WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Arsène
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Romance Fantasy’s Pushover Crown Prince Is No More ◈
Chapter 42: Saintess (1)
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The day of the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation.
“Your Highness, do you plan to go anywhere else today?”
“Haha, are you asking because you think I’ll show up covered in blood again like last time?”
“No! Not at all! Th-this lowly one was merely curious where Your Highness might be headed...”
“Don’t worry. Nothing like that will happen.”
Was it because I had shown up at my first official event covered in Magic Beast blood?
The officials’ faces immediately relaxed with relief when they heard my answer.
We did not hold meetings often.
Still, perhaps because we were working together to make the Empire healthier, they occasionally made earnest jokes like this.
‘It feels nice to think we’ve grown closer.’
Right. This was how it should be, trading jokes like this from time to time.
As I was thinking that...
“First, Saint Candidate Rowena will begin walking from the point farthest from the Central Grand Square, at the Empire’s central wall.”
“So as many people as possible can see her. Good.”
“Thank you. After she begins walking and arrives at the square, she will climb the stairs prepared in advance...”
“The stage rising high in the center.”
“Yes. Then... Your Highness will appear amid flames, ignite the flames with Holy Oil, present the symbols of the Saintess, and formally recognize her as the Saintess.”
“She’ll walk wearing a veil, correct?”
“That is correct.”
I listened to the planned sequence for today’s Heavenly Mandate Proclamation.
Though it was called a Heavenly Mandate Proclamation, there was not much to it.
‘Rather than making it complicated and extravagant, the goal is to keep it simple so as many imperial citizens as possible can see it.’
Which meant the important thing was not the order of events.
“How have you handled security?”
“A full unit of knights in disguise will remain around Saint Candidate Rowena.”
“And the imperial citizens?”
“We formed teams of numerous soldiers and one knight, then stationed them in areas where crowds are likely to gather.”
Security was the real concern.
‘There’s no way anything strange will happen during the ceremony.’
I was not even considering the possibility that things would go wrong.
The real issue was the trouble that could arise if too many people gathered in one place.
“The Holy Kingdom arrived at dawn and is currently near the square?”
“Yes. They arrived early this morning. We intended to guide them to the Detached Palace, but they said they wished to remain outside, so we rented out the finest inn for them.”
“The lodging in the Empire’s center is of a high standard, so they should have no complaints.”
“Yes.”
Now that I had confirmed the Romper Holy Kingdom had arrived on time as well, all that remained was to watch the ceremony proceed smoothly.
‘It’s stable.’
Just as I was thinking that...
Ding!
A message alert suddenly rang out.
[ Two Saintesses meet in the Empire. ]
It delivered news that felt like a blow to the back of my head.
‘Two Saintesses?’
There was only one thing that could mean.
‘Mirne is in the Empire right now?’
The moment I realized it, I asked at once.
“Did you send invitations to any other kingdoms?”
“No. As Your Highness ordered, invitations were sent only to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Then did any other kingdoms say they wished to come after hearing about the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation?”
“No. If that had happened, we would have reported it to Your Highness immediately.”
I immediately understood what was happening.
‘Did she come disguised as someone from the Holy Kingdom? As a Saint Candidate? Or perhaps a priest?’
Since this was a celebration, they probably had not conducted an especially detailed headcount.
Even if they had, Mirne could easily have slipped in if she had put her mind to hiding.
‘A protagonist-level character... If she wants to disguise herself, she can fool almost anyone.’
The question was why she had gone out of her way to sneak in.
Even if it made me uncomfortable, I would have let her enter if she had simply said she wanted to come.
But instead, she had blended in with the Holy Kingdom’s delegation.
“Secretly assign another unit of knights to the Holy Kingdom’s group.”
“Yes, sir!”
I did not know why she had come.
But I doubted her intentions were good.
+++++
“Saintess, are you nervous?”
“I told you, I’m not the Saintess yet.”
“You’ll be the Saintess soon.”
