Chapter 20: 20

Episode 20: I Can Hear Your Voice (6)

TL: thursdays 

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As it became more and more frequent to hear animals speak, it became difficult for Dayeon to dismiss these incidents as tinnitus. Dayeon was plagued by extreme anxiety and stress.

At first, she thought she had gone mad. However, the words she heard perfectly reflected the situation and the animals’ personalities.

In the morning, Dayeon heard a crow cawing at the gardener who was harvesting the fruit from a tree.

「 Leave some for us to eat! You heartless humans!」

People couldn’t go mad so creatively.

In the end, Dayeon could only ask the gardener to leave a few fruits behind, feeling very confused.

She didn’t hear the animals’ words every time. She didn’t know what the principles and rules of it were, but one thing was clear: Dayeon was hearing them increasingly often.

However, Dayeon couldn’t find anyone to discuss this matter with.

After staying in this world for half a year, she understood perfectly the political relationship between the temple and the imperial family. Their one-sided power balance had changed because of her. The temple still coveted her and was observing her, and the emperor was vigilant against them and was trying to suppress them forcefully.

Dayeon held back from speaking because she feared that hasty words would end up being political variables.

She didn’t want anything to change.

The emperor cherished her and regarded her preciously. She didn’t want to lose these peaceful days. But what could this ability mean?

「 It’s hot! Shit! It’s frigging hot!」

Dayeon stared gloomily at the crow that was throwing a fit in the morning at the sweltering heat.

 

Dayeon had Altean language classes three times a week unless she was being lazy.

She wasn’t an idiot, so she had learned over 5,000 characters already. Dayeon could now read most books.

However, since a while ago, she had been continuously taking out and reading theology books from the imperial palace’s library. It was because she needed to. She had to know why she was here and what was happening to her.

However, theological books were on a different level than books from other disciplines. She felt frustrated because there were too many words she could not read.

It would have been better if she could read the empire’s language instead of uselessly eavesdropping on the crows. Dayeon, who was living only half-literately, resented the goddess Herunia.

Today was one of those three days a week when she had a language lesson with Theo. While heading to the western palace with Marie and the knights, Dayeon encountered a man who gave off a strange feeling. The man was strolling leisurely, holding the reins of a black horse like he was taking it for a walk.

Dayeon looked closely at the black horse, which somehow appeared sullen. At the same time, Asanka looked closely at Dayeon. The two of them, who had exotic appearances among the Altius imperial palace, were eye-catching.

“You’re not someone from here.”

With a somewhat unfamiliar feeling, Dayeon looked at the man.

The people of Altius had a very demanding and high sense of aesthetics. The attire they favored were glamorous and complex, but the man in front of her was wearing an outfit that was too simple. It was the first time Dayeon had seen cotton clothes without any decorations or patterns.

“You are being disrespectful. Dayeon is an honored guest of His Majesty sent by the goddess through a revelation. Please speak politely.”

The accompanying knight admonished him, but the man’s face was calm. He shrugged and replied,

“Then there’s even less need to be more polite. Herunia is your god, not the Sarman’s.”

For some reason, Dayeon thought the man in front of her was funny. So, she asked a question.

“You’re not from here either, right?”

“It’s Asanka.”

“Excuse me?”

“My name.”

“Ah… All right. I’m Lee Dayeon.”

The man who introduced himself gently patted the black horse next to him and said,

“Ruri.”

Dayeon easily understood that he was introducing the horse. For a gallant and tough-looking warhorse, its name was… lovely and cute. That imbalance was funny, so Dayeon giggled a little inwardly.

Suddenly, she remembered what Asanka had said and asked, “Did you come from the Sarman kingdom?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, what god do the Sarmans believe in?”

“We believe in the wind, the sun, the earth, the air—everything that surrounds us.”

His words sounded ambiguous, making it unclear whether he believed in nature or served no gods. But instead of asking another question, Dayeon just nodded.

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Theo was probably waiting. She was already late, and she had to go to the western palace now.

“I’m in the middle of going somewhere. I’ll see you again another time.”

The man nodded lightly. He looked gruff, but Dayeon thought he was a good person.

The warm trust and affection that the black horse, Ruri, had for the man reached Dayeon’s heart.

 

When Dayeon rushed to the annex of the western palace, Theo was waiting.

Theo was an objectively good teacher with lots of experience. Without his patient teaching, Dayeon would have suffocated from the stress of learning 10,000 characters and gave up long ago. But the issue was that Theo, who had taught the children in the temple, might have gotten into a habit as he often treated Dayeon like a child as well.

From time to time, he would pat her head when she did well or other gestures that seemed to be used to encourage kids. Dayeon thought that it was out of habit and dismissed these actions.

Only the knights accompanying her were burning internally. The commander of the imperial guard was glaring so often these days that his eyes were almost popping out.

Dayeon, who had been writing quietly, suddenly sighed and put down her pen. She was too frustrated these days.

“Can I ask you a personal question that isn’t about class?”

The priest beamed. “Of course. Have you finally become curious about me?”

That bastard!

The commander couldn’t hold back his bloodthirst from spilling out.

Dayeon asked awkwardly, “What sort of abilities do the clergy usually have?”

“Is that what you were wondering about? I will answer you. The abilities are very diverse. Healing is the ability that is considered the most precious because it can heal patients. There are also people who can pray for blessings. Pregnant women and travelers who plan to go on long journeys often come to find them. There are also clergy who can call down rain, though it is very regional. And, it is very rare, but the power can also manifest as an offensive ability.”

“An offensive ability?”

“It’s like using a sword aura over the sword, only that it is a holy power. And if their divine power is strong, they can even injure others without a sword or another medium using the power itself.”

Dayeon felt doubtful.

With a very suspicious look on her face, she looked at Theo. Then, she asked cautiously,

“…Are the clergy allowed to do something like that?”

Theo looked at Dayeon like she was being very cute.

“That’s why I said it’s rare, didn’t I?”

“Then, what ability do you have, Theo?”

This time, Theo laughed with a slightly embarrassed face. His response afterward made Dayeon feel a bit sorry.

“I don’t have any abilities. I have divine power, but it’s at a nearly useless level. However, since I devoted my whole life to the temple, the higher-ups looked at me favorably and gave me the status of an apprentice priest.”

“Ah, I see,” said Dayeon.

Theo smiled and changed the subject. 

“But why are you asking this all of a sudden? If you would like, you can visit the temple with me and meet various clergymen in person.”

“……”

Truthfully, there was something else that Dayeon really wanted to ask.

She wanted to ask if there were priests who could understand animals.

However, she couldn’t ask him that directly. Dayeon didn’t want the temple to notice what was going on. She didn’t have anyone she could confide in or trust completely.

Could she speak honestly with the emperor about this?

She felt stifled. Sighing, she said, “Why did I come here?”

Theo was the same as ever. He answered Dayeon with the clear attitude of someone who had faith.

“There must be a meaning for why you’ve come here.”

Dayeon felt uneasy by his gaze, filled with conviction.

She was repulsed every time she heard words like that. She wanted to lash out.

I’m not someone who can match your expectations. I’m incompetent, and I can’t do anything. So the oracle has to be wrong.

However, she couldn’t dare to say that the oracle was wrong in front of the priest.

His face was filled with conviction and certainty.

Would his eyes be like that if he saw the manifestation of the goddess Herunia?

The priest’s gaze toward Dayeon was fervent and ablaze.

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