The Extra's Regressor Wives

Lathel woke up in a completely unfamiliar room.

He remained still for several seconds, waiting for his thoughts to clear. The mattress beneath him was unusually soft, the blanket light, and the medicinal scent in the room was faint instead of overwhelming like the smell inside a healer’s ward.

If he ignored the fact that he had no idea where he was, the room had clearly been prepared with great care.

His memories from before losing consciousness soon returned.

Aldric.

Bram.

Pandora taking control of his body.

Then the lightning rushing toward him, followed by the sudden appearance of a slender foil and Catrina’s familiar mask.

’Right.’

Lathel braced one hand against the bed and tried to sit up.

A faint metallic sound came from beside him.

Clink.

He stopped.

His gaze slowly lowered toward his left wrist.

Then he fell silent.

A silver cuff encircled it.

The inside had been lined with something soft, and the size had been carefully adjusted so it would not scrape his skin. Unfortunately, the other end was attached to a chain covered in magical patterns, which disappeared beneath the side of the bed.

Lathel pulled once.

Clink.

The chain barely moved.

He tried harder.

Same result.

"Stop pulling."

A woman’s voice came from near the window.

Lathel immediately looked over.

Catrina was sitting in a chair nearby.

She had replaced her Black Rose armor with a simple black dress, and her long hair fell loosely over both shoulders. The mask still covered most of her face.

A cup of tea sat on the table beside her.

It had already gone cold.

Apparently, she had been sitting there for quite some time.

The moment Catrina noticed Lathel looking at her, the coldness behind her mask immediately softened.

"You’re finally awake."

Lathel said nothing.

He looked at Catrina.

Then at the chain around his wrist.

Then back at her.

Catrina followed his gaze.

After two seconds of silence, she said naturally,

"This?"

She lightly touched the chain.

"Don’t worry. I tested it. The cuff won’t hurt your wrist."

Lathel: "..."

Pandora immediately laughed inside his mind.

"She’s being considerate."

Lathel ignored her and raised his right hand.

’Why did you chain me?’

Catrina watched every movement carefully.

She clearly understood every word.

But after Lathel finished, she merely tilted her head.

"What are you trying to say?"

Lathel’s hand froze in midair.

Pandora was silent for a moment as well.

Then she said,

"I genuinely don’t understand sign language, so I suppose I deserve those looks you give me. But she’s obviously pretending."

Lathel frowned.

This time, he signed much more slowly.

’Release. Me.’

Catrina watched with a serious expression.

After a while, she nodded as though she had finally understood.

"You’re hungry?"

Lathel: "..."

Pandora laughed.

"I like her."

Lathel turned his head and searched for a slate, paper, or anything he could write with.

There was nothing within reach.

The nearest table was beyond the limit of the chain. Even then, it only held a pitcher of water, several bottles of medicine, and Catrina’s cup of tea.

No slate.

No chalk.

Not even anything with a sharp edge had been left nearby.

Lathel looked around one more time.

Then he understood.

’She prepared all of this beforehand.’

He turned back and pointed directly at the chain before pointing toward the door.

This time, even someone who genuinely did not understand sign language would know what he meant.

Catrina fell silent for several seconds.

"No."

Lathel paused.

Finally.

She had decided to answer honestly.

Catrina rose and walked toward the bed.

"It’s too dangerous outside. You hadn’t even been away from House Avarenne for long before Aldric nearly killed you."

Her fingers tightened faintly.

"If I had arrived even a little later, the person lying here might have been a corpse."

Lathel immediately raised his hand.

’Aldric attacked me. Imprisoning me doesn’t solve that.’

Catrina watched the entire sentence.

Then she calmly replied,

"I don’t understand."

The corner of Lathel’s eye twitched.

Pandora laughed hard enough that her voice trembled.

"She has a very selective understanding problem."

Catrina sat on the edge of the bed as though there was absolutely nothing wrong with what she was doing.

"I know where you were going."

Lathel frowned.

"The road you were traveling leads toward Church territory. You barely had any luggage, you weren’t returning to House Kirlinghalm, and you clearly weren’t heading back to Avarenne."

Her gaze settled on him.

"That leaves only the Magic Academy."

Lathel immediately started signing.

’I have to go there because of Leviana.’

Catrina’s fingers, resting against her dress, tightened.

She remained silent.

But Lathel noticed the subtle change in her eyes the moment she saw that name.

Leviana.

It had been the same in their previous life.

Lathel had entered the Academy because of Leviana, then gradually become entangled in events that should never have had anything to do with him.

So much had already changed this time.

And yet he was still trying to return to that same road.

While Lathel had been unconscious, Catrina had spent a long time thinking.

Eventually, she had found the simplest solution.

Do not let him go.

Outside were Aldric, Pandora, the Church, and countless events whose direction even Catrina could no longer predict.

Here, there was the Black Rose.

As long as Lathel remained inside this stronghold, no one could casually touch him.

"I don’t care why you want to go to the Academy."

Catrina lightly touched the chain.

"But for now, you’re staying here."

Lathel shook his head.

’I don’t agree.’

Catrina watched his hands for a while before saying,

"You said you want something to eat?"

Lathel closed his eyes.

Pandora immediately commented,

"Give up. She’s stronger than your sign language."

Lathel exhaled.

Then he directly grabbed the silver cuff around his wrist and looked straight at Catrina.

The meaning could not have been clearer.

She obviously understood.

But instead of looking at the chain, Catrina’s gaze moved to his face.

One hand slowly reached toward him.

Lathel instinctively leaned away.

Catrina’s hand stopped in midair.

The room instantly became quiet.

