Genjitsushugi Yuusha no Oukokusaikenki. Arc 4 Chapter 5B

Translator Corner

Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!

Another chapter!

DISCLAIMER: There is no guarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I was wrong.

Author:

Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)

Translator:

Yukkuri Oniisan

Editor:

Online Grammar Editor

Enlightenment Arc

Chapter 5 As a Person B

「…… that’s why I am going to hold an audience with the Lunaria Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden tomorrow.」(Souma)

『I see……』(Maria)

In the display on the quasi-receiver of the Royal Voice Broadcast, the beautiful visage of the Empress of the Gran Chaos Empire, Maria Euphoria, started to show sorrow. Even for the Empire, the strongest nation of the Humanity, the Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden would be still a troublesome opponent.

This place was the 『Royal Voice Room』 in Parnam Castle. It had been several days after I was informed that the Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden had entered our country and yesterday, there was a request for an audience from that Holy Maiden. And tomorrow, I would be scheduled to hold an audience with that Holy Maiden. In response 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 Holy Maiden would visit just for mere small talks. I didn’t know yet what her purpose was, but it certainly was not a something that will benefit the Empire, who they viewed as an enemy country. This is the reason why I wanted to reinforce our cooperation as the leaders of the secret alliance. I didn’t want the Empire to have any distrust when one day they know that I met with that Holy Maiden. I then asked Maria.

「Even for the Empire’s “Holy Maiden”-dono, you have difficulty in dealing with the other Holy Maiden?」(Souma)

『…… Please don’t call me Holy Maiden. Oh, “Great King” of Friedonia.』(Maria)

「Ugh…」(Souma)

What a superb counter. Well, for the one who didn’t desire any praise, the people who praise them would be annoying…… I am neither Ika[1] nor a Giant Isopod[2] nor Dedede[3]. When I was thinking about this matter, Maria sighed in a coquettish manner.

『I couldn’t say much about Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden-sama since I never met her personally…… But I am troubled since when the citizens called me Holy Maiden on their own accord, she threw complains on me.』(Maria)

「…… Was there no inquiry from the Orthodoxy State? If I was someone from the Orthodoxy State, if Maria-dono has acquired a fame so high that you are referred as a Holy Maiden, rather than pushing someone from my side to become Holy Maiden, wouldn’t it 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 there? But, I refused it.』(Maria)

Maria-dono replied as if that talk had nothing to do with her at all.

「Did you refuse?」(Souma)

『If, in reverse, you are the one being asked, will Souma-dono accept it?』(Maria)

「I absolutely refuse.」(Souma)

『See?』(Maria)

Maria had a soft but slightly wistful smile.

『What do I need to do if I become a Holy Maiden? Just to whom, what kind of order I need to give? The Orthodox State touted justification, saying to protect the weak, while driving people into conflict. I don’t want to become a glorified banner of such thing.』(Maria)

「Maria-dono……」(Souma)

『Although my station is that of an Empress who govern over the Empire, in the end, I am just a human. Rather than being worshiped as a Holy Maiden, I want to be loved by other people, as a human, as a person.』(Maria)

―――I want to be loved by other people, as a human, as a person.

I inscribed her words deeply into my heart.

◇　◇　◇

『Lunaria Orthodoxy State』.

This country, the headquarters of the Lunaria Orthodoxy, is governed by the Pope of Lunaria Orthodoxy. It is a religious state whose history is about as long as Elfrieden Kingdom. It was said that during the Continent’s Chaotic Era, in contrast to Elfrieden Kingdom, where its Founder King, a Hero, brought together many races and unite them into one nation, Lunaria Orthodoxy State was united by the religious force. It’s doctrine 『Save the Weak』 , seemed to be codified based on its experience of that era.

Originally Lunaria Orthodoxy is a religion believed by a tribe, the Moon People: 『Lunarian』. The so-called 『Lunarian』 tribe was a tribe that not originally reside on this Continent, but came from outside. Whether the outside that they referred to was some islands like the Nine-Headed Dragon 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 Goddess: 『Lunaria-sama』. Since 『Lunaria-sama』 is shining high in the sky as the 『Moon』, it is prohibited to make idol statue of her. Furthermore, in the Capital City of the inner sanctuary of the Lunaria Orthodoxy’s Central Church, there was the so-called Moon Stele: 『Lunalith』 where the Moon Oracle was engraved.

Initially, it was only believed by the Lunarian, but in that Continent’s Chaotic Era, it penetrated even to the other Nations and Races as their mental support, therefore the number of believers increased. Thereafter, there was a sectarian conflict within the same faith. There were also disputes about which was accepted belief and which was heretical, but when the dust settled, the current 『Lunaria Orthodoxy』 had took form, a major religion that was believed by one-half of the Humanity in the Continent together with the 『Mother Dragon Faith』.

As for the doctrine, they touted 『Save the Weak』 and 『Mutual Aid』. “When there is trouble, everyone will help each other”, perhaps this simple doctrine was the reason why it gained new believers. Just like its doctrine, the believers will do acts like fund-raising for impoverished people or distribute food for poor people. It would be easy to comprehend that Lunaria Orthodoxy and its believers were harmless. However, when it comes to 『Orthodoxy State』, something stinks.

It was said that they used the believers living in each country to intervene in the politics of that country or to encourage rebellion. I say this once more, the believers themselves are harmless, there are people who are truly dedicated to saving the weak. We mustn’t control them by treating all the believers as one same entity, and in the first place, the more you suppress a religion, the more it blazes up. No matter how powerful the military power a country has, if the soldiers believe in Lunaria Orthodoxy, then the national stability will deteriorated as soon as that country becomes hostile to the Orthodoxy State. That’s why, a religion that is so intertwined with political power to such degree like that is troublesome.

