The king of the Kingdom, Grandimoor.

A monarch with the power to avoid hostility from fellow humans was ultimately swept away and killed by a massive wave of public sentiment.

There was no doubt about his death. Although the Military Nation continued to exist due to the Saintess’s intervention, the occasion of the king’s death was solely caused by human hands. His authority, which prevented hostility, could not overcome the far more extensive corruption and chaos of the current society.

Although the princess, a descendant of the monarch’s bloodline, is still alive, it no longer matters.

It has been proven that merely “being well-liked” and free from hostility is insufficient for one to be a king.

Tsk, if it weren't for the Saintess, it would have been easier. Because she insists on maintaining the Military Nation’s future… I had to run around with everything cloaked in secrecy.

Anyway, that leaves only four.

The next target is Elric, the king of the Kingdom of Gold. The king of comprehension and metallurgy was devoured by the Golden Mirror. I wonder how it happened… I suppose I’ll find out from here on.

Fortunately, the Saintess doesn’t seem to have intervened this time, so a quick peek at his thoughts should reveal the details of his downfall.

Ah, just thinking about it makes me boil with anger again. I thought I was lucky to find traces of the Conqueror and the Grandmaster in the Abyss, but the Saintess intervened there too, ensuring the Conqueror’s survival….

She’s just a problem. Pretending to oversee everything when, in reality, isn’t she a stalker of all people? Someone should catch her already.

At this point, it’s fortunate that the Regressor appeared. I probably couldn’t have traced the Five Monarchs’ remains while fending off interference from the Saintess’s organization alone. It seems like the Regressor failed at the Abyss in their past life, too.

Sigh. If it weren’t for the Regressor, I’d be in big trouble….

Or maybe not.

If I did find something, wouldn’t it just be erased if I regressed? It would be like giving the enemy valuable information instead.

Maybe the Regressor is the Saintess too.

“Hmph. It seems we’ve arrived~.”

Hilde’s voice broke the silence. I raised my head and looked in the direction the Cataphract was heading. At the end of the well-trodden path created solely by travelers, an impressive sight unfolded before my eyes.

“We’ve arrived.”

A vast pasture stretched out before us. Horses and sheep were nibbling at tufts on the natural, patchy carpet woven by nature. Mounted humans guarded them with sharp gazes, ensuring none of the animals went missing. Judging by their watchful eyes mostly focused outward, they seemed to believe the chances of the animals going missing were more likely due to external factors than internal ones.

And beyond that, hundreds of tents formed a massive colony on a flat, fenced plain. The flapping of canvas in the wind was loud, and the bustling heat of people could be felt even from here.

The Regressor murmured, “It’s a camp.”

This was distinctly different from the ghost town we’d seen before. It was far dirtier and more cluttered, but dirtiness is always the residue left by living beings. Despite being a tent city, it brimmed with more life than I had expected.

“Entering now!”

Hilde directed the Cataphract toward the entrance cut into the barbed wire fence.

The camp even had a guard. Not looking particularly diligent, he stopped us and asked our intentions.

“Stop right there. What’s your purpose here? Staying long, or just passing through?”

“We’ll just be here for a day and then leave!”

“So, you’re leaving? In that case, there’s no fee. But park your vehicle outside the fence and walk in.”

The guard waved his hand dismissively as if he had nothing more to say, a hint of irritation in his tone, likely from long hours on duty. But Hilde, unconcerned with his situation, turned to me for input with a glint in her eye.

This mere camp guard dares show such disrespect to a diplomatic envoy? Father, what should we do? Should I cut off his head and force our way in?

What do you mean “force our way in”? Are you really a diplomat? Do you even know the difference between a truce and an all-out war? If you’re going to cause trouble, do it when no one’s looking.

“Let’s just follow their instructions.”

“What a pity~. Fine~.”

Hilde maneuvered the Cataphract toward the perimeter of the fence.

Around the perimeter, various travelers’ vehicles were lined up. Worried that their vehicles might be stolen, the owners leaned against the fence, clutching weapons as they dozed off. Even though the camp was just beyond the barbed wire.