“Not yet. Until then, you still need to watch what you say.”
“But it’ll only be another two hours at most!”
Rowena smiled faintly at the priest’s words.
It was not wrong. In just a little while, she would become the Saintess.
‘A curse... Does His Highness the Crown Prince have a curse?’
Rowena recalled the conversation she had shared with the Crown Prince just a week ago.
He had clearly asked about curses and whether she could use Purification.
‘Still, I’m glad I can be useful where His Highness needs me.’
She could not do it now, but she would be able to once she was recognized as the Saintess.
That was not a lie.
As long as she could fulfill the Crown Prince’s needs, they would never be abandoned.
‘We have nowhere else to be driven to. I hope everyone can at least live securely here.’
They had already grown exhausted from the vicious politics and factional struggles within the Holy Kingdom.
If they were abandoned by the Empire too, they would truly have nowhere left to go.
That was why Rowena felt such a great sense of responsibility for the position of Saintess.
For the people who had followed her, she had to make this Heavenly Mandate Proclamation a tremendous success.
And what she needed to make it a success was...
‘For many imperial citizens to recognize me as the Saintess.’
To achieve that, she intended to use every means available.
As Rowena strengthened her resolve...
“Saintess, it is time. You must depart now.”
“Yes, I’ll go.”
The priest informed her that the time for the Heavenly Mandate Proclamation had come.
Rowena rose to her feet.
It was time to become the Saintess.
Step. Step.
At the point farthest from the Empire’s Central Grand Square, she slowly began to walk with the city wall at her back.
The pure white veil limited her view somewhat, but it was not a problem.
She only had to look ahead and walk.
Tap. Tap.
Perhaps because she was barefoot, she could feel the texture of the ground directly against her soles.
“Ooh...”
“So that is the Saintess.”
The voices around her gradually reached her ears.
‘It should be fine to begin now.’
Listening to them, Rowena gently released her Divine Power.
White light spread with every step, creating the impression that strands of white light were slowly flowing from her body.
‘Walking alone isn’t enough.’
‘Then what should I do...?’
‘Use Divine Power. If you put on a suitable display, won’t people recognize you as the Saintess more clearly?’
‘Divine Power...?’
‘If using it this way helps the people around you feel at ease, I believe that is the proper use of Divine Power.’
She recalled the conversation they had while inviting the Crown Prince into her room.
It was something she had never considered.
To be honest, she had been uncertain even while doing it.
Would something like this truly make a difference?
“Ooh... This is Divine Power...”
“S-Saintess... She’s the Saintess.”
“Ah... Grant me peace...”
Unlike before, when she had simply walked silently, the reactions around her changed completely once she began spreading Divine Power as she walked.
At first, people had merely seemed to be watching an unusual person.
Now, they fell to their knees and began praying whenever she passed.
At the same time...
Fwoooosh!
Rowena felt her Divine Power growing stronger.
Prayers directed straight toward her.
Prayers aimed not at a god, but at the Saintess.
The prayers became power and steadily gathered within her body.
‘More. Wider.’
As soon as it gathered, Rowena spread that Divine Power farther outward.
There was a gap broad enough to span roughly five people standing with their arms outstretched.
Yet despite that distance, the imperial citizens directly came into contact with her Divine Power.
“Ah, ahhh...”
Some began to cry the moment it touched them.
“Ooh... S-Saintess!”
Others gasped in admiration and immediately bowed down.
Even imperial citizens living in the center of the Empire had never seen such powerful Divine Power up close.
There was no other reaction they could have had.
‘Did His Highness the Crown Prince foresee even this?’
Perhaps he had known.
Rowena murmured inwardly and continued walking.
Was it because the people continued sending her prayers?
The square that had felt so far away gradually came into view.
‘It’s amazing that they were able to decorate it like this in seven days.’
The closer she came to the square, the more Rowena could not hide her admiration.
The time available for preparations had felt terribly short.
