A Regressor's Bucket List Chapter 88
“…Tom. L. Hardist.”
His full name was ‘Thomas. Lycan. Hardist’.
The last remaining ‘Vampire Hunter’.
A Silver Wolf Clan Beastkin who was imprisoned in the Darkest Dungeon after hunting the last vampire.
The rightful heir of the Lycan family, which, along with the Dracula family, was regarded as the greatest combat family among the Beastkin tribes back when the Beastkin nation was still powerful.
It was a name Jerry was already familiar with.
…No.
He wasn't someone who could be described as merely 'familiar'.
For Jerry, who rarely formed deep relationships, Tom was one of the few people in his entire life with whom he'd had a profound connection.
He was a figure already tied to Jerry by a deep bond.
Nod—
“That's right, Tom Hardist.”
Jerry had hoped inwardly that it wasn't true, but…
U-jin affirmed that this was the reason he was going to the Darkest Dungeon, nodding his head.
“……”
The conversation broke off.
Jerry's characteristic habit of stroking his eyebrow and falling silent whenever he was deep in thought emerged.
Silence between the two wasn't an unfamiliar occurrence, but…
This bout of silence was much longer than usual.
“……”
Perhaps the name Tom itself was such a shock that it was difficult to accept.
Jerry tried hard to maintain his poker face, but he couldn't completely hide his wavering eyes.
After a long silence passed.
“…Are you planning to bring him out of the Darkest Dungeon?”
Having organized his thoughts, Jerry asked U-jin in a low voice.
Shrug—
“…Well, that’s the plan, for now.”
“……”
“He's essential to the Beastkin, and besides, there's no one better suited to crushing the 'illegal slave problem'.”
…It was an undeniable fact.
Even though he had already served his full sentence, received under the pretext of atoning for the blood on his hands, he still hadn't left the Darkest Dungeon.
He was someone who had stood at the forefront of matters concerning the Beastkin more than anyone, and he was someone who could stand at the forefront more than anyone.
…The person who knew that best was none other than Jerry.
“…So that's why you became a Hero-Slayer.”
“……”
“…To enter the Darkest Dungeon and meet Hardist.”
He couldn't tell what exactly U-jin's plan entailed.
Even just now, how could that name be the answer to the 'illegal slave problem'?
It was difficult to pinpoint exactly where the connection lay.
However, the presence of 'Tom Hardist' in Jerry's mind was so immense that he found himself unconsciously accepting even that seemingly nonsensical line of reasoning.
In fact, even now, if 'Tom Hardist' really did get out of there…
...and set out to solve the 'illegal slave problem', unlike Jerry's passive approach which had been limited to helplessly buying Beastkin slaves...
...he felt that Tom might just be able to uproot the problem itself.
‘…….’
In Jerry's domain, that was an utterly impossible task, but…
...for 'Tom Hardist', it might not be such a difficult task.
Considering the fighting spirit and skill of the man who had dedicated his life to vampire hunting right up until the day he entered the Darkest Dungeon, it didn't seem like a completely absurd idea.
…Of course.
It wasn't without its problems.
“…Then I will step aside.”
The problem was that the 'bond' connecting Tom and Jerry was not an ordinary fate, but a twisted one.
“…I don't know the exact details of your plan, but…”
“……”
“…even if that plan succeeds and the illegal slave problem is completely solved, if he and I are in the same place, it will be difficult to gather all the Beastkin.”
In truth, one could easily guess their relationship just from the titles that represented them, without needing any further explanation.
Tom was the ‘last Vampire Hunter’, after all.
And Jerry was the ‘last vampire’.
Even without knowing the exact circumstances, anyone could surmise that Tom and Jerry were not on friendly enough terms to face each other and shake hands.
It was self-evident that problems would arise from the mere fact that Jerry, the heir of the Vampire Clan, was alive, contrary to what was known to the public.
“…It's an impossible task.”
“……”
“…In the end, he and I are at the very beginning of what split the Beastkin nation into so many factions.”
As he spoke, Jerry's eyes held the conviction of 'impossibility'.
That such a thing...
...that 'Tom and Jerry' would join forces for the recovery of the Beastkin, could never happen.
“Hmm.”
From Jerry's perspective, he had no choice but to think that way.
He spoke of it as if it were simply a problem between him and 'Tom', but it wasn't just a problem between two Beastkin.
It was a problem of the great families and clans led by those two Beastkin.
In a way, it was a problem that represented the entire Beastkin race, which had been fractured and ended up in this state.
It was only natural that he found it hard to believe he could unravel the tangled web of their ill-fated relationship, which had been woven over many generations.
Of course.
“…Well, that's my business to take care of.”
“……”
“I'm bringing him back, so just be aware of that.”
