A Regressor's Bucket List

Flinch—

The Black Wind Captain shuddered and turned around at Loxy's gesture, who had simply raised her hand to block the sunlight.

“Don’t worry. We don’t eat people.”

“…What do you plan to do with us… sir.”

Shrug—

“We’re not going to do anything. We’re just minions, so we don’t have any decision-making power anyway.”

Jerry retorted at Loxy’s comment as she shrugged her shoulders.

“…I am strictly a business partner with equal standing. I would appreciate it if you corrected the word ‘minion’.”

“But you are a minion. What's the difference between our current state and a mutt tied to a tree while its master takes care of business?”

“……”

Wanting to retort but finding no words, Jerry shifted his gaze to the Black Wind Captain and changed the subject.

“…There seems to be a misunderstanding. We did not come here to subjugate the New Demonic Cult.”

“…What?”

He offered an explanation, figuring that a similar conversation was likely happening inside.

Jerry added that they never had any intention of attacking, that they hadn't come under orders from a Constellation, and that U-jin had merely wanted to confirm any connection to the former Demonic Cult.

After hearing the whole story, the Black Wind Captain, perhaps thinking it wasn't entirely nonsensical, shouted with a slightly less guarded expression.

“Then why did you come all this way, deceiving me… sir.”

“…I apologize for deceiving you about our true intentions. But it was not out of malice; we simply came here to find traces of the Demonic Cult. I doubt anything major will happen inside either.”

“……”

“…From the looks of it, you seemed like an organized crime syndicate that had taken over this area, so this approach seemed more realistic than revealing our reasons upfront.”

At Jerry's explanation-that-wasn't-quite-an-explanation, the Black Wind Captain's head tilted in confusion.

“Organized crime syndicate?”

Sensing something was off about that strange reaction, Jerry asked him again.

“…Am I wrong? Your actions in the market looked to anyone like a group that collects protection money based on force—.”

“Hah.”

Before Jerry could even finish his sentence.

“…Look here, buddy.”

“……?”

The Black Wind Captain let out a breath as if dumbfounded and stared straight at Jerry.

“No matter how absurdly strong you people are, there are lines you shouldn't cross.”

“……”

“To call a man who lives by the pride of protecting Shandong an organized criminal. We are strictly a defense corps protecting this land of Shandong. Refrain from lumping us in with vermin like organized crime syndicates that eat away at Shandong.”

Loxy, also sensing something was off from his reaction, asked him.

“…Didn't you say earlier that you do whatever it takes, whether it's illegal or legal? And that your ultimate goal was clearly the conquest of Murim……”

“The Shandong Peninsula is part of the front lines in the War against Demons, so military law takes precedence over the laws normally handled in Murim. Thus, suppressive laws are applied to most civilian activities that could cause chaos. Even beating a merchant in a back alley, like earlier, is an act that could get you forcibly conscripted under military law.”

“……”

“That's the kind of 'illegal' I was talking about. We've never even imagined exploiting commoners with our strength or taking exorbitant profits. If we had, there's no way we'd leave our mountain hideout this shabby.”

Only then did Loxy and Jerry realize that the ‘New Demonic Cult’ wasn't an organized crime syndicate, but had the strong character of a local self-defense force.

They met each other's eyes for a moment, then asked one last question.

“Then…… what about taking the slaves?”

“…Recently, the number of Magical Beasts deserting the Demon King's Army and hiding around here has been increasing, so it was a matter of supplementing our numbers. We had already paid for them in advance. Most of our New Demonic Cult members were also rescued from slavery and joined us like that.”

It was a situation they had misunderstood completely.

A faint feeling of ‘apology’ appeared on Loxy's face.

“Then…… what about when you tried to forcibly take that one Dog-tribe Beastkin, saying something about liking her or whatever? What was that about?”

“That was……”

After hesitating for a moment, his lips twitching, he took a deep breath and answered.

“…She asked me as I was passing by, to please take her with me.”

“……!”

“She said that since she was of the Dog-tribe, she was confident in hunting, and that she didn't want to be sold off to some unknown place. She pleaded so earnestly that I tried to force the issue, but I truly had no intention of being genuinely coercive.”

Only then was all the misunderstanding cleared up. In the silence that followed, Jerry spoke.

“…Those Beastkin slaves you said you purchased. Can I see them myself?”

* * *

“…This Dog-tribe member wasn't born with spots; it's an acquired disease. It's a disease that won't heal in a place with high humidity, so it seems inappropriate for them to live here.”

“……”

“…And the Rabbit-tribe are not inherently suited for combat. They're a type of Beastkin prone to panicking from excessive auditory information. Therefore, even if they are Beastkin, it would be better to make an exception for the Rabbit-tribe.”

“Ah…… So that's why until now.”

Jerry, examining the Beastkin who had joined the New Demonic Cult one by one, recited the characteristics of the Beastkin and their related Traits to the Black Wind Captain, explaining which personnel should be excluded and why.

Jerry's explanation was so clear and concise that the Black Wind Captain could only nod and accept it.

Above all, the data he had accumulated from leading and experiencing things with the Beastkin members told him that there was nothing wrong with Jerry's words.

“Hmm…… Then what should I do with all of them.”

