WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Natty
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◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈
Chapter 31: Training - 2
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“Nice to meet you, Saintess.”
It was the first thing Rene heard upon entering Trevo's study.
Rene jolted in surprise, then gave a small bow toward the voice.
“Hello.”
“It is truly an honor to meet you. You have come to learn divine arts, correct?”
“Yes.”
“You must have had a tiring journey. I am Trevo, and from today onward, I will be teaching you divine arts.”
“Ah, I’m Rene. Sir Vera has told me a lot about you. That... unusual person!”
“Lord Vera spoke of me? Oh my, that is embarrassing.”
His voice was lively. Rene could tell from his tone that Trevo was a truly energetic person.
Still, something puzzled her.
Why does he feel so faint?
Though he spoke so energetically, it was difficult to sense Trevo's presence.
It was the same thought Vera had once had.
Had it not been for his voice, Rene felt she might not have noticed Trevo's presence at all. Guided by Vera, she slowly made her way to the table in the center of the study and sat down.
After helping Rene into her chair, Vera shot Trevo, who had been grinning broadly until then, a sharp glare.
It was a look that told him not to do anything foolish.
Trevo, who had been thoroughly beaten by Vera two days ago and left with a black eye, flinched and nodded with an awkward smile.
“Then, since the Saintess must have her own schedule, shall we get straight to the point?”
“Ah, yes.”
“You need not be nervous. What I will teach you is basic theory, so it should not be too difficult.”
Trevo's words were meant to reassure her. Still, Rene could not relax, worrying about what would happen if she did poorly, but she nodded.
There was something else she was worried about, too.
“Um, I am not too old to learn divine arts, am I?”
Once, Uncle Pepe, the village gossip, had said that all mages belonged to the highest echelon of the elite, receiving gifted education before they were even five.
Thinking divine arts would be a similar field, Rene asked the question, and Trevo answered.
“You are not late at all. Hmm, to explain that, I should first tell you about divinity.”
“I’m sorry. I have not learned anything about this...”
“You have nothing to apologize for, Saintess. No one knows everything from the start, do they?”
He chuckled softly as he spoke. Rene gave an awkward smile and nodded.
Trevo looked at Rene before continuing in a calm tone.
“How much do you know about divinity and mana, Saintess?”
“Um... mana is energy from nature, and divinity is power received from the gods?”
Her uncertain answer trailed off.
It was only natural. Rene had never had the chance to encounter such things in her life. Both divinity and mana had been far removed from her.
“Hmm, you are half right and half wrong.”
“Hehe... Is that so?”
Embarrassment crossed Rene's face. Trevo chuckled again and continued his explanation.
“You are right about mana. Mana is a formless source of energy spread throughout the air.”
“Ah, I’m glad I got that right.”
“Yes, that is the half you got right. The half you got wrong concerns divinity. Divinity is not power received from the gods.”
“What?”
Rene tilted her head at those words. If it was not power received from the gods, then what sort of power was divinity?
As her expression grew more confused, Trevo gently explained.
“Simply put, divinity is a kind of mutated mana. Mana that settles within the body mutates into a quality called divinity.”
It was quite confusing.
“Then why is it called divinity?”
“Because that altered quality contains the power of the divine realm. That is why it is called divinity.”
“Ah...”
“This is not commonly known. Research into divinity is still not very active. To explain a little further, because of this nature of divinity, there are quite a few people who possess it without entering the priesthood. Healers in the Empire are a representative example.”
“Ah, I know about that.”
“Yes. They regard divinity as merely mutated mana and do not connect it to reverence for the gods. The Holy Kingdom does not regulate such people.”
The matter of Imperial healers was widely known, so Rene had heard of it. Of course, she had only learned of those circumstances today.
“Is that all right? There could be people who misuse divinity.”
“That is not the Holy Kingdom's concern. We serve the gods. We do not manage divinity. Is it not right for each person to bear responsibility for the power they have been given?”
Rene felt somewhat unsettled by what she was hearing.
It was certainly right when she considered its essence, but hearing it from a priest felt strange somehow.
Her preconceptions about the Holy Kingdom played a part as well. The Holy Kingdom Rene knew was a closed nation full of secrets, so she had assumed it would regulate such things.
Trevo watched Rene nod in understanding, then smiled softly and changed the subject.
“We have wandered too far from the main topic. To return to it, because divinity differs from mana in nature, divine arts are not a field that requires systematic education like magic does. As long as you are born with it, it is quite easy to learn.”
“That is a relief...”
Rene let out a long breath of relief.
“You need not be afraid. Lord Vera first learned divine arts when he was right around your age, Saintess. You will be able to do well, too.”
“Ah, now that you mention it...”
