WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

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◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 20: The End of the White Night - 2

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Three more days passed.

Rene still did not want to go to the Holy Kingdom, and Vera continued to follow her.

If asked whether their relationship had progressed at all, he could answer, “Still, I think we’ve grown a little closer.”

Vera turned toward Rene.

They were only two steps apart. Not with him behind her, but at her side.

That was right. Vera no longer followed behind her. Now, he stayed by her side.

It was not a change brought about by any dramatic event.

One day, Rene had suddenly said something that closed the distance between them.

“You may walk beside me.”

She had said it two days ago as they were walking.

She had gone on to say that people would find it strange if he only followed behind her, and that she could not hear him well from so far away, but Vera had not been able to focus on any of it.

The fact that Rene had allowed him to walk beside her filled his mind completely, leaving him too distracted to pay attention.

A day had passed since he began walking at Rene’s side, his heart overflowing with emotion. Yet Vera still found it unfamiliar and kept stealing glances at her.

Her gaze was directed into empty space. Her hair, white as the first snow of winter, reflected the sunlight with every step, shining brilliantly. Her blue eyes, turned toward the empty air, still held a light that could capture a person’s soul.

It was beauty that truly inspired awe.

Her beauty was such that even her gaze resting in empty space seemed wistful.

Yet if asked whether he felt love for her, Vera would answer with a shake of his head.

He believed that what he felt upon seeing her appearance was clearly different from love.

...In a way, it was only natural.

In his previous life, the feeling that had bloomed after he was moved by her nobility was reverence.

That reverence had not changed for a single moment over the past four years. There was no reason for it to become something else now merely because he had seen her appearance.

Besides, setting aside such secondary matters, she was still a fourteen-year-old girl who had not even finished growing.

Vera did not have tastes twisted enough to feel sexual desire for a child.

Suddenly, words she had said to him in his previous life came to mind.

When he had asked whether she was certain that everyone who saw her had felt love for her, she had replied that she was merely stating a fact.

Vera recalled that and smiled faintly.

You were wrong.

He did not know about others, but at least he did not feel love for her.

A pleasant feeling rose within him. He had found one mistake in the words of someone who spoke as though she knew everything.

Rene spoke just as Vera was immersed in that pleasant mood.

“The weather is nice.”

“It is.”

“The breeze is cool as well.”

“It is.”

“This time, it’s ‘It is’?”

“My apologies.”

It was a formulaic answer. Rene let out a long sigh.

“You don’t have to be so uncomfortable around me. I’m not as remarkable as you think I am, Sir Knight.”

“You are more than remarkable enough to me.”

“...Let’s stop.”

For some reason, Rene felt stifled and pressed her lips together.

It was because of Vera’s manner.

She was truly grateful that he thought well of her, but he treated her so earnestly in everything that their conversations could not continue for long.

No matter what she said, he answered with “Thank you” or “That is so,” and if she teased him, all he could say was “My apologies.” How could she keep a conversation going like that?

He’s so rigid.

The Vera Rene knew seemed like a person made by pouring the concept of tactlessness into a mold.

One could say his seriousness was a virtue, but when things were already awkward between them, it only seemed to make that awkwardness worse.

As Rene let out a quiet sigh at the thought, a conversation from three days ago suddenly crossed her mind.

Her cheeks grew warm.

It was shame.

She was ashamed that, for some reason, she had been on edge that day and snapped harshly at Vera, who had done nothing wrong.

She had apologized immediately afterward, but naturally, it still weighed on her.

He had comforted her after she had suddenly lashed out at him without warning. If she were not troubled by it, would that not mean she was a terrible person?

That was also why she had allowed Vera to walk beside her.

He had silently followed her for well over a week and even put up with her temper. She felt sorry for making him follow only behind her out of nothing but emotional resistance.

As Rene’s cheeks grew redder with the thoughts filling her mind,

“We’ve arrived.”

Vera spoke.

“Pardon?”

“You’ve arrived home.”

“Ah...”

Where had her mind gone? Only after hearing Vera’s words did Rene realize that she had completed her usual route and returned home.

“Um...”

Her voice trailed off. Her steps stopped.

With a hesitant expression, Rene moved her lips a few times before finally speaking.

“Then, get home safely.”

“Yes. Have a peaceful night.”

“Yes.”

As soon as the exchange ended, Rene disappeared behind the door.

Vera looked at the closed door for a moment, then let out a short breath and turned away.

Norn approached after Rene’s house had vanished from Vera’s sight as he walked for some time.

“Is it going well?”

Norn was asking how the matter of persuading the Saintess was progressing.

Vera recalled the relationship he had built with her over the past few days and nodded slightly.

“Yes. Fortunately, I believe she is gradually opening her heart to me.”

The past day replayed in his mind.

Rene still did not speak of the Holy Kingdom or the Holy Mark. However, apart from that, familiarity was steadily growing between them, and her attitude toward him had softened considerably.

If this continued, might he someday be able to open her heart?

Might she be able to strengthen her own resolve?

With such thoughts in mind, Vera added,

“She is still young, so I believe we must watch over her and wait a little longer.”

Norn looked at Vera, whose expression had rarely become so gentle, and smiled faintly.

“Come to think of it, the Saintess is exactly fourteen, is she not? That is the same age you were when you first came to the Holy Kingdom, Sir Vera. Is that why you understand each other so well?”

“...It is not.”

Vera’s face creased slightly. Norn chuckled again, then changed his expression and continued.

His voice also grew more subdued.

It was because he had obtained new information that day.

“Sir Vera, it is good that you are considerate of the Saintess, but... we do not have as much time as we thought.”

