WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

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◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 78: the Empire

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A week passed without any special incident. The only thing worth mentioning was Aisha, twisting with boredom, nearly falling out after sticking her head through the window. Once that week ended, the group arrived in the Empire.

“Woooow...!”

Aisha’s exclamation burst out as expected.

Looking over the scene spread before her, Aisha felt as though her heart were pounding.

Long, towering walls that stretched so far she could not see their end. A great palace rising magnificently beyond those walls. And, when she lifted her head higher, a tower floating in the sky.

Aisha turned toward Vera, her eyes sparkling as she asked,

“Vera! That’s the Mage Tower, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do wizards live there?”

“What, did you think knights lived there?”

“Oooh...”

Normally, Aisha would have flared up at Vera’s teasing. This time, however, she did not. Or rather, she could not.

Her entire mind was captivated by the imposing sight of Oriac, the floating Mage Tower and famous landmark of Parvan, capital of the Frihi Empire.

Vera let out a deep sigh as he watched Aisha practically hang out of the wagon again, then asked Norn, who was driving.

“Sir Norn, how long do you think the inspection will take?”

“Hmm, it will likely take a while longer. It is the Founding Day festival season, so there are a great many travelers...”

Norn’s voice trailed off. There was an apologetic note in it.

Sensing that, Rene smiled and answered in Vera’s place.

“We’re fine, so please don’t worry about it.”

“Ha ha, I apologize.”

“For what?”

The Founding Day festival.

“There is still a month before the festival begins, but it seems it is already getting crowded.”

“Yes. There is no other time when the markets grow so large.”

It was a familiar situation for Vera. It was an annual event he had experienced every year in his past life.

The Empire’s Founding Day festival, which lasted roughly a month, was large enough to be called the continent’s greatest festival.

Merchants brought goods from every corner of the continent. Customers and tourists came to buy them. Other merchants arrived to set up stalls for those tourists.

Since the festival drew all sorts of people, countless others came early to prepare like this.

Vera continued as he watched Rene nod faintly in understanding.

“I believe we chose the right time. The night market held during the festival has plenty to see and do, so I am sure you will enjoy it, Saintess.”

“The night market...”

At the words “night market,” Rene felt her heart begin to flutter.

What else could a night market mean? It meant a late-night date with Vera.

Of course, that was not why they had come to the Empire. They had come to help Dovan and Aisha. Still, now that they were here, surely they could enjoy something like that.

This was the Empire’s capital. It was the safest city on the continent. The worst that could happen was some thug picking a fight with them on the street.

Here, she could set aside all those other troubling matters and perhaps make some progress.

Passion began burning fiercely within Rene.

“I am looking forward to it.”

“You will not be disappointed. I know quite a bit about the festival, so I will show you around properly.”

Surely she was not mistaken in hearing that as, I will escort you.

Rene wanted to believe that.

“Yes.”

Rene nodded in satisfaction, the corners of her lips lifting for no reason.

The mood was pleasant.

Then, suddenly, Rene flinched as someone crossed her mind, and she steadied herself.

‘...The second prince.’

A person of concern. Perhaps even a romantic rival.

Not much was known yet, but one never knew.

Could anyone afford even the slightest carelessness before love?

Rene hoped she would not have to draw the sword hidden within her cane.

* * *

On First Street in the Empire, Rene sat tensely in the reception room of an estate.

First Street was often called the most expensive real estate on the continent.

“Vera, I think...”

Even without being able to see, there were things Rene could tell.

The atmosphere had changed sharply the moment they entered First Street. There had been countless servants at the entrance of the estate Mari had told them about. And then there was their manner.

As Rene trailed off, Vera nodded and replied,

“Yes. It is a noble estate.”

Rene’s shoulders jolted. She could not hide the tremble in her voice.

“...I never imagined Lady Mari was an Imperial noble.”

“Yes, it comes as something of a surprise to me as well.”

“Um... is this all right? Regarding affiliations and such?”

“There should be no issue. Lady Mari would have given up every noble privilege, including her family name.”

Devoting oneself to the Holy Kingdom meant exactly that. It meant erasing every status one had held before and standing as a single person before the altar of a god.

“You said her husband serves in the Imperial Inspectorate. Lady Mari is likely living as his wife, not as a noblewoman. So long as she does not take part in political activities, the Holy Kingdom has no reason to interfere.”

“Ah...”

Rene nodded. Vera’s explanation had given her a rough understanding.

Yet another thought arose in her mind.

“Lady Mari’s husband is amazing. He must have waited for her even though they had to spend so much time apart.”

It was about Mari’s husband.

Rene thought Mari’s relationship with her husband sounded quite romantic. Though they lived different lives, they were still bound to each other.

‘M-Me too...’

She wanted that kind of relationship with Vera.

As Rene had that thought, Vera answered.

“...Yes. It is not something an ordinary person could do.”

As he answered, Vera recalled the owner of this estate. He could know because he had memorized every Imperial noble and their residence.

‘Count Vaischur.’

This was his estate.

The director of the Imperial Inspectorate. A terminal workaholic who had chased Vera everywhere in his past life. A man who staked his life on that absurd integrity of his.

