WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 35: Apostle of Love - 3

──────

Terisa looked at Rene and Vera as soon as she entered the meeting room, sensing the awkward atmosphere.

They sat side by side, both staring straight ahead with identical expressions.

Naturally, a question slipped out.

“What are you doing?”

Rene and Vera turned to Terisa at the same time. Vera slightly bowed in greeting, while Rene startled and jerked her shoulders.

Terisa chuckled at their contrasting reactions, then slowly walked over and sat across from them.

“Forgive me. It has been a while since I came, so we had things to discuss.”

“Oh, no!”

Rene answered loudly, then shrank her shoulders as she realized her mistake.

Terisa felt another laugh slip out at the sight. Her gaze moved between the two.

“Hmm...”

Vera was looking worriedly at the cowering Rene, while Rene had her eyes tightly shut and her cheeks red.

Terisa could see pink energy bubbling up from Rene.

Unrequited love.

She knew at a glance.

Terisa’s Authority allowed her to see emotions as colors. The more unrefined the emotion, the more clearly she could see it.

A young girl’s clumsy first love did not know how to hide itself. A brief glance was all it took to see it plainly.

For some reason, Terisa felt glad as she spoke to Rene.

“Saintess, I heard Trevo has been teaching you divine arts. Is that right?”

“Ah, yes!”

“For the next month, I’ll teach you instead. I’m better at it than that Trevo fellow.”

It was a sudden declaration. Rene tilted her head, worried.

“Um... is that all right? What if Sir Trevo feels hurt...?”

Trevo had always treated her so warmly, so she could not help worrying. Terisa chuckled and nodded.

“Of course. Don’t worry. That boy will be glad to have more free time.”

A sharp judgment, Vera thought.

Anyone who knew Trevo could have thought the same. Anyone who came and went from the Grand Temple knew that madman would shut himself away whenever he became absorbed in his research.

The only reason Rene did not know was because of Vera’s “training.”

Trevo had not shown that manic side of himself in front of Rene, so she still did not know his true nature.

Terisa watched Vera give a small nod, then looked at Rene, who did not know what to do. Her voice was full of amusement as she added,

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve known Trevo since he was knee-high, so I know him well. Teaching is what I’m most confident in. Why, I raised Vargo too.”

Vera’s eyes widened.

The person who had taught Vargo.

Only then did he understand some things. Why Vargo had been so respectful toward Terisa. Why Terisa was so confident.

Then a desire arose in Vera.

“May I ask to learn alongside her?”

“Hmm?”

Under Terisa’s gaze, Vera continued.

“I have felt that self-study in divine arts is reaching its limits.”

It was not an empty remark. Self-study had its limits. The time when he could make do with instinct had long passed, and he needed to delve into the theoretical side.

She had come at the perfect time. As Vera waited for an answer, Terisa’s reply made him flinch.

“You cannot.”

It was a refusal.

“May I ask why?”

“I will teach only the Saintess. You should go elsewhere during that time.”

It made no sense to him. Vera’s expression hardened, while confusion rose on Rene’s face.

She had to be separated from Vera.

That was what unsettled her. For some reason, she felt anxious, and the unease on her face grew stronger.

Terisa looked at her, humming as she considered it. Then she made it final.

“You interfere with my Authority.”

Authority. She would teach using it. That must have been her meaning.

Vera wanted to retort, but he knew too little about the Authority of Love. He thought arguing would only get him nowhere, so he nodded.

“...Understood.”

“Good. I heard you are doing well on your own, so why are you in such a hurry?”

“My apologies.”

“No need to apologize.”

Terisa chuckled.

“Then how about we begin the lessons the day after tomorrow?”

“Ah, yes!”

The question came so suddenly that Rene answered without thinking.

Feeling as though things were somehow taking a strange turn, Rene nodded.

* * *

Two days later, in the clearing before the cottage.

Vera wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and looked around.

“Ughhh...”

“Urrgh...”

The figures lying around and groaning were the twins and Rohan.

He had called them for the “training” he had once decided to hold regularly. Since he had to be away from Rene, he was using the opportunity to train them.

“Get up. The sparring match is not over yet.”

Rohan, sprawled on the ground, flinched and glared at Vera.

What sparring match?!

Was he not simply relieving stress? Rohan had seen it clearly. Vera smiling as he swung his wooden sword at Rohan. Vera whistling as he beat the twins around.

It was unfair. So unfair, but...

He was damn strong!

There was nobody here to listen to the grievance of the weak.

Trembling with indignation, Rohan turned his gaze to Trevo, who was hiding behind a tree in the distance, and narrowed his eyes.

“Brat, isn’t Trevo sparring too?”

“He isn’t.”

“Why not?”

Rohan sprang upright and shouted. Vera considered for a moment before answering.

“The satisfaction of... No. I decided there was no point in sparring with him, so I excluded him.”

The satisfaction of beating him. He had definitely been about to say that.

Rohan glared at Trevo.

