WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Natty
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈
Chapter 123: Tellon Academy - 5
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That evening, Vera looked over the course registration forms that had arrived for him and Rene, his face clouding with distress.
He could feel Terisa’s will behind the papers.
Do not even think about running away.
Vera had been given an assignment he had never heard of before: learn how to be a child. As he continued to ponder it, his head began to ache.
‘...Six.’
There were six available subjects. Of those, he had to choose three.
He and Rene had decided that they would each choose three subjects they wanted and attend them together.
A sigh slipped from Vera’s lips.
They had been told to submit the forms by the end of the day, which only made him more anxious.
As Vera’s expression gradually darkened and creased while he wondered what to choose, Rene spoke.
“Have you chosen yours yet, Vera?”
“...Not yet.”
“Right? It’s really hard to decide what to take.”
“You have not chosen yours either, Saintess?”
“No. There are so many classes I want to take, but I can only choose three.”
A bright smile bloomed on Rene’s face as she answered.
Seeing Rene struggle with the exact opposite problem, Vera spoke without thinking.
“It would not matter if you chose all of them...”
“Tsk.”
Poke.
Rene poked him in the side.
“Terisa gave that assignment to you, Vera. It’s bad to push your work onto someone else.”
At her tone, as though she were coaxing a child, a groan escaped Vera.
“...My apologies.”
“Choose quickly. I only have one more to pick.”
“Yes.”
Vera looked back at the registration form.
After agonizing over it until he looked half resigned, Vera chose Introduction to Advanced Swordsmanship, History of the Divine Age, and Introduction to Advanced Spell Formulas.
He had chosen History of the Divine Age out of personal curiosity. He had selected the other two because he thought that, if he had to choose, he ought to pick subjects he was good at.
“...I have chosen.”
“Me too.”
Vera turned slightly toward the smiling Rene and asked, “Which subjects did you choose, Saintess?”
“History of Gastronomy, Practical Gastronomy, and Rest Through Meditation.”
Vera flinched.
“...You seem quite interested in gastronomy.”
“Yes! Delicious food makes me happy. Ah... The sherbet I had with you in the Empire was really good.”
Vera narrowed his eyes. She was likely referring to that pure white sherbet they had eaten at the restaurant.
‘Most people would not call something like that delicious.’
The words rose to his lips, but Vera knew taste was ultimately subjective. He did not make the foolish mistake of saying them aloud.
Instead, he asked, “Those are quite unexpected choices. I thought you would choose something related to Spell Formulas or divine power.”
It was a choice fitting for Rene, yet still oddly unexpected. Rene’s cheeks reddened slightly as she answered with an embarrassed look.
“Well, I came here to learn. I thought it would be better to learn things I don’t know rather than things I already do.”
Rene gave a small laugh and lightly shrugged, her white hair rippling like waves.
“And they look fun, don’t they?”
Such an innocent answer.
Vera’s eyes slowly widened.
At the same time, shame rose within him. Shame over his own decision.
Only hours ago, he had been advised not to stick only to familiar paths. Yet he had already turned his gaze toward what he was good at.
“Which classes did you choose, Vera?”
Vera hesitated, unable to answer. Then he finally spoke.
“...Saintess, could you give me a little more time?”
“Hm? Sure. Take your time.”
“Thank you.”
Vera looked at the form with a troubled expression.
‘...The attitude of learning.’
How to walk an unfamiliar path.
How to become a wise person instead of a foolish coward.
‘How to become someone who can advance into the unknown.’
Vera cleared away his thoughts. He cleared away thoughts of gain and loss.
If he continued thinking as he always had, he would only become someone who reached the same conclusions. He would only trap himself in a well.
Vera erased every rational calculation within him. Upon the thoughts he had emptied and emptied again, he placed only one thing.
Interest.
Fortunately, though Vera himself had not realized it, there was some longing for such things within him.
Vera drew up a small measure of the unknown and laid it out before himself.
What looked interesting? What did he not yet know, but want to know a little about?
Pondering only that, Vera crossed out Introduction to Advanced Swordsmanship and Introduction to Advanced Spell Formulas, then wrote down two other subjects beside them.
Introduction to Staring Contests and Introduction to Chicken Fighting.
...Naturally, Rene rejected them, wearing an expression too strange to put into words.
* * *
The next morning.
With the help of the probationary priests, Rene changed into the Academy uniform. Then she took a deep breath and asked, “What do you think? Does it suit me?”
Her cheeks were flushed as she spoke. The corners of her lips had been curled upward the entire time, revealing her delight.
Wearing a uniform, and experiencing the same life as everyone else through it, had excited her beyond measure.
The answers she received only lifted her spirits further.
“It looks perfect on you! At this rate, you’re a sure thing for the Academy’s most beautiful student!”
Annie exclaimed in her usual lively voice.
“You look fresh, ma’am. Mm, exactly like a student.”
