The Regressor and the Blind Saintess - Chapter 92

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Regressor and the Blind Saintess ◈

Chapter 92: Oriac

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Usually, people would think so.

That magic was needed to fly through the sky, that no human could possibly fly without it.

Rene had spoken based on that common sense, and the answer she received defied it.

“It can be done.”

Maximilian spoke. Rene raised her head. Albrecht was still frozen.

Seeing Rene tilt her head, Maximilian added an explanation.

“We are developing such technology. It is still unstable, as it is in the experimental stage, but it is not unusable, so do not worry.”

Vera immediately knew what technology Maximilian meant.

‘...The Jumper.’

A portable flying magic artifact. It was to be released to the public in four years, alongside the Crown Prince's accession. The very item praised for opening a new horizon in magical engineering.

‘It had already reached the point where it could be used.’

Though he called it unstable, Maximilian sounded so certain that it was likely already fairly refined.

Vera's eyes gleamed.

‘That would certainly make it possible.’

They could approach without being detected by Oriac's magic detection. Just as Albrecht had said, they could dig their way up from below and investigate the inside.

“How many people can use them?”

“Five. That is all we can use right away.”

Five. Assuming he carried Rene, they could bring four Apostles, Albrecht, and Count Vaischur.

As Vera worked that out, Rene, who had been listening to their conversation, swallowed hard and spoke.

“It isn't dangerous, is it? What if it suddenly breaks down and we fall to the ground...?”

It was a natural concern. They would be flying, after all. Surely there should be some sort of safety measure. Yet Maximilian answered in an unconcerned voice.

“Then you would simply fall. What else could you do?”

“...Pardon?”

“My brother means that only sturdy people who would not be injured by a fall should go up.”

Albrecht had finally regained his senses and added an explanation.

“Ah...”

An awkward smile appeared on Rene's lips. At the same time, she again found herself thinking that those two resembled the twins.

Perhaps unaware of it, Maximilian continued in the same tone.

“I believe preparations will take around two weeks.”

“So it will be after the festival begins.”

“That is correct. Is there anything else we should keep in mind until then?”

Rene considered the question for a moment before suddenly exclaiming, “Ah!”

“There is someone in the Holy Kingdom who may know about the Mage Tower Master. I have sent that person a letter, so I will let you know once I receive a reply. It may be helpful.”

“Ah, do you mean that man called Trevo? The one the Mage Tower Master mentioned in the corridor earlier.”

It was Albrecht who answered. He nodded, a faint chuckle escaping him.

“He may indeed know something. The Mage Tower Master's attitude when mentioning him was rather suspicious. Such obsession, I almost wondered whether the Mage Tower Master had fallen in love with him.”

Vera's expression twisted at those words.

“...Trevo was only five or six years old at the time. And the Mage Tower Master was already over a hundred.”

“I understand. What does age matter in love? There must be such love in this world as well.”

At Albrecht's teasing reply and bright smile, Rene shuddered.

“...Shameless.”

The word slipped out before she could stop it.

Crack. Cracks spread across Albrecht's expression.

* * *

Another week passed after their visit to the imperial palace.

There had been zero disappearances in that time.

That was enough circumstantial evidence to point to the Mage Tower Master as the culprit behind the disappearances.

In the calm before the storm, Rene and the others gathered in the count's drawing room and opened Trevo's letter.

Seeing the number of sheets inside, Vera's expression hardened.

“...There are easily more than ten pages. It seems Trevo has something in mind.”

“Will you read it to us?”

Rene's expression was similarly tense.

Vera nodded and began to read the first page.

“Saintess, I received your letter safely. I was so surprised to receive a letter from you. Oh, how have you been, Saintess? The twins have been quite despondent lately...”

Vera's words cut off. Rene pressed her lips shut as well.

“...Vera.”

At Rene's words, Vera stiffly flipped through the letter.

The greetings that began on the first page did not end until the fourth. Then there were another five pages of lengthy trivial chatter. Vera rapidly turned the pages, searching for the point, and found it in the final paragraph of the final page.

Crinkle.

The paper in Vera's grasp crumpled. So did his expression.

The thought of Trevo grinning as he wrote a letter with nine and a half pages of introduction and only one paragraph of actual content made anger surge through him.

It seemed he would need to give Trevo a beating when he returned to the Holy Kingdom.

Thinking that, Vera let out a deep sigh and read only the conclusion of the letter.

“...When I was at the Mage Tower, the Mage Tower Master was deeply engrossed in research on the origins of life and species. From what I have heard, this likely relates to that research. It is unfortunate. The Mage Tower Master has finally crossed a line that should not have been crossed.”