As the Black Wind Captain muttered while looking over the Beastkin Jerry had pointed out, Jerry held out a piece of paper to him.

“…I will purchase them.”

“……?”

“…I was planning to propose this from the start. Separate from my partner who is talking with your leader inside, I noticed quite a few Beastkin you were taking were not in normal condition.”

“……”

Ssk—

“The transaction method can be found on the paper, and this is the payment.”

Jerry handed the Black Wind Captain a bundle of a dozen or so payment checks, the same kind he had shown in the back-alley market.

That the transaction amount was substantial could be seen from the Black Wind Captain's subsequent scream.

“…T-Two hundred Coins?”

“It won't be a small amount.”

“Buddy, such a large sum of money……”

“Consider it an advance for future transactions.”

“Transactions?”

“It doesn't seem like there are any right now… but there will surely be Beastkin who get injured or become incapable of combat while working for you. When that happens, send those Beastkin to the same address.”

“……”

The Black Wind Captain furrowed his brow for a moment, as if trying to gauge the meaning behind Jerry's words.

Jerry added to him.

“…I'm saying this just in case, but don't misunderstand. It will be for their own good.”

“……”

“…It's not a demand. If you're not up for it, we can forget it ever happened.”

After pondering a little more over Jerry's added words, the Black Wind Captain shrugged.

“Well, no. Let's do that.”

“……”

“Seeing how well you know about Beastkin, you don't seem to be a mere slave trader acting as a broker… and you don't seem like a bad person either. I'll trust you.”

Ssk—

Jerry took the hand he offered, and the deal was struck.

“Then wait here a moment. I have to unlock these guys' cuffs and explain the situation.”

“……”

“We have to wait until the conversation inside is over anyway, so it's all the same.”

Nod—

With that, the Black Wind Captain left.

A silence fell over the area for a moment.

“…You're not going to tell me?”

It was Loxy who broke the silence and spoke first.

She couldn't hold back the question that had been occupying her mind all this time.

U-jin hadn't given her a clear answer either, and she knew that the fact Jerry hadn't explained it until now meant he had no intention of talking.

Still, she felt she wouldn't be satisfied unless she asked directly at least once.

“…Anything related to the Beastkin is a personal matter. It's not something to be shared.”

…Of course, Jerry refused to answer as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

‘…I'm the only one who doesn't know again,’ Loxy muttered, then spat out threateningly at Jerry.

“…Fine. I'll just think of you as a pervert then. Don't complain about being misunderstood later.”

“……”

To the disgruntled Loxy, Jerry suddenly held out a box.

“Take it.”

“This is……”

“I bought it at the market earlier. I thought it would be best to eat it while it's warm.”

“……”

The box contained a lunchbox.

The savory smell wafting to her nose and the warmth of the box proved it.

Loxy suddenly realized she hadn't eaten anything all day.

The rapid onset of hunger as soon as she smelled it and the ‘gurgle—’ from her stomach proved it.

Smile—

As she was surprised by this unexpectedly sweet(?) side of Jerry and was about to accept it.

“…You're more thoughtful than I expected. I take back what I said about you being a pervert……”

Jerry's quiet mumble instantly chilled the atmosphere.

“…One-quarter Coin.”

“……”

“It's a special lunchbox containing a Shandong specialty delivered to the imperial family. I brought the last one left, so I'll just take exactly double the original price.”

* * *

Loxy, who had refused Jerry's lunchbox and gotten food directly from the Black Wind Captain instead, muttered in displeasure.

“…Of course. I was an idiot for getting my hopes up.”

“…If you calculate the scarcity value of it being the last one, I think it was quite a generous price……”

“Shut up. Before I flip that thing over.”

Cutting off Jerry's excuse, Loxy scooped up a spoonful of rice mixed in beef and radish soup and put it in her mouth.

Munch, munch—

“This is plenty tasty too……”

Jerry, who had been watching her quietly, suddenly asked.

“…Earlier. At the slave market.”

“……?”

“Didn't you say you had something you wanted to ask?”

“…Ah.”

Loxy's eyes glinted, and she nodded her head.

Munch, munch—

Gulp—

Then she finished swallowing what was in her mouth and spoke.

“That's right. I did have something I wanted to ask.”

“…Speak. As long as it's not about the Beastkin, I will answer.”

“It's nothing much…… but you seemed to know something about the Demonic Cult.”

“……”

“I was curious what it was. What on earth is it that made ‘that person’ go on about 'rebuilding the Demonic Cult, rebuilding the Demonic Cult' ever since Kunlun.”

Shrug—

“Never mind its relationship with this New Demonic Cult, I don't know anything about the Demonic Cult in the first place…… It seemed like you knew something, so I wanted to ask.”

As if organizing his thoughts for a moment.

Jerry remained silent before finally asking Loxy.

“By any chance, do you know about the ‘Righteous-Demonic War’?”

“The Righteous-Demonic War?”

“…Then I suppose I should start explaining from there.”

When she tilted her head as if to say she didn't know, Jerry nodded and slowly began his explanation.

“To explain about the Demonic Cult, you first need to know about the ‘Righteous-Demonic War’ that took place here 100 years ago.”