Troublemaker ⅠⅠⅠ
“Saintess, is she really the right person?”
[Yes, Mr. Undertaker. It's her.] The Saintess's response came immediately, like she was watching my movements in real-time through her Clairvoyance. [This person uses the nickname 'OldManGoryeo' on SG Net.]
“Huh.”
I stroked my chin.‘Well, these things happen.’
My surprise wasn't long-lived. It was mainly because the person in question wasn't all that important to me. After all, Sim Ah-ryeon and I were not entirely unconnected, but our relationship wasn't so deep that I'd call it 'significant'.
To briefly describe how the Busan station main concourse reflects in my eyes, it would be something like this:
[ExtraA]
[Seo Gyu←Important!]
[Tutorial Fairy]
[Vending Machine][ExtraB]
[ExtraC]
[Go Yuri←※Danger※]
[Souvenir Shop (Silver Bells to be farmed)]
[ExtraD]
[ExtraE]
[Uehara Shino]
[ExtraF]
[ExtraG]
...
That's about it.
And in that list, Sim Ah-ryeon fulfilled her role of [ExtraB] perfectly.
She was the type of character who, unless specifically pointed out with an arrow, would never catch any reader's eye.
To indulge in a bit of hyperbole, whenever Seo Gyu died, she would then let out her scream of "Hieeek!" and that was the essence of Sim Ah-ryeon's existence.
‘Her awakening ability was... healing, right?’
Of course, as a regressor, I had kept track of the abilities of all the extras.
‘I remember her not being particularly skilled as a healer...’
In gaming terms, a 2-star healer.
It might be a harsh analogy, but she was like a healer who's tossed in for free just because you logged into the game—initially useful, but eventually dropped from the party as the stages get harder. 'You're expelled from the party. You're just not good enough to keep up with us,' she was told as she was recommended for dismissal.
And my story's genre wasn't tagged with #regret #obsession #misery. What does that mean? Just kick her out and be done with it.
In the first, second, and third runs, I relied on Sim Ah-ryeon, but that was when I was still a novice.
After that... Well. Not particularly?
There were certain events, like the joint funeral in the 10th run, or building the impregnable fortress in the 24th run. But other than those, I didn't have many significant memories with her.
‘As a third-rate Awakener, she's lucky she survived in Busan and somehow made it all the way to Pocheon.’
Thinking about it, she had traveled almost from the southern end of Korea to the northern tip.
Somehow, that made me feel a bit sad.
My trivial annoyance over OldManGoryeo's personality was gradually overshadowed by a budding curiosity about Sim Ah-ryeon's life.
‘I should hear her out.’
In the end, it was good that I indulged my curiosity.
As soon as I knocked Sim Ah-ryeon unconscious and dragged her to the living room, Lee Ju-ho followed me inside and touched a hand to his brow. "...Oh my," he exclaimed. "To think that a fellow guild member, that the 'Healing Angel' herself, would write such trash and stir up trouble."
"I take it you two knew each other... right?"
Just then, I thought I heard a strange sound, or rather, a somewhat eerie and ashamed sound.
"Healing Angel?" I pressed.
"She's famous around here," Lee Ju-ho replied, his face a mix of confusion and distress. "And she's also a school nurse, art teacher, and librarian at the elementary school where we first met."
"What?"
"It's, well, I mentioned it before. That there was another guild member who looked after the kids... She's the one."
???
I turned my head and looked up at the ceiling.
[It's really OldManGoryeo, Mr. Undertaker. Please don't doubt it.]
I quickly brought my gaze back down to Lee Ju-ho. "Are you saying she's your colleague?"
"Yes, in the guild and at school... After the world fell apart and all medical infrastructure collapsed, people started dying from minor colds or small wounds that led to tetanus... More people died from illness than from monsters."
That was also something I knew well, having seen it countless times during my previous regressions.
Without antibiotics, modern people were quick to die. The reason cremation quickly became the standard method of funerals in the ruined world, and why Lee Ju-ho's fire-mage acquaintance was always busy, was precisely to prevent the spread of disease by burning the bodies.
"But in this area, such needless deaths have ceased," Lee Ju-ho continued, looking at OldManGoryeo. "This person... Healing Angel has been curing everything from minor illnesses to serious cancers with her ability for about a year now."
"Really?"
Her?
A 2-star healer?
"She's well-known for treating patients and students without asking for any compensation. Even my father. Whenever he was ill, she would take care of him... If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have been able to get out of bed..."
Lee Ju-ho's eyebrows pulled into a frown.
"So, Mr. Undertaker, is this person really OldManGoryeo? Could there be a misunderstanding or mistake?"
"No, that part is certain. There's no room for doubt. Ask her yourself when she regains consciousness."
Lee Ju-ho eventually fell silent.
Truthfully, I was more confused than anyone.
‘Sim Ah-ryeon demonstrated a level of healing capable of curing cancer...?’
