Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Gently Scratching the Itch (1)
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This was an even less likely story than the current Emperor Theodore committing suicide. His greed for life and obsession with power were immense.
"Yeah, I must have been mistaken. Or maybe it's just taking a short break because it's full."
Rachel withdrew her smile and unfolded the newspaper again. It was about time for the priest to return.
Then, she suddenly froze.
"Huh?"
It might have been her imagination, but Requiem's energy seemed to have grown a little stronger just now. As if its owner were drawing near.
"...No, that can't be. If Requiem had come all the way here, the world wouldn't be this quiet."
Rachel shook her head.
"If that were really the case, there'd be chaos by now."
If Requiem had approached the capital, the emperor wouldn't leave her alone. He valued the saintess more than his own blood kin.
No, more precisely, the Serenade within her body.
The Sword of Spring, Serenade.
Known by epithets such as Guardian of the Spring Sun, Absolute Savior, and... the Sword of Life.
That was the name that best described Serenade. It possessed properties at the extreme opposite pole from Requiem.
If Requiem stole the life force from its opponent, Serenade could instead bestow life force upon them.
The vitality contained within Serenade was so immense that it never depleted, no matter how much was drawn from it—like an inexhaustible well.
Never.
The imperial family used Rachel to maintain their firm grip on power, calling Serenade's immense vitality the power of the gods.
[The gods protect and support this imperial family.]
There was no better way to garner the support of the empire's nobles.
That was why Rachel had spent her centuries-long life being used by those in power. They never let her go.
"......"
Rachel focused once more on Requiem's energy. She could no longer sense its emotions.
"I must have been imagining things."
Rachel shook her head and looked toward the door. Beyond it, she could sense the priest approaching with steady footsteps.
Just by looking, she could immediately discern the other person's physical condition. She could even precisely see which parts were damaged.
It was an ability awakened by the owner of Serenade. Having spent so long with Serenade, Rachel could use it as naturally as breathing.
"Looks like you're hungry."
Rachel smirked and shifted her gaze from the priest's abdomen.
After finishing her meal, she stepped out of the temple. She had to periodically patrol the capital and bestow blessings.
"Haa."
A sigh of irritation escaped Rachel's lips as she headed toward the carriage.
'Blessings, my ass.'
The power known to people as blessings was nothing more than using Serenade's life force.
'This is so annoying, really. Why did they even create this stupid ritual?'
They injected life force into those who donated massive sums to the temple, under the name of blessings. It was no different from trading Serenade's power for donations.
"......"
Rachel scanned the surroundings of the carriage with venomous eyes.
'They're here, and there too.'
Knights were stationed everywhere her gaze touched.
All of them had been deployed by the emperor to monitor the saintess. There were so many that it was hard to tell if they were there to escort her or to transport her.
'What, do they think I'm going to run away or something?'
She only possessed Serenade's power; Rachel herself was just an ordinary woman. Well, her body hadn't aged for centuries, so maybe not entirely ordinary.
In any case, her body was small and frail, making it impossible to shake off these knights and flee.
'The emperor's such a pain in the ass, always so meticulous about crap like this.'
Rachel grumbled as she boarded the carriage.
As always, the carriage was exceedingly luxurious—on the level of the emperor's own.
Not only was the ride comfortable, but its durability was top-notch too. Even a dragon couldn't easily destroy it.
'A dragon? Hell, even I couldn't destroy this carriage right now.'
Rachel kept grumbling as she leaned back against the seat.
The backrest was annoyingly plush.
But that comfort didn't sit well with her at all. It was just luxury she enjoyed while her life was held hostage.
The priest boarded opposite her, and the carriage began to move.
"Haa."
Rachel let out a bored sigh and propped her arm on the window sill. She gazed at the passing scenery outside, hoping Requiem would appear soon.
It was the only hope in her current life.
The carriage entered the capital's central boulevard. At one moment, as countless people passed by the side,
"Hm?"
Rachel's eyes widened. A burning heat flared in her shoulder blade.
"What...?!"
Rachel hurriedly flung open the carriage window.
"Saintess?"
She forgot even the priest's panic and the fact that this would reach the emperor's ears.
Rachel was utterly flustered.
'Requiem?'
She muttered it inwardly, unable to say it aloud.
'No doubt about it. This is Requiem.'
She couldn't mistake this energy felt so closely. The presence that had always felt distant now resonated with unusual clarity.
The moment the two swords drew extremely close, they resonated with each other.
'How can this be?'
Rachel froze in her seat.
'Requiem is in the capital right now?'
She wanted to jump out of the carriage immediately and turn back. She wanted to push through the crowd and check every single person.
But she couldn't.
