Kays Translations

Chapter 32 – The Choir’s Song

“Ren, could you make some time tomorrow morning? Sera suggested that the five of us go and pray while we have the chance.”

“Pray? For victory in the semifinals?”

Vayne nodded, and Sera continued.

“Both Vayne and I are more nervous than ever because our opponents belong to Hero Houses.”

“Sera in particular has to face Kaito in the semifinals.”

Vayne’s opponent was also from a Hero House: a second-year female student who had taken a strong liking to him. As Kaito had mentioned before, she was an excellent archer.

“We knew this might happen, but I am still nervous,” Sera admitted. “The semifinals do not begin until after noon, so if you two do not mind, would you come to Roses Caitas with us?”

Ren and Licia had assumed they meant to visit the Imperial Grand Temple.

The unexpected name left them puzzled.

“But Roses Caitas is sealed off, is it not?”

“It is. There are several places set aside for worship, though. The Elfen Church prepared them after people could no longer enter Roses Caitas.”

“Oh… I did not know such places existed.”

No event like this had appeared in Legends of the Seven Heroes. Ren was long accustomed, however, to reality refusing to follow the game’s story exactly.

“Why Roses Caitas?” Licia asked. “Would the Imperial Grand Temple not be closer if all you want to do is pray?”

“Licia, did you not say that you wanted to see the seal with your own eyes? Extra magic-ship services are running, so this is a good opportunity. Besides, the choir will be there tomorrow.”

“Come to think of it… Father did mention something like that.”

Lessard had spoken of it on the first night of the Lion King Grand Festival.

Licia exchanged a wry smile with Ren.

They had already seen the seal at night through a magic ship’s window. Still, it would have been unkind to dismiss Sera’s thoughtful invitation, particularly when she looked so excited.

Quite apart from Sera’s invitation, the choir interested them.

Both Licia and Ren wanted to hear what its songs sounded like.

“Ren and I wanted to hear the choir as well, so the timing is perfect.”

“Really? Then it is settled! We will meet at the Hanging Garden tomorrow!”

Nemu did not miss the glance Ren and Licia exchanged beside the smiling Sera.

“You two really are kind.”

Sera tilted her head.

“Nemu? Where did that come from?”

“Oh, nothing. Unlike Sera, Nemu is surprisingly observant, so I noticed exactly what the two of them were hiding.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is Nemu we are talking about,” Licia said. “She is probably saying something random again.”

“Ah! Licia, you make it sound as though Nemu always says random things! I only do that sometimes! Sometimes!”

Everyone laughed as Nemu huffed indignantly.

Incidentally, Nemu was there because she had come to watch the martial arts tournament. She had simply accompanied Sera and Vayne when they went to report their victory.

After the three visitors left, Ren and Licia returned to headquarters.

Radius looked at them and asked,

“Did something happen?”

“A little good news from the martial arts tournament,” Licia said. “Tomorrow, only students from our academy will remain in the semifinals.”

“That is excellent news. In that case, the three of you should go and watch. There is no reason for you to remain at headquarters on the final day, so enjoy yourselves without reservation.”

Ren, Licia, and Fiona smiled at his suggestion.

“What about you, Radius? Will you not join us?”

“Sorry, nya. His Highness already has plans with me, so he cannot go, nya.”

“Oh, I see.”

Ren nodded, looking a little disappointed.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Despite the early hour, the area around Roses Caitas was already crowded with people.

Countless broken bricks littered the old highway, and moss covered the road in places. Lush grass spread across the surrounding land, forming a beautiful scene in which numerous merchants had opened their stalls.

Ren had just disembarked from the magic ship and looked around with interest.

(So this is what the place looks like.)

He had only been told that the magic-ship dock was temporary. When he had looked down from the sky the other night, darkness had kept him from seeing it clearly.

Before him now stood a makeshift dock formed by several simple iron towers arranged in a row.

As they descended the movable staircase, Licia pointed into the distance.

“Ren, look over there.”

She indicated the mountain on which Roses Caitas stood.

Unlike the other night, the fog forming the Cage of Time was clearly visible. After studying it, Ren and Licia surveyed the surrounding terrain. As they had heard, the seal covered most of the mountain. A gorge divided the mountain from the plain, and a bridge connected the two sides. Beyond the bridge, a stone stairway led onto the mountain path. The sealed area began immediately after the bridge, which was normally closed.

Today, perhaps because the choir would pass that way, the bridge had not been barricaded. Knights of the Elfen Church stood guard in its place.

“We can see it much more clearly than we could the other day.”

“Yes.”

The area was already bustling with visitors, including followers of the Elfen Church from both within Leomel and abroad.

Anyone who let down their guard could easily be swept away by the crowd.

“There are so many people… We should be careful not to get separated, Sera.”

“We should. But before that, shall we have breakfast?”

“Agreed! Nemu is starving… absolutely starving…”

Because they had set out so early, Sera, Vayne, and Nemu had skipped breakfast. They had needed to travel from the Imperial Capital to Elendil, making their morning more hectic than Ren and Licia’s.

“According to Nemu’s research, the food stalls here have an excellent reputation!”