She had never shown such capability in any of my previous regression lives. At most, she had been able to slightly alleviate the pain from scraped knees, or help recover from a cold within a week—abilities akin to Panpyrin.[1]
How could this be possible?
"I'll wake her up."
Lee Ju-ho nodded in agreement.
I threw an empty soda can at OldManGoryeo.
The aluminum can, thrown with a bit of aura, must have felt like a shock of electricity when it hit OldManGoryeo in the head.
"Ugh... Eurgh! Uhhh...?"
OldManGoryeo, also known as Healing Angel, groaned as she slowly blinked her eyes open.
"Are you up?"
"Huh... Ugh, what... Yes...?"
We waited until she fully regained consciousness, then I explained everything from the beginning.
Understandably, she was shocked. "Hieeek...! How, how did you even know I was here? And to come all this way...?"
"The Constellations are rather taken with me." I lied as easily as breathing, then stared at her. "But why did you do it?"
She hesitated in response to my direct question.
An awkward silence fell over the living room.
"Um, the thing is... Well, um..."
However, that very awkward silence spoke volumes.
“Huh.”
Lee Ju-ho looked desolate as he realized that his acquaintance was indeed an internet troll.
He said softly, "...Dr. Sim. Was taking care of patients stressful for you?"
OldManGoryeo blinked rapidly. "Hiek. Yes... Yes...?"
"So, you didn't really want to take care of patients. No, it was so annoying, yet you couldn't refuse because of your ability... Elementary school kids are always causing trouble. Is that what it was? Did you wear an internet mask to blow off some steam?"
"Wow."
I was impressed. A neat guess, fitting for a refined young man.
The mismatch between ability and personality was a scenario I had often seen.
In this world, having healing powers was a double-edged sword. 'I am a noble because I am a healer, and you are commoners' was a mentality very few were self-possessed enough to admit to.
Quiet, introverted, unable to refuse others' requests—people like that just end up being dragged around.
Until one day, they would snap and cause trouble.
However, in response to this logical and credible hypothesis, OldManGoryeo—Sim Ah-ryeon—whipped her head from side to side in disagreement.
"N-no, no! It's not like that! It's because of my skill—"
"That's right, your skill. Ms. Ah-ryeon, you don't actually want to use the skill [Mobile Hospital], but you have to because of the patients—"
“No, it’s a different skill! My second ability!”
Sim Ah-ryeon began to explain her second ability, flapping her arms about.
“Just wait a minute. It was tough to figure out this ability because...”
Since abilities don't appear in neat little skill cards (if they did, I could have easily announced my regressor status), we'll have to rely on Ah-ryeon's voluntary disclosure here. Sim Ah-ryeon’s second ability was as follows:
――――――――――
[Grudge Orb]
It is said that those who are cursed will live long and healthy lives.
You are an enhanced version of this. The more you are cursed and hated, the more you will not only live a long and healthy by yourself but also be capable of sharing that longevity and health with others.
* This effect strengthens as the hatred and spite against you grow stronger and more numerous.
* If you possess medical and healing skills, those skills will also be enhanced in kind.
――――――――――
Lee Ju-ho gaped in astonishment as he read the notes about OldManGoryeo's powers.
For the record, I was gaping too.
“What the hell kind of stupid skill is that...?”
It was shocking enough that she had such an ability, but even more astonishing was that she had managed to document it in such detail.
Again, aside from very abnormal cases, Awakeners don’t receive a status screen or anything like that. Discovering one’s abilities normally requires an endless grind.
What kind of digging did Sim Ah-ryeon have to do to uncover this ‘Grudge Orb’?
It seemed I wasn’t the only one engulfed in shock and awe.
[The mysteries of awakening abilities are always fascinating to behold.]
It was the Saintess speaking. Apparently, she had been secretly observing, curious about the true nature of the situation.
I looked into the air and articulated clearly, ‘Saintess, you didn’t know either?’
[What... How would I? Yes, I can observe Awakeners whenever I want, but I can't read their minds. I, too, assumed like Mr. Ju-ho that she was just stressed from caring for patients.]
Indeed.
Shock shared is shock halved. Talking with the Saintess helped steady my emotions, and suddenly, a new perspective dawned on me.
The ‘OldManGoryeo Situation’. That’s what this series of events unfolding before my eyes seemed to be.
‘Indeed. There was a reason she started being called 'Healing Angel' this cycle.’
The world had fallen.
Internet infrastructure had collapsed.
People had to interact face-to-face, just like before the internet existed.
In this lonely world, even receiving ‘hatred’ was not easy, especially for someone with a gentle disposition like Sim Ah-ryeon. That's why her second skill hadn’t stood out in previous cycles, and her first skill had only amounted to a health supplement.
But now, in the 50th cycle, something that never existed before had appeared: SG Net.
In an ideal world for drawing aggro, Sim Ah-ryeon finally awakened. She transformed into OldManGoryeo, becoming a top-tier aggravator. Since SG Net was full of Awakeners, some of them would even kill OldManGoryeo and do so gladly if they got the chance. The overflowing aggro then gathered into the ‘Grudge Orb’.
