Chapter 41 - Three Years, and a Revelation - 2

Two days later.

Bera rose early that morning, put on his priestly robes, took up his sword, and headed for the Grand Temple.

'Today...'

Renée would receive her revelation.

Bera already knew what it would contain.

'An incognito journey.'

It must mean the incognito journey she had once told him about. The journey that had taken her even to the gutter.

It would be an undertaking lasting several years at least. Back then, Renée had said she was “continuing my incognito journey to bestow my divine powers across the continent,” so naturally it would not end in a day or two.

This was not mere speculation. He had evidence to support it.

Bera distinctly remembered that, while Bargo was still alive, Renée had made several appearances at public events in various countries. Their paths had never crossed, so he had not actually seen her, but he had heard so many reports that he could hardly have remained ignorant of them.

Those were probably engagements she had fulfilled during her incognito journey. Her visit to the gutter must have coincided with her invitation to the banquet celebrating the Empire's founding.

'Another half year.'

In about that much time, the Empire's founding day would arrive.

Bera's hand tightened firmly around his sword as a troubling question came to mind.

'Should I take her there?'

Should he take Renée to the gutter? If she said she wanted to visit it, what should he tell her?

The Renée of his previous life had told him that she had only been able to change from the young girl who resented the gods and lived in anguish after visiting the gutter. Only after seeing it had she finally found the resolve to live for others.

Rationally speaking, if he truly wanted her to blossom as the Saintess, taking her there was the right choice. If going there was what would make her fully become the Saintess, then that was what he should do.

Yet the question returned.

Was it truly...

'The right thing to do?'

Was it right for Renée the girl, rather than Renée the Saintess?

The young Renée whose side he had guarded for the past three years was such a naive, fragile girl.

Bera did not want to send her into the gutter for the sake of making her into the Saintess—for such a selfish reason.

Of course, with the light dwelling within her, she might someday blossom as the Saintess without ever going there. Perhaps it was all right to cling to that possibility.

Even knowing that, a small measure of anxiety he could not bring himself to relinquish—the fear that she might never blossom as the Saintess—continued to trouble him.

A long breath escaped him.

This dilemma had dogged him relentlessly for the past three years. Once again, Bera chose to postpone his decision.

'... Not yet.'

His excuse was that there was still time before that day arrived.

* * *

Renée thought that, no matter how she looked at it, the way her ceremonial robes were put together was far too inconvenient. Surely no other clothes in the world required so much care to put on and accessorize.

Several broad lengths of cloth had to be draped over priestly robes that already covered her entire body. Then came the belt and ornaments to hold them in place, followed by a shawl over the top, with every ornament for that attached as well. Only then was she finally dressed.

Was that the end? Absolutely not.

Afterward, her hair, which she had grown so long that it now reached her waist, had to be brushed. A few strands at the sides were drawn back and braided into place, with yet more ornaments added on top.

And then came the makeup.

Even after nearly three years, Renée could not get used to this lengthy grooming process. Just as she began to feel dazed by it all, a voice of salvation reached her ears, and her face lit up.

“All done.”

Those were Renée's favorite words.

“Thank you. You've all worked so hard.”

“Just doing our job.”

“Still, thank you. I'll be off, then.”

“Yes.”

TAP. TAP.

Her cane struck the floor. When Renée opened her bedroom door and stepped outside, Bera was waiting there as always.

“Did you rest well?”

“Yes. And you, Bera?”

“No differently than usual.”

Renée took his hand during their brief exchange, then asked a question as they walked down the corridor.

“Will the revelation take long?”

“In my experience, it did not take very long. Sir Rohan conducted it, and as far as I recall, all I had to do was stand still.”

“That's a relief. I can't help feeling nervous...”

She was not merely saying that.

In the two days since announcing that she would receive her revelation, she had slept more fitfully than usual, wondering what revelation would be given to her and what the gods would command her to do.

In a sense, it was only natural. This revelation would be her first occasion to communicate with the gods. Even if the communication was one-way, she could not help feeling nervous at the thought.

As she kept thinking, her nervousness grew. Renée let out a long breath, then asked Bera another question.

“They won't give me some impossible revelation, will they?”

“They will not. To my knowledge, the gods never give a trial that cannot be overcome.”

“Well, that's a relief...”

A breathy puff escaped her lips. Feeling her heart begin to flutter, Renée continued her train of thought.

'Bera...'

She had heard that his revelation had been “Passed.” According to Trebo, nothing like it had ever happened since the Holy Empire's founding. He had made such an enormous fuss about it that she remembered it clearly.

Whenever she recalled things like this, another thought accompanied them.

'Bera really is someone special.'

Despite being relatively young compared with the other apostles, he possessed formidable fighting prowess. He had received an unusual revelation from the gods, and he was already pursuing his own path.

In Renée's world, no one was more special than Bera.

Suddenly realizing that thinking of Bera was making her blush again, Renée drew in a sharp breath and shook her head to dispel her thoughts.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, I'm nervous.”

“There is no need to be nervous. Whatever revelation you receive, Saintess, you will be more than capable of seeing it through.”

“... You're not allowed to do that.”

Did he have any idea that those things he said so unwittingly were putting her heart through the wringer?

When Renée gave this warning to Bera, who had once again set her heart fluttering, his answer was:

“... I apologize.”

