Chapter 489: I Neither Rule Nor Reign
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 489: I Neither Rule Nor Reign
There have been countless benefits since I started sharing the Regressor’s Bountiful Table. It costs no money, the taste is guaranteed, and the menu is incredibly diverse. Even the slight inconvenience of it being served one bite at a time felt more like a perk—a small price to pay for tasting such a wide variety of dishes.
But there was one downside. And that single downside was enough to cancel out all the other benefits. What was it, you ask?
“Hughes.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever heard the saying, ‘He who does not work, neither shall he eat’?”
It was the Regressor’s nagging.
The refreshing salad, dressed in yuzu vinaigrette, landed in my stomach with the weight of steel. I swallowed hard and, glancing nervously at the Regressor, made an excuse.
“Everything turned out fine, didn’t it?”
“What do you mean, ‘fine’? It was always going to turn out this way.”
‘Saying it like that makes it too obvious I know the future. I should rephrase.’
“Like it or not, we have to fight the Wolf King. One public figure muddying the waters doesn't change a thing.”
“If it doesn’t change anything, then that’s that, right?”
“The incident with the public figure muddying the waters shouldn’t have happened in the first place! I called you to stop things like that!”
So this is why grown children don’t want to eat with their parents. What good is a well-prepared meal if you can’t even swallow it?
“That public figure was openly targeting Azzy, and you did nothing! You should have at least been watching over her!”
“I was watching over her. I just didn't expect him to go berserk like that.”
“So you can’t handle anything you don’t expect? How can I trust you with anything?”
“Ugh. You really know how to nag.”
“Nag?”
Unable to take it anymore, I slammed my utensils down and stood up. I have my pride. No matter how easygoing a beast I may be—no, because I am a beast—I’m more sensitive to criticism.
“All you ever do is scold and criticize me! I have to walk on eggshells every single day! The food won’t go down my throat!”
“What does it matter if you’re the head of the household or not? I’m the one doing all the work.”
“And how well did you do it?! Don’t get all arrogant over one little success when you’ve been screwing around this whole time!”
“When have I ever screwed around?”
“For starters, the biggest thing was you pretending you didn’t know the future like the Saintess! You acted ignorant just to get an advantage! Be honest. You saw this future too, didn't you?!”
The direct hit made the Regressor offer an excuse with the reflexes of her Heavenly Counter Domain.
“I-I’m not the Saintess. I’m a man.”
“What?”
‘Did I say something I shouldn’t have? But if I stay as a woman, I’ll be suspected of being the Saintess, and that’s a pain. Even Tyrkanzyaka turned hostile the moment she realized I was a woman.’
Are you still telling that lie? Didn’t Tyr already find you out? I was unconscious when we parted ways in the Fallen Dominion, but when I read Tyr’s memories, she just thought of you as the Saintess.
‘…Hughes wasn’t there, so he wouldn’t know, right? That must be it! He’s never seemed to care about my gender until now!’
Why would I care what you are… Ugh, forget it. If that’s what you want, I’ll just treat you as a man. It’s ridiculous to think the King of Humans can’t even tell a person’s gender, but whatever.
“I don’t know what the future holds anymore. The only thing that’s certain is that the King of Sins will appear and the world will end. Stopping the Wolf King isn’t about seeing the future; it’s just basic preparation. The Wolf King’s power is so immense that I need to draw strength from wherever I can. You were part of that plan, but…”
Having settled on her persona, the Regressor looked at me and let out a deep sigh.
“I didn’t realize you’d be this weak and useless… But, well, it’s fine. I’ll just think of you as a set with Azzy.”
“What? What did you say? A set with Azzy?”
Fine. I admit it. I’m weak. Even though I’ve been slowly regaining my strength throughout this journey, I’m still pathetic compared to the real powerhouses. The Regressor? Forget her. Even Welsh, the guard dog of that Ende noble, is my equal or stronger.
But still! To be lumped in as a set with a dog?
“Azzy is a pet, nothing more, nothing less! She eats and sleeps even more than I do!”
“Woof? Me?”
“Azzy is still the Dog King, so she can win the favor of the dog beastkin. And she’ll help fight the Wolf King. She’s a dog anyway, so being a little lazy is fine.”
“Woof woof? All of a sudden?”
“If it weren’t for the Sanctum, I would have been leading humanity! If something hadn’t stolen my power, a wolf would have been a one-hit kill! If you think about it the other way, isn’t it more noble that the weakened King of Humans is trying so hard to keep his promise? You should be more grateful!”
“Woof woof woof! Thank you!”
“Trying hard?! You don’t make any effort at all! What have you even done since you got here?!”
“Woof…?”
Azzy. Why are you tilting your head? You need me more than anyone, yet you’re looking at me as if to say, ‘Now that I think about it, he’s right.’
These two, seriously. Do they really see me as just a freeloader? Fine. If that’s what they want, I’ll work. It’s not that I can’t, it’s that I haven’t!
“Hmph. Shei. Do you want me to do something? For real?”
