How the Regressor Loves the Reincarnated

64. Selection (1)

1.

Shoot ah-

A fountain in the center of the plaza right in front of the entrance to the cathedral. Adele and I, sitting side by side on the edge, had been holding each other’s hands carefully without any conversation for tens of minutes already.

Perhaps, like me now, Adele must have had many thoughts of her own. Because what Adele hated the most was the existence of variables she knew nothing about.

Deng-Deng-

The silence, which gradually began to feel uncomfortable as time passed, was broken by the sound of a bell ringing from the top of the cathedral’s spire.

The bell of the Cathedral of Lumineria that rings four times a day, every six hours. The bell that had just rung meant that it was already past six in the afternoon.

Anyway, it seems that the time we sat still here wasn’t just a few tens of minutes.

I felt strength in Adele’s hands, as surprised as I was by the fact. After showing a moment of hesitation, Adele looked straight at me and asked her question.

“Are you going? To see Burgo.”

“I’m thinking about it. There’s still a week left, and I can’t rule out the possibility that this is a trap targeting me-“

“That means I am going.”

“…”

In Adele’s eyes, looking straight at me, there was a sad expression, like a stormy sea. She seemed to take my acceptance of Burgo’s deal as a half-faith.

“Putting aside my personal ill feelings towards Burgo, she is more clever and cruel than she appears. That means she’s not stupid enough to sell her obvious trap.”

“…Even if this is a trap, I have a hunch that if I don’t go, I will regret it greatly.”

After hearing my words, Adele bursts out with a small chuckle, then she mumbles bitterly.

“That is amazing. I have a hunch that I might regret it greatly if I don’t catch you.”

And Adele, who spat out her words and shook her head, opened her mouth again.

“As I said earlier, Burgo is no fool. So, Luke, rather than making a plan assuming that you would come alone, you should probably think that I made a plan based on the case of me hiding and moving together as a top priority.”

Sure enough, as Adele said, she wouldn’t really think I’d come looking for her alone just because she’d been alone for so long, unless Burgo was quite stupid. Although it’s a bit ironic that I’m a person without a solution who was thinking of going there alone.

It was fortunate that Adele didn’t even know my exact thoughts. If I had known, I think my outfit would have exploded.

“I’m not sure exactly how far Burgo could have looked… But even if he expected me to follow you, hiding behind the veil of night, it’s not like we didn’t have any other option than that. It’s true.”

“That’s right. Well, not at all, but-“

“Luke…? I really want to, but I’ll believe you’re not trying to take out the nonsense saying that you’re going alone.”

“No, not really.”

It was the first time Adele’s smile had felt so bloody. Feeling threatened for my life, I had no choice but to change what I was about to say.

Actually, what I was going to say was not serious, but more like a joke, but I have to joke while watching the atmosphere. I didn’t know if I threw a nonsensical joke in this situation, I might end my life by Adele’s hands.

“Luke, what did you say before you followed me here? Didn’t you tell me not to act carelessly…?”

At the first words of Adele, who seemed to be thinking hard about something with her arms crossed, I was stabbed right in the middle. I must have said that to Adele with my own mouth.

“No… Yes, it’s because Adele was talking nonsense back then.”

“Yes, it was exactly the same situation as now. Then this time, do you think I have to return the words as they are to come to my senses?”

“…I will take it as a sign that I will follow you no matter what.”

In fact, if this was going to happen, wouldn’t it have been better to just listen to it on the spot. I don’t know what exactly Burgo is trying to tell me, but judging by the nuances alone, I think it’s something that Adele won’t benefit from knowing.

“I have no heart to resent you no matter what happens that day. Whatever choice you make, I will respect it.”

As if reading my thoughts, Adele recited in a calm yet slightly trembling voice.

“It was something I had hoped for Luke to completely get out of this, so if that happens, should I be grateful to Burgo?”

“Adele, do you know what it is? That Adele is pretty obvious when she lies. Just looking at these eyes makes me feel that Adele is lying right now.”

“…What is that?”