“Everyone’s sticking close to their vehicles to avoid theft. Seems the camp knows what it’s doing. By asking departing people to split their focus, they ensure the vehicles’ protection.”

“Yeah. We’d better leave someone here to guard ours, too.”

It was true. In Yulguk, an unclaimed item is fair game for the first person to pick it up. Everyone passing by is a potential thief. Leaving the vehicle unattended would be risky.

Tyr stepped forward.

“No need. I shall leave my Black Knight.”

“No, I don’t trust the Black Knight that much. Besides, it’s still broad daylight.”

“…Is he truly so unreliable?”

Ever since I regained my heart, I haven’t been able to command my minions properly, and now I’m facing all kinds of disrespect. I must find a way soon, or this mockery will never end.

Hey, it’s not disrespect; it’s a genuine judgment call.

A guard’s role isn’t just to prevent theft but to deter potential thieves. But the all-black Black Knight might just be mistaken for an obsidian statue, which might even encourage theft.

Besides, we have someone more suitable. Our trusty… well, somewhat reliable companion. Aji the dog.

“Aji.”

“Woof? Why?”

“Could you guard this vehicle for us while we’re gone?”

“Woof woof? Guard it?”

Yes. Aji has a natural instinct to protect his territory. There’s a reason humans domesticated dogs as guard animals.

I’m not sure if Aji will actually be wary of strangers… but having him around might still deter thieves. He may be the king of dogs, but his appearance is that of a human with animal ears.

“No need to attack. Just bark loudly if anyone approaches the Cataphract or tries to touch it. Loud enough for everyone to hear. That should be enough.”

“Woof! Leave it to me!”

“Good boy! Now, just stay here. Don’t follow anyone even if they offer food, and don’t get distracted by anything that passes by.”

“Food? Pass by? Where? Where?”

“No, I didn’t mean food would pass by. I mean, if, for example, something like that horse over there….”

Just then, the sound of hooves echoed. A horse galloped past us along the fence. Its golden mane, nearly touching the ground, swayed in the wind it created.

A perfect example had appeared. Aji has a hunting instinct, after all. I need him not to get lured by things like that.

“If something runs by like that horse, don’t just chase it because it seems fun….”

“Woof.”

Uh-oh. Aji’s eyes were sparkling.

Of all things, the swaying tail of the horse was triggering his hunting instincts. His head was moving like a pendulum, following the horse’s tail. And then, Aji jumped down, barking loudly.

“Woof woof! Stop right there!”

“Hey! I told you not to!”

But Aji, the king of dogs, quickly caught up to the horse’s tail. Though he wasn’t trying to attack, he kept barking and playfully tapping the horse’s tail, scaring it into a frantic gallop.

Tsk. At this rate, he’ll catch the horse. That thing must be expensive.

“Guess I’ll go get Aji. Decide amongst yourselves who will go in.”

“Think you can catch him?”

“Do I go after him because I think I can catch him? I go because I have to!”

“Alright, then. I’ll meet the camp leader while you fetch Aji.”

I quickly grabbed what I needed and chased after Aji’s silhouette. The Regressor watched me run off, only to realize something afterward.

Why did he take a rope to fetch Aji?

Well, because in Yulguk, finders keepers. That horse looks pretty valuable, but with Aji’s help, we could catch it.

While I don’t need a horse in a Cataphract, humans have a concept called “barter.” If I don’t need it, I can trade it at a pawn shop for something nice. I’ll gladly accept the profit.

Thanks for the meal, whoever you are.

“Woof woof! Woof woof! Stay right there, woof!”

Neighhh.

It didn’t take long to find them. Aji was circling the horse within a low fence, glaring at it while it whimpered in fright.

I quickly approached the scene.

“Aji, you good dog! Well done!”

“Woof? I did good?”

“Yeah! Since you’ve done something useful, you’ll get a meat treat today!”

“Awooo! Yay! Yay!”

“Now stay there until I get close…!”

Quickly, I made a noose with the rope. Now, if I throw it around his neck and pull…

Or better yet, I should let Aji pull it to avoid dragging it too hard.

