Chapter 507: Even Beasts Are Free
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 507: Even Beasts Are Free
The Regressor watched me, her expression sullen and silent. I hadn't done anything wrong, yet I somehow felt guilty. As I stood there quietly with my hands clasped, she unfolded her arms and spoke.
“Why are you just watching?”
“Watching what?”
“You can do something. You might not be able to go out and fight the Wolf King yourself, but you can trick and coax those Piggy idiots. Tell them to stop fighting for a moment and join forces to face the Wolf King.”
Was she serious? She thought I could just trick and coax the pig beastkin into doing my bidding? That sounded less like a job for the King of Humans and more for a hypnotist. How was that even possible?
I was about to tell her it was obviously impossible. That is, until I read her thoughts.
‘He can do it. He can achieve a better outcome, so why won't he?’
…Well, I could set aside her overestimation of me for a moment. You never know how things will turn out in this world, so I wouldn't say it was impossible.
But I couldn't do it. It felt like a betrayal of her expectations, but I decided to disappoint the strange faith the Regressor had in me.
“First of all, setting aside whether I can do it or not, it would create a strange picture. I am the King of Humans, not a king who rules over them. I can’t just step in and order the pig beastkin to act a certain way.”
“Why?”
“I don’t really have an answer if you ask me why. Think of it as being similar to how Azzy doesn’t persuade dogs to love humans. Because the Beast King is a representative, not a ruler.”
Azzy loves humans because dogs love humans. It’s not that dogs love humans because Azzy loves them.
That was the cause-and-effect relationship between a beast and their King. I only delve into the nature of humanity; I don’t try to move or shape it. No, I can’t. Just as a shadow cannot leave its person.
“If a Beast King tried to rule all beasts according to their will, they’d be no different from the King of Sins.”
She might be lacking in some areas, but the Regressor had a wealth of experience. She would understand with just this much of an explanation. I was about to conclude my satisfactory explanation.
But the Regressor tilted her head and asked again.
“But it’s for Azzy.”
“Pardon?”
“You have to keep your promise to Azzy. You have to defeat the Wolf King. Unlike in the Abyss, this is something you have to do. Sincerely, with all your strength.”
Uh, well. I did have to keep the promise. But as long as the promise was kept, did the method really matter? In our Beast King community, that was the standard.
“You know it too. The current situation in Ende is not the best. So, if you make it the best, you’ll be able to fulfill your promise to Azzy that much better. And besides, you may not have physical strength, but you have the ability to do so.”
‘Hughes is different from the King of Sins. That’s for sure. But he’s too different. He doesn’t make situations worse, but he doesn’t make any move to make them better, either. He just throws things into chaos. It’s ambiguous. He’s competent, but I can’t tell if he’s being helpful or not.’
No, even if you believe I have the ability, I really don’t have that kind of power. I can’t force a wind to blow when it has no desire to, especially not to protect a city.
But if you asked if there was no way… well, that wasn't true either. Ugh, hold on.
“If I say I won’t do it, are you, Shei, going to abandon Azzy and me and run?”
“Are you stupid? I don’t just irresponsibly drop everything when things go south. Unless they go really south, that is.”
“That’s a little scary.”
So if things got worse, she might just drop everything and bolt. Alright, alright.
First, I needed to shatter this baseless faith she had in me… No, on second thought, this was unfair. What had I ever shown her to make her rate me so highly? Didn't she see? Even after coming to Ende, I lived the life of a bum for nearly a month. I was incompetent and lethargic.
‘He could do well if he tried. Why won’t he? Even the King of Humans is still human. It’s not for my own benefit, just show me you’re trying a little harder. That way, I can have hope for you in the next timeline.’
Why are you trying to find hope by looking at me? Look at humanity, at humans.
The pig beastkin are human. The public officials are human. The other beastkin are also human.
The reason Ende is in this mess is simply because that’s how humans are. I thought things might change a little, but they’re all cut from the same cloth, so it all ends up the same.
So telling me to do better is a contradiction. Humans are like that, so what could you possibly expect from me, the King of Humans…?
