Chapter 320

Rod regained his memory. Just by looking at him break into a warm smile, I could tell he was in good spirits.

Naturally, his body was fully restored too, but an unexpected situation unfolded here.

“Oddly enough, I feel lighter.”

“Grandpa, you’ve gotten younger.”

“Younger, you say?”

“Yeah. This.”

I brought a mirror for Rod, figuring he should see for himself rather than just hear it.

Soon enough, Rod caught sight of himself in the mirror and widened his eyes in shock.

“What… is this?”

“What do you think? It’s the Reverse Aging phenomenon. Congrats.”

While Rod fumbled at his face in confusion, the Hero chimed in, prompting Rod to turn his gaze toward him.

His expression was one of sheer disbelief. After all, Rod had changed significantly from his former self.

Previously, he was a white-haired elder with lots of wrinkles, but now he looked middle-aged.

With navy-blue hair and a beard, last but not least, there were far fewer wrinkles.

“Reverse Aging? Is that the level I know? No, wait, who are you?”

“Where to start? But yep, it’s indeed Reverse Aging.”

Reverse Aging.

It’s a phenomenon where one’s body reverts to its prime state through a transformation.

Typically, going through a transformation would naturally follow up with Reverse Aging.

However, Reverse Aging can only occur at a very high level. Just having Blue Magic doesn’t mean anyone can achieve it.

Even without going that far, Rod possessed Blue Magic but still retained the frail body of an old man.

On the other hand, Rize, having undergone the transformation, still resembled her younger self.

“You fought with Purple before battling False, right?”

“I did have a tussle with the monster from the Eastern Empire…”

“That might be the reason. Since you knew a bit about Purple, absorbing its powers would come easier.”

The Hero explained that it was generally better to eliminate Purple’s magic than to absorb it.

But perhaps due to Rod having fought Purple before, his body instinctively absorbed the magic.

The result was his rejuvenation, but that didn’t mean his level itself had risen. He hadn’t reached the power level of Purple’s magic.

“Just think of it as a rebirth. It’s not the conventional way, but a good result is still a good result, right?”

“Mm…”

Rod still seemed in disbelief, gazing into the mirror and feeling his face.

It was as if poison had turned into medicine; a serendipitous turnaround.

Rod was already as strong as a monster, and now he had the body of his prime.

It’s clear he’d be a major powerhouse from here on out. He might just rival Rize’s strength.

“I still can’t believe this. By the way…”

Rod peered at me, momentarily staring at my face.

Just as I was about to tilt my head in confusion, he looked away to examine someone else.

Eli, Luna, and Rize went by one after another, and after checking them out individually, he tilted his head again.

“Sivar, why’s your hair like that?”

“Um…”

It’d be a long explanation. I pondered how to convey it, then laid it all out.

The process of when Rod collapsed and his soul gradually regressed into the past. Including the part where I went to Frozen.

I recounted all the hardships I faced in Frozen and the encounter with the Former Hero.

“…Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Nope.”

“I’m sorry. Because of me…”

“…”

Rod gently patted my head with a wistful expression. I could only manage an awkward smile in response.

Everything had been unexpected. From the appearance of False to the Hero lending me a hand.

I had trusted the knowledge of the future only to face dire consequences, yet ironically, I found assistance as well.

“It’s okay now. Everything’s fine.”

“Right.”

But everything was indeed alright now. We barely survived the worst crisis, and from here on, I could think about the future.

The knowledge of the future wasn’t entirely wasted. While I might not know ‘history,’ I certainly understood ‘people.’

Most importantly, there was one urgent matter at hand. Who, with what purpose, and how had time been turned back?

There were far too many questions to answer. If I focused solely on the story, it was very likely I’d miss the most urgent issues.

‘For that to happen…’

I glanced at Luna. She had her typical clueless expression.

Could I really entrust the story to her? I felt anxious just thinking about that mouth of hers.

“By the way… who did you say you were?”

“Now I can finally answer. This kid here is my pupil.”

“Eek.”

In response to Rod’s query, the Hero placed his hand on Luna’s head. Perhaps pressing a bit hard, Luna slightly squished down.

Rod seemed to have a mixed expression upon learning that Luna was his pupil. He then posed another question.

“Something feels off. Could it be you’re also a Purple like the monster from the Eastern Empire?”

“Oh? You caught on fast! I’ll just say yes.”

“Mm…”

Rod appeared somewhat uncomfortable, likely due to his previous encounters with Purple.

It’s no wonder he would have developed an eye for people, even if Luna wasn’t a Purple.

Perhaps he had sensed the Hero’s inhuman traits just from the way he spoke. He’s a master of understanding human psychology.

“Well, anyway, since everything’s settled now… Sivar.”

“Huh?”

“We still have to finish our deal, right?”

Now that I think of it, that was still hanging over us. I could only flinch slightly.

“A deal? What kind of deal did you make with Sivar?”

“Why are you just mentioning it now?”

Eli and Rize asked, each with puzzled expressions. Rize’s tone, in particular, dripped with suspicion.

Since it was a deal with the Hero, she was probably thinking there couldn’t be anything good. In truth, it was kind of like a gamble.

“When did I ever ask? You should’ve asked first.”

