I Don’t Remember the Number of Regressions of the Villainesses Who Have Returned.

In a space slightly removed from where the students were gathered.

“First, how should we handle the teams?”

I was called over by Gwen, who was resting under a tree. We decided to form teams first to create an environment without others around.

Gwen, perhaps finding it easier to resolve this first, answered my question without other words.

“Can’t we just do it with you and me?”

“It has to be three per team.”

“Then let’s just throw Aslan in.”

‘…Aslan isn’t someone to be treated like that.’

Weren’t Aslan and Gwen supposed to be rivals?

Looking at Gwen’s current attitude, rather than rivals…

‘Let’s stop figuring it out.’

I nodded, deciding to consider Aslan’s dignity.

‘As for Arcana… she’ll manage fine.’

The protagonist isn’t the protagonist for nothing. Since Arcana moved alone in the original work, there shouldn’t be any problems.

When I turned my head to find Aslan and Arcana to hear their opinions, I saw them approaching from far away, holding something like a map.

When I looked curiously at them as they returned with the map that could only be obtained after registering teams with the professor, Aslan waved the map and explained briefly.

“I asked the professor separately, and while three is the limit, it doesn’t mean we have to form teams of three. He said we could even go alone if we’re confident in our abilities.”

“I see.”

“So Arcana and I became a team.”

“?”

Watching Gwen’s reaction, Aslan brought his mouth to my ear and continued in a small voice.

“I’ve never seen Gwen acting like this before. Scary…”

Hearing Aslan’s words, Aaron pondered their meaning momentarily before turning to look at Gwen.

“Ah…”

Now understanding Aslan’s response.

Gwen was waving at Aslan with eye smiles.

‘It would be scary from the perspective of someone who knows her rampaging form. The expressionless sword-holick Gwen, who mercilessly used aura blades, suddenly makes eye-smiles and waves.’

I would have had a similar reaction if I didn’t know that Gwen’s memories had returned.

For reference, even knowing, I’m still a bit shaky.

“Anyway, Arcana and I will head out first. Good luck.”

Aslan gave a thumbs up as if wishing luck while beating his chest and disappeared into the forest with Arcana.

I watched until their figures disappeared into the forest’s darkness and thought.

‘…Is this right?’

Thinking about it now, isn’t this too different from the original development?

Of course, there have been so many changes already that it probably doesn’t matter much now.

Gwen’s soft voice came from behind me as I stood blankly.

“What are you doing?”

“…Good question.”

“Aslan left too. What should we do?”

Gwen looked at me while tilting her head curiously.

“Sir Aslan said two people are possible too. So we should be fine going like this.”

“That’s good.”

Gwen gave me an eye-smile, seeming pleased.

“…Then, I’ll go tell the professor!”

I quickly escaped while being mindful of the atmosphere.

“Tch.”

Gwen sat in place, pouting her lips and stamping her feet while watching his retreating figure.

—–

“Professor. Registering a team of two: Aaron Dight and Gwen Cabala.”

I ran to the supervising professor to register the team.

“In case of false teams, it would be better if the applicants came together…”

The swordsmanship professor attached a hypothetical while requesting Gwen to come too, but I shook my head.

“Professor, if a fallen noble like me tried to deceive not just anyone but a Duke’s family, my head would fly off right here.”

With a sigh, the swordsmanship professor nodded in understanding at my explanation and completed the team registration.

“Confirmed. Here’s your map.”

I received a map like the one Aslan had been holding from the swordsmanship professor who checked several documents.

As Aaron scanned the map, the swordsmanship professor continued with additional explanation.

“The item you need to find should be within the zone marked on that map.”

What was drawn on the map was the rough shape of the forest and an approximate location marked with a red circle for finding some object.

‘Oh. Good location.’

The red circle was near the corner section where the artifact was.

I had worried that the designated area might be so far that we’d have to circle the whole forest, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“Find the sphere drawn beside the map within the marked zone.”

There was a red sphere drawn beside the map.

That was the object they needed to find to pass.

“Well then, goodbye.”

The swordsmanship professor’s clean farewell.

I nodded slightly at the professor’s greeting and returned to Gwen.

“I’m back. First, this map…”

As this was an Academy test, it couldn’t be done carelessly.

Since the number of events one could participate in increased with bonus points, we needed to earn extra points in these early events.

“So we just need to find that object and return.”

“Got it.”

Gwen nodded lightly.

“Then shall we depart?”

‘Though many people are still left, quite a few teams like Aslan and Arcana entered before us. We might be late if we’re not careful.’

I was aware that, even though I knew the way, since I had to get the artifact, too, I would inevitably use more time than others.

Therefore, I hurriedly moved my feet as soon as the explanation ended.

-Swish

At that moment, Gwen carefully grabbed my collar while following behind.

I briefly turned my head to look at Gwen, and she turned her head away as if embarrassed.

“……”

I silently looked at Gwen before moving my feet again.

She gripped my collar more tightly and matched her pace to Aaron’s footsteps.

—–

Quite some time had passed since entering the forest.

“Kyaaah!”

A monster charged forward with a roar.

All so similar to its fallen brethren scattered on the ground.

A sword wrapped in a flickering aura swung before the monster.

A blue sword strike that cut through the beast’s frozen skin without hesitation.

-Slice

Gwen’s blue sword cut across the beast’s flesh where frost had formed.

The sound of her sword cutting made such a strange sound. It seemed more like cutting fruit than a body.

-Crumble

The monster crumbled like a cracked stone brick at Gwen’s light sword strike.

