A Regressor's Bucket List Chapter 157

‘Two suns cannot rise under the same sky.’

That saying is often used to describe the rivalry between two competitors, but it could be applied just as well to the structure of succession.

Just as an heir cannot covet the king's throne as long as their father, the king, remains in power—unless they stage a coup and forcibly usurp it.

The throne was permitted to only one being of the era.

And in the royal bloodline of the Beastkin Nation, such a tradition was not merely a cultural custom but was engraved in the blood flowing through their bodies and the Mana Circuits settled throughout them.

That the heir could not inherit the throne until the preceding king died.

‘…….’

At first glance, one might say this was too harsh a treatment for the heir.

With this method of succession, it was possible for even the rightful heir to die without ever ascending the throne.

However, that was only from a human perspective.

The Beastkin, who boasted the longest lifespan among the demi-human races, mostly died from illness or in war; the concept of a natural death was so faint that it was rare for them to die after living out their full lifespan.

Moreover, as long as they didn't have major illnesses or injuries, they wouldn't even grow feeble after one or two hundred years passed; rather, they were bound to grow stronger with time.

Therefore, for the Beastkin, who possessed Traits different from humans, that seemingly harsh culture of succession was not awkward at all and suited them well.

Furthermore, inheriting the throne in the Beastkin Royal Family was not simply about receiving the position or authority.

A special power passed down through the bloodline for generations.

The fact that this special power, permitted only to those who ascended the throne among the countless Beastkin, was inherited.

That held the greatest meaning in inheriting the throne.

‘…….’

And.

I didn't know how it was for her, but I needed that power.

To rally the Beastkin again and for them to form a power of their own, I didn't just need Valencia, but a ‘Valencia who has ascended the throne’.

…And that was precisely the problem at hand.

If she had already received the succession from the former king and obtained the right to the throne, it would have been a matter of persuading her and taking her with me.

But she had not yet inherited the throne from ‘Allen Tigris III’.

…In truth, it was something that shouldn't have been possible.

It had been almost a century since Allen Tigris III died, and considering the time that had passed, the succession should have happened long ago.

However, one of her eyes still remained blue.

Still, one eye was colored with the symbolic golden hue of the Tigris Royal Family.

And from the fact that she had previously controlled her father through it, it seemed the process wasn't completely stalled, but at any rate, one blue eye meant she was only halfway there.

One could not say that the ‘succession was complete’.

And the reason for it was self-evident.

Her father, ‘Allen Tigris III’s, body had long been dead, but there was still the guardian deity of Aileen Village and the Man-eating Beast that hunted Villains.

It was because Allen Tigris III’s Thought Form was still firmly planted on this land.

I didn't know the exact mechanism… but it was the only thing I could surmise, and even thinking about it briefly, it seemed to be the most rational guess.

Of course, as if I had known all this beforehand, I had a plan.

Just as I had separately told that guy Tom before arriving here to prioritize my words on this journey… it wouldn't be an easy task.

‘…I have to do it.’

The plan was simple.

To kill Allen Tigris III’s Thought Form.

…That was the plan I had.

* * *

『Oh my. That's a cat with very strong features. Its eyes, too… I don’t think I’ve ever seen stripes so clearly defined…….』

When Thomas’s party first arrived in the village.

Valencia did not panic.

Even if she didn't know the exact date, she had already guessed that while living here, a Beastkin would eventually come looking for her.

And that with a high probability, it would be ‘Thomas Lycan Hardist’.

Rather, she was momentarily surprised because he was much later than she had thought.

But that was only because the memory had faded in her mind, not because of the fact that he had come.

There were no symptoms like a racing heart or a muddled mind.

She thought she had more or less decided what to say if he came looking for her, and she had been practicing her response for decades.

Stepping away for a moment to clear her head alone was enough to calm her surprised heart.

『…It’s been a while.』

『…….』

『Thomas.』

Although it was faster than she had thought thanks to some fatso who rolled in out of nowhere, even when she revealed herself and confronted him.

There was no agitation at all.

Unlike her own guess that she might be a little shaken, she felt nothing even as she looked at Thomas’s devastated expression.

『Princess…….』

『Why did you come?』

『…….』

『That is…… I mean…….』

『…….』

『To restore the Beastkin Nation…….』

The rejection was not difficult either.