Hella answered in a serious tone.
“I want to wear a uniform too!”
Aisha seemed to want one of her own.
Rene giggled at Aisha’s words amid the stream of praise and nodded.
“Then let’s ask them to prepare one for Aisha too.”
“Okay!”
“Ah, Annie. Has Vera arrived?”
“Yes, he just got here. You can go now.”
The smile on Rene’s face deepened at Annie’s answer.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Yes.”
Rene turned and began to walk.
Tap. Tap.
Her cane cheerfully struck the floor, and her steps were as light as its rhythm.
Thunk!
Her cane hit the wall. Feeling this, Rene reached out and felt around until she found the doorknob, grasped it, and turned it.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
Vera’s voice rang out.
Rene’s smile grew brighter as she answered, “Yes. What about you, Vera?”
“I rested well.”
“That’s good. What’s our first class?”
She naturally held out her hand. Vera placed his hand over it and answered, “Introduction to Advanced Spell Formulas.”
“That’s one you chose.”
“...Yes.”
There was an unmistakable gloom in Vera’s voice.
Why did he sound like that? As Rene considered it, she recalled the two subjects she had rejected.
Then a thought came to her.
Had she failed to respect Vera’s opinion?
Her excitement from moments ago began to fade. Perhaps she had been selfish.
Having reached the conclusion that Vera still regretted losing those two subjects, Rene wondered, ‘...Did he want to take them that badly?’
Introduction to Staring Contests and Introduction to Chicken Fighting.
She could not understand why such subjects even existed, and no matter how she considered it, they seemed unfit to take together.
‘...Even so.’
Surely not staring contests and chicken fighting.
Honestly, she was curious about what could possibly be taught in introductory courses for them, but she could not think of any situation where they would be useful.
Rene reassured herself that she had made the right decision and continued walking.
* * *
As Vera walked through the campus holding Rene’s hand, he described what he saw around them.
“The scenery is predominantly green. The buildings themselves are not green, but many vines have grown over the grayish-white structures, which gives that impression. Also, the wide white road running through the center of the campus stands out, making the buildings seem to blend further into the surrounding scenery.”
His voice was rigid as he spoke.
Even if they were living as students, everyone at the Academy knew Rene was the Saintess. He had to prepare for any potential trouble.
‘Too many eyes are on us.’
So far, he sensed only curiosity and surprise. Even so, it was too early to relax.
“The groups of students have different colored ties and brooches. It seems likely that their colors distinguish their years.”
As Vera continued speaking in a stiff tone while watching their surroundings, Rene, who had been listening all along, suddenly spoke.
“Vera.”
“Yes.”
“...I’m sorry.”
“...Pardon?”
Vera turned toward Rene.
Wearing her navy uniform, Rene had lowered her head with a slightly... no, very embarrassed expression.
“I rejected all the classes you went through the trouble of choosing.”
Vera tilted his head.
He had already forgotten about it, so he could only think, ‘Why bring that up now?’
“...It is all right. I chose them based only on personal interest.”
“Still...”
“What you said was completely right, Saintess. We were supposed to choose subjects we could attend together. It was my mistake to choose subjects requiring physical activity that you could not participate in.”
Vera tried to comfort her as gently as possible.
Only after seeing Rene’s expression ease did Vera add, his tone turning awkward.
“Rather, I am sorry. You have to attend classes because of me.”
“No!”
Rene lifted her head in surprise.
“I’m really happy that I get to attend classes!”
“But...”
“Stop.”
Vera closed his mouth.
Rene let out a small laugh at how quickly he fell silent, then added, “I always wanted to try it. Going to school. I wanted to learn like everyone else, meet people, and live that way. Thanks to you, Vera, I get to experience all of that. I should be thanking you instead.”
Vera studied Rene.
She did not seem to be lying.
When Rene was truly happy, her smile grew so deep that dimples formed in her cheeks.
Feeling grateful toward Rene for accompanying him and enjoying it, Vera voiced it briefly.
“Thank you.”
“If you’re grateful, do well.”
“...Yes.”
“And, Vera.”
“Please speak.”
“Isn’t there something you haven’t said to me yet?”
Rene turned toward Vera. Her unfocused blue eyes were partly hidden as she smiled with her eyes.
Vera thought over what she meant for a moment, then found the answer.
“The uniform suits you very well.”
Rene nodded, satisfaction filling her face.
“Well done.”
“You praise me too highly.”
“Not at all.”
After replying, Rene faced forward again and quietly smacked her lips like a predator stalking its prey, waiting for her next opportunity.
‘If he hadn’t guessed, I was going to link arms with him.’
She had said she would take a break from tempting him, but surely it was all right to do so as punishment if Vera made some sort of mistake.
Of course, Vera, who was relieved at the thought that there would be no temptation today, had no inkling of her feelings.
Footnotes:
Chicken fighting is a Korean playground game where players balance on one leg and try to knock each other over.
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