It was deeply unfair from Rohan’s perspective, but Vera had a point. There was nothing to get out of beating Trevo. Not only did he lack even the minimum physical ability for sparring, there was no satisfaction in hitting him.

All Trevo had was madness. He was a complete washout, with no presence, no physical ability, and no fun in beating him.

That was what Trevo was to Vera.

Vera looked at Trevo, who was grinning behind the distant tree, then looked away.

“All right, you’ve rested enough. We’re starting again. Twins, get up too.”

The twins flinched.

They had stayed still, hoping to play dead, but Vera showed no mercy.

Krek and Marek pouted and complained.

“Vera is only kind to the Saintess. This is gender discrimination.”

“Rohan is right. Vera is a total simp.”

“Hey!”

Rohan shouted. Marek’s words made his whole body twitch as cold sweat ran down him. He cautiously checked Vera’s expression.

His gloomy eyes had sunk deeper, making them look like a dead person’s eyes. His brows were slightly raised, and a hollow laugh slipped from his lips.

“Did Rohan say that?”

Vera asked the twins. The twins nodded repeatedly and added,

“Rohan said it. He said Vera loses his mind whenever he sees a woman.”

“That is right. Rohan said Vera would be ruined by women.”

“No! No! No! I never said that!”

Rohan shouted desperately as if trying to salvage the situation, but he knew it too.

I’m screwed!

There was no way out.

Step.

Vera’s footsteps rang in Rohan’s ears.

Creak. Creak. Rohan raised his head, and his vision was filled with a wooden sword lifted high into the sky.

Rohan closed his eyes and prayed that he would wake up before the day was over. He prayed that he could at least go out for a drink that night.

Then came...

Smack!

A crisp impact.

* * *

While Vera was busy roughhousing with the other Apostles, Rene sat across from Terisa in her lodging, giving an awkward smile.

“Um... shall we begin?”

“Good. First, shall you show me how much you have learned?”

“Ah, yes!”

Rene nodded eagerly and brought both hands before her chest, demonstrating the elemental arts she had practiced.

Since this was her first demonstration, she chose what she was most confident in.

Fwoosh.

A small campfire rose above Rene’s hands.

Then came her worry.

Did it turn out well?

Since she could not see the result herself, she could not help worrying.

Normally, Vera would assess the result and offer comments, so she did not feel anxious. But Vera was not beside her now, and her unease surged.

What if she had made a complete mess of it?

Trying to dispel that anxiety, Rene remembered the praise Vera had given her. Then she suddenly recalled what had happened two days ago as well, and her cheeks turned red.

Naturally, her composure wavered. The campfire she had created went out with a crackle, and Rene startled at the sound.

Terisa watched Rene blush and panic, then shook her head.

She has it bad.

Still, Terisa understood. Had she not fallen into such feelings when she was Rene’s age?

The sweetness of first love never faded, even after so many years.

“I’m sorry. I lost my concentration...”

“What is there to apologize for? You have only studied for a month or two. It would be stranger if you were already skilled.”

“Still...”

“You are doing well, Saintess. Hmm, have I told you where I am currently assigned?”

Rene tilted her head, then shook it.

“Um, no. You haven’t told me yet.”

“The Academy. Tellon Academy in the northeast.”

“Ah! I know that place too!”

Tellon Academy. Rene knew of it too.

No, she could not possibly not know it. It was the most famous Academy on the continent, where talented people from all across the continent gathered. Even Rene, who had lived in a rural village, knew its name.

A little surprised, Rene continued.

“That’s impressive. I heard even the professors there are remarkable.”

“People who awaken divine power can be found anywhere, can they not? The Holy Kingdom received a request for support, so I went. Of course, I did not go as an Apostle. I entered as an ordinary priest.”

“Ah...”

“I tell you this because I want you to know that you learn remarkably quickly. Even after an entire semester, the students there cannot reach your level.”

Terisa answered with a chuckle. Feeling embarrassed, Rene scratched her cheek and lowered her head.

“I, I’m embarrassed...”

“Have confidence. You are quite talented, Saintess.”

“Yes.”

Terisa watched Rene answer with a bright smile, then chuckled again and reached out to take Rene’s hands.

Rene flinched, then realized the hands covering hers belonged to Terisa and composed herself.

“The lesson I will give you uses my Authority.”

“If it is Authority...”

“The Authority of Love. It is an Authority that connects people.”

One month was a short time. Terisa intended to teach Rene as efficiently as possible, so that she could make dramatic progress in that short time.

“We will use my Authority to connect our divine power. Then, when I use divine arts in that state, you will be able to feel its movements. Remember that feeling, then imitate it after the demonstration is over. Do you understand?”

“Ah, yes!”

“Do not worry that the demonstration might fail. I will correct what you do wrong.”

Her words were calm.

For some reason, Rene felt at ease and nodded.

“Then let us begin.”

Hummm.

With a low vibration, Rene felt something ticklish burrow into her.

It was a warm sensation.

Then Terisa’s divine arts manifested.

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