Not A Regressor-Chapter 83: Saintess of Rome (4)

“Uh...”

Kwon Oh-Jin stared blankly at Isabella, his mouth still hanging open.

It wasn’t that he was mesmerized by her beauty or something—the sheer absurdity of the situation left him paralyzed. It was far too coincidental to be mere chance.

How is this even possible? he thought.

Isabella hesitated, hand still awkwardly extended. “Um...”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he quickly blurted, snapping out of his daze and grasping her hand. “My name is Kwon Oh-Jin.”

“Kwon Oh-Jin...?” Isabella paused thoughtfully before suddenly clapping her hands in recognition. “Thunder Wolf! Are you the Thunder Wolf by any chance?”

“Yes, that’s what people call me.”

So, even an Italian Awakener knows who I am.

Clearly, the title "Apostle of the North Star" carried considerable influence.

“Wow! I thought I caught a pleasant smell!” she exclaimed.

“Excuse me?”

“Ah! I-I’m so sorry! Please, just pretend you didn’t hear that!”

Her cheeks flushed as she shook her head in embarrassment. Her over-the-top reaction only deepened his curiosity.

A pleasant smell? Does that mean she followed my scent? Weird... It’s not like she has the Stigma of Canes Venatici.

He looked at her and chuckled. “I don’t recall putting on any cologne.”

“I-I asked you to forget about it, didn’t I?” Isabella stammered, flailing as she tightly closed her eyes in embarrassment. Her wavy golden hair swayed with every frantic shake of her head, soft and unrestrained like a lamb’s.

She cleared her throat and continued, “I was volunteering around here, helping the local gypsy community. You looked lost, so I came over to assist you. I-It wasn’t because I was following your scent or anything!”

So it was because of my scent—whatever that means. Come to think of it, isn’t she known for volunteering to treat the homeless?

A large gypsy settlement like this would naturally attract many in need.

So, she sensed something while volunteering, followed it, and found me.

Even though the situation still seemed absurd, it was more convincing than a random street encounter. And with an opportunity like this falling into his lap, he wasn’t about to just let it slip away.

“Yes, I seem to have gotten lost since it's my first time here. Would you mind helping me out?” he asked.

Isabella nodded with a radiant smile. “Of course! Where are you trying to go?”

He scratched his head with an innocent look. “Well... it’s kind of a mess, actually. I had the address written down on a note, but I lost it.”

“Oh, I see.”

He was, of course, lying. The location had been sent as a link, and he still had it on his phone.

I just need to maximize my time with her.

If he wanted to control her in the future, getting closer was essential.

He opened a map and pointed to a random spot. “It was somewhere around here, I think. But I can’t quite remember.”

“Then let’s head that way first!” she declared, motioning for him to follow.

Nodding, he trailed behind her. “Thank you so much for helping me.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing. Actually, I’ve been wanting to talk with you, Mr. Oh-Jin.”

“With me?”

Her smile brightened. “Yes! You’re the first ever apostle of the Weaver, aren’t you? And I saw you defeat the Hydra on that livestream—you fought it to save the people trapped inside the tunnel, right?”

So she watched that stream? he thought. Considering tens of thousands of viewers were tuned in back then, it wouldn’t be surprising if some were foreigners.

He shrugged, pretending to be humble. “I didn’t fight it alone.”

“Hehe, even so,” she replied, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

Getting close to her is going to be easier than I thought. Who would’ve guessed that stream back then would end up being useful like this?

“I’ve heard a lot about you too, Isabella.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The Saintess of Rome is quite famous, even in Korea.”

She blushed, flustered by the title. “A-Ah. Saintess? That’s not true at all.”

“Helping a lost stranger makes you seem pretty saintly to me.”

“Oh, please, don’t say things like that.”

Engaging in light conversation, they followed the map toward the marked location. Of course, it went without saying—there was no real destination to be reached. They wandered the area for another thirty minutes or so.

“I feel like I’m making you go through so much trouble,” he said.

“Hehe, not at all. By the way, are you not able to reach the person you’re meeting?”

“Seems like their phone's turned off.”

“Oh no...”

She gave him a concerned look, and he just shrugged in response. “Well, it can’t be helped. I’ll just head back to my accommodation for today, get some rest, and try contacting them again tomorrow.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

“Anyway, I feel bad for causing you so much trouble. Would you like to grab a meal together?” he suggested casually.

In truth, I pointed at a random location and wandered around aimlessly just to create an excuse to share a meal with her. Good thing I didn’t bring Ha-Eun along because she would've completely lost it.

“Oh my, you really don’t need to worry about that," she replied. "I helped because I wanted to.”

“Still, it wouldn't feel right to just let you go like this.”

“Hmm, if you insist... oh, how about that?”

