My Past Life is Riddled With Many Sins - Chapter 118
Hailey and Arthur were both remarkably competent.
It wasn’t surprising in Hailey’s case—she was a scholarship student and had the sharp looks to match her intellect. But what caught Regina off guard was Arthur’s impressive performance during the Q&A session after their presentation.
“The damage caused by the monsters was more severe than expected. For instance, identifying those with naturally black bodies was not easy….”
“This part is my personal opinion, but I believe the initial response to the first ‘Rift’ in the Middle Realm was mishandled. Despite the rift appearing in an easily accessible location…”
“You mentioned that the forces should have advanced into the Gate back then, but I must disagree. The reason being…”
Regina hardly had to say anything at all. Hailey handled the presentation seamlessly, and Arthur tackled questions with the precision of a mole-whacking game. He obediently followed Hailey’s lead, almost as if he lacked his own will. Yet when it came to others, he showed no mercy. It was a surprising twist.
‘Must be rough for anyone who’s not Hailey.’
She had already noticed the subtle dynamic between the two. Whenever they met for group assignments, they operated with such flawless synergy that Regina often felt like a third wheel, as if she was in a world entirely apart from them.
Even so, Hailey was kind enough to include her, and Arthur remained pleasant, making things bearable.
The most surprising part was that Hailey and Arthur weren’t even dating. In fact, it seemed neither of them had yet realized their feelings for each other.
‘That’s the sweetest part, isn’t it?’
Soon, they’d hold hands for the first time, too excited to sleep afterward, and when they had their first kiss, it would feel like their hearts were going to burst.
Regina felt nostalgic. It had been far too long since she’d experienced such tender emotions. There were fleeting moments like that in her past life too, but back then, the burden of being royalty had forced her to suppress them.
And now, in this life, she felt she had lost that sense of innocence altogether.
“To close a Rift, at least one Swordmaster is required. The environment inside is inhospitable to anyone unable to manipulate mana…”
“Still, preventing a Gate from forming is crucial. It must be dealt with before it escalates…”
Arthur was now locked in a debate with a student nitpicking minor points. Regina chose not to get involved, staring out the window instead.
To put it simply, a ‘Gate’ is a portal connecting the Middle Realm and the Demon Realm.
Regardless of who creates it, once it exists, both sides can use it freely, as it doesn’t discriminate between users. A ‘Rift’ is what occurs before the Gate is fully formed—a tear that can be exploited by both worlds if left unchecked.
According to the records, the first sign of a Rift is a hairline fracture—an almost imperceptible crack in the fabric of space. As time passes, the crack widens, evolving into a full-fledged Gate.
Once it becomes a Gate, sealing it becomes incredibly difficult. It’s like trying to fill a completed tunnel with dirt—far more challenging than filling it while it’s still just a small crack. The key is to close it while it’s still a Rift, ideally when it’s just a faint line.
‘It needs to be dealt with at that stage…’
Regina was lost in thought, her eyes fixed on a faint line visible through the window. She paused. Why is there a line floating in midair?
‘Is that a Rift?’
She had never seen one firsthand—at least, not that she could recall in this life. Perhaps she’d encountered one in her past life, but there was no memory of it now. It could be just a strange weather phenomenon… but something told her she couldn’t ignore it.
‘Still…Better to be sure.’
Not that she intended to handle it personally. Fortunately, she wasn’t the only Swordmaster at the academy.
She decided to wait until her classes were done for the day before heading to the Dean’s office. There was no need to rush—confirming the Rift during daylight would only draw unnecessary attention. If it was indeed a Rift, it could only be investigated properly under the cover of night.
And surely, the Dean would be in his office by then.
“The Dean is out at the moment.”
The attendant stationed outside the office said.
“When will he return?”
“He didn’t say.”
Of course, the one time you need him, he’s not here. Regina thought in frustration. She left a message with the attendant.
“Please tell the Dean that Regina Heather from the first year has something urgent to discuss.”
She waited after returning to her dormitory. She knew Bliss well enough to expect him to show up—even if it was late into the night. He wasn’t the type to wait until morning to handle things. Hadn’t he barged into her room in the dead of night once before, just to give her the bracelet that transforms into a sword?
The lights in the building gradually dimmed, and soon, it was lights-out. Regina remained awake, her candle burning by the bedside as she waited for Bliss to arrive. But midnight came and went, and there was no sign of him.
Regina got up. It looks like she’ll have to check it out herself.
‘It might not even be a Rift, so I’ll just go confirm it.’
If it’s not a rift, all the better. If it is… She’ll let Bliss deal with it. A day’s delay won’t be enough for the Rift to evolve into a Gate, after all.
With that, she opened her window and leapt out into the night. Landing silently on the ground, she checked her surroundings. She recalled the position where she’d spotted the strange line earlier, trying to align it with the view from the history classroom where they’d been working on their group project.
“It should be around here…”
The classroom was on the third floor, which meant she needed to look upward to find the line again. Regina activated her mana, sharpening her vision. For a Swordmaster, the absence of light was no obstacle.
Before long, she spotted the line once more, drawn faintly across the void.
Is it just her imagination, or is it clearer than it was during the day?
“Hmm….”
She mulled it over for a moment, then plucked a single hair from her head. Holding it up for comparison, she realized that the hair was slightly thicker than the mysterious line floating in midair.
“Draw.”
With a soft hum, the bracelet on her wrist shifted and expanded, forming into a sleek sword. Regina tossed the hair into the air, then swung her blade in a precise, fluid arc. The severed hair fell back into her palm, sliced cleanly in two. Each half was now half as thin.
If anyone had witnessed the feat, they would have doubted their eyes. Such precision was the stuff of legends. But Regina herself felt no particular emotion, only mild curiosity. She held the split hair up again, this time comparing it to the strange line in the air.
Now the hair is thinner.
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