If she did, the emperor would interrogate her, making it impossible to ever fulfill her wish.
"Saintess?"
At the priest's repeated question, Rachel finally returned to reality.
"Ah."
The priest was looking at her strangely.
"Is something wrong?"
"...Ah, well. I thought I saw a familiar follower."
"A familiar follower?"
Rachel moistened her suddenly dry lips.
"Yes. Someone I saw at the temple before; they stuck in my memory. Guess I was mistaken."
Rachel made that excuse and closed the window. At the same time, she thought ahead to what she'd say if questioned about this later.
'Whew.'
Having settled her thoughts, she tried to regain her composure.
'Requiem, Requiem.'
Her heart kept racing, sweat pooling in her palms.
'No. I can't show any agitation.'
The priest was tilting his head and staring at her intently. Any hint of suspicion could draw the emperor's doubt.
At times like this, she was grateful for the silver veil covering her face. Rachel straightened the disheveled veil and sank into thought.
'How did this happen?'
The suspicion she'd had earlier had become reality right before her eyes. Someone had obtained Requiem and was moving around with it subdued.
'Was it in the capital from the start?'
When Rachel first sensed Requiem, the distance was definitely not within the capital.
'Then all that quiet time wasn't because Requiem was killing everything?'
Quite the opposite.
Requiem's owner had quietly made their way to the capital. Peacefully, without any rampages or slaughter caused by Requiem.
"......"
Creases deepened between Rachel's brows.
'I have to meet them.'
She turned her gaze out the carriage window. Her eyes sparkled as they roamed the scenery.
❖ ❖ ❖
I stopped in place.
"-!"
Every cell in my body vibrated, strongly pulled toward somewhere.
Like the poles of magnets drawing each other, or like something that had been together from the beginning splitting apart and now seeking to reunite.
One of my shoulder blades burned hot. The very spot marked with Requiem's pattern.
'No way,'
I flung open the carriage window.
The boulevard was filled with people and carriages adorned with flashy decorations and crests.
I couldn't tell who among them it was. But I knew what it was.
'Serenade.'
The brother sword with the energy of spring, possessing properties opposite to Requiem.
Requiem and Serenade resonate when together. They can instinctively sense each other's presence.
'It must have been close for a moment.'
Since I couldn't feel it anymore, it seemed to have ridden away in a carriage.
'Is it that one? Or over there?'
I scanned the suspicious spots, but no one stood out. No one was frantically looking around and rushing over.
I didn't deploy my absolute domain either. Using it in such a crowded place would just waste energy, and
'They'll come find me anyway.'
It was their body that was marked, not mine.
"Hm."
I closed the window again and leaned back in the seat.
By now, Serenade's owner must be extremely flustered.
They'd just learned that Requiem was right here, at a completely unexpected moment.
'Saintess Rachel.'
She was Serenade's owner and the only saintess of the current era.
Of course, the public only knew her as the latter. That she owned Serenade was a fact known only to the emperor.
That was why I wasn't too worried even though she'd detected me.
'She can't come right away.'
The saintess was monitored in every action by the emperor and couldn't easily go out without his permission.
'Wonder what she'll do.'
Knowing her personality, she wouldn't just sit still. She'd find some way to meet me.
She had an unfulfilled wish, after all.
And I knew well that only I could grant her that wish.
'Didn't expect to run into one of the original story's key characters right after arriving in the capital.'
The saintess spent most of her time in the temple. Outings like that were rare, so it was a stroke of fateful coincidence.
And so, my encounter with one of the original story's important figures flashed by quickly.
I left the carriage window open and took in the outside scenery.
"So this is the empire's capital."
The heart and center of the empire, where the supreme being, the emperor, resided.
Magiore.
True to its name, it occupied the most fertile land in the continent's central region.
Its territory was so vast that walking around like in Ovest Territory was unthinkable.
"It's totally different from the west."
I clicked my tongue softly and absorbed the capital's sights.
Unlike the west, where mountains dominated every view, here tall buildings rose wherever the eye could see.
The west lacked timber, so they carved rough stone. But here, they used white marble and premium stone to build luxurious multi-story structures.
"Well, the western buildings are probably sturdier."
In any case, these were buildings crafted with care by the empire's top architects, exuding luxury.
And that was just the start.
The passing people wore clothes bursting with vibrant colors, seemingly made from expensive fabrics—quite high-end.
Vitality shone on their faces. Not a trace of worry; they looked purely cheerful.
"It's really different from our territory."
These people had none of the desperation of death looming near or the pathetic struggle to survive.
"Hmph."
Had I grown attached to Ovest Territory? For some reason, thoughts of the territory's struggling residents soured my mood.