SERA [16]

Regressor's Instructions Manual Episode 916

Sera (16)

[Not to be confused, this is not Kiyoung's POV]

[Violet's POV]

"How long has it been?"

"Oh! Miss Marlin! You've arrived. How have you been all this time?"

"I'm always the same. Other than attending national meetings, I spend most of my time in Castle Rock. Things are busier than I thought, so I don't have separate time for hobbies."

"Oh... How is your father doing?"

"He's fine. Please don't worry. After retiring, he's been a bit struggling, but recently he seems to have found new hobbies. "

"How about Miss Violet? How have you been?"

"..."

I didn't want to answer these kinds of questions.

"What can I do? I lost my position as a member of the council... Now I just stay at the mansion, trying to avoid my father and mother. My father said he would arrange a position for me at the Continental Protection Committee... but I messed up the interview... I'm embarrassed to say this, but I guess I'm still not ready in many ways."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"No, Miss Marlene doesn't need to apologize. It's all my fault. Compared to me, you're truly remarkable. Whenever I meet my other friends, all they talk about is Marlene the member of parliament."

"Really? I don't think I'm that remarkable..."

"You are more than enough. As a parliament member of the nation, you're contributing to the development of the country and handling various responsibilities. I heard that Castle Rock is also flourishing. Despite the difficulties being so close to the Republic's borders... I truly admire you, even though it must be tough."

It wasn't a lie. Senator Marlene in front of me wasn't that noticeable during her days as the Countess of Castle Rock, but after the Empire transformed into the nation, she became well-known among the noble elite.

Though she didn't reveal her true self in the gatherings of high society, she was always the topic when people gathered.

'I thought she would remain the same even as time passed.'

If someone were to ask which side of me was true, I would answer that I had stepped back from the mainstream.

Castle Rock, where the Castle Rock Count resided, was located far from the capital and had a vibrant atmosphere, but there was always something peculiar about it.

As there was no one who wanted to befriend Marlene, who was so close to the Empire's borders if it weren't for the Count's influence.

If the Count of Castle Rock didn't have influence over the Empire at the time, Marlene might not have been invited to the gatherings.

'In some gatherings, I was excluded.'

It wasn't like I openly ignored Marlene, but I used to hang out with the young elites who suited me at the time...

'That couldn't be helped.'

I would sometimes make strange faces when looking at weird pictures alone or hum strange tunes.

If it weren't for my mother's words, I might not have been close with Marlene either.

Thanks to that, I was able to realize what kind of person Marlene was and become close to her. However, I remembered feeling uncomfortable at that time.

"Still, thanks to Senator Marlene, I can come to places like this."

"I was lucky. Catherine wanted to repay me, so I luckily secured this position. I was wondering who to bring, and then I remembered that Violet had never attended a prayer meeting before."

"You... remembered me?"

"Of course. Violet is... my friend."

"Marlene. Is it really alright for someone like me to be sitting in this place?"

I glanced slightly to the side.

'It's Jung Hayan.'

The person sitting next to me must be Han So-ra. And as I turned my head to the right, I saw Oscar, the leader of the nation, sitting there.

"Oscar."

"Senator Marlene, we meet again. The person next to you is someone I haven't met before..."

"I'm... Violet. It's an honor to meet you."

"She's my friend."

"I see. Nice to meet you."

We didn't exchange much words, but my heart kept pounding.

In important positions, socially influential individuals, respected figures, and war heroes who have been active in wars are also seen.

No matter how I look at it, I don't seem to be a person who belong in this place.

Before the prayer meeting begins, the sound of people chatting fills the room heavily.

It feels like an unimaginable amount of gold units are coming and going, discussing the continent's situation.

If this were a social gathering, I might have stood up and greeted others, but the atmosphere here doesn't allow for that.

'Quiet.'

Clearly, this is different from a social gathering. Everyone seems to be cautious, quietly asking about each other's well-being, well-mannered and organized.

Although similar gatherings were held among nobles in the past, this one is much more solemn.

The people in this gathering show deep respect for this prayer meeting.

"No need to be so tense, Miss Violet."

"Yes...."

"There are no specific rules or rituals you need to follow."

"That's true, but..."

"Everyone is being mindful. They must have been waiting for this prayer meeting more than anyone else."

"Ah, I see."

"By the way, Miss Violet, is this the first time you've seen the Honorary Cardinal in person?"

"Yes..."

'There hasn't been a chance.'

Although I have seen pictures and videos of him on the internet, recordings of prayer meetings, interviews, and occasional media appearances, seeing him in person is entirely different.

I couldn't attend prayer meetings before due to various reasons, so today's actions required a lot of courage for me.

"Speaking of which, has Senator Marlin met privately with the Honorary Cardinal?"