While blinking her eyes and muttering carelessly, Adele seemed rather happy. I’m not sure what part of my words made her feel better, though.

Even if I went through her whole life, it would be a little difficult to fully understand Adele with my head.

“If what Burgo is offering in return for the deal is really important enough for you to get away with it… Then never hesitate. Because if you accept it, it won’t change anything between us. Understand?”

The way Adele demanded an answer from me with her determined eyes, to be honest, she couldn’t look that cool. If our genders were opposite, I might have fallen in love with her in just one second after seeing her.

“So, the answer?”

“…I will.”

Even in the middle of answering that, I was confident that I would never do that. How arrogantly that is.

“Then let’s go and take a look around! Today’s work was a bit unexpected, but it didn’t deviate much from the framework of the original plan… Should I finish what I was trying to do?”

Adele, who shouted brightly with her efforts, took my hand and dragged me, leading her to start teasing her feet.

As I followed her with her awkward steps and matched her pace with her belatedly, I earnestly prayed that nothing would ever happen to hurt Adele’s heart.

2.

Time is really difficult. Sometimes it flows faster than I want, sometimes it flows slower than I want.

So, even if I didn’t bother to explain the speed of time with a scientific theory, at least it was clear to me that it was a variable concept.

So, if you ask me what I want to say…

“…Sup. Well, it doesn’t smell like anything.”

It is clear that time flows much faster than my wind. I didn’t want to complain so much.

“Yeah, it’s not something I need to use much of.”

I handed her the Veil of Night, which had been last used more than two weeks ago, and Adele, who picked it up and brought it to her face, took a deep breath.

She was Adele, who was supposed to be wearing that all day long, so it was fortunate that she didn’t forget to clean it up with magic beforehand. Today was the day to meet with Burgo and hear about the second price of the deal she proposed.

It was exactly one day left until the full moon rose.

“Whoa, that’s true, but… I mean, it doesn’t smell like this at all just because you don’t use it often. Thank you for your consideration.”

The moment Adele puts on and unfolds her cloak after she says that, and completely covers her body with it, she completely disappears from my sight. I feel it every time, but it’s such a crazy performance that I wonder if it would be right to call it a divine object rather than simply calling it a sacred object.

I’m not sure how many more relics like this are in the hands of the apostles, but I hope there won’t be too many of them.

“Tada! How is it? It doesn’t look right, right?”

“Yes, I can’t see it at all.”

“Huhu, holy things are good. Then let’s go soon… Oh, that’s right!”

As if something had come to mind, Adele suddenly exclaimed. I feel a little awkward because I can’t see that figure unlike usual.

However, the awkwardness did not last long. Since Adele hugged me, I ended up hugging Adele in an awkward position where I couldn’t see her at all.

“Well, before I go, there are a few things I want to tell you. But, she said, that’s a bit too much to say face to face.”

With those words, I felt the part of what was probably Adele’s head hit my chest. I don’t know exactly what she’s trying to say, but somehow I feel like I should listen to her without saying anything.

“I mean… Well, I thought I was an altruistic person in my own way? No, no. If you look closely, you have lived an altruistic life, so it must be altruistic. Maybe that’s why, it’s a little awkward to have such a selfish mind.”

As I quietly brushed Adele’s back, I heard her droopy voice unlike her.

“Have I done that before? I have a hunch that if I don’t hold on to you, I will regret it greatly. Isn’t that just what you said?”

“…Yes?”

“When you become a master, there is almost no mistake in that area. I can’t say I always have that kind of hunch, but if I get a hunch every once in a while… it’s good to say that it’s almost unconditionally true.”

“Doesn’t that mean we shouldn’t visit Burgo today? Then-“

“No. It gave me a feeling that I might regret it greatly. Didn’t you say you had a hunch that you’d regret it if you didn’t go there today, Luke?”

“Ah, that’s why you said it was a selfish mind a while ago. Even at this moment, I hope I don’t go there. But what does that have to do with my hunch…?”

