Regressor Instruction Manual

Chapter 1028: Cleanup (11)

Of course, it wasn’t like Squiat had nothing to lose.

He was the lord of a small city, so anyone would think that he had many valuable things to lose, but value was always relative. There were people satisfied with what they had, but there were also those who weren't. He was a great example of this, and his nature…

‘Cautious Revolutionist is his nature, and…’

The status window would never lie. Unlike Sun Hee-Young’s nature, "Ideal Volunteer," and Kim Hyun-Sung’s nature, "Kind-hearted Mediator," it wasn’t clear whether Squiat's nature was evil or good.

The dictionary definition of the word "revolution" was to break down social and economic systems in favor of a new one, but the definition was not enough for me to say that he was on the side of light.

The existing systems and customs weren’t necessarily bad, and there was no guarantee that the revolution was headed in the right direction or that it was righteous.

There were times when people would raise a flag for the greater good, but there were also people who started a revolution by thinking, 'Ah, this is shit.'

Squiat was probably the latter.

It was highly likely that he had decided to start a revolution, as he wasn’t satisfied with his life. He had a cause, but what he wanted to change wasn’t the existing values or the current social system. Instead, he simply wanted to change his environment.

He was trapped in a remote area and was being squeezed out of the continental fight for supremacy. To make matters worse, everyone was focused on me and the Sacred Democratic Country. He was frustrated by that; the systems and ideas running the continent had forced the Cautious Revolutionist not to be so cautious anymore.

“Wait, Father Lee Ki-Young," Squiat said, stopping me. I turned to him and saw that he looked nervous. He looked like someone who had a lot to lose. He probably didn’t feel like he was being pushed to the edge of a cliff just yet, but he was scared.

“I trust you, Mr. Squiat,” I said.

“What?”

“I want to take care of you and support you in many ways… but I need to see results. I don't have the justification to just give you items, and even if I were to force that to support you… it’ll be an unofficial support. Anything unofficial will not help you at all,” I explained.

“Yes, I understand that, but if you can give us a little more time—”

“I know that an adventurer’s growth depends not just on their items. I know that it sounds ridiculous to hear such words from someone who gave up their life as an adventurer, but I've been observing many adventurers from the sideline.

"In other words, I know that it's important to move forward slowly, one step at a time, rather than being obsessed with the results,” I interrupted him.

“It won’t take that long, Father Lee Ki-Young. So please—”

“Whooo… I’m not an idiot, Mr. Squiat,” I said, interrupting him again.

“...”

I needed to talk calmly. I didn’t talk to him coldly or in a tone that implied the fact that I was aware of his scheme. It was more like I was talking to him indifferently.

I smiled quietly, and I was sure there was kindness in my eyes because the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival was destined to love everyone on the continent.

Squiat was a scumbag, but I had to love him as well.

“Excuse me?” Squiat questioned.

“I said… I’m not an idiot, Mr. Squiat,” I repeated.

“I don’t understand… why you’re telling me this,” Squiat said.

“I’m telling you that I don’t really care about what you do with my support. I also don't really care about what you want or your dreams,” I clarified.

“I think there’s a misunderstanding, Father Lee Ki-Young. That’s not—”

“The reason I wanted to support you was that I thought you'd be able to help everyone keep the Monarch of Lust and Eternal Sleep in check and for the sake of the continent's balance, which would allow us to perhaps adopt a centralized system.

"It was all for the sake of a better tomorrow. I thought there was a reason why Goddess Benigoa sent you to me, and of course, that thought hasn’t changed,” I interrupted him.

Squiat seemed to be having many thoughts as he looked at me quietly.

In the beginning, I was sure that it wasn’t his intention to take advantage of me.

He had to have thought that covering his ambitions by coming up with a cause was a great move for him, but based on his nature, it was hard to say that he was looking down on me. He probably thought that this was a gamble, and it paid off in his eyes.

I was more kind to him than he thought, and he was probably thinking that he had overestimated me.

However, my indifferent words had to have given him goosebumps

‘This is a memorable scene.’

I couldn't care less whether Squiat was a righteous person or not.

Of course, I also couldn't care less if he was just trying to satisfy his greed.

There was only one thing that mattered to me.

‘The continent...’

The continent was my priority, and this was the thought process of a transcendent being. Rather than becoming interested in the values of ordinary people, I was looking at the bigger picture with a bird's eye view.

People like Squiat would not be able to understand me. How could he understand the feelings of the transcendent Saint of Sacrifice and Revival when he had used the excuse of changing the values of the continent to cover his greed?

I was the model example of an adult. In my eyes, everything was worthless unless they could help the living beings on this continent. I probably seemed really out of place to the point that people questioned if I was even of the same species as them.

This was kind of different, but Squiat was looking at me like how I'd look at Benigoa.

“...”

“...”

“Well then, I’ll put my faith in you, Mr. Squiat,” I said, grabbing his hand.

I held his hand tightly before telling him again that I had faith in him.

“Yes, sir.” He lowered his head quietly. I hadn't said anything, but he had to have realized the possibility that I might abandon him if he couldn't prove himself.

I was sure he wanted to ignore that feeling, but...

‘I knew this was going to happen, so I set up a meeting with the bearded bandit to stress you out.’

It was easier to bring down someone with a lot to lose than someone who had nothing to lose.

“Mr. Chang-Ryeol,” I said.