‘To think Mari was his wife...’

Vera felt uncomfortable. Nothing had involved them in this life, yet memories of the past still stirred an unpleasant feeling within him.

Two opposing emotions filled the room, and silence continued until the reception room doors opened and Mari entered.

Unlike when they had seen her in the Great Forest, she was neatly dressed.

“Oh my, sorry I’m late!”

“Ah, Lady Mari.”

“Hmm? Oh my, Saintess, what have you been eating to get so pretty in just a few months? Hmm? You must tell me your secret. Oh, Vera, you have gotten more handsome too! What is that at your waist? You changed swords? Goodness, listen to me...”

Her chatter poured out the moment she entered.

Rene and Vera both began to look troubled.

* * *

Just as Rene’s mental endurance was beginning to reach its limit, Mari’s chatter finally ended.

Or rather, it paused.

Fearing she would never get to the point at this rate, Rene seized that moment of silence and quickly explained why they had come.

She told Mari everything, from meeting Dovan and Aisha after leaving the Great Forest to how their troubles had been resolved and why they had come here.

Determined not to give Mari a chance to interrupt, Rene poured out every word without taking a breath. After she finished, she began breathing heavily.

It felt as though her brain had run out of oxygen. Her lips had gone dry from speaking too quickly.

“Saintess, here is some water.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Rene accepted the water Vera offered at just the right moment, drank it down in great gulps, then waited for Mari’s answer.

Mari blinked a few times, then nodded with a bright expression.

“Oh dear, that happened? You must have had a hard time. All right, I’ll take them with me when I return.”

“Ah, thank you. Then how long will you be staying in the Empire, Lady Mari?”

“Hm? I was thinking of attending the Founding Day banquet before I go.”

“A banquet?”

“Ah, the second prince’s coming-of-age ceremony is being held then as well. They asked me to come offer a blessing.”

The second prince.

At that name, Rene’s fingertips twitched. It was from tension.

“I-Is that so...!”

She tried hard to act calm.

However, Vera, listening beside her, saw it differently.

It felt as though Rene were conscious of the second prince.

Vera’s expression turned sour again. There was no reason for it. He simply did not like it.

Mari, seated opposite them and watching the two of them all along, suddenly brightened and continued.

“Ah! That’s right. Saintess, would you like to come to the banquet too? Wouldn’t it be better for you to offer the blessing than me? It would be good for the Empire, and it would lift my husband’s spirits too! Hmm? Could you help just this once?”

“P-Pardon?”

Rene asked back, and Vera, standing behind her, jolted. Deep alarm began spreading across his face.

Naturally, he spoke in refusal.

“...It is dangerous. The Saintess’s whereabouts must not be revealed carelessly. Furthermore, the Emperor may target her. On the day the Saintess received her Holy Mark, the Empire clearly made moves to pursue her. It would be right to keep the Saintess hidden.”

He had his own logic behind those words. They were based entirely on fact, without an emotional reaction, and without revealing even the slightest hint that he did not want Rene to meet the second prince.

Those words immediately fell apart at Mari’s reply.

“Oh, come on. How can you talk about danger when there are so many Apostles here? And His Majesty is not a fool. Would he make a move that openly? If it comes to that, we can ask the Holy Kingdom to send one more. Yes, I hear that guy Rohan is idle right now. He would be perfect if we brought him along. He would gladly come if there is a festival.”

At those words, Vera widened his eyes and glared at Mari.

Mari received his gaze with a snickering smile and continued thinking.

‘This brat...’

She felt that if she provoked him a little, it could make for quite a lovely scene.

“What do you think? Would you like to go, Saintess?”

Rene considered Mari’s words again.

Would it be right to go?

Would it be right for the two of them to meet?

What if the second prince, who liked men, fell for Vera?

...They were useless concerns. And if the second prince did not like men, or even if he did but had no interest in Vera, every one of those worries belonged in the trash.

Still, Rene did not have the leisure to think that far.

To Rene, Vera was more charming than anyone in the world. That was why he was always someone she worried about.

It was thinking close to confirmation bias, believing that because she had fallen for Vera, everyone else would fall for him too.

Rene, about to refuse based on that thought, paused.

‘...Wait.’

Mari’s words from just before suddenly came to mind, and Rene pressed her lips together.

No one but a fool would plot something in the center of the Empire, where people were gathered.

Mari had said that about the Emperor, but would it not apply to the second prince as well? Even if the second prince fell for Vera, he could not resort to trickery before so many people. In that case, Rene could assess the second prince without any danger.

Whenever she thought about Vera, Rene always became foolish. Yet, for once, she felt her mind working quickly.

‘...I think I should check.’

Rene still had not determined whether he was friend or foe. She could be hostile after confirming it.

“...I will.”

Rene nodded with a firm expression.

‘If he is an enemy...’

Then perhaps her cane really would become a sword.

“Oh my! Saintess, you are much better than Vera! That is right, a person needs the courage to step forward like that!”

Mari clapped her hands and nodded at Rene’s answer, while Vera wore an utterly vacant expression.

It was a moment when only Mari was happy.

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