Then a Holy Maiden from that troublesome country, 『Lunaria Orthodoxy State』, was currently, stood before me. Right now, there were only a few people in the Parnam Castle’s 『Audience Room』. It was because the Orthodoxy State’s side hoped for an audience with a small number of people. From the Orthodoxy State’s side, only the Holy Maiden alone requested for the audience. That’s why, on both sides of my throne, there was the First Queen Consort Candidate, Liscia, and the Second Queen 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 Holy Maiden and me.

Well, even if this girl was an assassin who pretending to be a Holy Maiden, since Aisha was here, it would be fine. But…… looking at the girl standing on the carpet few steps below the throne, that worry is undue. When I saw her appearance, I thought:

(…… I see. Certainly, she is the Holy Maiden…… )

Well, perhaps there was no word better to describe the girl, other than 『Holy Maiden』. Her age is about 18 years old. She has a beautiful face and alluring dark eyes. Her silver hair was tied into two bunches. She was a bishoujo(pretty girl) who even made Aisha spoke out her admiration unintentionally. Her figure, clad in a priestess habit, could be said as the exact depiction of a Holy Maiden itself. If I hadn’t built my resistance, thanks to Liscia and others, I would be overwhelmed just by meeting her eyes.

…… But, I wonder why. In contrast to her high spec appearance, I didn’t feel any charm from her for some reason. On the contrary, I felt a strange sense of discomfort when I saw her. Though, I thought she is a cute girl……. Something was bothering me. While concealing this sense of discomfort inside my heart, I addressed the Holy Maiden.

「Welcome. The Lunaria Orthodoxy State’s Holy Maiden-dono. I am, Soma Kazuya, the one who has been asked to govern over this country.」(Souma)

「Greeting and good tidings, Your Majesty Great King of Friedonia. My name is Mary Valenti. Today I visit as an envoy from the Lunaria Orthodoxy State. Despite the sudden request, to be granted an approval for this audience, on behalf of the Pope-sama, let me offer my gratitude to Your Majesty from the bottom of my heart.」(Mary)

The Holy Maiden Mary bowed in a gracious manner as she spoke this. Mary…… The pronunciation of her name is similar to Maria-dono.  Since she was titled Holy Maiden, I thought that she would say, 「You must believe in our God」 in a condescending manner. Well…… As expected, it wouldn’t do to take a lofty attitude like that for the first meeting with a King of a country.  Mary raised her face, and then looked straight at my eyes before she spoke up.

「The tales 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 rebuilt the Elfrieden Kingdom, defeated Amidonia Dukedom and then annexed its territory. Truly a feat of a Hero.」(Mary)

「You are regarding too highly of me. I had not done any Hero-like deeds. That I could rebuild this Kingdom, it was all because I am blessed with good subordinates. I had repulsed Amidonia, but annexing it was just how the course of event flowed.」(Souma)

「How the events flow is a fate beyond human comprehension. Your Majesty might have the God’s Blessing.」(Mary)

God’s blessing, huh? …… What a religious-like opinion. I couldn’t agree with her, though.

「No, this course of event, in the end, had been orchestrated by one person. The person who you should extol is not me, but the Amidonia Princess who made that once in a lifetime decision.」(Souma)

「Roroa Amidonia-dono, is it? Though she still young, she was able to draw out greatest benefit for the citizen by bringing the two nations into negotiations. As fellow women, I truly admired her.」(Mary)

「………」(Souma)

But I believe Roroa will dislike you. When Roroa’s elder brother, Julius was still the Duke of Amidonia, the Orthodoxy roused the believers in the Dukedom and caused a rebellion. Although Julius had suppressed the rebellion, Roroa was angry that her fellow citizen was spilling each other blood. Actually, as the Third Queen Consort Candidate, I wanted 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 with Juna-san and others in the Office Room. Even if she isn’t a girl who will let her feeling showed on her face…… I don’t want her to endure this needlessly.

However, just how much truth is in this girl’s words? Her tone was flat, so it was hard to read any particular emotion from her. She didn’t seem to be playing any tricks. If she could speak like this after knowing what her country had done, she would be a hypocrite liar, but there was also a possibility that she was just “pretty flower” who didn’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 am sincere’ appeal to deceive her opponent. If the latter, then she should have a more enthusiastic 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 a country’s envoy act in the first place, but in this girl’s case, I felt that this was too extreme…… The discomfort inside me became bigger.

「Then, Mary-dono, what brings you here today?」(Souma)

I tried asked straightforwardly so 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 to your Majesty.」(Mary)

「Request?」(Souma)

I asked while having a bad feeling about this, and Mary replied with a completely non-malicious smile.

「I would like to ask for Lunaria Orthodoxy to be the state religion of Elfrieden Kingdom.」(Mary)

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter

Religion is always a sensitive political matter.

Next chapter will be as fast as I could translate!

Also, if you spot a mistake, mention it and I will immediately fix it (at least in one month time :D)

---

[1] Ika-daiou (イカ大王 / Great King Squid) is a character from a NHK sketch show: LIFE ~人生に捧げるコントwhich had been airing since 2012. You can watch an example here:

Ummm… I blame USA for nuking Japan twice……

[2] In Japanese, Giant Isopod, Bathynomus giganteus, is called : 大王具足虫 Daiou Gusokumushi! Great King Armored Insect!

[3] Dedede-daiou or Great King Dedede is the antagonist from Kirby series.