“Of course. Do something, anything. You’re the King of Humans, aren’t you?”
“Fine. Wait right there. I’ll bring back some results of my own.”
It’ll be tough and tiring, but it’s better than living off scraps while walking on eggshells every day. I grabbed my coat and prepared to leave. As I was about to go, the Regressor followed me and asked.
“It’s dark out.”
“There are things to be done in the dark.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll tell you after I’ve done it.”
“Need help?”
“Don’t need it. I’ll do this with my own strength.”
“Really? Then go ahead. I’ll praise you if you do well.”
“Praise? Don’t come crying to me, begging for forgiveness when you regret this.”
I threw on a hood, grabbed my remaining cards, and stormed out. As I stepped into the yard, a cold wind swept across my cheek. I suddenly didn’t want to go, hoping she might stop me, even now, but…
‘I wonder what he’s going to do. Should I follow him?’
You’re not even thinking of stopping me, just tailing me? You’re unbelievable.
‘No. He noticed me following him in the Abyss. I shouldn’t give him an excuse to slack off when he’s finally motivated. I’ll just let him do as he pleases.’
Unfortunately, the Regressor made no attempt to stop or hold me back. I had stormed out with such bravado; there was no turning back now. Leaving the warmly lit mansion behind me, I opened the yard gate and plunged into the cold darkness of Ende.
*
Thinking back on it now, it was a strange thing.
The Beast Kings are powerful, but not invincible. They’re conceptual beings, representing their species with a certain level of power and influence, but they’re far from being laws of nature or gods.
As strong as Azzy was, she was still a step below the Six Generals, and Nabi whimpered after a single blow from Tyr. Experience aside, no matter how well they fought, being so far removed from humanity, it was like a single animal tearing up the yard.
And yet, the Regressor described the Wolf King as a catastrophe-level threat. No matter how large his pack, it couldn’t possibly rival human society. For that to happen, every species would have to unite with a single heart and mind, but if humans couldn’t do it, could wolves?
I couldn’t fathom why… but today, in Obeli, I read their thoughts and began to understand.
“Hmph! I taught a lesson to two scumbags who ate pork today. From now on, every time those bastards try to tear into some meat, their loose front teeth will give them hell!”
It wasn’t a wolf problem.
I was in the lowest of the low, even in the hodgepodge that was Ende. A space like the city’s intestines, where they filtered the sewage flowing out of the village over and over to take what they needed.
The pig beastkin gathered there, in a place where a human would sicken and die in no time, sat around a bonfire, cackling and boasting of their day’s achievements.
“Hey, is that all? I went and smeared shit all over a butcher shop. You should have seen the butcher’s face turn red as a turd as he screamed his head off! Said he’d pull out my intestines and smear shit on them too? Pahaha! Screw him! I told him if he was going to do it, he should at least do it in the aging room!”
“Is their mouth the only thing on them that moves? They think they can solve everything just by running their traps! I trashed a restaurant, and you know what they said? That they wouldn’t share a single scrap of food with us Piggies from now on!”
“When did they ever share anything with us? Nothing but a mouthful of curses!”
“Let’s see who wins if we keep up this mud fight. We’ve always lived in the mud, so we’ve got nothing to lose!”
“But, isn’t it a bit too childish to call this a mud fight? This isn’t terrorism, it’s just a cute prank, isn’t it?”
The Piggies, sharing their vulgar and sordid pleasures in the darkness, didn’t notice my presence right away.
“Even a prank becomes art if you’re sincere about it! We’re showing them. Showing all the idiots in this city just how far we’re willing to go!”
“If you’re going to make a point, you should make it widely known. Shouting while you squabble in the same ditch will only get you an echo.”
“Who’s that? Who’s been raining on our parade?!”
The chattering Piggies looked around, searching for the source of the voice. They didn’t have to look for long. Because I was sitting right beside them, giving a little wave.
“Hello?”
“You…!”
It was the one who stabbed me.
He couldn’t fail to recognize me. As stupid as Piggies were, he probably hadn’t stabbed enough people in the last two days to forget my face.
“This bastard…!”
As he reached into his coat for a knife, I smacked his pocket hard. Having grabbed the knife wrong, the Piggy howled in pain and rolled on the ground, his hand sliced open.
“Get him!”
Thinking they could overwhelm me with numbers, several Piggies rushed me from all sides. The intentions of at least five of them tangled together in a complex mess. The chaotic attack of weaklings who didn’t even know where their own bodies were going.
My past self would have had a hard time dealing with this, but not anymore. I shook my sleeve and drew a card of the Divine.
Spade 10, Gaia Ego.
I couldn’t warp the earth or cause earthquakes with this Earth Art, but I could at least dig a few furrows. The ground the Piggies were about to step on suddenly warped, creating dips and rises. The Piggies, charging without looking down, missed their footing or got their feet caught in the furrows and tumbled over.
They crashed into each other, and the ones who were flailing on the ground were trampled by others. I pushed and pulled the charging thugs, stacking them up neatly. After striking the one on top, the last remaining one charged at me from behind.
