Thank you to all Patrons!
Aiji S., Alexander P., Bakadeathly, BigZak, Brben, Chocolat, Corey, Dragoncamper, Deso, Daniel B., David G., DKLA, Jakers, Jason, Jaycob T., John V., Kaichu, Kiriaky, Luther S., Maverun, Max, Myla, Ograf, Omniamore, Otto E., Scott M., Shaun, ShadeRitten, SK, Soomin B., Taiyou D., Tenkkun, Tim N., TsuTsu, Tuan N., Urko M. M., Will B., William H., YMK, and Z!
Eid Mubarak to all those celebrating!
Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter
Gravestone
We continue teleporting to the western sky from the Kartz plain for a while. And we arrived at the place that seems like the place Arte pointed to on the map. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Looking from above, it is a vast grounds spreading below us, with a pretty lawn, streams, and fields of flowers.
Such a beautiful place is like a well-organized garden.
Perhaps this place is the destination Arte was trying to reach.
Although I can't do anything without checking with the person herself first.
First, I landed on the ground, shook and called out to Arte - who is sleeping limply in my arms.
「Arte, we’ve arrived at our destination y’know」
「H, huh? Who am I――haa!?」
Opening her eyes, Arte immediately clung to my body strongly.
She probably grabbed me reflexively, remembering the time when we were in the sky.
「It’s okay. We’re on the ground already」
「I, is that so」
Arte sighed in relief when I talked to her in a gentle voice as if to calm her down.
After waiting for her to calm down, I put her down on the ground and she stood firmly on her own two feet.
「I had an outrageous experience ja……」
「Sorry for the rough journey. But, that was the fastest way」
「We were able to cover a distance that would take 4 days by carriage in such a short time ja. I won’t complain that much. I was just not ready, don’t worry about it」
Arte estimates the time while looking at the angle of the sun. It has probably not been an hour since we left Howling village. We should still have some time since we travel using teleport.
But considering the parade’s preparation, the sooner the better
「I really appreciate you saying that」
As expected from a royalty, their generosity is really a blessing www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Is this the right place?」
「Yeah, this is the place I wanted to go」
This is a land controlled by the royalties and also the cemetery where the past royals were buried.
「Can you enter from the front if Arte goes there?」
A black fence surrounds the premises, and people who appear to be guards are standing at the entrance gate.
They are probably the ones managing this land.
「I think it is possible, but I don’t want to cause any needless trouble. Can Kureto’s magic allow us to enter the premises?」
「It’s fine, but is it okay for me to enter?」
「It’s fine」
The royal cemetery sounds like a pretty sacred place, but if that's what Arte wants, I’ll just have to make up my mind and go along with her.
「Well then, we’re going in」
「Hm」
I have already seen the place from the sky, so I have a perfectly clear image of the place.
I cast multiple teleport into the inside of the premises after confirming Arte nodding firmly.
Our vision warped, and the scenery instantly changed to the flower fields.
Looks like we were able to sneak into the royal cemetery safely at Arte’s request.
Even if the place is surrounded by a strong fence with guards guarding the entrance, it is still ineffective against Space magic. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「You can trespass into any place and do as you please as long as Kureto is with you, jano」
「What’s the person who gave the order say now? I don’t usually do these kinds of bad things, you know?」
I made sure to give her a proper explanation since Arte was saying some disreputable things.
I don’t want people to think I am abusing Space magic on a regular basis after all.
「Kukuu, I know. Kureto is not the kind of person to do such a thing」
「It’s fine if you understand」
Arte walks along the path through the flower fields while chuckling.
I decided to follow behind her slowly.
It is such a beautiful place, you wouldn’t think it was a cemetery. Lush green grassland spreads out, with a great variety of flowers blooming in profusion.
The refreshing smell of flowers mixes with the greenery when the wind blows, with flower petals sometimes dancing in the air.
The only people walking on such a vast ground are Arte and me.
I could hear the sounds of birds chirping from faraway, and our footsteps felt echoing awfully loud.