“Woof! It’s okay!”
Just then, Azzy squeezed in between me and the Regressor. With transparent eyes that made it impossible to tell if she understood anything at all, Azzy barked cheerfully.
“I, keep promise! Protect humans! Protect you! Even if, he, gone!”
You need to let go of your expectations. Why do you so steadfastly keep your promises whether anyone expects you to or not? You fool.
The Regressor, who had been suddenly singled out, pointed to herself and asked back.
“What? Even if I’m gone?”
“I, trust! Woof! You no run!”
“I just said I wouldn’t run!”
“Woof woof. Words are cheap!”
“I’m serious!”
‘Ever since I got Chun-aeng, I haven’t avoided this fight! No matter the situation, no matter the outcome! She has no idea what I’ve been through!’
Ah, right. The Regressor was the Regressor.
This timeline wasn't the end. I might not be the diligent type to think about the distant future, but I couldn't stand by and watch my future self get tormented by the Regressor throughout the eternal regressions to come.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt to show a slightly more diligent side. That way, my post-regression self might get some benefits too.
Good grief. This was more complicated than the afterlife. Everyone knows what a good deed is, but not even the Regressor herself knows her own heart.
Well, setting her heart aside, I did have to keep my promise.
“Shei.”
“What?”
“From now on, please follow my instructions. And don’t ask too many questions.”
“Why?”
“…Hey, you’re the one who told me to do my best. My lack of strength limits my movements, but with you around, that’s less of a problem.”
Right. She hadn't agreed to the 'don't ask questions' part yet, so her response was fair.
Convinced by my explanation, the Regressor nodded and said.
“Alright. Give it a shot. I’ll help you in any way I can.”
‘Last time, he said he was working, and I just sent him off alone. I never saw what he actually did. This time, I’ll watch closely. I’ll see just what kind of person this Hughes is.’
Fine. Watch all you want. Judge me as you please. But in return, I'm going to test just how competent a cooperative Regressor can be.
“For now, please wait at home. You can play with Azzy.”
“Why?!”
“…Sometimes, that’s just how it has to be. Or you can follow me in secret if you want. I need to have a conversation that won’t go well if you show your face.”
“What is it?”
The Wolf King would be invading soon, so I could have just waited and watched. But maybe I could offer them a slightly earlier choice. The price of a choice doesn't always have to be paid in blood. Though they might end up wishing it had been.
“You said it yourself earlier, didn’t you, Shei? That the Orcs would dither around until the Wolf King invades and then get wiped out.”
“I did.”
“I think I need to move that timeline up a bit.”
“But we’re out of time.”
“That’s why we’ll get to see them hit rock bottom.”
The more rushed people are, the more their true nature is revealed. Let’s go. Time to dredge up the dregs of humanity.
*
Urukfang was a pig beastkin mercenary. And like most mercenaries, he wasn't born one.
Sturdily built since childhood, he led a gang of Piggies, and if any beastkin bullied or discriminated against them, he would track them down and give them a sound thrashing. The pig beastkin revered him as their leader, and Urukfang secretly enjoyed the attention.
It was a day like any other. He witnessed a few humans shouting loudly in a tavern. Several rough-looking men were spewing the words ‘filthy beastkin’ like an exclamation, chewing up Ende as a side dish to their drinks.
Urukfang was not one to stand by and watch. He led his gang and surrounded the humans. The frail-looking humans were now encircled by burly pig beastkin. The humans glanced around once, then smirked.
Those humans were mercenaries who had come to the Enger Plains on a job. And they were trained in Qi Arts.
Dozens of Piggies crawled on the ground, oinking like pigs. Urukfang, his tusk broken and dangling, begged for mercy. The mercenaries left the trashed tavern behind, grabbing Urukfang and dragging him away.
In the vast Enger Plains, the mercenaries were looking for a guide, and Urukfang provided a convenient excuse to be worked to the bone. Especially since he was a pig beastkin. For nearly five years, Urukfang was worked by them, treated worse than a dog.
