Seijo ni Narunode Nidoume no Jinsei wa Katte ni Sasetemoraimasu ~Outaihi wa, Zensei de Watashi wo Fu

     Inside the dark and heavy air of prison, Sheena blankly stared at the dirt on the stone wall. She’s been waiting for her punishment in this prison, but it doesn’t matter. A sense of emptiness dominated all over her body. She helped bring the conflict in Colorado and turned into ‘Sheena’ to deceive the King and the people in the temple. It’s like a death sentence, confined for life. She was indeed with the duke, but rather than an accomplice, she was manipulated. She changed herself and tried to help so many people in Colorado, but…

     A priest who had come in made her thoughts stop, she could see the look of pity in his eyes. Even if she isn’t put to death, her life will soon run out.

     Sheena smiled. The moment her cheeks lifted, her side hurt. It was a heavy feeling of pain, like something being gouged from within her body. The pain in her body, which she had suffered since she went to Colorado, had become worse. The forbidden magic that the fake saint placed on her puts a huge strain on one’s body. She even told her that she was prepared for the consequences.

     It isn’t known whether it is within thirty days or in a hundred days, but Sheena will die. Her body was shattered by the reaction from the forbidden spell, it became tattered. But,

     ‘I don’t care. It doesn’t matter’

     Everything is over. There is no hatred or resentment towards Liz anymore. In a distant memory, she remembers running around the fires in Colorado. She doesn’t care whether she’ll be executed in front of everyone or whether she dies alone in prison, her body becoming rotten and in pieces.

     She sat in the corner of her cell all day, bearing the bitter pain that regularly occurs in her body as she blankly stares at the stone wall.

     “It’s lunch,” the priest humbly offered a tray of food.

     “Isn’t it lovely? Anyway, the day of the next saint’s coronation is near. The whole country is in an uproar. Some will be given charity to the criminals.”

     The next saint, that is Liz’s coronation. However, she doesn’t feel any emotion when she hears it. It’s like news of an event happening in a distant country.

     “Haven’t you eaten yet?” The priest frowned as he looked at the untouched breakfast meal.

     Suddenly the entrance of the prison became noisy.

     “Eh, Holy saint?!” At the priest’s exclamation, Sheena raised her head. Is Liz coming in about being a saint? For what? Did she come in to laugh at Emilia? At her? She can laugh, laugh as much as she likes. However it wasn’t her, it was the current saint. 

     “Sheena. No, should I call you Emilia?”

     It seems that she left her priest attendant at the door of the prison and went down the stairs alone. She went towards her and stared at Sheena over the bars. Then she sat down and slightly frowned.

     Why is the saint here? She’d know why Liz would be there, but the saint? She couldn’t understand why the saint is there. She suspiciously looked over the saint and the saint chuckled.

     “You look at me wondering why I came here.”

     Then, withdrawing her smile, with a dignified air and a penetrating voice she said, “It is unforgivable that you were in cooperation with the Duke of Igner and brought forth a conflict in the Colorado region. You’ve done something that one should never do.”

     Did she come in to preach? Sheena lost even the slightest interest in it and turned her gaze back to the wall. The voice of the saint lowered as if she were unaware of the situation.

     “But it’s also true that you saved and healed the people of the Colorado region. You ran around to see the injured and nursed them day and night. Since I turned into Manon for the selection, I couldn’t go to Colorado.” there was a great deal of remorse mingled in the tone of her voice.

     Was she confessing? Then, why did she go to jail even to see Sheena? There are more suitable places and people that she could’ve told these to. She looked at the saint suspiciously and saw that the saint was looking at her.

“But you were there.”

     Sheena’s eyes slightly widened, she was shocked by her unexpected words.

     Looking at her, the saint smiled, “Perhaps I should not say this, but you certainly saved people in the Colorado region. You desperately took care of them without turning your back halfway and a lot of people were saved.” 

     The saint faced her and deeply bowed, “I’m very glad that you were there. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

     Her sincerity touched Sheena’s heart and in spite of herself, she stood up. On the other side of the lattice, the current Saint was there.

     She was confused and her mind was blank. She’s the saint of this country. Why is she thanking the criminal? Despite that, intense emotions stirred up, it could not compare to the helplessness she felt before. Various emotions burst through her body all at once. She doesn’t know whether she’s happy or not.

     This feeling was familiar to her.

     When she was in Colorado, she treated the people, she nursed them. The people in dirty and muddy clothing thanked her while they were in tears. In her heart, she’d laugh at them. It was something that she and the duke did. They’re being grateful for nothing.