She pointed toward a street vendor selling kebabs. Even though she came from a wealthy family, she seemed to indulge in street food.

He nodded cheerfully. “Sounds good.”

After buying two kebabs, they found a nearby bench to sit on.

“Hehe, this feels like a date,” she teased.

Is it because she's Italian? She's quite bold. Almost gave me butterflies in my stomach.

He quickly thought of Song Ha-Eun to ground himself. He then gave her a small nod.

“Well... this isn’t exactly the ideal place for a date, though,” he remarked.

She smiled bitterly and glanced around the gypsy village. The buildings looked as if they would collapse at any moment, and passersby were clad in ragged clothing.

This reminds me of the neighborhood I used to live in, Kwon Oh-Jin thought. Except everything is on a much larger scale here. No matter where you go, those without wealth or power are doomed to struggle.

Children passed by, pointing at them and shouting excitedly.

“Ah! Isabella is with a man!”

“Whoa, she really is!”

It was obvious they knew her well—calling her by name and flashing friendly smiles.

Isabella quickly shot up from her seat. “Th-This isn’t what it looks like!”

The children, however, continued to tease her.

“Hahahaha!”

“Isabella and him, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

Damn, I haven’t heard that one in ages, Kwon Oh-Jin thought.

“Kids!” Isabella cried out as the children giggled and scampered off into the distance. Flustered, she turned back to him. “I-I’m so sorry, Mr. Oh-Jin.”

“No worries.”

“Maybe we should’ve just gone to a restaurant instead...” She sighed and took a small bite of her kebab.

“You seem quite popular with the children.”

“I often come here to volunteer.”

She was known to treat the injured and sickly for free.

“You’re very kind,” he conveyed.

Her expression darkened slightly, and she clutched anxiously at her pants.

“I’m not kind at all...” she murmured lowly. “Not in the slightest.”

If doing all that isn't kindness, then what is? he wondered.

She asked, “Is this your first time in Italy?”

“Yes.”

“In Italy, gypsies... face discrimination from birth.”

“Do they?”

It reminded him of how Black communities were treated decades ago.

“I’m not saying that those who discriminate against them are entirely in the wrong," she continued. "It’s true that the crime rate among gypsies is incredibly high.”

She gazed at the worn-out village with a wistful look. “I’m no different. On the surface, I try to act like I’m not, but deep down, I can’t help but think of them as different.”

“And is that wrong?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

As long as differences in race, ideology, or gender existed, bias would persist. While discrimination couldn't entirely be eradicated, what mattered was the effort to reduce the underlying disparities. In that sense, Isabella was clearly trying.

“Hehe. I suppose it’s not entirely wrong." Then, her voice suddenly sank. "But every time I help them, I can’t help but think, ‘Thank goodness I wasn’t born a gypsy. Thank goodness I was blessed with a powerful Stigma. Thank goodness I have exceptional abilities.’"

She bit her lip and continued, "I help them... because I want to feel those awful emotions.”

Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if she were reprimanding herself.

So that’s why she claims she isn’t kind, he thought.

“Hehe. I’m rambling on to someone I’ve just met—”

“Is that wrong?” he asked.

“Pardon?”

“Helping others in order to keep a sense of superiority—does that make it all wrong?”

What a rigid worldview she's got.

“That’s, um...”

“Good deeds done in expectation of a reward are still good deeds—whether the reward is material or psychological.”

“But—!”

“People often praise acts of kindness that seek no reward, calling it true altruism. Why do you think that is?” To Kwon Oh-Jin, the answer was simple. “Because it’s easier to take advantage of.” freёnovelkiss.com

Isabella just silently listened.

“The more selfless people are, the more advantageous it becomes for those who exploit them.”

When you lose, someone else gains.

“Between helping them so you can feel superior and avoiding them to escape such feelings, what do they actually benefit from in the end?”

“That would be...”

“Focusing only on results is foolish. But focusing solely on intentions is even more absurd.”

Isabella’s eyes widened. After a brief silence, she said, “Mr. Oh-Jin, you’re quite unique.”

Her smile shone as brightly as sunlight.

“I’m not unique,” he retorted.

All I did was say exactly what she most wanted to hear.

“Hehe. No, you definitely are.” She rose gracefully, brushing off her skirt. “I have another matter to attend to, so I’ll be on my way. Oh, and here’s my business card.”

He had planned to ask for her contact information, but she had offered it herself.

“Can we talk again sometime?” he asked.

“Of course. See you next time, Mr. Oh-Jin.” She smiled and then murmured, “Sembra delizioso.”

What does that mean? he wondered, his translation device unable to catch her quiet words. Oh well.

He waved as she walked away, then got up. “Now, then.”

It was time to go meet Paolo Lanzoni, who was waiting for him.

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