A Regressor's Bucket List

Chapter 199 : Declaration of the Beastkin Nation (4)

Jerry had to leave the Guild House to retrieve the medicine for the Beastkin.

Of course, if possible, it would have been better to send someone else instead of going himself, but only Jerry had access to the storage vault in the research lab where the medicine was kept.

Not only that, but he had also decided to wrap up his previous external affairs and focus on the Guild House.

Thus, from Jerry's perspective, he had to personally leave the Guild House to handle those matters.

And as Jerry was leaving the Guild House, U-jin made a request.

He asked Jerry to bring back any particularly striking news from recent newspapers, should he come across any.

“…Judging by your expression, it seems you already knew.”

It was a somewhat perplexing request for Jerry.

To suddenly ask for any striking news he might come across—what kind of request was that?

Since everyone's interests and standards differed, there was a high probability that whatever he brought back wouldn't particularly stand out to U-jin.

Therefore, even as he left the Guild House, Jerry couldn't quite grasp the intention behind the request.

However, the moment he flipped open the top newspaper from the stack piled in front of the office.

Jerry understood what U-jin had meant by 'particularly striking news.'

[Saintess, Execution Date Set.]

The execution of the Saintess.

That was definitely a front-page newspaper headline that would catch anyone's eye.

Pfft—

“It seems so.”

Jerry watched U-jin, who was pulling up the corners of his mouth as he took the newspaper, and asked in a low voice.

“…Is this an experience from before the Regression?”

There was no other way to explain it.

At this timing, for U-jin to know this news in advance and tell him about it—without such a factor, the explanation simply lacked plausibility.

And at Jerry's question, U-jin felt a renewed sense of surprise.

The reason was simple.

It seemed this was probably the first time Jerry had uttered the word 'Regression' himself.

Although U-jin had revealed it first, and discussing it outside would certainly be problematic, within the Guild House, it wasn't exactly an 'unwritten rule' to avoid the topic.

Yet, the family members had intentionally avoided bringing up the topic of Regression.

It was hard to pinpoint whether it was due to a lack of belief, or if the word itself created a certain distance between them and U-jin.

Regardless, this was the first time the word 'Regression' had been spoken directly.

“…Well, it's half right and half wrong. I don't know the exact timing either, and things don't always unfold exactly the same way. I just mentioned it, just in case.”

“……”

“Whether you believe it or not, I don’t know.”

“…I see.”

Jerry replied in a low voice, pausing for a moment before speaking again.

He added one more thing.

“…I believe you.”

“……”

“To say otherwise, I've seen too much with my own eyes.”

Pfft—

“Is that so?”

U-jin, who had given a brief reply, turned his gaze back to the newspaper.

[Saintess, Execution Date Determined]

—The execution date for the Saintess, who had been held in special detention by the decision of The Order’s tribunal, was set today. As she was once a figure who received more support than anyone else, there were not a few voices of complaint asking if this wasn't too harsh a punishment, but the tribunal’s decision remained unchanged. Regarding this…

He had somewhat expected it, but as U-jin had predicted, the Saintess's execution date had been set.

The execution date was approximately three months away.

It was a faster execution schedule than usual.

Unless it was an immediate wartime execution, the execution date was usually set a year after the sentence was passed, but in the Saintess's case, the execution date was decided in less than half a year.

The period was much shorter than for other typical death row inmates.

It seemed to be the judgment of The Order's headquarters that variables could arise the longer they dragged it out.

Although the Saintess had been branded a heretic, a considerable number of her followers still remained, and it was likely their judgment that it would be better to deal with her quickly rather than give them extra time to gather their intentions or strength.

Jerry asked U-jin, who was lost in thought while looking at the newspaper.

“…Are you planning to save her?”

U-jin replied vaguely to the question.

“…Well.”

It wasn't ambiguity meant to hide something.

After all, if he had wanted to hide such minor details, he wouldn't have even revealed the fact of his Regression.

“That was the plan, but it's become a bit awkward, you see.”

U-jin's uncertain reply was because he genuinely still didn't know what to do.

As he had told Jerry, saving the Saintess was certainly on his bucket list, but ever since Einstein got involved, it had become quite a dilemma.

The Saintess was an important figure, but given that Isaac Einstein's attention was already drawn to him, saving the Saintess would carry a risk.

It seemed Isaac Einstein also had an interest in the Saintess.

While the items on his bucket list were important events selected from a comprehensive compilation of incidents from before his Regression.

Nevertheless, the current situation was ambiguous and dangerous enough to warrant hesitation.

Because from the moment Isaac Einstein's interest went beyond mere 'curiosity,' the difficulty would undoubtedly increase significantly.

