Regression Guidelines for the Supporting Character

Chapter 10

I looked up at the building in front of me.

The second floor of this four-story commercial building, which jutted out slightly, would be the home and guild office where this kid would live from now on.

‘Slightly removed from Gangnam, with a moderately quiet surrounding. Perfect.’

I was right to entrust this to Hyun Do-woon.

He always grumbles, but he handles things so well. Feeling satisfied, I entered the building with Cha Sahyun.

When we went up to the second floor and opened the front door, we saw the empty interior of the office.

With two rooms and an attached bathroom, it was perfect for use as both an office and a home. The first priority seemed to be filling it with furniture and goods.

‘I have enough money, so I should live quietly here for the time being.’

Thanks to Son Gayoung and the sisters properly selling the items I brought from the laboratory on my behalf, about 150 million won had been deposited into my account.

Considering the amount deducted for their commission and the cost of the miniature inventory item necklace, I could see that the amount from selling the items was quite substantial.

With the remaining 150 million won, it seemed we could buy furniture and officially start operating the guild. Though with just the two of us, there wouldn’t be much to do in terms of guild operations.

‘I wonder if we’ll get requests for low-level dungeons.’

The world is wide and there are many guilds, so we might not even get that. But we can’t live forever on just 150 million won, so we need to work somehow.

“Haah…”

I sighed after looking around the office and turning things over in my mind.

Let’s worry about how to make a living later. There were already mountains of things to do, so there was no need to worry about future issues now.

“Kid.”

I called out to Cha Sahyun, who was standing blankly near the door, staring at me while I looked around the office interior.

“Are you hungry?”

“……”

I grinned and ruffled his hair. Rest was the priority now.

* * *

After buying clothes at a nearby department store, we headed to a hotel.

If I were alone, I would have just gone to a jjimjilbang or motel, but I felt uneasy about sleeping in such places with this young child.

As we entered the hotel lobby, some life finally appeared in Cha Sahyun’s previously indifferent eyes. What particularly caught the child’s interest was the jewel attached to the ornament in the center of the lobby.

It was fascinating to see the child intently staring at the jewel that sparkled brilliantly under the chandelier light. This was the first time he had shown any sign of liking something, having been so indifferent until now.

‘Does he like shiny things? Or is it the jewel itself?’

Whatever it was, it wasn’t bad to know the child’s preferences. If a situation arose where I needed to persuade him later, I could use things he showed interest in.

‘Jewels, huh…’

If it could make him stay obediently by my side, I could buy him as many jewels as he wanted.

I was planning to give him an item that could track his location anyway. If he liked jewels, he wouldn’t refuse, which would be convenient for me.

Thinking I should give him the item when the opportunity arose, I first went up to our reserved room.

“Take a shower first. After you’re done, I’ll order room service and we can eat.”

I said, casually throwing the key card on the table. Cha Sahyun, who was looking around the room with a blank expression, didn’t look for the bathroom and just kept following me.

Good grief, he’s like a little duckling. Do I have to find the bathroom and put him in there myself? This is why kids are troublesome.

As I was about to grab the child’s neck and throw him into the bathroom myself, suddenly a status window popped up in front of my eyes.

Ding!

《A Main Quest has arrived!》

《Main Quest: Become friends with the villain implanted with the Seed of Calamity (1/10)》

[Main Quest: Become friends with the villain implanted with the Seed of Calamity (1/10)]

You must become friends with the villain to slow down the progression of the seed.

Objective: Bathe together with the villain (Time remaining: 50 minutes)

* Warning! If you fail to complete the quest within the time limit, it will be marked as failed.

Quest Failure: Increase in the Seed of Calamity’s progression

“Son of a…”

I barely swallowed the curse that was about to reflexively come out as soon as I confirmed the quest content.

How am I supposed to deal with such a random quest out of nowhere?

‘And what’s with that number at the end? Are you saying nine more of these quests are coming?’

I was planning to put the kid in the bathroom and check the status window while he was showering, but it played me like this.

I took a deep breath inwardly, swallowing the numerous words that came to mind. Calm down. Getting worked up here will only make me look crazy.

“Kid.”

I placed my hand on Cha Sahyun’s head, smiling fiercely.

“Our little one, are you scared to shower alone in an unfamiliar place?”

“…?”

Cha Sahyun looked at me like I was crazy. Don’t look at me like that. I have my reasons, you know?

“Just for today, I’ll help you specially. Let’s shower together?”