「Hey, can I ask why you wanted to come here?」
Given the circumstances, I tried not to ask too much, but I couldn’t help but become curious.
Why would she leave the royal capital just before the Founding Festival?
Why did she want to come here just before the Founding Festival day?
And the parade where the royalty has to appear in front of the citizens of the country is an event that should have been extremely important, also carrying a political implication. And over the past 6 days, I have learned that Arte is not the kind of person who enjoys abandoning her responsibilities as a royalty.
So I was curious about Arte’s feelings that made her want to come to this place today.
Arte began quietly speaking, as though releasing the feelings she’d been holding inside.
「……today is the anniversary of my mother’s death. But as the Founding Festival approaches, it is impossible for me, as the princess, to go outside for safety reasons. Until the moment the parade begins」
Many people from outside the kingdom come to visit on the Founding Festival day.
Of course, it is not just the simple, ordinary people who enjoy the festival, but also some with bad intentions.
After all, there are tens of thousands of people coming from outside. There is a limit to how much the knights can keep a watchful eye on.
Considering the First Princess’s safety as the first priority, it is probably better for her to stay inside the castle except during the parade. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Because I am part of the royalty, I can not even visit or offer a prayer on my family’s death anniversary. I really hated those formal duties of the royalty ja. At that time, I heard about the Harpy subjugation from the bodyguard knights」
「……could it be, you heard of me at that time?」
「That’s right ja. I found it hard to believe the power of that Teleporter-person and thought it was mere trickery, yet I decided this was the only way for me to visit my mother’s grave on her death anniversary」
The royal family had requested the Harpy subjugation request to the Adventurer’s Guild ahead of the Nation Founding Festival.
I never thought rumors about me would get that far.
And then we met due to an unexpected coincidence.
「I see. So the reason we came here today was because of that」
If she stayed in the royal capital, the knights’ order and officials will search for her and she would be brought back.
And she wanted to stay away from the royal capital to avoid that situation, huh.
I finally understand the series of actions Arte has taken up to now.
We walk while chatting like that for some time.
Beyond the flower fields was a flat, beautiful, grassy area, and in the middle stood a pure white building that resembled a church.
This is probably where Arte’s mother's gravestone was located.
「Could you come with me to the front of the gravestone? It feels lonely to be the only one for such a special grave visit. Besides, mother was a lonely person」
「……since you said that much」
I was feeling a little awkward to enter together, but decided to keep Arte company at her wish.
But, only up to near the gravestone. Beyond that point is better just for family member.
We enter the building after I tell Arte that. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Entering the inside, the floor is made of beautifully polished black marble. The floor was polished so glossy it reflected Arte and me as we walked inside, like a mirror.
It was completely silent, without a sound to be heard, as if time itself had stopped in only this place.
Portraits and statues of the generations of royalties lined the corridor, where the serene stillness hung in the air.
Looking up, the ceiling was made arch-shaped and painted with scenes depicting the time from the founding of the nation, along with a sheen that appears to be gold foil.
The shadows created by the sunlight were extremely beautiful that the entire building itself seemed a work of art.
The gold foil has peeled off in some places due to the passing of time, but that adds to the charm instead, making it never boring to keep looking at.
After walking down the corridor that seemed to never end, we came out to an open space.
There were a number of decorated pillars arranged around something in the center of what appeared to be a gravestone made of pure white stone.
That is probably Arte’s mother’s grave.
Arte turns around when I stop walking.
「I’ll go on ahead then. I’ll just take a while, wait a moment」
「We can return to the royal capital in an instant. Just take your time talking with your mother, as long as you don’t end up late for the parade」
Arte slowly approached the gravestone after I told her that.
Then she began to speak bit by bit once she reached in front of the gravestone.
She must have been very happy to be able to come here on the anniversary of her mother’s death. Arte’s profile as she spoke to her mother’s gravestone had a very happy smile on her face. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter
You can support the author by buying the LN here.
Or the Manga here.
Support me through Patreon (by clicking on that Next Chapter) or through if you like Koko de wa Arifureta Monogatari, support me through ko-fi here
No comments:
Post a Comment