TranslatorCorner
Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!
Another chapter!
DISCLAIMER: There is noguarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I waswrong.
Author:
Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)
Translator:
Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor:
Online GrammarEditor
Enlightenment Arc
Chapter 5 As a Person B
「…… that’swhy I am going to hold an audience with the Lunaria Orthodoxy State’s HolyMaiden tomorrow.」(Souma)
『I see……』(Maria)
In the display on the quasi-receiverof the Royal Voice Broadcast, the beautiful visage of the Empress of the GranChaos Empire, Maria Euphoria, started to show sorrow. Even for the Empire, thestrongest nation of the Humanity, the Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden would bestill a troublesome opponent.
This place was the 『RoyalVoice Room』 in Parnam Castle. It had been several days after Iwas informed that the Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden had entered our country andyesterday, there was a request for an audience from that Holy Maiden. Andtomorrow, I would be scheduled to hold an audience with that Holy Maiden. Inresponse to this situation, I asked Hakuya to inform Maria-dono’s imouto Jeanne-dono,in order to established this emergency leader summit with Maria-dono.
I didn’t think that the HolyMaiden would visit just for mere small talks. I didn’t know yet what herpurpose, but it was certainly not a something that will benefit the Empire, whichthey viewed as an enemy country. This is the reason why I wanted to reinforce ourcooperation as the leaders of the secret alliance. I didn’t want them to have anydistrust when one day they know that I met with that Holy Maiden. I then asked Maria.
「Evenfor the Empire’s “Holy Maiden”-dono, you have difficulty in dealing with theother Holy Maiden?」(Souma)
『……Please don’t call me Holy Maiden. Oh, “Great King” of Friedonia.』(Maria)
「Ugh…」(Souma)
What a superb counter. Well, forthe one who didn’t desire any praise, the people who praise them would beannoying…… I am neither Ika[1]nor a Giant Isopod[2] norDedede[3].When I was thinking about this matter, Maria sighed in a coquettish manner.
『Icouldn’t say much about Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden-sama since I never mether personally…… But I am troubled since when the citizens called me HolyMaiden on their own accord, she laid complains at me.』(Maria)
「…… Wasthere no inquiry from the Orthodoxy State? If I was someone from the Orthodoxy State,if Maria-dono donated has acquired a fame so high that you are referred as a HolyMaiden, rather than pushing someone from my side to become Holy Maiden, wouldn’tit be faster to just officially ordinate Maria-dono as a Holy Maiden?」(Souma)
『Ah……Which reminds me, there was a talk about that, wasn’t it? But, I refused it.』(Maria)
Maria-dono replied as if thattalk had nothing to do with her at all.
「Didyou refuse?」(Souma)
『If,in reverse, you are the one being asked, will Souma-dono accept it?』(Maria)
「Iabsolutely refuse.」(Souma)
『See?』(Maria)
Maria had a soft but slightly wistfulsmile.
『Whatdo I need to do if I become a Holy Maiden? Just to whom, what kind of order Ineed to give? The Orthodox State touted justification, saying to protect theweak, while driving people into conflict. I don’t want to become a glorified bannerof such thing.』(Maria)
「Maria-dono……」(Souma)
『Althoughmy station is that of an Empress who govern over the Empire, in the end, I am justa human. Rather than being worshiped as a Holy Maiden, I want to be loved by otherpeople, as a human, as a person.』(Maria)
―――I want to be loved by otherpeople, as a human, as a person.
I inscribed her words deeply intomy heart.
◇ ◇ ◇
『Lunaria Orthodoxy State』.
This country, the headquarters ofthe Lunaria Orthodoxy, is governed by the Pope of Lunaria Orthodoxy. It is areligious state whose history is about as long as Elfrieden Kingdom. It was saidthat during the Continent’s Chaotic Era, in contrast to Elfrieden Kingdom, whereits Founder King, a Hero, brought together many races and unite them into onenation, Lunaria Orthodoxy State was united by the religious force. It’s doctrine『Savethe Weak』 , seemed to becodified based on its experience of that era.