“……”

I tucked the child, who had an expression that said ‘What nonsense is this?’, under my arm and headed to the bathroom. I planned to at least splash some water on him before he could refuse. There was no time to dawdle with the time limit.

After entering the bathroom with Cha Sahyun, I closed the door and put him down. Fortunately, the bathroom was quite spacious, suitable for showering with the child.

“Take off your clothes.”

Cha Sahyun just stared blankly at me, hardly moving.

Is he feeling awkward? I had no choice but to undress first. I had been wearing the t-shirt since being in the laboratory, so I was feeling uncomfortable anyway.

As I took off my top without hesitation, Cha Sahyun flinched and averted his gaze. Judging by his ear tips turning red between his curly black hair, he seemed embarrassed.

‘Geez, why is this child so shy? Or is it because he’s young?’

I could understand him being embarrassed, but I couldn’t just watch the quest fail because of unnecessary hesitation.

I undressed Cha Sahyun with somewhat rough movements and turned on the shower, spraying water from his head down. Although he hesitated, the child didn’t particularly resist and obediently took off his clothes. When the water poured over his head, he tightly closed his eyes.

“Try to cooperate a bit, okay? We’ll be living together from now on.”

I said soothingly, brushing back his wet bangs after moving the shower head away. Perhaps due to the warm water temperature, Cha Sahyun’s whole face turned red. He hesitated for a moment before meeting my gaze and nodding his head vigorously.

After thoroughly washing the stiff Cha Sahyun, who moved like a broken machine, I also finished my shower and we left the bathroom together.

I put on a bathrobe, and since there wasn’t a fitting size for Cha Sahyun, I dressed him in the clothes we had bought earlier. The child’s already pretty face looked even more radiant and fair after washing.

‘This kid… he’s going to break many hearts later, isn’t he?’

Feeling somewhat annoyed for some reason, I pinched his cheek and said,

“Wait. I’ll order room service. I’m starving since we haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

We had been starving all this time because we didn’t have time to eat anything after escaping the laboratory and going straight to Zone C-281. Although he didn’t say anything, this kid must be incredibly hungry too.

Ding!

At that moment, a status window popped up in front of Cha Sahyun’s face, whose left cheek was being stretched.

《Main Quest: Become friends with the villain implanted with the Seed of Calamity cleared!》

《Main Quest clear reward is given.》

《Characteristic: Is Your Side Open? (F-rank) acquired!》

“…Should I be happy about this?”

“…?”

As I chuckled bitterly at the obviously terrible reward and muttered, Cha Sahyun blinked with a puzzled expression.

I shook my head to indicate it was nothing and let go of his cheek.

‘This won’t do.’

It’s frustrating. Since we have some time until room service arrives, I should take this opportunity to examine the system and status window first.

Let’s start by checking my status. I laid down on the sofa and opened the status window.

[User Information: Cha Seo-hu (Supporting Character)]

Age: 26 years old (28 years old)

Representative Skill: Guardian’s Bond (S-rank)

Hidden Skill: Silver Protection (S-rank) [Deactivated]

Attack Power: F-rank

Attack Speed: F-rank

Movement Speed: F-rank

Agility: F-rank

Characteristics▼

└Rain-soaked Cat (F-rank)

└Just Lie There (F-rank)

└Is Your Side Open? (F-rank)

The skills aren’t bad. The problem is these characteristics. Even before seeing the descriptions, the fact that they’re F-rank already makes them seem useless.

Clicking my tongue, I first checked ‘Rain-soaked Cat’, which I had from the beginning.

[Rain-soaked Cat (F-rank)]

Provokes sympathy from the opponent at a certain probability (Probability 0.5%)

This is insane…

I stared at the status window that appeared before me with a bitter expression, then hurriedly checked the second characteristic. Surely they can’t all be this useless.

[Just Lie There (F-rank)]

When striking, has a certain probability of stunning the opponent (Probability 0.3%)

[Is Your Side Open? (F-rank)]

Has a certain probability of spotting the opponent’s weak point (Probability 0.8%)

“……”

I couldn’t bear to read any more explanations and tightly closed my eyes. A headache suddenly spread through my previously fine head.

None of the three characteristics had a probability exceeding 1%. There was no way to remove these useless characteristics or prevent them from activating.

“Ha, haha…”

I laughed out loud while holding my throbbing forehead.

I believed there was no way they could all be useless, but…

‘They’re all trash?’

Damn it.