“That’s the end.”

Gwen roughly stabbed her sword into the beast’s corpse and dusted off her palms.

She had cut down nearly dozens of monsters since entering the forest.

From swarms of small species like rat packs to giant lizards larger than bears like just now.

Gwen’s sword, cut down all sorts of monsters without hesitation, was finally sheathed in the scabbard at her waist.

She jumped down from the beast’s corpse like a rabbit and approached me.

“Aaron.”

“Yes.”

“I’m tired. Won’t you carry me on your back like in the old days?”

Gwen grabbed my arm and earnestly pleaded with a bright smile.

Seeing this, I covered my eyes with a small sigh.

“Huff…”

The more he received Gwen’s innocent smile and goodwill, the more small guilt built up in my chest.

Though there was no malice between us, and neither was using the other, just standing together…

‘Somehow, I feel like I’ve become the bad guy.’

Though I had merely answered Gwen’s questions, she seemed to think my memories had returned along with hers.

Like now, just turning my head to meet her eyes.

“Hehe.”

Gwen looked at me with a foolish, gentle smile.

Though we were just standing together, I felt like I was using Gwen.

‘Honestly, I considered hiding it until finding the artifact, but…’

This sensation of continuously deceiving Gwen was more unpleasant than expected.

Seeing her nodding happily at just a single word made the guilt building in my chest feel even more stinging.

“Lady Gwen.”

Therefore, I decided to reveal it now.

“Yes?”

Her gentle expression was so different from the Gwen I first remembered with red blood staining around her eyes.

“First, there’s something we need to address.”

Seeing Aaron’s expression without a hint of playfulness, Gwen’s smile stopped.

“What is it?”

Her voice instantly lowered.

Gwen was the current heir to House Cabala. It was a position sufficient to convey pressure with just her voice.

Though her voice didn’t contain killing intent or warning that would make my hands tremble, Gwen’s weighty voice made me quite tense.

I briefly wondered if I should speak, but convinced that misunderstandings would only worsen the longer I delayed, I opened my mouth.

“Lady Gwen, I… am not the Aaron you remember.”

A moment of silence.

“What do you mean?”

As Gwen opened her mouth, a tingling pain surged through my skin.

Gwen’s eyes were now looking at me with slight killing intent, her eyes so empty they could be described as unfocused.

“I don’t know you.”

I continued speaking.

“Only you, the Aaron from my past life, was allowed to call me Master-nim. Such jokes aren’t good when you’ve called me Master-nim, Aaron.”

Gwen’s voice gradually lowered.

Before my eyes, Gwen’s face, which had been smiling until just now, was no longer there.

It was just the expressionless face of Gwen Cabala, the villainess, seeming to mix joy and sorrow yet simultaneously feeling devoid of both emotions.

“But I really don’t know you.”

As my words continued, shallow frost bloomed like flowers from the dirt beneath Gwen’s feet.

“Don’t joke around. You called me Master-nim not once or twice but several times, and now you’re backing out?”

As the conversation continued, cracks began forming in her expressionless face.

Her lips trembled, and her pupils shook slightly as if unable to focus.

“I don’t really understand why I called you Master-nim either.”

Gwen’s expression darkened.

Her slightly trembling lips began shaking enough to slur pronunciation, and tears welled in Gwen’s red eyes until they seemed to lighten in color.

“No, something’s not right. If you have no memories, how do you know my memories returned!”

Gwen’s anxious appearance now mixes breaths even while speaking and panting.

Seeing this, I just shook my head.

“I only knew that someone’s memories had returned.”

The more I shook my head, the faster Gwen’s breathing became.

Afterward, she grabbed me, demanding I stop joking, but I kept shaking my head.

Gradually, her breathing increased in frequency and grew rougher.

“Haa… haa…”

Gwen clutched her chest.

I walked towards her, who was taking rough breaths as if about to collapse, and reached out my hand.

What my hand grabbed was none other than the back of Gwen’s head.

I pulled Gwen’s head to his chest.

“Haa…?”

Though just a breath, bewilderment could be felt.

At the same time, Gwen’s arms began hitting my back.

Though it did not contain aura, enough force was put into it to feel painful.

Probably a signal to let go, telling me not to meddle while claiming not to know her.

I continued holding Gwen as she hit my back from an awkward position, then pulled Gwen’s head held in my hand even more strongly towards himself.

With my other hand, I embraced her, holding her so she could lean completely on me.

“I’m sorry.”

I could only apologize.

“For now, please take slow, deep breaths.”

Amid continued hyperventilation, the focus was blurring from Gwen’s eyes.

Therefore I pleaded.

“Please take slow, deep breaths.”

Worried she might not hear, I held her more tightly.

“Haa…”

Did she hear my request?

Gwen’s arms hitting my back gradually slowed, and her breathing softened.

“Are you… feeling a bit calmer now?”

Gwen’s rough breathing was no longer audible.

“No.”

“What?”

When the hyperventilation stopped, Gwen burrowed deeper into my chest.

“I’m not calm.”

My chest felt wet.

Probably tears.

“Cry as much as you need.”

Probably, making her have such expectations was my responsibility due to my verbal mistake.

“I’ll at least wipe your tears.”

Holding in sadness breeds hate.

When it bursts like this once, it needs to burst completely to not leave scars.

Like that, Gwen began crying with her head buried in my chest.

Though crying sounds weren’t audible, her tears could be felt through the shirt.

They weren’t cold like Gwen’s blue aura.