There were famous stalls serving grilled meat, as well as others known for their sweets and tea.

“Oh! Vayne, would you like Nemu to hold your hand? Hee hee, it would be terrible if we got separated.”

“I-I’m fine! I can manage!”

“There is no need to be shy. Or are you saying Nemu is not good enough for you?”

“That is not it either… R-Ren! Stop laughing and help me!”

“Sorry. I think finding the famous food stalls may be more important.”

Ren looked away from the clearly jealous Sera as he surveyed the stalls around them.

There was no shortage of choices. They could eat whatever appealed to them.

While Nemu teased Vayne and Sera glared at him in displeasure, Ren and Licia watched the scene and spoke quietly to each other.

“I was already full, but all these wonderful smells are making me hungry again.”

“Me too. Shall we try a little something?”

“Yes. Hehe… What should we choose? I would like to try a stall we do not normally see in Elendil or the Imperial Capital.”

The group visited several stalls and satisfied their appetites.

They remained close together as they walked through the lively crowd, taking care not to get separated.

The area grew even busier several dozen minutes later. Members of the Elfen Church choir appeared in white robes and began walking along the road, surrounded by Elfen Church knights.

Many followers of the church joined their hands in prayer at the sight.

As though leading the assembled spectators, the choir headed toward the bridge spanning the gorge at the foot of the mountain.

“Shall we follow them?” Ren asked.

“Yes.”

The other three followed Ren and Licia as they began walking.

It took roughly thirty minutes on foot to reach the bridge from the temporary magic-ship dock. The choir had arrived first, and Elfen Church knights formed a line across the bridge to keep the spectators from approaching them.

The choir stopped just before the seal on the far side of the bridge.

One member differed from the others by carrying a large staff. Holding it horizontally in both hands, that person raised it as though making an offering to the heavens. A huge jewel at its tip shone, and every member of the choir began to sing at once.

Ren listened in silence, captivated by the distant figures singing on the stone steps. He could not explain why, but their song made his thoughts drift.

(…)

The melody carried endlessly through the air and held his attention completely.

That remained true even though he did not understand the language of the song or the meaning of its lyrics.

“Ren, would you like me to translate?”

Licia whispered into his ear.

She appeared to be taking care not to disturb the people listening around them.

“You understand it?”

“A little. It is the language used in Holy Crest Technique.”

“As expected of you. But please do not worry about me. I want you to enjoy the song as well.”

“It is all right. I want to enjoy it together with you.”

Their faces drew closer than they ordinarily would.

With their cheeks almost touching, Licia quietly rendered fragments of the lyrics into the common tongue.

“To the great Lord God, child of the Creator God, we offer our song… Now, unto your side. Unto the Lord’s side.”

Licia continued translating the song piece by piece.

Before long, the first hymn came to an end. More than a few followers of the Elfen Church around Ren were in tears. Sera, Vayne, and Nemu had also fallen silent, apparently moved by what they heard.

A second and then a third hymn for the repose of the dead echoed across the gorge.

Then—

“Huh?”

Without warning, Ren’s vision blurred slightly and a ringing filled his ears.

He instinctively raised both hands and covered them. Something stranger still occurred: despite blocking his ears, he heard a distinct sound with perfect clarity.

Ring… ring…

A bell chimed on and on. As Ren listened, his vision wavered like a mirage. The phenomenon subsided almost at once, but he could not begin to understand what had happened.

He looked around and saw no one else reacting as he had.

There was only one exception. Licia, standing beside him, was experiencing the same sensation.

“Ren… just now…”

“You felt it too?”

The seventh hymn ended, and Sera, who had remained quiet until then, spoke to Licia.

“I was completely overwhelmed… Licia? Why are you staring silently at Ren? Did the song move you that much?”

“N-No. A loud bell suddenly rang, and it startled me.”

“A bell? I did not hear anything like that. Did you, Vayne?”

“No. I do not think I heard one.”

Ren then asked,

“Did you see the air waver like a mirage?”

“No, I do not think anything like that happened either. What is wrong with you two all of a sudden? Are you feeling ill?”

“No. Sorry. Perhaps I only imagined it.”

“Yes,” Licia agreed. “Perhaps Ren and I were simply paying too much attention.”

They concealed the truth with those excuses.

Having finished their final hymn, the members of the choir began descending the stone steps. As before, they walked quietly along the road while surrounded by Elfen Church knights.

Ren and Licia exchanged glances and considered what had just happened. Their brows furrowed at the thought that the phenomenon had affected only the two of them.

“Should we return to the magic ship before the crowd becomes worse?” Licia suggested.

“Oh, yes! That may be wise!”

The plausible excuse of avoiding the crowd on the return journey made Sera and Vayne agree at once. Nemu did as well.

In truth, Ren and Licia were acting on an instinctive desire to leave the area as quickly as possible.

“Definitely! If we wait too long, the ships may fill up before we can board!”

“That would be a problem. Vayne and I have our semifinals this afternoon, so we must hurry.”

The five began making their way back toward the magic-ship dock.

They moved against the flow of the surrounding crowd.

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