WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

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◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 41: Three Years, and a Revelation

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Rene humbly admitted it.

At this rate, there was no hope.

“Phew...”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Rene gave Hella a vague answer, then rested her chin on the table again and continued pondering.

The past three years and one month.

What had she accomplished by trying to approach Vera with a little more composure?

Holding hands? They had been doing that from the start.

Her name? That frustrating man had called her by name for exactly one day, then gone back to calling her “Saintess” the following day.

Time alone together? As if that existed. At most, they spent an hour or two a day walking among the flowerbeds, and their conversations during those walks were always the same.

She knew she should not make excuses, but...

‘...The Holy Kingdom is the problem.’

This blasted Holy Kingdom was the problem.

There were no particular incidents, and all she did year after year was train and study.

There needed to be some dramatic event for their relationship to progress, but the Holy Kingdom was too peaceful for anything dramatic to happen.

Tap. Tap.

Her fingers drummed on the tabletop.

‘There has to be a way...’

She needed a breakthrough.

Rene’s expression hardened as she thought that.

If Terisa saw her now, she would shake her head.

Rene could not recognize that the biggest problem lay with herself, instead searching for its cause elsewhere. It was truly pitiful.

Those who had never dated often made one mistake.

They believed a relationship needed a dramatic event in order to move forward.

Rene was a girl so woefully ignorant about romance that she treated that misconception as the truth.

If Terisa had been nearby, she would have immediately pointed out Rene’s mistake. Unfortunately, Terisa had not returned from her assignment since that month three years ago.

The cause of this disaster was that there was not a single person by Rene’s side who could correct her misguided views on romance.

“Saintess, I’m done.”

“Ah, thank you for your hard work.”

At Hella’s words that she had finished getting her ready, Rene answered quietly. Then she picked up her cane and asked,

“Where is Vera?”

“He’s waiting outside the door.”

“Good. I’ll see you later.”

“Yes.”

Tap.

Rene tapped the floor with her cane.

Now thoroughly used to it, Rene walked alone to the door of her quarters, opened it, and stepped outside.

Creak.

“Good morning, Saintess.”

Vera’s low voice followed.

Feeling the flutter in her heart that had not faded in the past three years shake her once more, Rene nodded slightly and held out her hand.

Warmth settled over her outstretched hand.

Rene gripped it tightly and smiled faintly.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes. I’ll escort you.”

His stiff voice reached her ears.

As she planted her cane, the tap of a footstep followed.

Holding Vera’s hand, Rene began walking down a corridor roughly twenty paces long.

Today was Rene’s eighteenth birthday.

* * *

Her fourth birthday in the Holy Kingdom.

As with the previous three, Rene spent this birthday holding a small gathering in the Grand Temple’s outdoor garden, inviting the Apostles and a few close acquaintances.

In the midst of the bustling gathering, Rohan spoke.

“Ah, congratulations, Saintess! Well now, you’re a young lady now, a young lady!”

“Watch your words. That is disrespectful.”

“Huh? I only called her a young lady. Why?”

“It sounds disrespectful when you say it. Just keep your mouth shut.”

“Hah.”

At Vera’s sharp response, Rohan let out a hollow laugh. Listening to them, Rene giggled.

They bickered like that every time they met, without ever tiring of it. At first, Rene had been flustered, but now she could simply laugh and let their arguments pass.

While Rohan and Vera were in the middle of another squabble, another voice came from nearby.

“Happy birthday, Saintess. I am happy.”

“I congratulate you too. I am good at congratulating.”

“Thank you, Sir Krek. Sir Marek.”

“That is right. I am Krek.”

“Marek knows Marek’s name too.”

The twins spoke in their muffled voices.

Rene was the only person in the Holy Kingdom who always distinguished them by name, so the twins liked her very much.

Wanting to keep Rene from being corrupted by bad Vera, they tried harder than anyone to reveal Vera’s true nature to her.

However, Vera was always by Rene’s side whenever the twins came to see her, so they had still not managed to expose him.

The twins did not like getting hurt.

“Congratulations, Saintess.”

Trevo’s greeting followed.

As he spoke, Trevo slowly shifted his gaze toward Rene’s upper arm. Vera caught him doing so and dragged him, along with Rohan, off to a distant corner.

Hearing Vera’s footsteps fade away and the two voices shouting as they were dragged off, Rene sipped her tea, thinking they had gone off to scuffle again.

The cool breeze sent her hair fluttering and tickled her cheeks. The scent of tea lingering around her nose soothed her heart.

Feeling the sensations around her, Rene wore a small smile.

A relaxed atmosphere.

People who had become so familiar that they were now part of her life.

Three years had been enough time for Rene to feel that the Holy Kingdom was home.

Her relationship with Vera had not progressed even a little, but the rest of her life and way of thinking had improved beyond comparison to three years ago.

She had not gained faith. Yet she had learned to let go of her resentment.

She still believed she was lacking as a Saintess. Even so, she had learned to accept the name Saintess.

Time had kindly taught Rene how to let go.

Of course, there were things she could not let go of.

“Saintess.”

At Vera’s voice, Rene felt her heart begin pounding again.

He must have finished the scuffle and returned. His voice was calm as he spoke, and Rene parted her lips slightly to answer.