They were days of pain and humiliation, but he gained much. How to find his way, how to manage people, and how to learn Qi Arts. Qi Arts weren't the precious secret they once were. Urukfang tenaciously learned the techniques the mercenaries handed down like charity.
Fortunately, Urukfang had talent and an abundance of passion, but above all, it was his venom that made him strong. Having learned Qi Arts, Urukfang became quite powerful. Powerful enough that the mercenaries felt burdened by treating him so poorly.
So, the mercenaries decided to let Urukfang go.
Hearing them tell him to leave to his face, Urukfang was confused. He hated the mercenaries, but he had grown attached to them in his own way. He had gained power, but he wasn't strong enough for revenge. Most importantly, the severance pay they gave him was quite hefty. Trading a bit of his pride for money, he returned to Ende.
What he had learned was power. With power, you are treated well. With power, you are respected. The reason pig beastkin were treated so poorly was because they lacked power. Just as he had been humiliated in the mercenary band.
Urukfang organized a pig beastkin mercenary corps. He decided to teach them Qi Arts and become the strength of the pig beastkin. So that they would all be respected.
“Huuu…”
But it wasn't enough.
Ende was too great a prize. The pig beastkin currently lacked the strength and preparation to handle it. His power alone couldn't control the chaos in Ende. Urukfang tried to ignore the reports that kept coming in as he tipped back his glass.
“Time, I need time.”
“You seem to have a lot on your mind, Mr. Urukfang.”
I casually sat down beside him. Urukfang looked at me over his greasy hair, which hadn't been washed in days.
“Heh heh. Magician. Perfect timing. I was just thinking I’d like to borrow the power of magic.”
“You’ve already gotten everything you wanted. What else do you want to borrow?”
“Everything?”
“The power in Ende. Thanks to your struggles, a world where pig beastkin are finally treated well has arrived.”
“Hmph. Power isn’t important. What’s important is the strength that allowed us to obtain it.”
Urukfang roughly drained his glass. After downing the drink in one go, he let out a belch and muttered.
“We lack strength. This power was seized thanks to Lord Grul’s might. But he doesn’t seem to show much interest in Ende. We Orcs need to build our strength, but there’s too little time. Of all things, the Wolf King…”
“I know, right? The Wolf King is coming. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know… I don’t know. I can’t just release the Obelisk.”
So he knew. I swallowed the laugh that threatened to escape and spoke.
“Why can’t you release them?”
“Why ask the obvious? The moment we let them out, they’ll try to capture us. Absolutely not. We’ll all lose our heads.”
But the chaos would be brought under control. Perhaps the Obelisk would even propose cooperation to overcome the impending crisis, and Grul might become a little more proactive.
Of course, the future was unknown, so I couldn't be sure how things would turn out. But one thing was certain: they would move toward overcoming the crisis.
…Urukfang knew this fact too. He just couldn't bring himself to choose it.
“Then there’s no other way. You all will have to overcome the Wolf King yourselves.”
“Is there a way?”
“You don’t do it because there’s a way. You do it because you have to. As long as the Dog King is here, the Wolf King will definitely come, and the Wolf King will try to kill all humans. If you don’t want to die, you have to fight. All of you.”
“Easy for you to say when it’s not your problem.”
“Not my problem? Azzy and I are the ones directly involved. We came to Ende to fight the Wolf King.”
“Ah, is that so… Why did you have to come now, of all times.”
As the words tumbled out of his mouth without much thought, a shiver ran down Urukfang’s spine. The vast amount of alcohol he’d drunk seemed to evaporate in an instant; the tipsy feeling vanished, replaced by an icy chill. Urukfang, stiff as a board, mulled over the words he had just spoken.
‘Wait. As long as the Dog King is here, the Wolf King will come…? That means.’
Yes. Let’s see just how far you can go.
Hiding my cold intentions, I patted his shoulder and stood up.
“I’ve already laid out a plan to deal with the Wolf King, so call me when you’re ready.”
“I… will. Magician.”
You understood perfectly. Thank you. If you had been too drunk to get it, I would have been in a tight spot.
I waved a big hand and left the tavern, leaving Urukfang to chew on that thought a little more thoroughly.