492 – Dog Training
The Regressor is in a good mood. I knew this fact for a long time, but I’ve never felt it as much as I do now.
“Hello? Where are you going today?”
“Do you need anything? Like something to eat.”
“Maybe a weapon you use often? I can organize one that’s suitable for you!”
Because unlike the past when I used to be irritable all the time, these days when things are going well, I feel good and I always want to give something. You can feel the heat better after you feel the cold. The Regressor’s kindness felt very unfamiliar.
But who am I? I am a poison mage. I gratefully accept kindness without reason. When else would I receive it if not now?
I confidently answered the Regressor’s question about what to buy.
“Please buy me a toy.”
“What?”
No, why. You asked if I needed anything. Why are you frowning so fiercely?
While tracking the Orc Lord, I revealed my face and actions. It was a decision that created a sense of fear in a short amount of time, and it was also possible because I wouldn’t be staying in this city for long.
But because of that, I was in a position where I shouldn’t show my face. If I caught Piggy’s eye, the mansion would become a target of attack.
So when I explained that I needed a toy to kill time because I had to stay in the mansion alone, the Regressor replied reluctantly.
“Are you not just making an excuse to not go outside?”
“What are you talking about. If I wasn’t going to go out, I wouldn’t have gone out at all. I went out every night to beat up petty criminals, and you still doubt me? I’m upset that you doubt my sincerity even after I said that.”
“Oh, no. I was just asking.”
An excuse! I just went out to work because I didn’t want to hear nagging! The best way to avoid nagging is to do what you want!
“So what do you need?”
“Long cloth, rope, a flying disc, and a scratcher.”
“A scratcher?”
“It’s like cork that dogs use to scratch their nails and claws.”
“I know that. But why?”
I said lightly that I was going to fight the Wolf King, and in reality, my existence in that fight would be very light.
But that doesn’t mean I can prepare carelessly. My poison magic is for humans only, and I can’t read how the Wolf King will move or where his fangs will aim. The fear of wolves is something that even the king of humans cannot escape.
But there is one reason why I confidently stepped forward despite that. I raised my hand towards Aji.
“I think it’s about time I matched my hands and feet with Aji.”
“Woof!”
Then Aji jumped up and clapped his paws in my hand. Without using any strength so as not to hurt me, and without showing his claws. It was the result of his instinct to not hurt humans.
But when fighting a wolf, there will be no room for this.
“Oh. Are you finally planning to fight the Wolf King?”
“It’s not a plan. Ende and the wolf pack are fighting in the first place, so can I make a plan and follow it? Even if I follow it, the opponent is a pack of wolves and humans, so it won’t go as planned. I don’t care about things that won’t work. I care more about more important things.”
“What’s more important?”
“My survival.”
I reached out to Aji again. Aji instinctively reached out and placed his hand on mine. This is the amount of force Aji normally exerts on me. It’s rougher in an emergency, but it’s still not strong enough to hurt me.
However, when fighting the Wolf King, he must know how to hurt me. That way, I won’t die.
“Hand.”
“Woof!”
“Foot.”
“Woof!”
When I raise my hand, he jumps up and hits it, and when I raise my foot, he raises his foot and brings it up. He treats me like a fragile tool right now, but… Aji needs to get used to how strong my body is through arm wrestling, so that he can survive the fight ahead.
“Aha. I see. Can I watch too?”
“Aren’t you busy today?”
“Yeah. The supplies are finished, and I don’t have anything to do until Groll enters Ende. Everything is going smoothly!”
“Ugh. Why am I so anxious when Mr. Shay says it’s going smoothly.”
“Why? Isn’t it normal for things to go according to plan?”
“That depends on the person.”
‘What do you mean? It’s normal for things to go according to plan every time you regress…. Do you mean I’m someone who doesn’t go according to plan? Is that because I’m doing things I didn’t do in the previous round? It’s kind of annoying?’
I try to understand the insult he said indirectly. I interrupted just before the Regressor felt a vague sense of discomfort.
“Yes. Watch. No, while you’re at it, Mr. Shay, why don’t you train Aji too?”
“Train Aji?””Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen a demon fight after coming out of the abyss unscathed. Until now, they’ve either disappeared without a trace or been used by the Lord of All Things. It might be a good idea to re-evaluate the demon’s power here.”
“Okay.”
“Then go out and buy me the toy I told you about.”
“Okay.”
