507 – Even Beasts Are Free
The Regressor silently observed me with a heavy gaze. I hadn’t done anything wrong, but I felt guilty for some reason. I kept my hands together and remained still, so the Regressor uncrossed his arms and spoke.
“Why are you just watching?”
“What do you mean?”
“You can do it. You might not be able to go out and fight the Wolf King, but you can easily trick and deceive those pig fools. Let’s stop fighting for a moment and join forces to fight the Wolf King.”
Is he serious? That I can easily trick and deceive those pig beastmen and control them as I wish? That’s not something a human king can do, but a hypnotist. How is that possible?
Of course, I was about to say it was impossible. Until I read the Regressor’s thoughts.
‘You can do it. You can get a better result, so why don’t you do it?’
…Well, let’s say he thinks highly of me. I won’t say it’s impossible because I don’t know how things will turn out.
But I can’t do that. It’s like betraying his expectations, but I decided to abandon the strange faith the Regressor had in me.
“First of all, whether or not I can do it is secondary, but wouldn’t that ruin the picture? I’m the king of humans, not the king of beasts. So, I can’t go out and order the pig beastmen to do this and that.”
“Why?”
“If you ask me why, I have nothing to say. Think of it like how Aji can’t persuade a dog to love humans and make it shout. Because the king of beasts is a representative, not a ruler.”
A dog loves humans because Aji loves humans. Aji doesn’t love humans because the dog loves humans.
That’s how the cause and effect between beasts and the king of beasts work. I only explore the nature of humans, and I don’t try to move or shape it. No, I can’t. Just like a shadow can’t escape a person.
“If the king of beasts tries to control all beasts as he wishes, then he’s no different from the King of Sins.”
The Regressor has a lot of experience, even if he doesn’t have much intelligence. He should understand if I just tell him this much. I was about to finish my explanation with satisfaction.
However, the Regressor tilted his head and asked.
“Isn’t it for Aji?”
“Yes?”
“You have to keep your promise to Aji. You have to defeat the Wolf King. Unlike in the Abyss, this is something you have to do. Sincerely, with all your might.”
Oh, well. I have to keep my promise. But as long as I keep my promise, it doesn’t matter how I do it, right? That’s the norm in our beast king community.
“You know that Ende’s current situation isn’t the best. Then we have to make it the best, so you can fulfill your promise to Aji better. Especially since you have the ability to do so, even if you don’t have the strength.”
‘Hyuse is different from the King of Sins. That’s for sure. However, even if he’s different, he’s too different. He won’t make the situation worse, but he won’t make it better either. He’ll just throw it into chaos. He’s ambiguous. He’s capable, but I don’t know if he’s helpful or not.’
No, even if you believe I have the ability. I don’t have that much ability. It’s not like I can force the wind to blow when it doesn’t want to, even if it’s necessary to protect the city.
It’s not like there’s no way…. Ah, wait a minute.
“If I don’t do it, are you going to abandon Aji and me and run away, Mr. Shay?”
“You idiot? I wouldn’t let you go so irresponsibly just because you’re clumsy. Not unless you’re extremely clumsy.”
“That’s a bit scary.”
If I get clumsier, he might just leave me behind. I get it, I get it.
I have to break this groundless faith he has in me first…. No, come to think of it, it’s unfair. What have I shown him to make him think so highly of me? Haven’t you seen? I’ve been living like a freeloader for almost a month since I came to Ende. I’m incompetent and powerless.
‘But you can do well if you try. Why don’t you do it? Even the king of humans is a human. I’m not asking you to do something for me, but show me that you’re trying harder. Then I can have hope for you in the next round.’
Why are you trying to have hope when you look at me? Look at humans, humans.
The pig beastmen are humans. The goblins are humans. The other beastmen are also humans.Ende became like this because that’s just how humans are. I thought he’d be a little different, but he’s still the same in the end.
But it’s a contradiction to tell me to do better. If that’s how humans are, what can you expect from me, the king of humans?