Vera turned his gaze toward Norn. Looking at him with a grave expression, Norn continued.

“A group of Dragonians is nearby. It would be good if they merely passed through, but... their actions are suspicious. It seems they know something.”

A group of Dragonians had entered Lemeo Territory and had been running about day and night for three days.

He did not know what method they had used or how much they knew, but they had clearly not come here without any information.

“Sir Vera.”

“...I understand.”

Norn looked at Vera.

His expression suggested that he was deep in thought.

Yet it was difficult to tell precisely what he was thinking from his expression alone.

“I will deal with it. Sir Norn, could you send a request for reinforcements to the Holy Kingdom, just in case? Only a small number. It would be troublesome if we drew unnecessary attention.”

“...Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Vera spoke and began walking toward the outskirts of the village.

“I will return before sunrise.”

That was all he left behind.

* * *

A wide clearing in the heart of a forest shrouded in deep darkness.

Vera sat upon a rock at the center of the clearing, continuing his thoughts.

The Dragonians will come this way.

The fastest route through the small territory of Lemeo was this forest path. There was no reason they would not come.

There was only one reason he waited for them.

Before they could learn more about Rene’s existence, he would deal with them here today.

If I think rationally...

The right course would be to avoid fighting them like this and take her to the Holy Kingdom.

The arrival of one group of Dragonians meant that other groups could follow.

And that would not be the end of it. The Followers of the Night would come. If a disturbance arose while he was stopping them, it would draw the attention of other groups as well.

In other words, the number of enemies he would have to stop would only continue to grow.

Vera tightly gripped the hilt of his sword.

He knew it. The judgment he was making now was the sort of idiotic decision only the twins would make.

Waiting for her like this, waiting until she opened her heart, was a decision based on his emotions.

Yet even so, Vera had made this decision because he believed in her nobility. Because he believed in her steadfastness.

He believed that Rene, that girl who continued walking resolutely even in such despair, could rise through her own strength. He believed he should not dare turn away from that process.

It was also an emotion connected to fear.

If he disregarded her wishes and acted as he pleased, would it return as resentment?

Would her light turn its back on him this time?

Such a fear, one he had never felt in his life, existed within Vera.

As thoughts surged through him, Vera felt a breath escape from deep within.

...Calm down.

He had to compose himself.

Was this not what he had resolved himself to do? Was this not why he had trained?

Of course, all he had realized was his own arrogance and ignorance. Yet even so, he had steadily built his strength.

He had become able to use the divine power he had once wielded haphazardly in a systematic manner.

He had cultivated his body with even greater care than in his previous life.

In terms of sheer martial strength, he had already raised himself to a level that could contend with the realm he had reached in his previous life.

Vera closed his eyes, erased the rising anxiety, and looked into his soul.

Upon his dark soul was engraved a covenant that staked his entire soul upon it.

[I will live for the Saintess.]

It was a covenant he had engraved with his own will.

Vera gazed quietly at that covenant, then opened his eyes and looked forward.

At the end of his gaze, figures were approaching swiftly. Vera narrowed his eyes and focused on them.

...Five.

Even in the darkness, their appearances were distinctive enough to stand out.

Dark scales covered their half-bared bodies. Their eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight, resembling those of reptiles.

Dragonians.

Unfilial wretches who coveted the Authorities of their parent dragons.

After confirming their approach, Vera rose from the rock where he had been sitting and drew his sword.

Shing.

...I only need to stop them.

Whether hundreds or thousands came, all he had to do was hold them back.

He was not weak enough to fail at that.

His sword was still savage. It was a sword more suited to taking than protecting.

Yet even such a sword could buy her enough time to rise on her own.

As his thoughts continued, the figures stopped before the clearing.

Vera looked at the five figures, openly wary of him, and released the divine power he had kept tightly contained within himself.

He saw no need to give them any leeway.

A brief standoff. Then silence.

In the midst of it, a low voice rang out.

“I proclaim.”

Whoosh.

Divine power burst from Vera’s body.

“From this moment onward, all magic and sorcerous acts performed within this domain are forbidden.”

His divine power turned ash-gray. Golden rules were engraved upon that ash-gray divine power.

“Accordingly, all within this domain will have their physical abilities adjusted in proportion to their magical and sorcerous capabilities.”

Exhilaration rose within him. Every muscle in his body awakened. Feeling power begin to surge through him, Vera looked toward the Dragonians before him.

“However, those who violate the rules shall pay the price with the stopping of their hearts.”

The Dragonians leaned forward. Their eyes darted about.

They had likely sensed something strange in the flow of divine power that had arisen.

It would have been better if they had been a little more foolish. Feeling a faint regret at that, Vera recited the rules again.

“All these rules shall be enforced in the name of Lushan.”

Hummm.

Sanctuary resounded. It was the phenomenon that occurred as the rules were completed.

Feeling strength fill his body according to those rules, Vera raised his sword and leaned forward.

It was not an entirely favorable situation for Vera. As Dragonians, descendants of dragons called the favored children of magic, the boost they received within this space would be considerable.

However.

How laughable.

That was not a reason for him to lose.

“Graaaah!”

The Dragonian on the far right charged forward.

The Dragonian's speed hovered at the edge of perception.

Yet Vera could still counter at that speed.

With a short, controlled motion, Vera swung his sword and cut through the approaching Dragonian’s neck.

Slice.

A cold sound rang out. Then the Dragonian's head fell away. The falling head and spraying blood descended slowly.

Four.

Vera looked ahead.

They stared at him with tense expressions. Vera watched them and adjusted his grip on his sword.

No matter how strong they became, it was meaningless in the end.

As always, there was nothing Vera was more confident in than wielding a blade.

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