“Yes, sir?” Lee Chang-Ryeol answered.

“What does my schedule look like today?” I asked.

“You have a tea party with the guild master. The guild master has requested a discussion related to that picnic. I believe he wants to discuss the theme and the location. He said he wanted to invite professionals and…”

‘He’s still planning out that picnic?’

“Did you hear any information about it? I'm talking about the theme,” I asked.

“He seemed to be considering a camping theme. I saw him buying a few tents that are popular throughout the continent, but other than that…” Lee Chang-Ryeol trailed off.

“Ah, the minorities in the southern region…” I said.

“It seemed like he was researching the lifestyle of ancient elven nobles as well as the lifestyle of the people living in the wilderness. Aside from that, I have no other information to offer, unfortunately. My apologies, sir,” Lee Chang-Ryeol added.

“No, you don't have to apologize for that,” I told him.

“Afterwards, you’ll be eating with Miss Jung Ha-Yan, Miss Han Sora, and Mr. Seraphim. After that, you promised to visit the Red Mercenary Guild…” Lee Chang-Ryeol continued.

“And the next day?” I asked.

“There will be an event at the sanctuary,” Lee Chang-Ryeol answered.

“Hm… I think it’s best if we postpone the meeting with Hyun-Sung. It’s not like we’re going to go to a picnic soon. I've already rescheduled my plan with Ha-Yan once. I think it’s best if I meet the bearded bandit… right now,” I said.

“Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it,” Lee Chang-Ryeol said.

“Isn’t he working right now? Maybe it’s better if I visit the capital myself,” I suggested.

“Should I notify him?” Lee Chang-Ryeol asked.

“No.”

It was better to do something like this in a discreet way, as the other party would be more touched upon hearing of it.

I was walking with a spring in my steps when I noticed a carriage in the distance.

Lee Chang-Ryeol had to have prepared a carriage because I said that I was tired.

“You get in as well, Colonel Smith,” I said.

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re really popular in the Federation, Colonel Smith. You’re perfect as the face of our guild. Don’t you agree?” I asked.

As soon as I got on the carriage, I looked around using my Telescope.

I peeked at Squiat and saw that he was in the middle of a meaningless meeting. The mood was pretty calm, but when he heard that the carriage was heading toward the warp gate, the air in the room instantly turned cold.

"It looks like… he’s heading towards the capital."

"You don’t think he’s going to visit Gregory, do you?"

So the bearded bandit’s name was Gregory.

"Whoo… Damn it. What should we do? If Lee Ki-Young is going to support Gregory…"

'You were supposed to call me, "Father."'

"He can't abandon us that easily."

'No, I can.'

"But the situation just now was really… Didn’t Lee Ki-Young look really disappointed? Our target… was just an ordinary member of the Blue Guild…"

"You really think an ordinary member of the Blue Guild can become Lee Ki-Young’s bodyguard? Do you really think that he’s just an ordinary guild member? Lee Chang-Ryeol is not just popular. His name can be heard everywhere in the underworld, and there isn’t anyone who doesn’t know his name at this point.

"There are even stories about him receiving special training to protect Lee Ki-Young along with a woman named Park Lian…"

'Really?'

"Apparently, his body count is already over one thousand."

'Really?'

"What about Park Lian?"

"Colonel Smith is with him, so I don't think Park Lian is with them. I don't even want to imagine it, but there's a chance that she was in the meeting room with him. Anyway, they're on a completely different level, so let's not treat them based on the standards of the Federation.

"We're just starting out. We couldn't even… do anything when Raynan was under attack."

"Shit! If only the Federation didn’t become like this… If the Federation had received better support, the nation wouldn’t have fallen to this state. They’re not even that big of a deal…" Raynan remarked.

"Calm down, Raynan. Now is not the time to let your emotions take over."

"That bastard Colonel Smith… he looks like a hero, but he’s no hero of the Federation. Damn it. Since when did the guy who kissed Lee Ki-Young’s feet become the hero of the Federation? Huh? He’s just Lee Ki-Young’s lap dog."

'So Colonel Smith isn’t that popular… in the Federation.'

"Wheeew… I just received some news."

"What is it?"

"It looks like he really is heading to the dungeon. I’m sure… he’s going to meet Gregory."

I had no idea where I was going, so it was a miracle that they knew my destination.

“Have we arrived?” I asked.

“Yes.”

The carriage door was opened, and I saw the bearded bandit covered in dirt.

My visit was so sudden that he couldn't clean himself up and just welcomed me in that state. He looked like he was working at the frontline, which wasn’t something a guild master overseeing both a guild and a city would normally do.

It was understandable, though, as they lacked manpower.

A terrible stench filled my nose along with the smell of his sweat, but…

‘He’s working hard.’

“F-Father Lee Ki-Young. What brings you to this humble place…” Gregory greeted me.

I stepped forward, and he flinched before unconsciously stepping backward. He hadn't moved back out of shock. It was all because he realized that he smelled bad and was dirty.

He stepped back because he was worried about staining my clothes.

‘The sweat shed from working is sacred.’

I hugged him lightly as if I were telling him that I couldn't care less about that. I also grabbed his hand and said, “Thank you very much for your hard work."

“Father Lee Ki-Young…” Gregory mumbled.

I really liked this guy.

I wasn’t sure whether this news was delivered to Squiat or not, but I saw him throwing a chair into the nearest wall through my Telescope.