Originally Lunaria Orthodoxy is areligion believed by a tribe, the Moon People: 『Lunarian』. Theso-called 『Lunarian』 was a tribe that not originally reside on this Continent, but came fromoutside. Whether the outside that they referred to was some islands like the Nine-HeadedDragon Archipelago or they came from a different world just like me, I don’t know.However, in the legend, they came from the moon on the sky, hence their name.
The object of the 『Lunarian』faith is their old home, the 『Moon』, that they worshipped as the Moon G.o.ddess: 『Lunaria-sama』. Since『Lunaria-sama』 is shining high in the sky as the 『Moon』, itis prohibited to make idol statue of her. Furthermore, in the Capital City ofthe inner sanctuary of the Lunaria Orthodoxy’s Central Church, there was theso-called Moon Epitaph: 『Lunaris』 where the Moon Oracle was engraved.
Initially, it was only believedby the Lunarian, but in that Continent’s Chaotic Era, it penetrated even to theother Nations and Races as their mental support, that the number of believers increased.Thereafter, there was a sectarian conflict within the same faith, there werealso disputes about which was accepted belief and which was heretical, but whenthe dust settled, the current 『Lunaria Orthodoxy』 hadtook form, a major religion that was believed by one-half of the Humanity inthe Continent together with the 『Mother Dragon Faith』.
As for the doctrine, they touted 『Savethe Weak』 and 『Mutual Aid』. “When there is trouble, everyone will help eachother”, perhaps this simple doctrine was the reason why gain new believers. Justlike its doctrine, the believers will do acts like fund-raising for impoverishedpeople or distribute food for poor people. It would be easy to comprehend that LunariaOrthodoxy and its believers were harmless. However, when it comes to 『OrthodoxyState』, something stinks.
It was said that they used the believersliving in each country to intervene in the politics of that country or toencourage rebellion. I say this once more, the believers itself is harmless, thereare people who are truly dedicated to saving the weak. We mustn’t control themby treating all the believers as one same ent.i.ty, and in the first place, themore you suppress a religion, the more it blazes up. No matter how powerful themilitary power a country has, if the soldiers believe in Lunaria Orthodoxy, thenthe national stability will deteriorated as soon as that country becomeshostile to the Orthodoxy State. That’s why, a religion that is so intertwined withpolitical power to such degree like that is troublesome.
Then a Holy Maiden from thattroublesome country, 『Lunaria Orthodoxy State』,was currently, stood before me. Right now, there were only a few people in theParnam Castle’s 『Audience Room』. It was because the Orthodoxy State’s side hoped for anaudience with a small number of people. From the Orthodoxy State’s side, only theHoly Maiden alone requested for the audience. That’s why, on both sides of mythrone, there was the First Queen Consort Candidate, Liscia, and the SecondQueen Consort Candidate, Aisha, who also acted as my bodyguard and was armed. Then,the Prime Minister, Hakuya, was the only person who stood between the HolyMaiden and me.
Well, even if this girl was ana.s.sa.s.sin who pretending to be a Holy Maiden, since Aisha was her, it would befine. But…… looking at the girl standing on the carpet few steps below thethrone, that worry is undue. When I saw her appearance, I thought:
(…… I see. Certainly, she is the Holy Maiden…… )
Well, perhaps there was no wordbetter to describe the girl, other than 『Holy Maiden』. Her age is about 18 years old. She has a beautifulface and alluring dark eyes. Her silver hair was braided into two. She was a bishoujo(pretty girl) who even made Aisha spoke out her admirationunintentionally. Her figure, clad in a priestess habit, could be said as the exactdepiction of a Holy Maiden itself. If I hadn’t built my resistance, thanks toLiscia and others, I would be overwhelmed just by meeting her eyes.
…… But, I wonder why. In contrastto her high spec appearance, I didn’t feel any charm from her for some reason. Onthe contrary, I felt a strange sense of discomfort when I saw her. Though, I thoughtshe is a cute girl……. Something was bothering me. While concealing this senseof discomfort inside my heart, I addressed the Holy Maiden.