『No. If you wanted to say that, you should have come a little earlier. Thomas.』

『…….』

『I have no intention of taking on such a position.』

『…….』

『So just go back. The Beastkin Nation is already over.』

『…….』

『Go. Thomas.』

Just as she had practiced dozens of times before going to bed.

She was able to reject his request without any trouble.

…However.

『…I wonder.』

『……?』

『I doubt that's a position you can take or leave as you please.』

As soon as she had completely rejected Thomas's request, the mysterious man spoke up.

The problem began when the black-haired man, whom she had thought was merely a subordinate Thomas brought along, started to speak.

『No matter how I think about it, I don't think it's a position you can take if you want to and not take if you don't.』

『…Who are you?』

『What do I look like?』

『…….』

Despite exuding a nuance that suggested he knew who she was, his expression showed no difficulty at all.

Even if he was an outsider, he was a man who maintained his own pace to a strangely high degree.

Still.

…Still, until then, Valencia was only confused by the sudden intervention.

Her brow furrowed, but her heart wasn't shaken enough to use words like 'panic' or 'agitation'.

But the next moment.

That is.

『…It doesn’t matter what it is.』

『…….』

『In any case. My patience ends here.』

The moment she judged that he couldn't be a nobody since Thomas had brought him, and was about to release her constraints to avoid him somehow.

『Wow. Isn't this patricide?』

At the man's muttered words.

She felt ‘panic’ for the first time.

Flinch—

『…What is that supposed to mean?』

『Why ask me? You know better than anyone. Valencia.』

『…….』

『You should stop your dad if he's about to bite someone.』

『……!』

『As his daughter, you shouldn't be egging him on.』

…It was something even Thomas had only guessed at, but never been sure of.

…And that was natural.

The king of the Beastkin rarely underwent a full transformation to maintain his dignity.

Her father, ‘Allen Tigris III’, had never once fully transformed during his reign, according to official records.

Although one could guess it was something related to the royal bloodline from its characteristic appearance and aura, it was practically impossible to immediately identify it as Allen Tigris III.

However. This man stated it in a voice full of conviction, as if he had come knowing everything.

『Thought Form.』

『If it’s a Thought Form…….』

『This tiger is Allen Tigris III’s Thought Form. Rather than saying he’s a being who came back to life……』

『…….』

『It would be more accurate to say it's the part of him that hasn't died yet.』

He wasn't just spouting nonsense using some shallow knowledge.

His words were true, and his voice was filled with that much conviction.

‘…How in the world.’

From Valencia’s perspective, who thought she had hidden herself thoroughly until now, she couldn't help but be flustered.

“You, how did you know that.”

Valencia asked the man who had casually uttered her father’s identity.

However.

“……”

No answer came back to her question.

Instead, as if he hadn't even heard her question, he completely ignored it and continued what he was saying.

“…So, what is a Thought Form?”

“……”

“It's a trace left by the deceased from their lifetime, a fragment of their very being. To give an easy example, the most similar existence would be—”

He trailed off, then looked at Valencia as if to make sure she was listening and muttered.

“…I suppose it’s similar to an undead, bound to a decaying body.”

“……!”

At his blatant gaze, Valencia’s expression crumpled.

Even if it were true.

‘…An undead, bound to a decaying body?’

That was no different from an insult to the being standing right before her eyes.

Staring at U-jin with her eyes narrowed, she asked in a low voice.

“…What you just said. What did you mean by that.”

Shrug—

“It means exactly what it sounds like. A being that should have died is still alive.”

“…Should have died?”

Should have died.

Even knowing it had a different meaning, Valencia found the expression grating.

The feeling of panic soon cooled,

‘…….’

and sublimated into rage.

And with that, her yellow eye sharpened.

Like the gaze of a predator eyeing its prey, her pupil constricted into a slit as she glared at U-jin.

And though it was only the shape of her pupil that changed.

Ssssk—

The change it brought about was not something one could describe as ‘only’.

『Grrrrr…….』

Along with the change in her pupil, the eyes of the Man-eating Beast, which had been staring only at the inn beyond the party, turned toward U-jin.

Moreover, even after seeing the pig-like peddler frantically flee before him, it didn't even glance his way and kept staring at U-jin.

As if its prey had changed.

And as soon as its deep, low-frequency growl ended.

A moment of silence flowed.

Silence—

Soon, the Man-eating Beast’s form vanished from its spot.