WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

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◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 34: Apostle of Love - 2

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“She’s arriving.”

On the day the Apostle of Love returned to the Holy Kingdom, Rene stood waiting for her at the Grand Temple’s front gate. At Vera’s words, she felt her whole body stiffen.

There were two Apostles she had yet to meet. She was about to meet one of them, so it was only natural.

Vera was not quite himself either, though for a reason both similar to and different from Rene’s.

Hoping this Apostle would at least be normal, Vera narrowed his eyes at the figure walking toward them from afar and spoke.

He meant to describe the Apostle of Love’s appearance to Rene.

“...She is an elderly woman.”

Her most noticeable trait. The Apostle of Love looked like an old woman visibly marked by the passage of time.

Then he continued.

“She has a gentle impression. Her white hair is gathered into a single bun, and she is slightly stooped. There are no wrinkles in her ceremonial vestments, so I believe she prefers things neat and orderly.”

He had examined her outward features as closely as he could and drawn his conclusions. Rene nodded repeatedly, committing his words to memory.

“Do I look all right?”

Was there anything someone might find fault with? At her question, Vera looked her over and answered casually.

“You are beautiful.”

Rene flinched.

“Th-thank you...”

“I merely spoke the truth.”

Rene pressed her lips together. His words made her feel as though her mind were slowly steaming.

He surely did not mean anything by it, yet somehow, it sounded as though it carried another meaning.

Her heart was in complete turmoil. She had thought the restless feeling would fade once she adjusted to the Holy Kingdom, but it only grew stronger by the day.

It would have been better if it only happened when they were together. Even when they were apart, when she was in her quarters with Hella, eating, washing, or lying down to sleep, Vera came to mind at every moment.

His voice, their clasped hands, the conversations they had shared. They all stirred through her mind.

Thoughts she could not control.

This was the time when she ought to focus on training in divine arts, studying doctrine, and learning all manner of subjects. Yet thoughts of Vera made that difficult.

Why am I like this?

As Rene wondered about her own condition...

“Welcome.”

Vargo spoke.

At his words, Rene raised her lowered head and faced forward. The Apostle of Love must have arrived. Realizing that, her body stiffened with mounting tension.

The reply came just as Rene pressed her lips tightly together.

“Yes, Your Holiness has grown quite old.”

“Not as much as you.”

“Ha ha. I am not as ugly as Your Holiness. Take that back.”

Their conversation continued with easy familiarity.

Holding Rene’s hand as he watched, Vera’s eyes widened at what he heard.

That eccentric old man was being provoked and simply letting it pass. Was that not astonishing?

It was a side of Vargo he had never even imagined.

What sort of person was the Apostle of Love, for Vargo to treat her with such courtesy?

Vera’s expression turned strange at the question that arose in his mind.

The Apostle of Love, who had been speaking with Vargo, stared at Vera when she noticed that expression beyond him.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Vargo turned his head immediately afterward. Then, letting out an “Ah,” he stepped aside and spoke to Rene.

“Saintess, please greet her. This is Lady Terisa, the Apostle of Love.”

“H-hello!”

At Vargo’s words, Rene bowed deeply in greeting.

Rene felt the same surprise Vera had. Vargo spoke formally to no one but her, yet here was someone he treated with utmost respect. It was truly surprising.

As Rene stood with her head bowed and an awkward expression on her face, Terisa approached her. Taking Rene’s hand, she slowly raised her upright and spoke.

“It is lovely to meet you, Saintess. There is no need to be so formal.”

Her voice was gentle. As Rene lifted her head, Terisa examined Rene’s face, then continued.

“What a lovely young lady. Once you grow a little more, you will have every man in the world wrapped around your finger.”

Terisa let out a quiet chuckle.

Rene gave an awkward laugh at her words, then focused her attention in Vera’s direction.

It was an unconscious reaction.

Terisa blinked at Rene’s strange response. Then she noticed Vera standing in the direction Rene’s body had tilted toward and let out an “Ah.”

“So you are the covenant. I have heard much about you. They say you are quite the troublemaker?”

“That is not true at all.”

Vera’s expression tightened slightly as he answered. Then he bowed his head.

“My name is Vera.”

“Yes, it is good to meet you.”

Hearing Terisa’s laughter linger in his ears, Vera wondered what exactly people had said about him for her to greet him this way.

Terisa watched Vera bow deeply in courtesy. Then she looked back at Rene, narrowed her eyes, and smiled.

“Hmm...”

The sound slipped from her lips. Turning her gaze back to Vera, Terisa spoke in a teasing tone.

“What a tall, handsome fellow. Quite handsome for an Apostle.”

“You flatter me.”

“I merely said what I thought.”

As she spoke, Terisa watched Rene’s expression.

Rene flinched and paid even more attention to Vera.

Terisa understood at once what that reaction meant.

The smile on Terisa’s lips deepened. A laugh escaped her in delight.

It seemed this vacation would be quite enjoyable.

* * *

After greeting Terisa, Rene entered the Grand Temple’s conference room and sat beside Vera in silence.

Terisa had stepped out, saying she had something to discuss with Vargo.

In the quiet atmosphere, Terisa’s earlier words stirred through Rene’s mind.

What a tall, handsome fellow.

The words describing Vera’s appearance lingered in her thoughts.

Come to think of it, Rene had never known what Vera looked like.