She felt like she had heard something like that before.
Rene turned her head toward Vera.
“Then, when I am about Sir Vera's age, will I be able to handle divinity like Sir Vera?”
Thump, thump.
Her heart began to beat a little faster. It was a natural reaction to the thought of becoming like Vera.
However, Trevo's answer immediately calmed that rhythm.
Trevo spoke to Rene in a somewhat troubled tone.
“Um... Reaching Lord Vera's level may be a little difficult.”
“...What?”
“Lord Vera is...”
Trevo looked toward Vera.
Vera was staring at him with an indifferent expression. Trevo continued as he watched him.
“...A little, no, very talented.”
Trevo did not like giving false hope. That was why he said it plainly.
Vera was a monster. What else could he call someone who had created personal divine arts from the few introductory books he had taken away on the day he first came to ask about divine arts?
How surprised had Trevo been when he learned of it? Even Trevo, who had once been considered a candidate for the next Mage Tower Master, could not have done such a thing.
Of course, Trevo was far more versed in academic matters. But when it came to the practical use of divine arts, there was no one in the entire Holy Kingdom who could match Vera except His Holiness.
“I, I see...”
Rene's voice sank slightly. Vera's eyes widened, and he glared at Trevo.
Why say something unnecessary and discourage Rene? Had he not beaten Trevo enough?
As Vera fixed Trevo with that fierce gaze, Trevo flinched and shrank back.
Vera let out a deep sigh, then spoke to Rene in a gentle tone.
“You do not need to become like me. Saintess, you have things that only you can do, so please do not dwell on it.”
“B, but still...”
“Am I not here for the things you cannot do? I will always remain by your side so that you never need to feel inadequate. Please cheer up.”
Thud...
Rene felt as though her heart had dropped.
Always by your side.
Those words had stirred something in her.
That strange reaction came again. Feeling heat rise throughout her body, Rene's head spun as she nodded stiffly.
“Y, yes...!”
Perhaps something was wrong with her throat, because her words came out stammering.
Trevo's mouth fell open as he stared blankly at the sight before him.
That was... not the Vera he knew. The Vera Trevo knew was not that kind of person.
Naturally, that thought came to him. That Vera must be fake. The real Vera might have been beating Trevo until two days ago before leaving on an assignment.
Then what was that Vera?
As Trevo looked at Vera, Vera's expression had already changed. He glared at Trevo fiercely.
Vera's lips moved silently, forming the words.
“Lower your eyes.”
Trevo lowered his gaze. Trevo was someone who learned from experience. He knew that if he ignored those words, another beating would come later.
Across a table, they radiated entirely opposing moods.
It was Vera who broke the strange atmosphere.
“Now then, let us continue the lesson, Trevo.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Continue.”
Trevo nodded.
“Th, then! Let us continue the lesson. Shall we first try some simple manipulation of divinity?”
“Yeees!”
The lesson continued.
Yet the atmosphere filling the room remained strangely awkward.
* * *
“Then, Saintess, I will see you tomorrow. Have a peaceful night.”
“Ah, yes. Get back safely.”
Outside Rene's lodgings, Rene bade farewell to Vera as he left after escorting her back. Then she took Hella's hand.
“You've worked hard, ma'am.”
Hella's unusual way of speaking was the same as ever. Rene nodded, wondering what state of mind she had been in to make it all the way here.
“Th, then shall we go inside?”
“Yes.”
Tap.
Rene's cane struck the ground.
Thump. Thump. Her heart was still pounding.
Holding Hella's hand and feeling her way along the ground, Rene walked forward. Unable to calm herself at all, she finally asked Hella a question.
“Um, Hella?”
“Yes'm, please go ahead.”
“Um... Since coming to the Holy Kingdom. No, since leaving the village, I think something has been wrong with my body...”
“What d'you mean, ma'am?”
“For some reason, my heart keeps racing, little things people say keep bothering me, and I think I have a fever...”
Rene continued, but she could not bring herself to add the subject, whenever I am near Vera. As a result, her words sounded rather like the symptoms of an illness.
Of course, Rene did not know that.
Hella tilted her head as she listened and examined Rene's complexion. The redness in her face was quite strong.
“Seems like you're feeling poorly from the change of seasons, ma'am. You've had a hard time, so it's only natural.”
“Y, you think so?”
“Yes'm. Just in case something's wrong, I'll bring a priest tomorrow.”
“Ah, please do.”
Thinking, So I was simply overreacting, Rene smiled.
In truth, Rene's reactions were obvious enough that a closer look would reveal they were not symptoms of illness. Hella simply had not noticed.
Unfortunately, Hella had not inherited her father Norn's perceptiveness.
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