「Welcome.The Lunaria Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden-dono. I am, Soma Kazuya, the one whohas been asked to govern over this country.」(Souma)
「Greetingand good tidings, Your Majesty Great King of Friedonia. My name Mary Valenti. TodayI visit as an envoy from the Lunaria Orthodoxy State. Despite the sudden request,to be granted an approval for this audience, in behalf of the Pope-sama, let meoffer my grat.i.tude to Your Majesty from the bottom of my heart.」(Mary)
The Holy Maiden Mary bowed in agracious manner as she spoke this. Mary…… The p.r.o.nunciation of her name issimilar to Maria-dono. Since she wast.i.tled Holy Maiden, I thought that she would say, 「Youmust believe in our G.o.d」 in a condescending manner. Well…… As expected, itwouldn’t do to take a lofty att.i.tude like that for the first meeting with aKing of a country. Mary raised her face,and then looked straight at my eyes before she spoke up.
「Thetales of Your Majesty"s accomplishment had even reached Lunaria Orthodoxy State.In less than a year after being summoned as the Hero, Your Majesty had rebuiltthe Elfrieden Kingdom, defeated Amidonia Dukedom and then annexed itsterritory. Truly a feat of a Hero.」(Mary)
「Youare regarding too highly of me. I had not done any Hero-like deeds. That Icould rebuild this Kingdom, it was all because I am blessed with goodsubordinates. I had repulsed Amidonia, but annexing it was just how the courseof event flowed.」(Souma)
「Howthe events flow is a fate beyond human comprehension. Your Majesty might havethe G.o.d’s Blessing.」(Mary)
G.o.d’s blessing, huh? …… What areligious-like opinion. I couldn’t agree with her, though.
「No,this course of event, in the end, had been orchestrated by one person. The personwho you should extol is not me, but the Amidonia Princess who made that once ina lifetime decision.」(Souma)
「RoroaAmidonia-dono, is it? Though she still young, she was able to draw out greatestbenefit for the citizen by bringing the two nations into negotiations. Asfellow women, I truly admired her.」(Mary)
「………」(Souma)
But I believe Roroa will dislikeyou. When Roroa’s elder brother, Julius was still the Duke of Amidonia, theOrthodoxy roused the believers in the Dukedom and caused a rebellion. AlthoughJulius had suppressed the rebellion, Roroa was angry that her fellow citizen wasspilling each other blood. Actually, as the Third Queen Consort Candidate, Iwanted Roroa, who manages this country’s finance, to be here in this place. However,considering her animosity towards the Orthodoxy State, I had her to wait withJuna-san and others in the Office Room. Even if she isn’t a girl who will lether feeling showed on her face…… I don’t want her to endure this needlessly.
However, just how much truth inthis girl’s words? Her tone was flat, so it was hard to read any particularemotion from her. She didn’t seem to be playing any tricks. If she could speaklike this after knowing what her country had done, she would be a hypocriteliar, but there was also a possibility that she was just “pretty flower” whodidn’t know anything…… No, if either of these is true, then her emotion should be more apparent. If the former is true, then as a liar, she would give more ‘I amsincere’ appeal to deceive her opponent. If the latter, then she should have a moreenthusiastic feeling, as if she came here with righteousness on her side.
However, this girl was too flat.It was as if to say that her visit was normal and natural. This might be how acountry’s envoy act in the first place, but in this girl’s case, I felt thatthis was too extreme…… The discomfort inside me became bigger.
「Then,Mary-dono, what brings you here today?」(Souma)
I tried asked straightforwardlyso that I wouldn’t let that sense of discomfort showed in my expression. Then,without losing any of her placidity, Mary slightly bowed her head.
「Ara,that’s right. As a Holy Maiden of Lunaria Orthodoxy, today I have a request toyour Majesty.」(Mary)
「Request?」(Souma)
I asked while having a badfeeling about this, and Mary replied with a completely non-malicious smile.
「Iwould like to ask for Lunaria Orthodoxy to be the state religion of ElfriedenKingdom.」(Mary)
☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽
Religion is always a sensitive political matter.
Next chapter will be as fast as I couldtranslate!
Also, if you spot a mistake, mention it andI will immediately fix it (at least in one month time :D)