Yet the structures erected around the square’s fountain showed just how impressive the Empire was.
The new symbol of the Romper Church, bearing a sun, had been embroidered on one large banner that proudly decorated the square.
Pure white petals slowly drifted down from the sky.
There was also a staircase hovering above the fountain.
It was a mysterious structure with no supports at all. Only the steps themselves floated in the air.
‘A staircase made entirely of floating steps, I suppose. How strange.’
Tap. Tap.
With every step Rowena took up the stairs...
“Ooh...”
Gasps of admiration rose from the crowd.
Dirt clung to the feet of the Saintess, who looked so holy.
Such a noble being did not hesitate to let her feet get dirty.
She did not even pay it any attention, simply climbing the stairs without a word.
That made her appear even more sacred to those watching.
As Rowena looked around...
‘They came.’
She found the Pope and the Saint who had expelled her.
They stood apart from the imperial citizens, making it obvious to anyone that they had come from the Holy Kingdom.
They had no choice but to watch with their eyes wide open as she became the Saintess.
She would be lying if she said it was not satisfying.
‘Look. Watch me become the Saintess.’
Watch the moment the Empire’s Saintess was born.
All they could do was stand there and watch.
As Rowena murmured inwardly...
Whoosh!
The Crown Prince appeared from the sky and approached Rowena, who had reached the top of the stairs.
Appearing amid flames, the Crown Prince held a ring and a scepter bearing the new church’s symbol.
“Raise your head.”
“....”
First, he removed the veil covering Rowena’s face.
After that, the proceedings went smoothly.
He removed the veil and presented the ring and scepter.
The moment Rowena accepted the ring, put it on, and held the scepter...
“Here and now, I proclaim the birth of the Empire’s Saintess.”
The Crown Prince proclaimed the birth of the Saintess.
As if they had been waiting for the declaration, the choir began to sing.
Musicians waiting in the buildings surrounding the square began playing their instruments.
Mages amplified the sound, creating a grand atmosphere.
“Waaaaaah!”
Cheers rose amid the sacred atmosphere.
One planted supporter shouted and clapped, and even as the song continued, the imperial citizens’ cheers poured forth.
The Heavenly Mandate Proclamation was clearly ending successfully.
Just as it seemed that atmosphere would continue...
“I cannot accept this! How can a human make another human a Saintess? Without carrying out my will... how can you!”
A sharp voice cut through the singing and made its presence known.
“Saint?”
Rowena was startled the moment she recognized the voice’s owner.
“S-Saint?”
Even Mirne, standing beside the Saint, was flustered.
A situation no one but one person had expected.
‘So there really was something.’
Without the slightest sign of surprise, the Crown Prince immediately launched himself toward the Saint.
The atmosphere had been disrupted for a moment, but the singing and performance continued.
As long as he resolved the situation quickly, it would not be a problem.
‘Arveda, create an illusion of me and remain here with the imperial citizens until the end.’
‘Yes!’
‘Theo, prepare for any contingency by keeping a close watch on everyone from the Holy Kingdom. Share everything happening with the Grand General.’
‘Yes, sir!’
After giving orders to Arveda and Theo...
“Mirne, only you should exist as the Saintess...!”
“Saint, what are you doing? Saint...!”
In the blink of an eye, he arrived before Valerian and Mirne.
Then, without hesitation, he grabbed both of them by the neck.
‘Teleportation.’
He moved all three of them toward the mountain visible before them.
At the same moment, as if it had been waiting...
[ Romper does not want to be divided. ]
[ Romper wants all of their power to dwell within Mirne. ]
The messages appeared before the Crown Prince’s eyes.
‘Yes, I knew it.’
Mirne was a protagonist loved by the world.
Would the world really allow that power to be divided?
Bellon smiled inwardly when his rough guess proved exactly right.
‘Today.’
How far would the Crown Prince’s power reach?
‘I’ll kill a god.’
It was time to find out properly.
Footnotes:
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