WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 29: Adaptation - 3

──────

Creak.

The door to the lodging opened.

Vera, who had been waiting for Rene outside, stopped short when he saw her emerge through the open door.

It was because of the sight of Rene in pure white ceremonial robes.

Gold-embroidered fabric draped over her body.

They were formal robes that seemed to consist of several layers at a glance. The splendid outer garment, as well as the white priestly robes faintly visible beneath it, could have been called excessive, yet Vera found himself thinking that the robes did not look excessive at all.

They suited her that well.

They looked as though they had been made for Rene from the beginning.

...No.

Perhaps even those were not enough. Perhaps even those clothes were not enough to express her nobility.

As those thoughts continued,

Tap. Tap.

Rene approached, holding Hella's hand and using her cane.

"I'm sorry. Have you been waiting long?"

At Rene's words, Vera felt his dazed mind finally clear and moved his lips to give a quiet reply.

"No."

His answer ended abruptly. Vera reached out, took Rene's hand from Hella, and added,

"Then let's go."

"Yes."

As Vera's hand overlapped hers, Rene felt her fingertips tremble slightly. She followed his lead and began walking.

The tap of her cane and the step of their feet formed a rhythm.

By her ear, Vera's voice continued as he explained the layout of the lodging because she could not see.

"If you leave the lodging and walk about twenty paces to the right, there is an exit leading to the Grand Temple's flower beds. The opposite direction leads to the eastern exit, where the paladins' barracks are..."

His words were stiff. However, Rene knew that this rigid knight rarely spoke with emotion in his voice. This stiffness was Vera's way of being kind.

"...The corridors in the lodging generally run straight. We have removed all ornaments and anything else that might obstruct your movement, so you needn't worry about that."

"Is that so?"

As she nodded along to his words, another explanation followed.

"In the middle of the flower beds we are heading toward is an outdoor garden. His Holiness is waiting there."

"Oh, there is a garden within the flower beds? It must be huge."

"Yes. I understand it is much larger than the building where the Saintess is staying. The Apostle of Abundance, who is currently away on assignment, made the flower beds as a hobby."

An Apostle.

At that word, a thought arose in Rene's mind.

Come to think of it...

Vera was an Apostle too.

She had heard about it before arriving in the Holy Kingdom, but for some reason, it still felt strange.

To Rene, Vera gave a stronger impression of an earnest knight from a story than someone who was an Apostle.

As Rene continued her thoughts, she asked Vera a question that came to mind when he finished explaining and fell silent.

"Do all Apostles go on assignments?"

"Not all of them. It depends on the role they have been given. For example... Trevo, the Apostle of Wisdom, does not go on outside assignments because he is responsible for maintaining the Demon-Sealing Array surrounding the Holy Kingdom."

"Ah, then what is your role, Sir Knight?"

"Protecting the Saintess. Unless something extremely urgent happens, I will likely remain by the Saintess's side."

Remain by her side.

At those words, Rene's body jolted.

"...Saintess?"

"Oh, no! I just missed my step for a moment!"

"My apologies. I will slow down a little."

"It's fine!"

Her voice boomed out. Rene felt heat rise to her face at having panicked and shouted again.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

Why was she acting so foolishly? At this rate, would it not seem as if she had lied when she said, "I'm blind, not an idiot"?

Rene scolded herself for being nervous at every little thing and calmed her turbulent heart.

Neither of them spoke further. Rene was in no state to say anything else, and Vera was not someone who spoke unnecessarily.

After they had walked for quite some time,

"We're here."

Startled by Vera's words, Rene straightened up.

Then she heard a voice.

"There you are."

It was the voice of an old man deeply marked by the passage of time.

"You must have had a difficult journey, Saintess."

At the voice that followed, Rene lowered her head and offered a greeting in a nervous tone.

"Hello..."

Gulp.

She swallowed dryly. Countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

Had she violated proper etiquette? Would someone find fault with her?

As all sorts of thoughts filled her head, Vargo spoke again.

"Please come and sit here."

His words were gentle.

Rene began to think that Vargo might be kinder than she had expected, while Vera frowned at a side of Vargo he had never seen before.

Had that man truly gone senile? Why was he doing something so unlike himself?

As Vera stared at Vargo with a furrowed brow, Vargo clicked his tongue and addressed him.

"What are you standing there gaping for? Hurry and escort the Saintess. Tch. Honestly, you are the slowest fool on the continent."

Grind.

Vera ground his teeth.

"...My apologies."

"Enough with that songgu again. Do you enjoy playing catch that much? Every time you speak, it's songgu."

"Pfft...!"

A laugh escaped Rene at Vargo's words.

Cold sweat ran down Rene's back at the laugh that had slipped out without her meaning to.

