The Heroine Stole My Regression-Chapter 91

Late-night café.

It was nighttime, yet the inside of the café was quietly bustling.

Some students had gone back to their family homes, but many still remained on campus, preparing for final exams.

The full scope of the final exams was undisclosed.

Perhaps because of that, some students were flipping through theory books with the mindset of “let’s just try something.”

Especially since the scores from the postponed midterms would be combined, many students were aiming for a sudden comeback.

However, at the central table in that quiet café atmosphere—

Two female students were sitting across from each other, instantly drawing attention.

One with black hair, the other with striking blonde.

The contrast of their hair colors, under the lights, oddly made each other stand out even more.

One of them was Yoon Chaeha.

Recently, after securing a victory in the exchange tournament finals, she was riding the highest wave of popularity within the academy.

Sitting across from her was Ha Sion.

She had excellent grades and outstanding abilities as a hero.

Above all, she was known for her good reputation.

Kind to everyone, always smiling and polite—unless someone was a creepy guy hitting on her, that is.

But today, Sion’s demeanor was different from usual.

A quiet whisper started to spread among the students.

— ... Are they not getting along?

— I’ve never seen that expression on Sion before...

Inside the café, quiet classical music played in the background, yet only their table carried an oddly chilly air.

Yoon Chaeha downed her coffee as if drinking from a bowl.

Iced Americano—already her third cup.

The burning in her chest couldn’t be cooled even with the ice-cold coffee.

Watching her, Sion asked in a detached tone.

“Want another?”

Yoon Chaeha found that tone even more irritating.

“... No thanks.”

Truthfully, Sion had absolutely no intention of sitting at this table.

When she ran into Yoon Chaeha in front of Jeong Haein’s dorm room, she’d planned to just quietly slip away and pretend she hadn’t seen her.

A ridiculous hope.

That was nothing more than Sion’s own wishful thinking.

Reality was cold.

She was dragged here without resistance.

Yoon Chaeha put her coffee cup down.

Then, brushing back her forehead, she asked the Sion in front of her,

“Can you explain?”

Her gaze pierced directly into Sion’s.

But Sion, while gently adjusting her braided hair, tilted her head slightly and wore a calm expression.

Which made it even more irritating.

“Why, were you... I mean, did you come out of Haein’s room?”

Yoon Chaeha swallowed the rest of her words.

It wasn’t wrong—that was something she definitely wanted to ask—but it wasn’t the whole of it.

Why was her face so red?

Why was there that strange heat leaking from inside?

Why was there sweat on the back of her neck?

‘What the hell were you doing...?’

The words that had risen to the tip of her tongue refused to go down.

But in the end, Yoon Chaeha held herself back.

She slowly, deeply inhaled and barely managed to close her lips.

Then—

“Ah~ that?”

Sion shrugged her shoulders and said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I have a deep connection with Haein.”

And she added,

“We grew up together, lived together. Since we were about ten, I think? So I know everything about Haein. And Haein knows everything about me. We even shared a room until a few years ago.”

Of course, that had only happened because Sion had clung to him, saying she was scared to sleep alone.

Sion lifted her coffee cup and lightly wet her lips.

Then she continued slowly.

“So, just going into his room for a bit... between us, it’s nothing.”

The sound of guts twisting.

The way she subtly drew a line was infuriating. Yoon Chaeha clenched her teeth.

She knew they were close, but it was hard to endure hearing her flaunt that connection so openly.

Still, Yoon Chaeha didn’t lose her cool. She didn’t let emotions take over—she went straight for a weak spot.

“For people who are so close.”

Yoon Chaeha’s voice sank cold as ice. She leaned forward slightly across the table and stared directly at Sion.

“When I opened the door, why were you so startled?”

She’d clearly looked surprised when Yoon Chaeha flung that door open.

If they were that familiar with each other, going in and out of Haein’s room shouldn’t have been shocking.

Sion went quiet at Yoon Chaeha’s remark.

That brief silence gave Yoon Chaeha certainty.

“And... are you two dating?”

Yoon Chaeha asked quietly.

“No, not yet—”

“What?”

Yoon Chaeha cut Sion off coldly.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Ten years, right? You said it yourself. You’ve been together that long, and you’re still not dating...”

Yoon Chaeha looked Sion straight in the eye and continued firmly.

At the corner of her lips was a faint, yet unmistakable sneer.

“Doesn’t that mean Jeong Haein isn’t the slightest bit interested in you?”

Yoon Chaeha could tell.

That Ha Sion in front of her was harboring the same feelings she was.

She didn’t know since when—but it was clear she’d held them for a long time.

Fortunately, those feelings hadn’t yet reached Jeong Haein.

They hadn’t been conveyed. They hadn’t been accepted.

That fact gave Yoon Chaeha a bit of relief.

“Ah~ like family, huh? That’s what it is?”

Feigning sudden realization, she tapped her fist into her palm and exaggerated her surprise.

“Gasp, so is Haein like your little brother?”

At her words, Sion’s pupils trembled slightly.

A dizzying feeling washed over her.

It had been a long time.

Being subjected to such blatant, shameless provocation—

It was a feeling she’d nearly forgotten.

But now, that sense of blood pumping through her veins returned.

After all, at this very moment, the one monopolizing naive Haein, toying with him, and enjoying it the most was probably Cheon Yeoul.

So what was even the point of this?

Sion herself considered she was the weakest among the four, anyway.

Judging from how she was being agitated, she figured this girl would get herself smacked down by the others sooner or later, even if Sion didn’t lift a finger.

That thought briefly crossed her mind, but even so, she couldn’t let the provocation in front of her slide.

“Is that so?”

Sion tilted her head, bringing her index finger playfully to her lips.

At that moment—

The sleeve of her white blouse slid down slightly, revealing her wrist.

There were two bracelets fastened there.

One was a black obsidian bracelet, the other a pale blue gem bracelet that shimmered faintly under the moonlight.

A gift Haein had gently given her during the last mock battle, apologizing for going too hard.

Supposedly, it had a strength-boosting option—useful for archers.

Sion lightly shook her wrist and said,

“Haein gave them to me. Both of them.”

In truth, one of them wasn’t from Haein.

But that wasn’t something she needed to mention.

Yoon Chaeha had no way of confirming it.

Sion’s voice was lazy, her expression unbothered.

She bowed her head slightly and added,

“But maybe because we’re like family, I do know this. The type of girl Haein doesn’t like.”

She met Yoon Chaeha’s eyes directly and continued.

“Haein doesn’t like strong-willed girls. Even if he says otherwise, he can’t really handle it. That kind of domineering, snappy attitude? He gets unconsciously tired of it.”

With the corners of her lips curling upward, she quietly added,

“Girls like that. Mm, kind of like you...? He prefers obedient and sweet types, you know....”

Was that true?

There’s no way.

Haein was far too kind to ever judge people by types.

If anything, his gentle smile welcomed anyone who approached him.

It might actually be better if he were a little more selective sometimes.

“Ah, you’re not saying you like Haein, are you?”

As Sion continued talking, Yoon Chaeha’s hand trembled uncontrollably.

The heat radiating off her without her knowing was melting all the ice inside her cup.

To hide it, Yoon Chaeha gripped her coffee cup a little tighter.

Sion glanced at that and let out a quiet snort.

“And I said we’re like family, didn’t I? Right. Yeah.”

She met Yoon Chaeha’s gaze, slowly opened her mouth, and said,

“But you know... wives are family too, right?”

At Sion’s final line—

Yoon Chaeha stopped breathing for a moment.

***

Sanctuary.

Cheon Yeoul was only pretending to be training.

Her real gaze was fixed solely on Jeong Haein.

She was delighted.

The fact that he was this conscious of her—

Ever since their eyes had met, his gaze kept drifting back her way.

Just knowing he was thinking about her made her happy.

She knew what kind of person he was.

How he hid his desires, how he restrained his emotions.

‘I picked the right outfit.’ 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

It was something she’d prepared just for him.

A thin, efficient design under the pretense of sacred power absorption—yet laced with unmistakable intent.

It worked.

But she didn’t push beyond that.

He was training right now.

Spending this time for himself, for his growth.

For Cheon Yeoul, interfering with that would be akin to blasphemy.

She couldn’t approach him more than necessary.

Watching his innocent ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ reactions from a distance was the best she could allow herself.

The opening of the sanctuary had been opposed by everyone inside the Order.

It made sense for the Hero’s side, sure—but even the Saint faction hadn’t exactly welcomed it.

This was a space for the sacred alone. Not a place to be opened lightly.

This place was, to the Order, a sanctuary treasured like life itself.

A holy land. The deepest heart of the Order, where history and miracles were said to live and breathe.

‘Bullshit.’

A holy land?

Where history and miracles flow?

She sneered inwardly.

This land was simply an efficient training ground, thick with divine power.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Still, she absolutely wanted to bring Jeong Haein here.

So she pushed for it. She invoked her rights as a fully ordained Saint.

The “candidate” Hero wasn’t even part of the discussion.

And in the end, she succeeded in bringing him here.

Now, in front of her, Jeong Haein was completely absorbed in training.

Frantically absorbing divine power, steadily growing stronger.

That was Jeong Haein’s charm.

No desire, no craving could ever control him.

A god, by definition, is a being believed to bestow both blessings and wrath upon humanity.

In that sense, Jeong Haein was a true god to Cheon Yeoul.

My own god.

A god who bestowed boundless grace.

A being worth turning her back on the world for.

Now, she wanted to become his god.

“This is... a sanctuary, alright.”

Because he was here.

Because he breathed here, closed his eyes here, and sometimes looked at her here.

If a place with a god isn’t a sanctuary, then what is?

Cheon Yeoul quietly raised the corners of her lips.

To her, every moment of this was a ritual—a form of worship.