WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Natty
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◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈
Chapter 33: Apostle of Love
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In the garden before the lodgings, Rene sat on a bench in a sunny spot, diligently practicing divine arts.
What she was practicing now was elemental arts, the simplest kind of spell arts.
She could not learn combat arts because of her physical limitations, and she could not yet study formations because they required theoretical understanding. By process of elimination, elemental arts were what she was learning.
“Phew...”
A long breath escaped Rene’s lips. She drew another breath, released the divine power within her, gathered it over both hands, and began concentrating on changing its form.
The foundation of elemental arts was to bring the image in one’s mind into physical form.
Fire.
Not too hot. A warm fire, like the one that had warmed her while they camped on their way here.
That was what she needed to picture.
It would flare as it burned, its shape wavering. It would be red like the sunset. If she brought her hand close, she would feel its heat against her skin.
She could not see it, so she could not be certain. Still, Rene recalled the days when she had been able to see and formed the closest image she could in her mind. Then she began molding her divine power to manifest it.
Fwoosh.
That sound arose as she drew out her divine power and refined its shape.
Crack.
There was also the sound of firewood snapping. It must have happened because she had pictured a campfire while creating it.
Rene continued molding the fire without pause. When she realized there was nothing more to refine after struggling with the divine power for some time, she asked Vera a question.
“Sir, how is it?”
“You succeeded splendidly.”
“Hehe, that’s a relief.”
A bright smile bloomed across Rene’s face at his answer.
Vera looked at that smile, then continued as he examined the fire manifested above her hands.
“It is a vivid vermilion flame. At its base are several long sticks that appear to be firewood, and the heat is...”
As he spoke, Vera held his hand over the fire.
“...A little warmer than body temperature. Is it a campfire?”
“Ah, yes! It reminded me of the ones we made on the way to the Holy Kingdom.”
“You recreated it wonderfully. I would never believe you created it without looking at the real thing.”
It was not empty praise.
The campfire floating over Rene’s palms was so detailed that one could have believed she had made it while looking directly at one.
“Imagination is more important than anything when manifesting arts. You have a talent for elemental arts, Saintess.”
“Y-you’re embarrassing me by praising me so much...”
“I mean it. I cannot create something like this.”
“You can’t?”
“Yes. That is why I am unskilled with elemental arts.”
That was why Vera had deliberately devoted himself to formations among the divine arts. It was a field where he could improve through aptitude, experience, and knowledge. He believed it could cover for his own lack of imagination.
Vera was not someone who invested in unlikely prospects.
Rene nodded slightly at his words, showing that she understood. Then she gave an awkward laugh and continued.
“Hmm, it’s surprising to hear that there are things even you can’t do, Sir.”
“I am only human. Of course there are.”
“Still... you feel like someone who can do anything.”
“I am honored.”
“This time it’s ‘honored’? Ah, don’t just answer with things like ‘sorry’ or ‘my apologies.’ Say something else.”
Press.
Vera’s lips shut tightly.
Rene let out a small giggle as Vera immediately fell silent to avoid answering, then spoke again.
“I’m joking.”
“My apo...”
“Still not allowed.”
Vera felt troubled by her firm response. Whenever Rene teased him like this, he struggled to find anything to say.
More than a month had passed, and Rene had almost fully adjusted to life in the Holy Kingdom. She was slowly beginning to show the playful side she had displayed in the village.
It was certainly fortunate, but Vera could not shake the thought that this playful side might be due to the influence of the people in the Holy Kingdom. It made him feel as though his insides were burning every day.
Of course, that was an entirely subjective worry and far from the truth.
Rene acted this way because it was her own effort to somehow calm her wildly pounding heart. She had devised it because it frustrated her to keep getting flustered whenever she spoke with Vera.
Still, perhaps even that had its limits.
As the atmosphere fell quiet, Rene once again felt restless inside. She quickly searched for something to say.
“C-come to think of it, the Grand Temple seems rather busy. Did something happen?”
“Ah, it is probably because the Apostle of Love has returned to the Holy Kingdom for a short while.”
“The Apostle of Love?”
“Yes. They have been on a long-term dispatch for five years. I heard they made time to return and rest for a while.”
“Ah...”
Rene nodded at his answer, then felt her curiosity rise again and asked another question.
“What kind of person is the Apostle of Love?”
“I do not know either. I have never met them.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. They had already left on dispatch by the time I devoted myself to the Holy Kingdom, so this will be my first time meeting them as well.”
“They must be very busy.”
After saying that, Rene hummed before asking another question.
Someone had come to mind when Vera mentioned dispatches.
“Come to think of it, doesn’t Lord Rohan go on dispatches?”
She occasionally encountered Rohan as she came and went. He always carried a bright and boisterous air around him.
She had heard that he was the Apostle sent out most often, but since arriving in the Holy Kingdom, Rene had never heard of him going anywhere.
“For now, he has been ordered to remain on standby. Since it has not been long since you arrived in the Holy Kingdom, it would be best for the Apostles to stay near you as much as possible. That is also why the Apostle of Love has made time to return.”
“Ah...”