"Yes. Actually, recently, I haven't been able to meet him at all, but we exchange messages occasionally. It's only about once a month, but... I'm grateful that he even responds."

"Ah... What kind of person is the Honorary Cardinal?"

"He's probably just as you imagine."

'Just as I imagine... '

The way he is in my thoughts.

I shouldn't worry too much. I'll see him shortly.

Unexpectedly, the sound of the pipe organ fills the room, but it's not loud or disturbing; instead, it seems to soothe people's hearts. The light pours down from the ceiling, and the voices of the choir resonate through the space.

People were chatting before, but they all fell silent. Some were holding rosaries in their hands, others closed their eyes to pray, and some, as Marlin suggested, expressed their respect in their own way.

My heart keeps pounding. It feels like being in heaven, witnessing such a beautiful spectacle. The sacred light emitted by the priests continues to fill the space, creating a breathtaking ambiance.

And then...

"..."

"Haa!"

Unconsciously, a gasp escapes, followed by a sigh of awe. The pipe organ and choir voices must be continuously played to accommodate the worshippers' reactions. Perhaps it's done to consider the believers' emotions.

"O Lord... The Son of Light..."

Unknowingly, people mutter while gazing at the Son of Light, the symbol of sacrifice and resurrection, the pride of the continent. Though dressed in a pristine white priestly attire, he looks even more sacred than any other adornment.

His clothing seems like a manifestation of heaven itself, and the necklace adorning him accentuates the divine appearance. Though it may seem a bit loose, it's probably due to the thin fabric, which reveals his physique with each movement.

'Why... Why am I having such inappropriate thoughts?'

He's walking barefoot and barehanded for the ritual.

Even though the space is filled with music, I can hear the sound of his steps touching the ground. The soft rustling of his garments brushing against each other also fills my mind, even though I shouldn't be able to hear it.

"O Lord..."

Afterward, the light disperses, revealing the glowing wings behind the Honorary Cardinal. The light emanating from those wings is more beautiful than anything else.

The light gently flutters and disappears along with the wind. Subconsciously, I want to reach out my hand, but seeing the saint's tear-stained face, I realize there's nothing I can do.

"O Son of Light..."

Does it feel like I have become a sinner? Is the Son of Light carrying my sins? Or is he carrying the sins of all the continents alone?

I can't fathom the profound meaning behind it. However, tears start flowing uncontrollably, almost like a contagious. Other people are also wiping away their tears with bewildered expressions.

Out of love for the continent, the saint has descended again to the mortal world. Out of cherishing the continent, he had no choice but to leave it to its own devices.

How can an ordinary person like me understand his deep intentions? How can I interpret the meaning of these tears?

Various thoughts flood my mind, but ultimately, I find myself unable to think about anything.

In the solemn atmosphere, the ceremony proceeds. We recite the prescribed prayers, sprinkle the holy water, and join our hands in the customary manner that everyone from the nation knows. However, it feels slightly different today.

Praying directly to Benigore with our bare feet and hands makes the act seem distant today.

"Ahh.."

It's as if I was watching a play on stage, a scene so unbelievably beautiful.

The Grey warrior silently approached and covered the Honorary Cardinal with a transparent cloth.

Quietly, the attending priests moved to their designated places to conduct the ceremony.

The voices of the choir grew louder, and once again, rays of light descended from the sky.

The Honorary Cardinal raised his hands, and his sleeves fell down. Although his thin arms were exposed, the ceremony continued as planned.

Stepping forward, he kneels under the statue of Benigore, holding up the symbol of holiness that he possesses.

"I offer everything to the Goddess Benigore."

A massive light spreads and soars into the sky, appearing incredibly surreal.

"I shall inform all the people I love..."

"O Son of Light..."

'Feels like I'm in heaven right now'.

Just for a moment, I had that thought.

"Sora, have you taken all the photos? You should keep taking them."

"Yes, of course."

"Keep taking photos."

"Senator Marlin."

"...."

"Senator Marlin, are you okay?"

"Yes."

It feels like we are all under some collective hypnosis. The clear and pure voice of the Son of Light echoes in my mind as he delivers the sacred democratic verse.

"These are the words of Benigore."

He quietly recites the sacred verse, which appears in my line of sight.

"I shall convey to all the people I love..."

That voice reverberates in my mind.

"O Son of Light..."

"O Son of Light..."

Kwaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!

At that moment, a loud explosion is heard.

Through the thick smoke, I see creatures with sacred wings.

----

Good news is that I got my hands on the screenshots of Episode 917 to 934, bad news is that some parts may be missing and that I'll have to extracts the words of a 150+ photos, translate and then edit them 😭.

By the way, please ignore the mistakes you saw in this chapter, it took me hours to translate, I was so frustrated cause some words don't even make sense when translated. Beware that I used google translator for this so there are lots of mistakes.