“Die!”
He swung a sharp dagger without hesitation. He didn’t seem to have any qualms about killing people… or rather, he didn’t think that far. He was too busy spewing hostility at me.
Even if he was an idiot, a blade was still dangerous. I temporarily stuck a card to my palm and blocked the dagger. The Piggy, seemingly unimpressed by the card, pushed harder, as if to tear through both the card and my hand.
However.
“Ta-da!”
As if the card had swallowed it, the sharp blade vanished, leaving only the hilt, and scattered into a flurry of cards. The Piggy stared in bewilderment at the disintegrating cards.
“Wh-what? Cards?”
“Now this feels a bit more like magic.”
Fighting is so much easier with more cards to use. Maybe I should call it practical combat magic.
I flattened the defenseless thug’s nose with my fist. Stepping on him as he fell bleeding, I looked around.
They were just back-alley thugs, a little tougher for being pig beastkin. Defeating them was nothing to brag about. I looked down at the demoralized Piggies and spoke.
“Alright, you dregs of society. If you’re trash, you should stay buried in the sewage plant where you belong. Attacking people just because they ate some pork? Are you feeling some kind of kinship with the pigs?”
“What?! You bastard, what did you just…!”
Another Piggy cut off one who was about to shout in anger. A Piggy who seemed to have a bit more sense shot back brazenly.
“S-so what if we did! You got any proof?!”
“Proof? Weren’t you just proudly bragging about it a moment ago?”
“That was just a joke between Piggies. Who are you to frame us? Are you a public official or something?”
Oh-ho. So that’s how they’re going to play it? I scratched my chin and replied.
“Well, no.”
“So you’re going to beat us up and frame us without any proof? A human? Hmph! You’re really asking for it now, aren’t you?”
“You’re the ones who drew a knife first.”
“It was self-defense!”
Right. So this is their strategy. The reason lawless people survive is, paradoxically, because the law exists. Ende has its own order and system. As a city of beastkin, they enjoy quite a few rights and privileges. The pig beastkin are no exception.
In a truly lawless land, the strong would devour the weak, but this was a city of beastkin. That meant I couldn’t just go around roughing people up on suspicion alone.
That was also the reason the terrorist group called Okma had survived.
“The Sky God and Mother Earth both know that the pig beastkin have been causing trouble lately.”
“There are over thirty thousand Piggies living in Ende. Even more outside! How can you be so sure it was us?”
“You’re going to punish us without any proof? Even a public official would face a backlash for that.”
“Do you want to see thirty thousand Piggies rise up at once?”
It is said that three people can create a tiger. With six or seven Piggies oinking away, I couldn’t possibly win with intimidation alone. I scrunched my face as if I were in a bind and said.
“So full of yourselves. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re outlaws.”
“Bring proof or a witness! If you don’t, we won’t just stand by!”
“We’ll take this to the shrine, to Obeli, wherever, and make it a public issue!”
Proof, proof. The truth is, proof is hard to find. It’s not like the traces of someone’s actions remain perfectly intact. And even if they did, who would be the judge?
These guys were just ordinary pig beastkin, even if they used the name Okma. And pig beastkin were generally thugs. There was no way to drive them out without excising the pig beastkin as a whole. There was no way to tell who was Okma and who was an innocent pig beastkin—setting aside the fact that there were no innocent pig beastkin.
“Ugh. Fine. Since there doesn’t seem to be any proper proof, I’ll just go ask your mother.”
“Mother?”
“Oops. Do you call her Godmother? Well, it doesn’t matter. I hear you call anyone who feeds you ‘mother’.”
But I don’t need proof. Because I have mind-reading.
“The Godmother is, uh, just someone who gives us food sometimes!”
“Uh-huh. Right, right. I guess I’ll have to dig into the identity of this old Piggy who is so good at feeding the Piggies who commit acts of terror, whose food seems to appear out of nowhere. That’s what proof is all about, you see.”
There’s a joke in this world. Piggies can’t gather in groups of more than twenty-one. They’d run out of fingers and toes to count.
Pig beastkin who live hand-to-mouth organizing a group like Okma to commit terrorism? If they had that kind of leeway, they wouldn’t be steeped in a victim complex, and if they had that kind of organizational skill, they would have founded a nation back in their orc days.
“Wh-who… told you that information…”
“Who do you think? If I didn’t hear information about Piggies from a Piggy, who else would I have heard it from?”
To be precise, I read your thoughts. A secret organization? A cell-based one? It’s all meaningless. Those cells are ultimately connected by people.
I’ll have to follow the threads one by one until I reach the very deepest part—to the one trying to fracture this city.
“A Piggy…? Don’t tell me. The opposition faction?”
“Oops. Did I say too much?”
They seemed to be jumping to their own conclusions, but it didn’t matter. They could sort it out themselves.
Giving them a big wave, I walked back into the darkness, mulling over the Piggies’ thoughts. It seemed I had a lot of places to visit tonight.