     That was what she thought, but somewhere in her heart, she felt like she was going to break. Her purpose was her revenge on Liz, she felt that she was shaken up for that purpose. There was no return for her. Definitely.

She grinded her teeth and clenched her hands.

     The saint quietly continued, “The people in the Colorado region were angry about what you did, so to speak, for deceiving them. They couldn’t easily forgive you. Though, just like what the maid said in the First temple, her relatives wouldn’t be safe if it wasn’t for you helping them in Colorado.” 

     That’s not what she wanted. What Sheena wanted was another.  A position to be respected, loved, and envied by everyone. Not to be thanked by a few people, even by local commoners.

     And yet…why? Why do such words of mere commoners come up into her mind so much? A feeling of relief and being saved. Why? 

     She looked at the saint with vague emotions.

     “Life cannot be undone. I can say that you may start over, however that would be a lie. You can’t undo what you’ve done, what you’ve said, and didn’t do. If we do that, that would’ve been unfair to those who have worked hard all their life.”

     That’s right. She knows that.

     “But once you accept them, you may start anew from there.” the saint stared at Sheena as she looked up at her. It’s not about the wants and beauty, it’s to look at reality.

     “The grafted branches would not have its original flowers, however different kinds of flowers will bloom from it. Even if it’s for a short time, a beautiful flower will surely bloom.”

     Waves of emotion stirred her and tears fell from her eyes. No matter how much she tried to stop it and endure, it kept on flowing down one after another. She placed her forehead on the lattice and clenched her hands so hard that her fingers turned white. The faces of those Colorado people flashed into her mind, crying and thanking her.

     ―She doesn’t know what her punishment will be. Even if she’ll be sentenced to death, she’ll just live her life to the fullest before she dies. She’ll work hard, even for a short while. It was the first time for her to shed heartfelt tears of remorse and apology.

     Olivia was waiting in front of the passage for the saint to come out of prison. At the same time, the priests who accompanied her looked anxious, looking at the stairs. As the saint returned, she noticed Olivia and said something to the priests and they bowed.

     The saint smiled. Encouraged by her smile, Olivia nervously spoke, “I want to be your maiden. An attendant in the first temple. I want to be a handmaid serving the holy saint.”

     She wanted to be nearby. She never really dreamed of becoming a saint, but she just wanted to be close to them. She realized her honest feelings when she found her door. The knocker of the door of the First Temple.

     “…To serve the First Temple means to serve not only me but also Liz.” The tone of the saint was cautious, a little nervous.

     “I know.”

     “Alright.” she nodded, then nodded again once more with a joyful smile.

     “It’s a thing I never thought I’d wish for. Thank you.”

     “Yes!”

     “Oh, the penguin!” The penguin who had been running from behind Olivia was trying to catch up.

     “This penguin will now live in the first temple. With the Holy dragon, it’ll be quite happy and strong if it’s with its friends. Does it have a name?”

     “Yes! Thunder Griffin!”

     “…These candidates generally had no sense of naming. It is catastrophic.”

     “Is that so? Manon, ah, what is the name of the Black leopard?”

     “Black—no, nothing,”

     They’re at the same level.

     The shocked Olivia decided to change the subject, “Mimizun’s going home with Rebecca, isn’t it?”

     “Yes, Rebecca asked me. If it’s the Holy dragon, it wouldn’t be able to get out of the temple, but her earthworm would be alright. I believe Mimizun will be happier if it’s by her side.”

     Then she suddenly remembered and her face clouded, “It’s a pity about Hades.”

     “Yes. The chief priest has been quite depressed about it.”

     She remembered him moaning around that if he had summoned the spirit sooner, he perhaps would’ve helped and saved him. Lloyd was furious at the fake saint who practically had used and thrown away Hades. 

     Olivia didn’t like Hades, who had such a bossy and prideful demeanor. Though Hades should’ve realized his actions and the plans of the fake saint. There were mixed thoughts and feelings.

     The penguin finally caught up with Olivia and sat down trying to take a breath. At that moment, 

     “Let’s go.”

     At the words of the saint, the penguin’s eyes widened, its eyes saying “Seriously?!”

     “Okay.” Olivia nodded. The penguin turned to her and hurriedly stood up and desperately followed her.

     Olivia tried to slow her pace, though the saint was already doing so. Slowly, they walked together.

     The bright sunshine came down and the leaves of the large beech trees swayed by the wind. It sounded pleasant and relaxing to their ears.

If you like my translations, please consider supporting me by buying me a ko-fi