U-jin, however, remained completely unfazed by that conviction.
Shrug—
“Let's go out and get something to eat.”
* * *
Sizzle—
Gulp—
Barbecue.
A cooking method where large chunks of meat and vegetables are roasted over a fire, or a general term for meat cooked in such a way.
It began as a technique used to remove the gamey smell of un-farmed wild pork and to cook inexpensive cuts deliciously, but…
...due to its nature of using fire most closely and directly, it evolved more profoundly than other cooking methods, becoming a grilling technique that maximizes the flavor and taste of meat in the modern era.
Furthermore.
It was my favorite way to cook meat.
“…Now?”
Cheong-yi asked, staring at the meat sizzling on the charcoal grill.
“No.”
I replied.
“Then now?”
Not even ten seconds later, he asked again.
“I said no.”
I shook my head again.
“Then perhaps now is the time!!!”
“……”
With the heart of an older brother (?), I was trying to personally show him the essence of barbecue.
It seemed grilling meat was really something you shouldn't entrust to others.
…To be precise, the mistake was entrusting it to Cheong-yi, who was already drooling with his eyes glazed over from the smell of meat.
“If you flip it now, you're not getting any meat.”
“……!!!”
Flinch—
It seemed the warning I'd spat out was quite effective.
Cheong-yi, who was about to touch the meat with the tongs, took two steps back.
“…How can a great man be so petty with food.”
“……”
“Brother, how will you ever get married with such a narrow mind?”
“I’m not getting married, you punk.”
“……”
“And besides, for a man, it's called 'taking a wife'.”
Replying to his petulant remark, I snatched the tongs from his grasp and stepped up to the charcoal grill myself.
‘…Still, I can't do this half-heartedly.’
[Bucket List #11]
「A barbecue party to celebrate completing 10 bucket list items.」
It was an item clearly written on my bucket list, so I couldn't just gloss over it carelessly.
Matching the level of effort to my other bucket list items was the least I could do out of respect (?) for the items I've achieved so far, and for those I will achieve in the future.
Since I'd written it down as an item, I needed to have the 'best barbecue party'.
Haaah—
Eliya, who was sitting at the set table clutching her head, muttered with a long sigh.
“A man who’s being dragged off to a land of death the day after tomorrow…”
“……”
“…is having a carefree barbecue party…”
It was the same reaction as always.
The kid muttered with an expression that, while somewhat used to it, still showed complete inability to understand.
“…Seeing you like this, Hero. I sometimes wonder if you're not just ordinary, but a bit lacking.”
“I agree. At times like this, he's a bona fide idiot, that's for sure…”
“…Pardon?”
“Ah. A slip of the tongue.”
Loxy, who was carrying plates over to Eliya, nodded her head, expressing her fervent agreement.
“I was going to say retard.”
“……”
At their conversation, which was no different from a comedy routine, a chuckle—*psst*—escaped my lips before I knew it.
“…The ways of a noble man are not meant to be understood by just anyone.”
“……”
“Isn't that right, J. J?”
Hoping I might have at least one person on my side, I turned to look at Jerry and asked, but…
...despite being close enough to have heard my voice clearly, he didn't answer.
“……”
It seemed that bringing up 'Tom Hardist' in our earlier conversation had disturbed him more than just a little.
Well.
It was understandable.
Beyond their personal relationship as 'Vampire Hunter' and 'vampire'.
The Vampire Clan and the Werewolf Clan.
Specifically, the heirs of the Dracula and Lycan families, which could be called the head families of their respective clans, had been entangled in a terrible, ill-fated relationship since before the dissolution of the Beastkin nation.
‘…Good thing I told him beforehand.’
To be honest, it was something I had agonized over a bit.
Of course, entering the Darkest Dungeon to bring out Tom Hardist was part of the plan, but…
...telling Jerry about it beforehand was a problem in a different league.
Seeing the guy who was second to none in his composure acting like that, I thought that if I had shown up with Tom without any warning, I might have seen him fall flat on his back.
…Though a small part of me was disappointed, thinking that would have been more fun to watch.
Sizzle—
Flipping the meat, I took my eyes off Jerry.
‘…I think my business with Jerry is done for now.’
Eliya had called it just a 'barbecue party', but…
I hadn't thrown this barbecue party without any thought, just to stuff my face with meat.
I had no intention of wasting the two days of special leave I was given either.
The reason I arranged this gathering was to resolve, in a short time, the various issues I had left as temporary patch-ups when I was imprisoned as a Hero-Slayer.
Because I couldn't estimate how long it would take to mine 'Quark's Source Stone' and persuade 'Tom. L. Hardist' in the Darkest Dungeon.
The first of those was the conversation I had with Jerry.
And the next was.
“……”
Eliya.