The origins of life and species. Everyone seated there recalled the corpses they had seen in the Gutter.

Their suspicions were becoming certainty.

Had the Mage Tower Master kidnapped people and turned them into that in order to study species?

As Rene was about to voice her anger, Vera continued reading.

“...For research that secret, the Mage Tower Master likely used the laboratory in the Mage Tower's underground level. It is a secret floor known to only a very small number of people in the Mage Tower, including the Mage Tower Master. If you intend to investigate, I believe you should go directly there.”

It was quite startling information.

Rene murmured at those words.

“...We happen to be digging our way up from below.”

“Yes, we should inform the imperial family. I will speak to Count Vaischur.”

“Please do.”

With that, a decision was quickly reached. When Vera handed the letter to Mari and Rohan, who had been sitting beside him until then, the two left the room.

Now that they were alone, Rene spoke to Vera.

“...About ten days remain.”

“Yes. With the festival beginning, it will be a busy time, so fewer people will be lingering around the Gutter. The timing is appropriate.”

All at once, Rene felt as though something was clogging her chest.

It was not fear of willingly facing danger. Nor was it the tension of wondering whether she could succeed.

“Vera.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

“I will not forgive you if you act alone.”

It was simply worry for Vera.

That was the only reason her chest felt so tight now.

Vera's fingertips trembled at Rene's words. He then lowered his head and replied.

“I will remember that.”

“Promise me.”

Rene extended her hand. Her fist was clenched, with only her little finger raised.

“Promise that you will never rush into danger without saying anything. Promise that if you ever have to do so, you will tell me.”

She wanted to tell him not to go alone, but Rene knew.

In a true emergency, she would not be able to help. If battle broke out, she would only become a burden. As someone blind, staying away from the battlefield would be the greater help to Vera.

That was why she made this request.

She could understand being left behind during a fight, but she wanted him to at least tell her before he went.

Then she could pray for Vera. Then, at least in that way, she could be of help.

Vera stared at her small, white little finger, then hooked his own around it.

“I promise.”

Vera knew that it was his own karma which made Rene press him with such a worried expression. Wanting to ease her mind even slightly, Vera used his Authority to make that vow.

“If I must face danger alone, I will be sure to tell you first, Saintess.”

Golden divine power rose over their linked little fingers.

* * *

The festival began.

The imperial capital was packed with people, bustling with activity.

Merchants filled the streets with their stalls, while tourists gathered in small groups and passed before them in lines like swarms of ants. Everywhere was noisy and lively.

Even so, there was one place where that atmosphere did not reach. It was the low-income commoners' residential district beginning at Eleventh Street.

Eleventh and Twelfth Streets were almost unaffected by the festival. They felt as they normally did, if somewhat quieter. Most of their residents had gone out to see the festival.

That was good for the group. They could move without drawing too much attention.

Splash.

Muddy water splashed beneath her footsteps. Feeling the sticky ground, Rene slightly furrowed her brow before composing herself.

This was her second visit to the Gutter.

After arriving at the place where they had agreed to meet Albrecht, Rene spoke to him.

“Are the preparations complete?”

“Ah, you have arrived. All that remains is to depart.”

Albrecht answered Rene with a smile.

His gaze passed over Vera, Rohan, and Mari, who had come with Rene.

“What reassuring strength. Half the Apostles of the Holy Kingdom are here. Even if a fight breaks out, losing would be harder.”

“Oh, I only came because I couldn't very well send my husband alone. You don't need to praise me so much.”

Mari's hearty response was followed by Vera's question.

“How will we dig through the ground? The earth cannot be nothing but soil.”

“We have an excavator. It is also a prototype, but it should be enough to dig a hole large enough for people to pass through.”

As he spoke, Albrecht patted the machine hidden behind him, which was about the size of an adult man.

“I received the letter. After reading it, my brother and I narrowed down the locations where the underground laboratory might be. The answer came more easily than expected.”

Albrecht pointed toward Oriac floating in the sky. More specifically, the eastern edge, where a particularly large amount of earth clung to it.

“That place seems the most likely. So we will dig there.”

“Understood.”

“First, everyone should put these on. I will show you how to use them.”

Click!

At the sound of something locking into place, Vera turned his gaze toward the large machine strapped to Albrecht's back and raised his brows.

The Jumper.

The culmination of magical engineering, maximizing the machine's own output while using only the bare minimum of mana circuits.

That was what it was.

“You strap it to your back and operate it using the button on the left shoulder strap. To change direction, simply turn your body.”

“I understand.”

Vera put the Jumper on his back, then approached Rene.