“Woof! It’s okay!”
At that moment, Aji stepped in between me and the regressor. Aji, who didn’t even seem to know what was going on, barked cheerfully.
“Me, keep promise! Protect human! You, protect! Him, not needed!”
You need to give up on your expectations. Why do you keep your promises so honestly, whether anyone expects it or not? Like an idiot.
The regressor, who was suddenly singled out, pointed at himself and asked.
“What? I’m not needed?”
“Me, trust! Woof! Don’t jump!”
“I told you I wouldn’t jump!”
“Woof woof. Words are nothing!”
“I’m telling you, I won’t!”
‘I haven’t avoided this fight since I got Cheon-ae! No matter what the situation, no matter what the outcome! You don’t know how people are!’
Oh, that’s right. The regressor is a regressor.
This round isn’t the end. I’m not a diligent person who thinks about the future, but I can’t stand to see my future self suffer at the hands of the regressor in the infinite regression of the future.
I guess it wouldn’t hurt to show a little more diligence. That way, I’ll get a reward after the regression.
Oh my. It’s harder than the afterlife. Everyone knows what a good deed is, but the regressor’s heart doesn’t even know itself.
From Noble mtl dot com
Well, the regressor’s heart is secondary. I have to keep my promise.
“Mr. Shay.”
“Why?”
“From now on, please follow my instructions. Don’t ask too many questions about why.”
“Why?”
“…No, I mean, do your best. I’m weak in strength, so I have limitations in my movements, but if you’re there, it’ll be a little easier.”
Yeah. He hasn’t agreed to my request not to ask why yet, so that’s fine.
The regressor, convinced by my explanation, nodded and said.
“Okay. I’ll give it a try. I’ll help you completely.”
‘Last time, I just sent him away because he said he was working, but I’ve never seen what he actually does. This time, I’ll watch him carefully. What kind of person is Hughes?’
Yeah. Watch all you want. Evaluate as much as you want. But I’ll have to test how competent a cooperative regressor is.
“For now, please wait at home. Play with Aji.”
“Why?!”
“…There are times when you have to do that. Or you can follow me secretly. I have to tell a story that won’t look good if Mr. Shay shows his face.”
“What is it?”
I could have just waited until the wolf king came, but why not give him a more timely option? You don’t always have to pay the price for your choices. Or maybe you’ll end up paying the price.
“Didn’t Mr. Shay say earlier? The orcs will be swept away when the wolf king comes.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll have to move that up a bit.”
“We don’t have time?”
“That way, we’ll be able to see the bottom.”
The more urgent it is, the more your true nature will be revealed. Let’s go. Let’s scratch the bottom of the human race.
Urkpeng is a mercenary of pig-beast descent. And like most mercenaries, he wasn’t born to be one.
From a young age, he was a tall and imposing figure, leading a pack of pigs. If there were any beasts who bullied or discriminated against pigs, he would find them and beat them up. The pig-beasts respected him as their leader, and Urkpeng secretly enjoyed their attention.
It was a day like any other. He witnessed some humans shouting noisily in a tavern. A few humans with fierce expressions were using ‘dirty beast’ as an exclamation, chewing on Ende as if he were a piece of meat.
Of course, Urkpeng couldn’t just stand there and watch. He led his pack and surrounded the humans. The frail-looking humans were surrounded by the burly pig-beasts. The humans looked around and chuckled.The humans were mercenaries who had come to the Enger Plains after receiving a request. They were also skilled in ki.
Dozens of pigs were digging the ground, grunting like pigs. Urkpeng begged for forgiveness, his broken tusk rattling. The mercenaries dragged Urkpeng out of the chaotic tavern.
In the vast Enger Plains, the mercenaries were looking for a guide, and Urkpeng provided them with a good excuse to use him. Especially since he was a pig-man. Urkpeng was treated worse than a dog and was used by them for nearly five years.