It was only natural, since she could not see. Still, Vera described everyone else’s appearance in such detail that she could picture them to some extent. Yet in the entire Holy Kingdom, Vera’s face was the only one she did not know.

Realizing that, Rene began to fret without realizing it. Her mind filled with one thought.

How should I ask?

...In truth, she could have simply asked. But Rene became particularly foolish around Vera, so the thought never occurred to her. Instead, she searched for an excuse.

No, even if she had thought of simply asking, she would have tried to find an excuse.

What if Vera found her strange for asking such a question? What if he thought she had other feelings for him? Those concerns troubled her.

Rene believed she did not have romantic feelings for Vera.

There were many reasons for that, but the greatest was this.

Rene had never once felt attracted to someone of the opposite sex, so she did not realize that this feeling was romantic attraction.

The longer she worried, the lower her head sank. Her eyes squeezed shut.

By the time Rene’s condition had become visibly strange...

“Saintess? Are you feeling unwell?”

Vera spoke.

Rene started at his words, shot her head up, and answered loudly.

“No!”

She looked like a roly-poly toy springing upright after being tipped all the way over.

After answering, Rene’s fingertips trembled. Then she thought, Just close your eyes and ask! She moved her lips carefully.

“Sir.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“What do you look like?”

Still.

Vera stopped moving. Rene’s expression grew even stiffer.

Only then did Vera realize that he had never once told Rene what he looked like, and regret filled him.

How inconvenient must it have been? How uncomfortable must it have been not to know the face of someone she spent nearly every day with?

Vera was filled with remorse over his thoughtless mistake and apologized to Rene.

“I apologize. I did not think it through and failed to tell you.”

“Y-yes?”

Rene was bewildered. Why was he reacting like that?

As a confused expression formed on her face, Vera took Rene’s hand and placed it against his cheek.

“Eek!”

Jolt.

Feeling his skin beneath her hand, Rene’s body jerked. She froze completely, as though she had broken down.

“Saintess?”

“Uh, uh, uh...”

Unfinished words kept slipping from her lips. Rene only regained some composure after a while.

She had not fully recovered. The feeling of his skin against her palm had left her thoughts only half functional.

Vera tilted his head slightly as he watched Rene slowly steady her breathing, then continued.

“You may touch me as you wish. If there is anything you are curious about, ask, and I will answer.”

Vera said this because he remembered Rene stroking his face in his previous life.

However, it had the opposite effect.

Touch him as she wished.

Those words made Rene feel as though a ball of fire had dropped into her chest.

They were far too stimulating for a girl her age.

Rene opened and closed her mouth, her body creaking like a broken machine. At last, she came to her senses and nodded.

“Y-yes...!”

As she wished. As she wished. As she wished.

Those words began filling her mind. She kept swallowing dryly.

Vera’s hand, which had rested over the back of hers, fell away. Feeling it leave, Rene slowly stroked Vera’s cheek.

It was slightly rough, but warm and soft.

“Um... What color is your skin, Sir?”

“I believe I am paler than most. I think it is because I lived in a neighborhood that received little sunlight from childhood.”

As he spoke, Vera’s voice turned into vibrations that traveled through her palm.

It felt as though a tingling current ran down her spine.

White skin. In Rene’s mind, warm cheeks and pale skin took shape.

“I-I see...”

As she continued speaking, Rene moved her hand a little higher. This time, the tip of her thumb touched his eyelashes.

“Ah, sorry.”

“It is all right.”

Vera closed his eyes. His eyelashes brushed against her thumb as his eyelids lowered.

The sensation made Rene’s body twitch again. She swallowed dryly and asked,

“Th-then, what color are your eyes?”

“I believe they are gray. I have never examined them closely, so I apologize that I cannot give you a definite answer. When we return today, I will find out and tell you.”

“N-no! You do not need to go that far!”

Gray.

Upon the rough picture in her mind, she drew slightly sharp eyes with gray irises.

Because Rene thought of Vera as a delinquent youth, she imagined him with a sharp impression.

It was not intentional, but as a result, the Vera taking shape in her mind looked rather like the real one.

Her thumb moved up over his eyelid and slowly brushed his eyebrows. Straight eyebrows, with his fringe falling over them.

“What color is your hair?”

“Black.”

Black hair and straight eyebrows were added to the picture in her mind.

I thought it would be yellow.

That was a little unexpected.

Thinking that, Rene continued stroking Vera’s face. She traced the bridge of his nose, much higher and straighter than her own, then felt along his jaw, making the picture in her mind more detailed.

Then her hand suddenly stopped.

There was one last part she had not examined.

H-his... mouth...

His lips.

The thought that she had to touch them had stopped her.

Thump. Thump.

Her heart began to pound. Her throat, which had been swallowing all day, started working again.

Her thumb moved across his cheek, little by little, ever so slowly.

Her palm was growing hot.

Rene did not know whether it was Vera’s warmth or her own.

Then, as her moving thumb sank in slightly...

Squish.

It touched his lips.

Jolt.

Rene was startled and pulled her hand from Vera’s face, answering almost with a shout.

“T-that is enough!”

“Was I of help?”

“Yes. Yes! I think I understand now! Thank you!”

The words spilled out rapidly. After speaking, Rene worked her lips, clenched her fists, then sat upright and froze in that position.

Vera tilted his head again at the sight. Then he sat properly as well, following Rene’s example.

Thump. Thump.

Rene remained silent, anxiously wondering whether Vera could hear her heart pounding as though it might burst.

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