How to Raise Your Regressor

"Ahh…" Voloha nodded in understanding as she finally saw where I was going with this.

I have given her the pieces; she's smart enough to arrange them on her own and form the complete picture.

All according to keikaku.

In other words, welcome to the Epic Prank, Princess.

"I'm sure you understand what I mean by this."

Well, let's confirm it in just in case. For all I know, she could be an idiot of cosmic proportions.

"I think… I do."

"Perfect."

"So what you mean is that our meeting was pure chance?"

"Chance, fate, coincidence, or whatever that implies the opposite of 'planned'; that's what our meeting was. I joined- no, I was scouted by the Secret Organisation sometime after that. Apparently, being able to step outside of fate is an incredible ability," I chuckled lightly.

"Then what about us being here?"

"Well, it was another chance," I shrugged. "Or maybe it was fate? Anyway, if Azell hadn't saved me, I wouldn't be here, and the Secret Organisation would have remained secret for a long time to come."

"What do you mean?" She furrowed her brows.

"Actually, master wanted to remain in the shadows and do everything secretively. Apparently, if you want to fool your enemies, you have to fool your friends first. Anyway, I was the one who convinced him to… partner up with you and the New Dawn Guild."

"You did? Why?"

"Well…" I smiled as I looked at her. "I just felt that all of you could use some help. Anyone fighting for the world should not have to fight alone, after all."

Needless to say, I'm making up all of this bullshit on the spot. I did think about some things beforehand, of course, but this was not one of them.

It's like writing a chapter of a webnovel. You make a basic outline, around 4 to 5 points. Then you expand on them and turn them into a 1000 words chapter.

In a similar fashion, I created an outline about how I'll manipulate these motherfuckers; the rest could be thought up on the spot.

It's not like I am incapable of planning for everything; it's just that I want to keep things a bit spicy.

That's the key to happiness, after all.

"Oh…" Voloha quietly exhaled.

Hmm, did my words touch her heart?

Wow.

"Um, who is the Master?" Voloha asked.

Ah, right, I did use that word. Gotta expand on that.

"He is my Master. He taught me everything I know. He also gave me the books I always tell you about."

"I see." She nodded.

"Honestly, if it wasn't for Master, I wouldn't be alive," I looked out the window.

"…You like him, don't you?" A slight smile appeared on her face.

"I owe him my life, after all."

Holy shit, this is becoming more and more elaborate. I should probably note this down somewhere.

Or maybe I shouldn't.

Creating the fake Secret Organisation with absolute perfection is useless in itself.

To make it fun, there have to be some tiny loopholes in the story.

The situation would be a lot more dynamic and hence more exciting if there's a possibility of someone discovering the truth.

This is going to be a lot of work though.

Damn, why is having fun so hard.

Perks of being a Professional Transmigrator, I guess.

"The skill you talked about," a voice came from behind me i.e., Azell spoke. "It pushes you of fate, right?"

"Yup."

That's the story I'm going for, anyway. And now that I think about it, I haven't even given a name to this skill.

I should think of one when I get the chance to, assuming I remember about it after leaving the room.

Or maybe I'll just call it 'A Skill' because why the fuck not.

"What is the price you have to pay for it?"

My oh my, would you look at Mr. Regressor here.

Now this is an example of a detail I hadn't thought about before.

Time to wing it like it was the end term examination and I was a child whose bio said 'A piece of paper can't decide my future'.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I replied.

Let's try the classic tactic first.

"Your lies won't work on me," Azell replied with the shake of his head. "I can see through them all?"

See through my lies? Him?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahhahahahahhaahhahahhahahahah!

"…Hmm, do you know what my Master's motto is, Mr. Azell?"

"I have no idea."

"Progress takes sacrifice. It always has, and it always will. There is no going around that."

"But what if the progress is not worth the sacrifice?"

A fair point. Nice.

I like having a battle of wits where my ability to lie is tested.

"Well, sometimes, the sacrifice has to be made even if it's not worth it."

Like your mental health being sacrificed for my cheap laughs.

"No. Nothing must be sacrificed if the end result is not worth it."

Hmm, isn't this a bit like the class debate of whether the end justify the means?

By the way, my own answer to that moral question is that I don't give a fuck. If there is a goal I want to achieve, then I WILL achieve it, no matter the cost.

"Victory costs, Mr. Azell. Every time, you pay a little more. It all boils down to a single question; what are you prepared to sacrifice."

"Yet there are some things which must never be sacrificed," he replied with a stern tone. "Tell me; what's the cost of using your skill."

Hmm, what should the so-called cost be?

He's right in the sense that such an overpowered skill will never come for free, but the problem is that I don't have such a skill, and I've never had one because I'm always outside fate.

I might have met someone in one of my past lives who had this skill before, but I'll have to search through my memories.

[Memory System, a little help please.]

⟦Searching… seven individuals found.⟧

[Which of them has the lightest punishment?]

⟦Destruction of soul.⟧

Ooof. I can't use that.

Hmm…

"Well, I lose something," I replied to Azell.

"What do you lose?"

"I have no idea," I shook my head. "All I know is that I have lost 'something'. I don't know what that is."

"Something…" Voloha muttered to herself.

"Hmm…" he cupped his chin as he frowned, then his eyes suddenly widened. "Samur, I want you to promise me something."

"Yeah?"

Though I already know what he's going to ask of me. Even a child could have guessed it.

Wait, I AM a child.

"Do not use that skill ever again."

See?

"Hmm, well, what's if it's an emergency?"

"Not even then," he firmly shook his head.

"And what if the life of someone close to me is in danger?"

"…"

"Then I suppose I can't make that promise."

Get fucked, loser.

"I see," he nodded (did he really relent so easily? Wow, that means he doesn't care for me. Hurtful). "I want to meet your Master."

"You cannot."

"Why not?"

"None of you can meet him until you have proven that he can trust you."

"And how do we prove that?"

"I have no idea. Just have patience, I guess."

"…Alright," he nodded with a sigh then picked up the letter. "Do you know what was written in it?"

"Nope."

"He doesn't tell you much, does he?"

"He was just respecting your privacy."

"Is that so?" Azell asked sceptically.

"That is so," I replied with a smile. "Anyway, with this, I should have proven that I am not working alone."

"Well, we do have an incentive to trust you," Azell replied.

"Yes. Only an incentive," and so did Voloha.

"Perfect."

That's all I need from them.

With this, the grand stage has been set while the actors have been cast.

All that's left is to start my greatest prank of this life.

It's time to let the game begin.