“…”

When the Hero responded cheekily, Rize’s expression turned quite menacing. Frankly, it was a bit off-putting.

But regardless, it was true I had struck a deal with the Hero. I decided to be straightforward and honest.

“I made a deal for Grandpa’s treatment. Just a physical examination.”

“A physical examination?”

“Yep.”

“Even if it’s a physical check-up, there’s a low chance of it leading to impotence.”

That was the biggest problem. Thanks to that mouth, I had caused unnecessary trouble.

Of course, a heated reaction was bound to follow.

“S-Sivar could become impotent?”

“Yep. But the odds are…”

“Absolutely not! That cannot happen!”

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Rize but Eli who vehemently protested. She hugged me tightly, pulling me away from the Hero.

Her strong embrace made for a delightful softness that was hard to resist. I almost lost my composure and grinned.

“Even with low odds, impotent? That’s too cruel!”

“Um… Is she your friend? That’s not my concern; I made a legitimate deal with Sivar. If not, I’d have no obligation to treat him.”

“Can’t we just think of it as a charitable act?”

“I’m tired of charity.”

A debate between the Hero and Eli unfolded. I felt a sense of comfort that I hadn’t experienced in a while.

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t had time to relax my mind during my time in Frozen. It felt like my body was melting away in bliss.

Moreover, Eli was still hugging me. I could feel every bit of her touch even as I relaxed.

“I’ve only kissed Sivar so far! At the very least, after that, let me have my chance!”

“Why not just go for another guy?”

“You’re such trash! How can you say something like that!”

The kind-hearted Eli spoke out the words “trash” just like Rize would have. It was a term that felt entirely appropriate in the context.

Every time I saw the Hero, it seemed Luna was the sane one. At the very least, she never crossed the line.

In the end, after some time mortifyingly staring at each other, Luna, who had been quietly watching, finally spoke up.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“Did you perhaps promise it would be done right away?”

“Huh?”

The Hero showed confusion. Luna glanced at me and then spoke swiftly.

“I was just wondering if you set a deadline. You did say ‘right away,’ right?”

“…No?”

“Then it can wait. Master can live long enough to endure that little bit of time, right?”

“…”

That was an astonishing and audacious comeback. She’d touched a nerve with the Hero’s pride, and yet all of the practical advantages were covered too.

The Hero didn’t have much to retort, as per Luna’s argument. He hadn’t set a time frame back then.

Of course, it could be seen as a stretch. Given the circumstances at the time, it seemed like he would implement the deal immediately.

“…Don’t you think that’s a little unreasonable?”

“No?”

“You’re just being shameless, aren’t you? Who taught you that?”

“…”

Luna stared fixedly at the Hero. She didn’t need to say anything; the answer was clear.

The Hero appeared quite taken aback, as he let out a puff of air and shook his head in disbelief.

“Luna, you should know how to be reasonable with your unreasonable claims. I can’t agree to what you’re saying.”

“Why not?”

“Why not? Is that even a reasonable argument?”

“Then why do gifts and debts exist at all?”

“…”

I nearly clapped my hands in appreciation. Recently, I’d been investing so much, who knew she’d picked up on such terms?

But Luna, please tell me you didn’t truly gift something? It might backfire terribly if you messed that up.

While I had received knowledge of the future, gifts usually come with strings. If mishandled, one could end up with an avalanche of debt.

“Think of this as a debt and take your time to repay it. Sivar isn’t the kind to break promises.”

“You mentioned it was a gift earlier, didn’t you? Can you perhaps add some interest to it?”

“You just said a moment ago you hated losses, but it seems you’re actually a rather greedy person.”

“Hahahahahaha.”

The Hero burst into a helpless laugh. It looked like he was so flabbergasted he couldn’t find his words.

Even I couldn’t help but feel impressed by the situation; I could only imagine how absurd it was for the Hero himself. The mouth of chaos was shining brightly.

[Your faith is rising!]

Even Chaos was taken aback by that dazzling display. It seems it was the first time Luna’s chatter had boosted faith.

“…What? My disciple.”

“Yes?”

“Are you perhaps… No, never mind. There must be a reason.”

The Hero seemed to have something to say but cut himself off. He then glanced my way.

As soon as the Hero looked over at me, Eli tightened her embrace around me even more. Her determination not to let go was evident.

“Why is she so adamant when there’s only a 10% chance…”

The Hero murmured, seemingly unable to comprehend. It appeared he wanted to postpone it, just as Luna had suggested.

If there was anything fortunate about this, it was that. Even if it was just a 10% chance, it was still a chance. If luck ran out, one might just hit that 10%.

“10%?”

“Yeah. My disciple. It’s just 10%, so can’t you let it slide?”

It must’ve been serious if the Hero was pleading with Luna like that. But as for what Luna represented…

When it came to quick-witted conversations, she was just as sharp as, if not sharper than, the Hero himself.

Luna rolled her eyes dramatically, a habit that surfaced whenever she wanted to make a big statement.

She then scratched her head and shot out the words that would completely break the Hero down.

“Um… Master, do you know about dice?”

“Dice? Why?”

“Try rolling it twice in a row. You’d be surprised how often you get the same number.”

“…”

The Hero was thoroughly defeated.

[Your faith is rising!!!]

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