“Just because you are a wizard doesn’t mean you don’t have the same level of transcendence as a master. I think you, Luke, have reached that threshold.”

Yes?

For a moment, I wondered if I had heard Adele’s words wrong. That I’m on the verge of reaching the same level as Adele? Wouldn’t that be the case?

“Adele, if you’re talking about a great mage, that’s not a classification of realm, it’s just a symbolic title. Besides, if the state Adele spoke of existed, wouldn’t it be right that my father, not me, should have reached it first? As far as I know, there is no record of a wizard reaching such a kind of transcendental state in the history books.”

“No. That premise is wrong.”

Adele shook his head, still pressing his forehead against my chest, and answered firmly.

“Put your hand on your chest and answer me. Luke, do you still think you’re inferior to your father in terms of magic handling? Really?”

Of course, I was about to answer immediately, but I had no choice but to pause. Really?

Even if it wasn’t my intention, under the influence of Nox’s holy power, I came to possess at least one magical power. The total amount continued to increase as much as I consumed mana.

For wizards, the fact that the total amount of mana is overflowing is not simply that there is that much fuel that can be burned, but it means that magic that consumes mana like a hippo can be used without much burden.

So considering that part…

“No matter how much I am, am I still at a lower level…?”

To be honest, my memories of my father as a wizard may have been a bit bubbly, including childhood fantasies. However, my father was not the one who held the position of Master of the Tower for no reason.

A mage whose skills and achievements are so great that it would be sad if he were second in the empire in name and reality.

I don’t know if you know my heart that I can’t easily evaluate my father, who is no different from the idol of wizards in the empire. Adele lifts her head, lets out a deep sigh, and slaps her forehead against me.

“Haa… Anyway, what I wanted to say is… That, oops…! Never, never cheat? Don’t even hold hands with other girls!”

“Suddenly, what the hell is that…?”

“Just know that…”

Watching Adele answer helplessly as if it was a definite fact that we would split after today, she felt mixed in many ways.

It was like this, but it seemed like it would be absurd if Burgo were to say nonsensical nonsense. I’d rather that side be better than having Adele suffer like this.

“I love you so much, Luke.”

“…I love you more.”

“Say something that makes sense.”

“I mean it.”

“Then I love you more than that.”

“Let’s just do that.”

I don’t know exactly how long we’ve been holding each other, but whatever it was, it must have been shorter than we both wanted.

I did not dare to hold on to Adele, who was trying to escape from my arms by loosening her arms. It was because we knew very well that it was only us in the end that made it even harder.

“…If the situation becomes dangerous, I will intervene right away, so don’t worry about that.”

“After hearing that, I definitely feel relieved.”

“Whoops, of course you should.”

As I left the inn and set foot on the streets of the Holy Land, where the night had fallen deep, I didn’t seem to have even expected that tonight would pass without incident.

3.

“Hmm, looking at things like this, he looks like me too.”

Looking at the oil painting that Lakers Isvant hung on the wall of his office, he smiled so heartily that anyone could tell at a glance. The two lovers in the picture were strikingly similar to the picture of the other pair hanging next to them.

In the painting the Duke of Isvant had his eyes on, there was a picture of his son, Luke, and Adele, who would inherit the castle of Isvant as long as there were no major incidents.

And in another picture.

“Isn’t that right, Arya?”

Aria Isvant, the widow of the Duke of Isvant, and the former daughter of Count Serenis were depicted looking at each other so lovingly that honey dripped from their eyes.

However, there was one peculiarity in the painting, which was that Arya Isvant’s belly drawn in the painting was quite swollen.

“You, too, see how our children grew up this wonderfully, E…?”

Feeling uncomfortable while he was speaking, the Duke of Isvant frowned, pressed his forehead with his finger, and shook his head. Then, the gaze of the Duke of Isvant, who raised his head again, showed an expression of confusion somewhere.

“Grunt… I wish you could have seen our son grow up so well.”

After muttering that, the Duke of Isvant didn’t seem to notice anything wrong with the situation from just a moment ago.