It was a time of pain and humiliation, but he gained a lot. How to find a way, how to use people, and how to master ki. Ki was not as precious a secret as it used to be. Urkpeng eagerly mastered the ki that the mercenaries had given him as if it were a gift.
Fortunately, Urkpeng was talented and passionate, and above all, his venom made him strong. Urkpeng, who had mastered ki, became quite strong. So much so that the mercenaries felt burdened to face him.
So the mercenaries decided to let Urkpeng go.
Urkpeng was confused when he heard the words “Get out of my sight.” He hated the mercenaries, but he had grown fond of them in his own way. He had gained strength, but he was not strong enough to take revenge. Above all, the money the mercenaries had given him as a severance pay was quite a lot. He returned to Ende, trading a little of his pride for money.
What he had learned was strength. If you have strength, you will be treated well. If you have strength, you will be respected. The reason why pig-men are treated so trivially is because they lack strength. Just as he had been humiliated by the mercenary group.
Urkpeng organized a pig-man mercenary group. He decided to teach ki to the mercenaries and become the strength of the pig-men. So that they would all be respected.
“Whew….”
But it wasn’t enough.
Ende was too big a fruit. The pig-men were not strong enough or prepared enough to handle it now. His strength was not enough to control the chaos in Ende. Urkpeng tried to ignore the incoming reports and poured himself a drink.
“Time, I need time.”
“You seem to be troubled, Mr. Urkpeng.”
I sat down next to him naturally. Urkpeng looked at me over his greasy hair, which hadn’t been washed for days.
“Hmph. Magician. Just in time. I was thinking of borrowing the power of magic.”
“You already have everything you want. What else do you want to borrow?”
“Everything?”
“The power of Ende. Thanks to your efforts, the pig-men are finally being treated well.”
“Huh. Power is not important. What’s important is the strength that allows you to have it.”
Urkpeng emptied his glass roughly. He took a deep breath and muttered.
“We lack strength. This is a power that we have gained thanks to the strength of Lord Grull. But he doesn’t seem to be very interested in Ende. We orcs need to grow stronger, but time is too short. Why is he the king of wolves….”
“Yes. What are you going to do when the king of wolves invades?”
“I don’t know…. I don’t know. We can’t release the obelisk.”
I know. I swallowed a laugh and said.
“Why can’t you release it?”
“Why are you asking the obvious? If we release it, it will come straight to us. Absolutely not. We’ll all be screwed.”
But the chaos will be over. Perhaps the obelisk will soon offer to cooperate to overcome the impending crisis, or Grull may become a little more active.
Of course, the future is uncertain, so it is impossible to know what will happen. But one thing is for sure, it will move towards overcoming the crisis.
…Urkpeng knows this too. He just can’t choose.
“Then there’s nothing you can do. You have no choice but to overcome the king of wolves.”
“Is there a way?”
“There is no way because there is a way. You have to do it because you have to. As long as the king of dogs is here, the king of wolves will ‘definitely’ come, and the king of wolves will try to kill all humans. If you don’t want to die, you have to fight. All of you.”
“It’s easy to say when it’s not your business.”
“Not my business? My father and I are the ones involved. We came to Ende to fight the king of wolves.”“Oh, is that so…. Why did you have to come now of all times.”
Urkpeng, who had been speaking without thinking, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. The alcohol he had drunk seemed to evaporate in an instant, and the cheerful mood disappeared, replaced by a cold chill. Urkpeng stiffened and thought about what he had just said.
‘Wait a minute. As long as there is a king of dogs, the king of wolves comes to visit…? What does that mean.’
Yes. Let’s see how far this goes.
I hid my cold insides and stood up, patting his shoulder.
“I have a plan to deal with the king of wolves, so call me when you’re ready.”
“I…understand. Magician.”
You understand well. Thank you. If you hadn’t understood because you were too drunk, I would have been in trouble.
I waved my hand grandly and left the bar. So that Urkpeng could think about it more carefully.