It was more than enough to earn her the nickname ‘Healing Angel’.
‘Hm? But didn’t the Saintess say something unusual when I asked her to locate OldManGoryeo?’
[Yes? Yes, I did say that.]
‘Did you realize then that OldManGoryeo was also Healing Angel, like a person with a dual personality?’
[Oh. Uh, no. It was... I’ll tell you about it later.]
Then, Sim Ah-ryeon bowed her head to us. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know Mr. Ju-ho’s father would get hurt...”
Lee Ju-ho sighed.
“I know it’s bad to curse others... It's a thorn in my conscience... But”―hic―“still, I need to be resented, to gain strength, to help one more patient...”
She sat curled up with her knees to her chest, scuttling to a corner of the room and muttering to herself.
Lee Ju-ho could only watch silently. After a long while, he asked, “What should we do, Mr. Undertaker...?”
“What can I do? It’s your decision that matters, Mr. Ju-ho.”
“Uh...” Lee Ju-ho scratched his head, seeming to realize that he was the one who stormed in out of righteous anger. It didn’t take long for him to make a decision. “So then―”
It wasn’t a difficult decision.
The friends on SG Net who were curious about the outcome of the real-life confrontation would probably be sticking out their tongues. After that day, 'iJoinedToday' vanished, and OldManGoryeo continued to be active.
-OldManGoryeo: Treated the son of a bitch who showed up for the fight well lol
Even the posts became more venomous.
OldManGoryeo, not only adept at stirring aggro but also an excellent artist, even started drawing comics for his posts.
In the comics, a child and an old man appeared. The drawings were unnecessarily dramatic. The content went like this:
-Old Man: Huh? Who’s that?
-Old Man: (frowning)
-Old Man: Isn’t that our son?
-Child: Daddy, where are you going?
-Child: I wanna go too!
-Child: (smiling brightly)
(A cheerful comic-style picture of the father and son crossing a river)
Lastly, a photo that looked like a family tomb was attached. There was even a Post-it note with OldManGoryeo's nickname on the tombstone.
Needless to say, the conscientious members of SG Net were grinding their teeth.
-Anonymous: Oh my.
-[Yuldoguk] SwordMarquess: I’ll take care of this one, just give me the address, kiddo.
-[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: The curses you pour onto others will eventually return unto you. Why not take some time to reflect on yourself? Trust that there is good within you, brother.
└OldManGoryeo: Just fuck off, you crazy fuck
-Anonymous: Didn’t he say he lives in Canada? The photo is totally Korean.
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Contact me if you come to Busan.
-dolLHoUse: im angy
-Anonymous: But why does he draw so well? He’s really talented...
Not all members were conscientious. Some were thrilled by the troll.
-Anonymous: Lol double kill lololol OldManGoryeoHam is the real deal lmao
-LiteraryGirl: Thought OldManGoryeo was just good at online arguments, but he’s really something in a real fight too lmao
They say a true star drives both fans and haters crazy.
While Lee Ju-ho and I remained silent about the whole affair, OldManGoryeo was going to work drawing all of SG Net's aggro to himself.
At least there wouldn’t be anyone around Lee Ju-ho’s guild dying untimely deaths from lack of healing.
One more thing.
“Wow, how can an ability like that exist...?”
For the record, Seo Gyu was deeply shocked after hearing the whole story from me.
“It’s funny to think that I’m not the only one with a weird ability... What a strange feeling.”
It seemed he had managed to shed some of his complexes about his own skills.
Thus, it was a win-win happy ending for everyone. But there was one bit of unforeseen collateral damage.
-Anonymous: Didn’t ZERO_SUGAR brag about putting OldManGoryeoHam in his place?
-Anonymous: Talks big then shuts up lol why is ignoring him so pathetic lol
-Anonymous: Nosy lol actually, it was ZERO_SUGAR who got his nose broken lol
-LiteraryGirl: This ZERO_SUGAR person... such a nosy brat.
└[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: To speak ill of others is actually to lower oneself. Every human is a mirror to me, and I am a mirror of all humans. Let us respect and be considerate of one another.
“...?”
I stared at the posts for a moment.
With a hmph, I stood up, went to the kitchen to brew an espresso, and sat back down.
The fact that I had espresso instead of café au lait was a sign that the work I was about to dive into required high concentration.
First, I logged into SG Net with a secondary account, without any particular intention or purpose.
Then, it happened just as I was about to send a message in the administrator-only chat room asking 'Seo Gyu, it’s nothing big, but can you find out some personal info about these guys?'
[Mr. Undertaker.]
“Hmm.”
[Please don’t do that. Really.]
I put down my phone.
Let's just end this chapter with a little bit of dislike for OldManGoryeo.
Footnotes:
[1] A Korean medicine which is used for common cold.
***