Feeling Vera's hand tighten slightly around hers, Rene hurriedly apologized.

"I-I'm sorry..."

"...It's all right."

Vera replied, seated Rene across from Vargo, then stood behind her and glared at Vargo.

"Those eyes of yours have no manners."

"I have many shortcomings."

"Yes, then spend the rest of your life that way."

Vargo and Vera's gazes collided. Neither yielded an inch.

Confusion appeared on Rene's face as she listened, and noticing this, Vargo softened his tone to reassure her.

"Goodness, I have shown you such an embarrassing sight in front of the Saintess."

"No!"

Rene wanted to run away. The atmosphere was more vicious than she had expected, and her legs trembled.

If she had not been blind, she might have fled right then.

As that thought darkened Rene's expression, Vargo turned his gaze from Vera and continued.

"Saintess, there is no need for you to be afraid. This is a place where those who cherish you more than anyone have gathered, so please relax."

"I-Is that so...?"

"Of course. I heard you faced many difficulties on your way here. That worthless fellow gave you quite a hard time."

As he spoke ill of Vera, Vera's expression grew more fearsome. Vargo chuckled at the sight and continued.

"Now then, how has life in the Holy Kingdom been?"

"Y-You do not need to speak so formally to me..."

"If the Saintess does so, then I will as well."

Rene pressed her lips together.

She understood at once. Vargo was respecting her.

It was certain. How could she fail to realize it after seeing how he treated Vera?

Why was he being so kind? Was it because she was the Saintess after all? Was this Holy Mark really so remarkable?

Rene's thoughts became complicated. After pondering for a while, she shook them off and spoke.

After all, the purpose of meeting today was to hear about what she would need to do in the future. She thought she should set such concerns aside for now.

"Um... may I ask about my schedule from now on?"

She asked cautiously.

After speaking, Rene quietly waited for an answer.

Vargo watched Rene waiting with her head slightly lowered and spoke with a gentle smile.

"You are confused, aren't you?"

"Pardon?"

"You came here without knowing why, so I expect you must be confused. You may also feel resistant to it."

The unexpected words made Rene flinch. Though she felt that the conversation had somehow gone astray, she nodded and answered.

"Yes, somewhat..."

"Heh heh, I understand completely. How could I not, when I was the same? That was how I felt on the day I first received my Holy Mark. There was some black spot on my forearm, so I immediately cursed at the heavens."

Rene raised her head at his words.

It was an unexpectedly outrageous story.

"Th-That's incredible."

"It was the folly of youth. Back then, I was a brat who hated inconvenience more than death, so I spent all day thinking only about how to remove the Holy Mark. Hmm, in the end, I failed to remove it and became the Holy Emperor, so perhaps you could call it a futile concern."

It was not something Rene had ever expected to hear from the Holy Emperor.

Feeling strange, the tension she had felt until then was overtaken by curiosity, and she continued questioning him.

"But is it all right to say that? Wouldn't there be... divine retribution or something?"

"If there were such a thing, I would have died over a hundred times by now. There is no divine retribution. Even if I cursed those gods in the sky to their faces, they would not react."

Vargo said this, then added with a gentle smile.

"I imagine you feel greatly burdened. Other Holy Marks may be the same, but yours is the Holy Mark of the Lord. You must have thought that you had to become someone worthy of that Holy Mark. Someone worthy of the name Saintess."

Rene's body trembled.

He had struck at the heart of it.

It was a thought that had filled Rene from the moment she decided to come to the Holy Kingdom. Vargo had pointed it out.

Astonishment filled Rene as Vargo saw through her feelings despite their barely having exchanged a word. She nodded.

"Yes, a little..."

"You may put such burdens down. Think of the Holy Mark... as something you happened to find on the road because you were lucky. Saintess, you need only relax and think about what you wish to do. Let us say that you need only receive Revelation once you come to that realization."

His chuckle continued.

It was a strange feeling.

How could he know all the things she had not said, all the feelings she had never shown?

Did one become Holy Emperor by being able to read minds?

At that silly thought, Rene let out a small laugh without realizing it, then nodded and replied to Vargo.

"Yes."

"I heard that the priests are helping you with daily life. As for instruction in divine arts... Yes, Trevo would be good. He will teach you well."

As Vargo's words continued, Vera, who had remained silent until then, widened his eyes in shock.

Vera's gaze turned toward Vargo.

Was he in his right mind? Did he truly mean that? Was it really the right decision to entrust Rene to that madman?

As Vera stared at Vargo with such questions written all over his face, Vargo returned the look with a sly smile.

Seeing that smile, Vera understood.

That old man was trying to screw him over.

Footnotes:

“Songgu” is a Korean homonym meaning both a humble apology and playing catch.

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried