7th Time Loop WN Vol. 5 Fan Translation

177

Rishe and Sylvia were playing around, and the members of the theater troupe watched them with amused smiles. While Sylvia made sure they couldn't be overheard, she looked up at Rishe with her captivating purple eyes.

"Have you two kissed? Really?"

At that moment, memories of the chapel flashed through Rishe's mind.

Sylvia's sharp eyes didn't miss Rishe's flustered state. As Rishe's cheek was playfully pinched again, she lowered her gaze.

"...W-well, just once..."

"There you go!"

Sylvia hugged Rishe joyfully, and Rishe, unable to bear it, covered her face. Despite hiding her flushed cheeks, Rishe's thoughts were swirling.

(Just once, right...!? The time when I had to drink the antidote from His Highness's lips was the second time... not the first, it was a life-saving measure!!)

As she pondered, other memories and thoughts began to mix in rapidly.

(When I was given the ring, was there a kiss on the back of my hand? I've kissed His Highness on the back of his hand too... And yesterday, there were so many on my hair and ears...!!)

"Sylvia! Can I take a break for a moment? Rishe needs a break too!"

"Oh! I'm sorry for not considering, Lady Rishe."

"N-no, don't worry about it...!!"

And so, Rishe and Sylvia sat further back in the audience, away from the stage.

"Hehe, sorry! I teased Rishe too much because she's so cute."

"I-I'm not!"

While Rishe hurriedly tried to deflect, she also asked about something that had been on her mind.

"I want to hear about Sylvia's stories too. Like, about Gutheil."

Rishe remembered the conversation she had with Gutheil the day before.

"Has there been any progress with Gutheil since then?"

"Hehe? Me?"

Sylvia leaned back against the seat in front of her, resting her head on her arm, and looked up at Rishe.

"Thank you. Things are going smoothly thanks to you."

"Smoothly!!"

Even though it had only been a few days, "smoothly" indicated a significant progress.

As Rishe tried to imagine what that meant, Sylvia smirked.

"It's not about the progress of our relationship... Oh, but I should report on that too, right? Well, on our date two days ago, I tried to kiss him first."

(A kiss on our date two days ago...!!)

Two days ago was the day Sylvia visited the imperial palace.

That was the day she reunited with Guthail, and it was also the day she was delivered thanks to Theodore's arrangements.

It wasn't progress, but a distant goal for Rishe. As she widened her eyes, Sylvia chuckled softly.

"Hehe, you're really sincere, huh? But I was stopped, much to my surprise."

"Huh...?"

"Hehe. When I said 'smoothly,' I meant in terms of singing."

"Singing?"

"For me, love is for the sake of singing."

Saying so, Sylvia closed her eyes slowly.

"I was born to sing. If the goddess hadn't bestowed me with my singing voice, I would probably be dead by now... All the love affairs I've had, I've used them all for my singing."

"Is your love for Gutheil also for the sake of singing?"

"Yes! That's why it's going smoothly. Gutheil's earnestness is refreshing to me... I feel like this love will be the biggest inspiration for my singing."

At that moment, Rishe realized something.

(As if she's trying to convince herself...)

Sylvia's singing voice was beautiful, soft, dignified, and powerful. Regardless of where one sat in the theater, they could clearly hear the lyrics, making it a unique quality of her singing. But now it was different. The voice she wove was as ephemeral and delicate as melting flower petals, requiring attentive listening to catch the sound.

"Hey, Sylvia."

Rishe, leaning her arm on the seat in front, placed her head on it, facing Sylvia at eye level. She seemed slightly surprised, blinking her purple eyes.

"What kind of love becomes the inspiration for your singing?"

"...That's..."

"I want to know too. I... want to hear about it."

"..."

Sylvia hesitated slightly, then began to speak softly.

"...It's not just about feeling excited or happy... When you think of that person, your heart aches so much that you feel like crying."

"――..."

Rishe smiled and nodded instead of replying.

"Being reluctant for the conversation to end, wanting it to continue for a little longer, and silly topics coming up just to keep it going. Even though just exchanging words makes you happy, it's so scary. Isn't that strange?"

Rishe shook her head gently.

"It's not strange, Sylvia."

"...Thank you."

Sylvia smiled with relief and continued to teach Rishe more.

"I was surprised when I was stopped from kissing him. He's the first person who's ever done that to me, even though he wasn't planning on dating me, isn't it nice that he kissed me a little?"

"Mm... That perspective might vary from person to person..."

"Discovering things like that is part of what makes love interesting. There are so many firsts."

Eventually, Sylvia's expression turned serious.

"...Rishe, have you ever been hugged tightly when you weren't feeling well, and heard someone say, 'It's okay'?"

"...I've been alone since I can remember, relying on various opera troupes, desperately singing to survive. Whenever I was unable to get up due to illness or a serious injury as a child, I prayed, 'Please don't leave me here.'"

"Sylvia..."

"...That was the first time I felt like I wasn't alone. Gutheil, didn't he carry me and take me to the doctor?"

With the tenderness of cherishing precious memories, Sylvia closed her eyes quietly.

"During that time, Gutheil kept talking to me. He kept encouraging me, saying 'It's okay,' 'I'm here with you.' "

Then Sylvia looked down, pressing her forehead against the arm she had placed on the backrest.

"The feeling of 'I'm not alone' that I felt then was truly the first time I had ever felt it in my life."

"..."

Rishe gently raised her upper body and listened to Sylvia's words while comforting her by stroking her back.

"First of all, Gutheil is not the kind of person to reject someone over something like that, right?"

"Of course, he isn't. But more than anyone else, I know... I'm unable to acknowledge myself being by his side...! I thought I was born to sing, I thought I was living to sing, but now my heart is so painful that I might not be able to sing anymore."

Sylvia, trembling, looked like a small child.

"...Is it this painful to have someone you love...?"

With those words murmured helplessly, Rishe felt a strange familiarity with Sylvia's pain.

(...I wonder why...)

In Sylvia's pain, Rishe felt a strangely familiar sensation.

It was surely born around the left side of her chest where her heart beat, accompanied by a poignant sadness that made her want to cry.