardian-rank and Leon, a new face in the guild—sat on the chairs in front of Loretta, while Klaus leaned on the wall, arms crossed.

"Team 4, as you asked," Sylvia said to Elite Loretta, bowing her head slightly.

Elite Loretta nodded. "Any Novice-ranks, thank you, but please excuse us. The meeting is not related to you."

A few murmurs went through the room, but reluctantly, Finn, Kayra, Selam and Alexander started to help themselves out.

Elite Loretta looked at Alexander and narrowed her eyes. "You, young man. Zerath, is it?" she called.

Alexander turned around, wondering why she called him. The way she looked at him made him start to think she was about to say something about yesterday night. Did she see him? Or did the hooded man sell them out? "Y-yes,

"Stay," Elite Loretta said.

"Pardon?" Alexander asked skeptically, tilting his head slightly.

"I said stay," Elite Loretta repeated.

Sylvia got confused, not understanding what Elite Loretta was doing. "But he's a Novice-rank," she said.

Elite Loretta turned to Sylvia, stared at her blankly for a second or two, then turned back to Alexander. "Then congratulations, Mister Zerath. You are now officially the guild's newest Sentinel-rank."

Everyone else in the office exchanged confused glances.

Alexander was about to smile, but he thought about what it meant. He was stuck between happiness and suspicion.

Selam shook his head and closed the door. "What was that about?"

Kayra scoffed. "Can you believe that witch? She made us come all the way here, so she could kick us out in front of everyone?"

"You were the one in a hurry to come after all," Finn said, though he also wasn't happy about it.

"Oh shut up, Finn," Kayra waved a dismissive hand.

. . .

Inside The Office.

"You have all improved remarkably in many ways, since the beginning of the patrols," Elite Loretta started, "and I appreciate you for that. This is what the guild is looking for. Those who can adapt and grow quickly."

Nolan sighed, rubbing his forehead. 'Just get to the point already.'

"For those of you who might just be seeing him for the first time," Elite Loretta continued, gesturing towards Leon, "This is Camelot Leon, a new member of the guild, all the way from Kingdom Vaelen. Tested and proven to be an Ace-rank."

Leon smiled at the others, though it looked forced, and he was sweating a little too. He was obviously nervous.

Selena looked at Leon, trying to see if she knew him or not. When their eyes met, Leon quickly looked away, and Selena gave an upside-down smile. "Definitely knows me then," she muttered to herself.

"Now that you know the new face, I will go on to explain why exactly I gathered you here," Elite Loretta said. "We lost a complete defense unit and one of the outer villages of the Kingdom, no survivors at all. The inner villages have become vulnerable due to that opening. The King hasn't given us enough time to strategize and find a way to deal with the issue, so the only possible way to handle things as it stands, is to make a new unit, and that is why you are all here."

"Are you sure we are actually up for this, Elite Loretta? I mean, all we have done so far is face low-grades on a daily basis," Amanda said, being cautious for everyone.

Elite Loretta smiled. "Some of you here have faced more than low-grades, if memory serves right," she said, looking between Nolan, Selena and Liana. "And those of you who have not, you are here because you have shown enough for me to believe you can. Did you not wonder why I picked you of every other set of prople in the guild? There are a handful of Sentinels, yes? There are also others who got promoted to Guardian-rank as well, but I picked you."

"Because we were the first you could think of," Nolan spoke, earning looks from everyone.

"Sorry?" Elite Loretta tilted her head.

"You picked us because we were the first you could think of. Team 4, because we were named the best patrol team; Leon, because he's the only Ace who is free; Sylvia and Klaus because they are the patrol heads; and Amanda, because you needed someone to make it not look obvious," Nolan said.

"Well, I feel insulted, thank you," Amanda mumbled.

"That is not true," Elite Loretta forced a smile. "Respect yourself, Dagmire."

"Go on," Nolan shrugged.

Those who didn't know Nolan were quite surprised by how disrespectful he was.

Elite Loretta cleared her throat and continued. "You are now a team. You will take charge of the place Cyndy's team is situated, for they will be the ones taking care of the opening to the inner villages. Do not worry, they claimed to have cleared the place, so even if there are attacks, they would be little. I just need you to hold on until everything has been dealt with."

"That should be easy, right?" Selena asked.

"I hope," Klaus replied her.

Alexander stood there, feeling completely out of place.

"Prepare yourselves," Elite Loretta said, "The coordinates will be briefed to you and you will move out tomorrow. I am not the one counting on you, but the innocents who cannot defend themselves. I will explain the rest to you later, so you may go now."

"And the boy? What's he doing?" Nolan asked, pointing a thumb at Alexander. "He's just a kid—"

"I'm not," Alexander replied.

Nolan turned to the boy and tilted his head, but the way Alexander looked at him affirmed that the boy just didn't want to be left out. Nolan sighed and turned to Elite Loretta who was now smiling.

He scoffed and went towards the door. "'Good luck not dying' would have been better than the unnecessary speech," he muttered, walking out.

Selena though, was still looking at Leon. "Hey, I think I remember you," she said to herself.