'He doesn't even know what he's sorry for, yet it's always sorry, sorry, sorry.'

For some reason, she felt peevish and stuck out her lower lip. Watching her expression, Bera looked troubled.

'... Is she going through adolescence?'

It seemed so.

What had Renée been like at the age when adolescence usually began? Hadn't she been so mild-mannered that it was hard to believe she was an adolescent at all?

Perhaps she was only now entering a belated rebellious phase. Her recent fixation on “being grown-up” and the way she brought up alcohol made it certain.

Having reached this conclusion, Bera began thinking of something he could say to soothe her.

... Of course, Bera's conjecture was very far from the truth.

Renée's fixation on being grown-up came from her desire for him to see her as a woman rather than a child. Her talk of alcohol was an attempt to sound him out, born of her anxiety that he might go drinking in the entertainment district.

Had Renée learned what Bera was thinking, she would have been utterly beside herself. Fortunately, she had no ability to peek into other people's thoughts.

“... I only meant to say that you need not worry too much. Even if your revelation proves overwhelming, am I not here beside you? You may lean on me as much as—”

“S-stop!”

“... My apologies.”

Feeling her cheeks grow burning hot at his words, Renée stopped him.

“... It's all right. I appreciate the thought.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

Renée's head sank low. At least at this moment, she thought, it was a great relief that Bera was so oblivious.

The heat had spread beyond her face to her neck and earlobes. Surely she must look like a ripe apple right now.

Embarrassed for some reason that even such simple words could make her heart flutter and her face redden, Renée took it out on her innocent cane, tapping it along faster.

* * *

A secluded chamber deep within the Grand Temple.

CREAK.

Following the sound, cold air flowed out from within and brushed Renée's face, making her shiver slightly.

“You've arrived.”

It was Bargo's voice. Renée answered with a small smile.

“I'm sorry. I'm terribly late, aren't I?”

“Not at all. You have arrived at just the right time. Rohan will finish the preparations shortly. Would you wait a little?”

“Oh, yes.”

Renée nodded.

Listening to their exchange, Bera looked at Rohan, who was busy laying the groundwork for the revelation.

A small spring stood in the center of the chamber. Rather than an artificial construction, it looked as though a natural spring had been lifted out whole and brought here.

The spellcraft array Rohan was drawing floated in indigo above it. Beside him, Trebo was reinforcing the array.

A question occurred to Bera, and he turned to Bargo.

“Why is Trebo over there?”

“That fool Rohan hasn't sobered up yet, so I sent him to help.”

Bera's eyes narrowed at the answer.

How could he go around getting drunk even before a day as important as this?

Watching the feeble-looking Rohan, Bera nodded, thinking he ought to give him one last round of “instruction” before leaving.

While the array was still being drawn, the twins approached without anyone noticing and spoke to Renée.

“Saintess, you are nervous. You must relax.”

“Right. Being nervous makes you dizzy.”

“Oh, thank you, Sir Krek, Sir Marek.”

Renée smiled as she answered them, then took a deep breath to compose herself.

'It's all right.'

It would be all right. It was only a revelation. Only a single sentence.

Even if that sentence proved too much for her, didn't she have a hand to help her up—Bera, who would remain by her side?

Calming herself, Renée tightened her grip on his hand. A moment later, she felt his hand close more firmly around hers, and her heart gave a thump.

“The twins are right. There is no need to be nervous. As I have always told you, I will remain by your side, Saintess. You need not worry about anything.”

At his words, her face began to redden again.

“... Yes.”

The love that had not faded in the slightest over these three years was shaking her heart even at a moment like this.

For some reason, the atmosphere grew awkward. Amid that ticklish, warming mood, the twins, who had been listening a short distance away, began to whisper.

“That's not Bera.”

“Right. That's a simp.”

The twins nodded in unison.

Bargo clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Rohan's voice rang out just afterward.

“It's ready!”

He shouted with sunken cheeks, looking utterly exhausted.

Renée startled, her body giving a jerk. Then she nodded and started forward, holding Bera's hand tightly.

About eight steps.

Following Bera's guidance, Renée walked forward, then felt her body go rigid at the divine energy directly before her. It was a reaction born of nerves.

“Now, Saintess, just stay still. It'll be over in no time.”

“Oh, yes.”

Following Renée's answer, the array began to glow.

Bera watched the array begin to activate.

HUMMM.

With a low hum, the indigo divine energy shone. Then the polyhedrons making up the array moved, beginning to interlock like pieces of a puzzle.

This was the second time Bera had witnessed a revelation.

Sensing that the divine energy seeping into the water would now turn into letters above the spring, he focused his gaze.

Indigo divine energy sank into the spring. The energy intertwined, bringing a shape into being.

At last, letters appeared.

Bera read the letters, then turned his head toward Renée and spoke.

The words that had appeared were:

“Go forth and do good...”

That single sentence.

“... That is the revelation you have been given.”

Still deeply nervous, Renée gave a startled jerk at his words. Then she tilted her head and asked:

“... That's all?”

“Yes.”

At his firm answer, Renée felt the tension gripping her body melt away all at once. The feeling responsible could only be called anticlimax.

A thought came naturally to her mind.

'Isn't that a little too vague?'