“Yes.”

“His Holiness is on his way.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Rene carefully set her teacup on the table and reached for the cane beside her.

“You may remain seated.”

“How could I do that?”

“His Holiness will understand.”

“Vera.”

Rene called his name sternly at his overprotective words.

“...My apologies.”

“Again?”

Vera fell silent. Rene let out a small laugh at his reaction and continued.

“I’m joking. Still, there are manners to observe. How can I just stay seated? I’m eighteen now. Aren’t you treating me too much like a child?”

There was a hint of complaint in her voice.

She liked Vera’s unchanging attitude, but when he treated her like a child, she could not help becoming sulky.

Could he not see her a little differently? Such complaints could not help slipping out.

Of course, Vera had something to say as well.

Seeing Rene pout as she spoke, Vera swallowed the words that nearly came out, his face full of difficulty.

‘You are still a minor.’

That was right. Across the continent, one became an adult on one’s nineteenth birthday.

Rene was still eighteen. She was still a minor, in other words, a child.

Three years had turned Rene from a girl into a woman. They had allowed her beauty to bloom. Yet to Vera, Rene was still a naive child.

He could not say it aloud, because he knew Rene would sulk again if he did.

Lately, Rene had become especially obsessed with seeming mature. He did not want to upset her.

Without even dreaming that he was the reason for that behavior, Vera lowered his head again and answered,

“...I will correct myself.”

“What do you mean, correct yourself? You’ve already gone and picked up another strange expression.”

Rene grumbled again.

Wondering just how far Vera’s barrage of apologies would spread, Rene turned toward the direction Vargo was approaching from.

* * *

“Congratulations, Saintess. You are eighteen now, are you not?”

Rene nodded at Vargo’s words. Vargo chuckled as he looked at the smiling Rene.

Her long white hair had been neatly brushed down. The childish fullness had vanished from her face, and it was now taking on the appearance of a woman.

When had she grown so much?

Thinking that children grew up so quickly, Vargo continued in a voice full of amusement.

“Only one more year, and you will become an adult as well, Saintess. Hmm, you have grown so quickly.”

“I still have much to learn.”

“You are not lacking. The only one lacking in this Holy Kingdom is that gloomy little brat.”

At the sudden insult directed at him, Vera’s expression crumpled as he looked at Vargo.

“...How shameful.”

Of course, the words that came from his mouth were cloaked in humility. He did not want to show disrespect in front of Rene.

As he watched Vargo smile mischievously at him, Vera continued his thoughts.

The possibility he had once considered had now become a certainty.

‘...As expected.’

Vargo would not die of natural causes.

Over the past three years, Vera had steadily grown stronger. He had now reached the point where he could at least gauge how far Vargo had progressed.

The divine power flowing from Vargo’s body was not the divine power of someone headed for death.

It grew deeper and stronger with every passing day. The vitality contained within it alone was enough to sustain Vargo’s life for at least another ten years.

Which naturally raised a question.

‘Why?’

Why, exactly, what would lead Vargo to his death?

Vera had wrestled with that question countless times, but he could find no answer.

He still remembered it clearly.

The overwhelming martial might that had thrown even Terdan, the giant who pushed mountains, backward. That strike was better described by the word erasure than destruction.

Vera could not even imagine what could bring someone with such strength to death.

The only possibility he could think of was the Demon King, but the Demon King would not rise for several more years after Vargo’s death.

The timing did not fit.

As Vera’s worries deepened, his expression darkened further.

Then Rene spoke.

“Ah, Your Holiness. There is something I would like to say.”

“Yes, please speak.”

Rene toyed with her teacup as she hesitated for a moment.

She had thought about it ever since coming to the Holy Kingdom, and she had finally decided it was time.

“Um, I am going to receive a Revelation now.”

The noisy surroundings fell silent.

Everyone present turned to Rene.

Amid them, Vera stared at Rene with wide eyes.

“...Saintess.”

“It’s all right. I thought about it a lot before deciding.”

A smile formed on Rene’s lips.

Rene was not a fool. She was perceptive enough to know how much the people of the Holy Kingdom considered her and respected her.

Those who bore a Holy Mark had to receive a Revelation.

It was one of the few rules in the free-spirited Holy Kingdom.

His Holiness, Vera, the other Apostles, and the clergy.

Rene knew that, despite knowing this rule, they had all avoided bringing it up in front of her.

“I’m all right now.”

She had chosen today because she thought it would be better to say it in front of as many people as possible.

“Everyone has considered me for so long. I wanted to say this today because I also wanted to thank you all.”

The smile on Rene’s face deepened.

“Thank you all so much.”

Rene still did not understand faith. She did not believe in the glory of the gods or the greatness of divine authority.

But she was ready to accept them.

She was now able to stop denying the Holy Mark she bore.

She had received so much consideration and love from so many people that she wanted to repay them in kind.

That feeling gave Rene the courage to receive a Revelation.

‘There is that, too...’

Feeling Vera standing beside her, Rene let out a soft chuckle.

‘...While I’m at it.’

Should she not bring some change to her daily life as well?

Rene, an inexperienced girl in love, was foolish enough to believe that a dramatic event would change a relationship.

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