For some reason, Rene felt awkward at his words. She lowered her head slightly as she continued.
“I feel bad somehow. Because of me...”
“You need not concern yourself with it. I do not know about the others, but Rohan has likely forgotten all about you while he goes out to have fun.”
“Ah.”
Understanding appeared on Rene’s face.
Vera continued his thoughts as he watched her.
It was the truth without the slightest exaggeration. After receiving an indefinite standby order, Rohan had become a complete wastrel, going to cities near the Holy Kingdom and losing himself in revelry.
He always returned to the Holy Kingdom at dawn, staggering as though he had fallen into a vat of alcohol.
It was good for Vera that the person he had been most wary of was spending his time wandering outside that way, but Vargo’s sighs had been growing more frequent by the day because of Rohan’s pathetic state.
“He is not someone you gain anything from approaching.”
This time, Rene could not bring herself to argue.
“Um... yes.”
Rene lowered her head. She understood. Even in her eyes, Rohan was someone whose habits needed a great deal of improvement.
“Let us go inside now. It is nearly mealtime.”
“Ah, yes.”
Rene flinched when Vera’s hand settled over hers, then rose to her feet.
They walked slowly. As always, Vera matched Rene’s slow pace so that she would not have difficulty walking.
For some reason, Rene was pleased by the way he matched her pace, and a faint smile rose to her lips. Then a question suddenly filled her mind.
Come to think of it...
Vera would soon become an adult as well. She had heard that he had been born in winter, so he would turn eighteen this winter, when he would be old enough to legally enjoy nightlife.
In other words, four months from now, Vera might start going out to drink too.
Snap!
Rene’s body stiffened.
“Saintess?”
Vera called to her. But Rene’s thoughts had grown tangled with the worry that followed, and she could not answer.
What if...
What if Vera followed Rohan to the nightlife district? What if he drank there all night?
A-and women, too...!
What if he met women there?
Creak, creak.
Rene’s movements stiffened like those of a wooden puppet.
“Saintess?”
He called again. Rene jerked in surprise and replied in a rigid voice.
“Yes!”
“Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
“Ah, no!”
Rene answered, then tapped her cane against the ground and began walking again.
Vera said nothing more. He silently held her hand as they walked.
In that quiet atmosphere, with thoughts constantly rising in her mind, Rene suddenly spoke.
“Sir.”
“Yes.”
“Um... do you like alcohol?”
The moment she asked, Rene reflected on her own words and suddenly felt as though she had made a mistake.
Vera was still a minor. He probably had never even tasted alcohol.
Had she just asked such an unbelievably stupid question? What was she doing? Rene squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.
“I enjoy it to some extent.”
That answer came back.
Naturally, a blank response escaped Rene’s lips.
“...Pardon?”
“I have not drunk since coming to the Holy Kingdom, but I enjoyed it occasionally before that. Especially on nights when I could not sleep, there was no better sleeping medicine.”
Vera had answered while recalling his past life. He had also answered because he had failed to realize that he was currently a minor.
Of course, Rene did not know those circumstances. To her, it sounded as though he had spent his life drowning in alcohol until the age of fourteen, and her expression naturally stiffened.
“...Is that so?”
“Yes. Hmm... Now that I say it, I am thinking of it again.”
Rene’s fingertips trembled. This time, it was a tremor large enough for even Vera to notice.
“Saintess?”
“N-no. It’s nothing...”
Oh, heavens. Rene was filled with alarm. She had only just realized it.
A delinquent youth...
The terrifying sort of people who only existed in big cities. Vera was a delinquent youth.
Thud. Thud. Her heart felt as though it were sinking. It felt as though she had learned something she should never have known.
Of course, it had nothing to do with her whether Vera liked alcohol or met women! But still! When she thought of it, Rene felt as though her stomach were turning over.
Clench.
Rene tightened her hold on Vera’s hand.
“Um... Sir?”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Alcohol is... not good...”
She felt gloomy for some reason. When she spoke to Vera in a tone that revealed that feeling, he tilted his head and replied.
“That is true. If one lives submerged in alcohol, one becomes like Rohan, so it is something one must always be wary of.”
Rene’s face brightened at once. She had been gloomy, then she was happy. Her emotions rose and fell without pause, enough to exhaust anyone, yet Rene answered Vera’s words with delight filling her voice.
“Right?”
“Yes, but why did you suddenly ask about alcohol?”
“Hm? Ah, it’s nothing!”
Tap.
Her cane struck the ground. Rene continued walking with a beaming smile.
Watching Rene repeatedly let out small laughs, Vera continued his thoughts.
Does she want to drink alcohol?
Was that not too early for Rene, who was only fourteen? Vera considered it.
...No. It was possible.
Remembering that Rene was exactly at the age when adolescence came, he nodded to himself in understanding.
Was that not the age when one most wanted to seem grown-up? It was only natural for a girl her age to be curious.
Vera continued to deliberate.
Since Rene wanted it, should he bring her alcohol? Or should he scold her?
After thinking for a long time, Vera’s expression grew stern. Then he shook his head and cast the thought aside.
It is for her to decide.
He only needed to follow the direction Rene wanted.
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