Twisting the noose in the air, I slowly approached the trembling horse. The horse seemed more scared by my approach and moved closer to its owner.

Wait, its owner?

…A bandit, attempting to steal a horse in broad daylight? And this close to camp? Looks like he thinks he’s untouchable…. And a slave-owner, too? Hopeless scoundrel.

…The horse’s shadow revealed a person’s thoughts. Now that I looked closer, the horse hadn’t been trying to escape; it had simply returned to its owner.

…A dog wearing human ears being trained as a slave… Truly an irredeemable scoundrel.

Tsk. I don’t usually commit crimes of theft since that’s a severe offense, but theft is only a crime for the powerful. I’m just a small fish, so I tend to stick to petty crimes. I could escalate to serious crimes if my relative strength increased, but… if my target is weaker, I’ll use that strength to do so.

…Shall I melt him down?

No good. I tossed the noose in the air… toward Aji instead of the horse.

“Woof?”

Aji, surprised by the flying noose, caught it in his mouth. He looked at me, puzzled as to why I’d thrown it at him.

I cleared my throat, adopting a scolding tone.

“You rascal, Aji! How could you torment someone’s horse like that!”

“Woof?”

“Horses are humanity’s friends, their transportation, and their property! You should treat them with respect and not frighten them! Didn’t I teach you better?”

Still confused, Aji tilted his head, then shook it as if thinking I was playing around.

“Woof!”

“Ahh! Don’t pull on it! I’ll fall over!”

I stumbled forward as Aji yanked the rope, his confusion turning into playful energy. Just like that, I was unceremoniously pulled forward, like a fish caught on a line. As I lay there, bruised more from embarrassment than pain, someone approached.

The owner of the horse.

She wore her rusty red hair tied back in a ponytail. Her overalls were smeared with oil and fused metal, giving her a worn, rugged look. Despite her calm expression, the bandages across her face made it hard to gauge her emotions. She looked down at me and asked,

“…Are you the owner?”

“I wish I were. What kind of owner would feed, clothe, and entertain his own pet? If anything, he’s more like my master.”

“Woof woof! Not the owner, but the big boss!”

Not quite yet, Aji. Besides, with me right here, there’s no need to claim to be in charge.

The woman gave Aji a quick glance, then asked, almost as if to confirm,

“…Were you trying to steal my horse?”

“No, I was just trying to stop Aji from hurting your horse. It would’ve been a nuisance if he hurt it.”

“…And the noose?”

“I was going to catch Aji with it. Better to stop him before he hurts something valuable.”

“…And the talk about meat treats?”

“I had to redirect his attention somehow. Offering a meat treat was just a precaution to keep him away from your horse. It was all for safety.”

My flawless logic left her momentarily speechless. Her tightly closed mouth conveyed her resolve.

…He’s good at making excuses. Definitely top 10% among scoundrels.

What kind of country is Yulguk, where making an excuse places you in the top 10% of scoundrels? Baffled, the woman nodded and turned back.

“…Alright. I’ll let it slide.”

“Let what slide? If anything, the horse running loose from the pasture is the real issue. You should’ve been more careful with such a valuable animal.”

She didn’t react to my grumbling. Ignoring unnecessary comments must be her forte. Not one to leave things unfinished, I pressed further.

“…Aurea came to assist me.”

“Aurea?”

“…That’s my horse’s name.”

“Ah, so we’re introducing our pets now? I’ll join in. This is Aji. He has a bad habit of chasing anything that runs by.”

…Calling a demi-human a pet… Perhaps I should reassess. Even the lowest 1% of scoundrels in Yulguk wouldn’t treat a living being like that.

How incomprehensible are Yulguk’s standards? Calling a dog a dog dropped me from the top 10% to the bottom 1%. What a leap.

Meanwhile, Aji tapped at my feet with his paw, his tail wagging in delight.

“Woof woof! He’s human! He’s great at lying!”

“Stop it. No need to explain. Everyone here knows I’m human.”

“All done introducing!”

“Wait, did you think I was introducing myself as your pet?!”

…Hehe. They’re an amusing pair. Such a good relationship.

The woman, suppressing a laugh, looked away.