The Regressor readily went outside the mansion to run my errand. As he stepped outside, he suddenly stopped and tilted his head, looking at the tightly closed mansion door.
‘Huh. But why am I running errands? I feel a little weird.’
Hey, someone could stop him. Do something.
‘Well. Hughes has worked hard, too. He can go for a walk and come back. Where should I buy it? Would the Golden Flower District be okay?’
He’s in a good mood. The Regressor, who had become much more generous, set off cheerfully.
If I put on a big show today, I’ll be able to do all the business for the year. I read the Regressor’s mind as he walked away and congratulated the Ende merchants.
Now, what should I do? I was thinking about what would happen in the future for a moment when Aji came up to me and barked.
“Woof. Woof woof.”
“If you have something to say, say it in human language. I can’t understand you if you don’t speak.”
You can now speak human language for me, who can’t read dog minds. Aji said with a little worry on his innocent face.
“Where are you going without sleeping?”
“When? At night?”
“Woof.”
“To work.”
I usually do the job of killing violent pig people. The rumor that the King of Dogs has appeared is already circulating in Ende. Aji, who can’t attack people anyway, wouldn’t be of much help even if I took him with me.
I answered roughly, even though it was annoying and pointless to explain all that. But Aji guessed roughly and said.
“Fight? With humans?”
People call stupid people beasts. It’s not a wrong statement. Beasts are generally less intelligent than humans.
But intelligence was also a measure set by humans in the first place. What if beasts were given human language? What would humans think when they talk to beasts?
For the record, I don’t think anything. I’m the same beast.
I said to Aji, who had figured out what I was saying, without much emotion.
“Usually, yes. If you’re not human, there’s no one to fight with.”
“Woof woof. Wolf!”
“The Wolf King is still a while away. And the Wolf King is also being helped by humans. It’s a fight between dogs and wolves, but it’s actually a proxy war between two forces.”
“Woof….”
Aji, who suddenly became discouraged, asked, his ears and tail drooping.
“Human, why fight?”
“Why are you suddenly asking such a philosophical question? Why? It’s not even a thing for beasts to fight each other.”
“Woof! Me, not fight human!”
“You should fight. How long do you plan to not fight?”
There are dogs that attack humans, and there are wolves that include humans in their pack and live together. That’s probably because dogs and wolves have the same roots.
But Aji doesn’t attack humans, and the Wolf King goes crazy when he sees humans. When you think about it, the gap between beasts and the King of Beasts is strangely felt. Well, the King of Beasts represents the will of the species, so it’s not incomprehensible.
“Not fight! Not fight, not fight!”
“Really. Beasts forget what they ate yesterday. You might forget everything and fight again.”
“Still not fight! Woof! Fight, forget!”
Yes. If that’s what you say, then so be it. The fight between humans will still continue, but if Aji doesn’t fight in the meantime, it will be a fight without Aji.
“Will you fight the Wolf King?”
“Woof! Promise!”
“It’s a promise for you, not for me.”
“Woof?”
“Why are you asking a question when it’s your own fight? Anyway, since we have the same enemy. Protect me.”
“Woof!”
I guess it’s not scary. Well, I don’t feel particularly scared either. Because it’s inevitable. I’ve lost all my strength and become ordinary, but the ‘promise’ as the King of Beasts still remains and moves me.
I guess I’m the King of Beasts too. It’s not like I’m helping at all.
“Still, it’s better to prepare in advance and increase the probability of winning when we fight.”
“Woof woof! Good!”
“But I still don’t know, Aji. How can we increase the probability of winning?”
“Woof woof. Woof?”
“That’s right. I don’t know either. We’re not prophets.”A prophet would know. But a prophet cannot choose the future for you. He only takes advantage of the future he has read.
I’m not asking you to choose for me either. If you come near me and read my mind, I’ll use you too, but if not, I don’t have to.
“Then I think it’s best to do your best at that time, Aji. Do you understand?”
“…Woof woof. Bad face.”
“Me? Where is there a person with a face as kind as mine?”
Aji slowly moved away and lay down a short distance away. Well, it’s said that he’s better at reading human emotions than ordinary humans. He’s not stupid, so he’s not fooled by words or situations. He just feels it with his animal instincts.
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But even that didn’t last long.
“I’m back!”
As soon as the returnee who had finished his errand put down the toy, he immediately wagged his tail and showed interest. It’s true that he looks stupid when he looks like this.