She stared at the small distance that had appeared between her fingertips and his face.

The eyes behind her mask trembled slightly.

"You don’t want me to touch you?"

Lathel immediately shook his head, then pointed toward the chain.

The problem was not her face.

Nor was it because Catrina wanted to touch him.

He simply hated his current situation.

Catrina watched his gestures without speaking.

Slowly, she withdrew her hand and curled her fingers against her dress.

In their previous life, she had once thought that if she could meet Lathel one more time, nothing else would matter.

She would hold him.

Apologize.

If Lathel still wanted a wedding with only the two of them, she would even put on that white dress again.

But now he was truly sitting in front of her.

And the person who had pulled away when she tried to touch him—

was Lathel himself.

Old memories immediately surfaced.

The medicine bottle she had smashed.

Lathel standing silently outside her door.

The cruel words she had once used to force him away.

And finally—

a body that had already gone cold.

Catrina closed her eyes for a moment and forced those memories back down.

’This time is different.’

The man before her was still breathing.

As long as he was alive, she still had time.

"I won’t hurt you."

Lathel looked at her.

Catrina moved closer again.

This time, she moved slowly enough that he had every opportunity to avoid her if he wanted.

She raised one hand and gently brushed aside a strand of hair that had fallen over his forehead.

Lathel immediately caught her wrist.

He did not use much force.

But the refusal was obvious.

Catrina lowered her gaze toward the hand holding her.

"You hate it when I touch you?"

Lathel shook his head.

He released her wrist, then pointed at the chain again.

’Let me go.’

"I don’t understand."

Lathel: "..."

Pandora cheerfully remarked,

"She doesn’t understand again."

Catrina reached out once more.

Lathel immediately shifted away.

But this time, instead of touching his hair, she smoothly placed one hand on his shoulder and leaned forward, pulling him into her arms.

Lathel’s entire body stiffened.

One of Catrina’s arms wrapped around his back.

The other rested behind his shoulder.

She did not use excessive strength, but the embrace was firm enough that there was no mistaking it for an accidental touch.

"Just for a moment."

Catrina rested her forehead against his shoulder.

Lathel immediately placed both hands against her shoulders and pushed.

Her arms tightened slightly.

"Don’t."

He paused.

Catrina closed her eyes.

She could hear his heartbeat clearly against his chest.

Alive.

Warm.

Not the corpse from her memories.

"I just want to make sure you’re really here."

Lathel remained still for several seconds.

Then he pushed again.

This time, Catrina finally released him.

The moment space opened between them, Lathel immediately shifted farther away.

The light in her eyes dimmed slightly.

But he had already raised his hands again.

’I don’t like being imprisoned.’

This time, every movement was deliberately slow.

Catrina watched without missing a single word.

When he finished, she still said,

"I don’t understand."

Lathel stared at her for a long time.

Then he finally turned his face away.

It was only a small gesture.

But Catrina’s entire body stiffened.

At that exact moment, a mechanical voice suddenly sounded inside her head.

[Warning.]

Catrina’s pupils contracted.

[The Blessed Star Target’s attitude toward Catrina Veyr has shifted into a negative state.]

[The conditions for Lucky Star Halo are no longer fulfilled.]

[Protection effect has been removed.]

Catrina barely had time to react before another notification appeared.

[Inverse Effect activated.]

[DARK CURSE.]

A chill immediately spread over her entire body.

Catrina shivered.

The sensation was unlike mana.

It was also different from the curse already covering her face.

There was no pain.

No sign of physical injury.

And yet, for one brief instant, Catrina felt as though something had settled directly over her fate.

She immediately looked down at her hands.

Nothing had changed.

Her mana was normal.

Lathel had not noticed anything either.

Catrina slowly raised her head.

He was still looking away from her.

’He hates me?’

That thought hurt her chest far more than the words Dark Curse ever could.

Catrina looked at the chain.

Then at Lathel.

After several seconds, she still reached toward him.

Lathel immediately turned back and caught her wrist before her hand could touch his cheek.

This time, Catrina did not try to move closer.

They looked at each other for several seconds.

"I’m sorry."

Lathel paused.

"I know you don’t like this."

The tension in his eyes eased slightly.

But just as Lathel was about to release her wrist, Catrina spoke softly again.

"I still can’t let you go."

Lathel: "..."

Pandora was silent for two seconds.

"I take back what I said earlier."

Lathel frowned.

"She isn’t entertaining."

Pandora lowered her voice.

"She’s terrifying."

Catrina slowly pulled her wrist free and stood.

As she did, she casually straightened the corner of the blanket that had been disturbed during their struggle.

"Rest. I’ll have someone bring you food."

Lathel immediately pointed at the chain.

Catrina turned away as though she had not seen him.

"Your injuries haven’t healed yet. Don’t move around too much."

He kept pointing.

She continued toward the door.

Lathel watched her back.

The helplessness on his face became increasingly obvious.

Catrina placed one hand on the doorknob.

She knew he was upset.

She also knew that what she was doing would only make things worse between them.

But if the choice was between letting Lathel hate her for a while—

or opening that door, letting him leave, and perhaps one day seeing another cold body waiting for her—

Catrina did not need to think.

’Then hate me.’

She opened the door.

’At least you’ll still be alive to hate me.’

The door closed behind her.

A metallic sound immediately came from inside.

Clink.

Lathel was pulling on the chain again.

Catrina remained outside the door for several seconds before finally releasing the handle.

"You can blame me however you want later."

Her voice was so quiet that only she could hear it.

"Just stay alive."

She turned and walked away.

The cold sensation of the Dark Curse followed behind her.

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