In the first place, the fact that there had been no significant interference so far was already dependent on his whims.

U-jin couldn't help but agonize over it.

“…Still, I think I'll have to go and see.”

“…There's something bothering you.”

“Of course. Because once a choice is made, it can't be undone.”

A wry smile.

U-jin smiled bitterly.

Before he knew that Regression was possible.

He had experienced the same thing in his previous life, but every situation was a continuous stream of dilemmas and choices.

He had thought that with Regression, he would be able to handle things a bit more skillfully and smoothly.

Yet, it seemed not much had changed.

‘…Should I save the Saintess and heighten Isaac Einstein’s vigilance, or abandon the Saintess and buy a little more time and safety?’

Three months wasn't enough time to afford much leeway.

It seemed he would have to seriously consider it.

It was then.

“What are you looking at, Hero-nim?”

“Hmm?”

Eliya, who had finished counting the Beastkin and other remaining chores, entered the Guild House and approached U-jin.

“This is a newspaper, isn’t it? But why do you look so serious…?”

Eliya naturally took the newspaper from U-jin's hand, read down the lines of text, her face growing cold.

Thud—

She dropped the newspaper.

* * *

The Saintess.

A sacred figure once considered closest to the 'Messiah,' the savior revered by The Order.

And a Priest of The Order who had commanded more followers than anyone in history.

Although her official position was merely that of a regular Priest, her influence could not be measured by such a title alone.

As her moniker, the Saintess, suggested, not a few people regarded her as the Messiah's proxy, placing her in a higher position than the Pope himself.

The Order, aware of this, even created several auxiliary positions just for a single regular Priest.

…However.

The Saintess, who had been held in such high regard, was now the subject of an execution.

And for the crime of violating the law of 'divine inviolability.'

She was a selfless individual who had performed countless miracles and saved many lives, yet.

Through a certain incident, she had been driven out as a reactionary of The Order.

“…That can’t be right. Definitely not.”

“……”

“I know her. She's someone who would humble herself more than anyone, never harboring arrogance… let alone committing blasphemy.”

“……”

“It’s absurd.”

Eliya's incredulous reaction was along the same lines.

Because it was the Saintess who had appeared with a miracle and saved her from her village, which had been annihilated by a strange 'Demon's egg' that appeared when she was young.

From Eliya's perspective, she simply couldn't accept the current situation where her hero, who had directly saved her life, was being treated as a heretical witch.

In the first place, Eliya had ignored all other paths and chosen the arduous life of a Priest, finding pride in it, all because of the Saintess's influence.

The emotional turmoil Eliya felt upon hearing the news of the Saintess's execution could not be expressed with a simple 'I'm flustered.'

“Something is definitely wrong…”

Of course, U-jin also knew that the Saintess was innocent.

After all, if the Saintess had genuinely been at fault for this incident, there would have been no reason to go through Regression just to save her.

This was a systematically planned conspiracy.

A sort of 'witch hunt,' one might say.

‘…No. In this case, a Saintess hunt.’

Though the nuance was a little ironic, U-jin genuinely thought so.

The Saintess's execution was not simply the conclusion of religious fanaticism, but an event that arose from various intertwined interests, involving the War against Demons, The Order, and even the Demon King's Army, beyond the superficial religious reason of blasphemy.

Even.

‘…The Saintess herself.’

Despite a series of unjust treatments, the Saintess offered no resistance whatsoever to the disposition and punishment meted out to her.

The reason was simple.

Because the Saintess herself believed there was no better outcome than this.

She certainly had that much influence.

And though there were followers across the continent who had directly received her grace and would face death at her single word.

The Saintess did not specifically resist The Order's disposition and accepted all treatment.

But that was the wrong choice.

In the past, when The Order crumbled and the War against Demons was nearing its end.

Priests who survived the fallen Order headquarters and joined the Suicide Squad.

In other words, when the Suicide Squad members from The Order, led by Louis, listed the decisive reasons for The Order's defeat in the War against Demons, the 'Saintess's execution' was an item that never failed to appear.

‘……’

As such, U-jin couldn't easily make the choice to abandon the Saintess.

Though he didn't know all the details, U-jin had heard of the miracles she performed and her spirit of sacrifice.

Considering her humanity, there was no one closer to a savior than her, throughout both his life before Regression and his current life.

Not the Pope.

Not even any Constellation affiliated with The Order.

People recalled that none of them had shown a stronger sense of humanity and sacrifice than she had.

To the extent that one might wonder if, perhaps, the War against Demons might have unfolded a little differently had she not been executed.

“…Hah.”

Whether he saved the Saintess or not.

“…Should I flip a coin?”

Neither side felt certain.