7th Time Loop WN Vol. 5 Fan Translation

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At that moment, Gutheil stood up as if he had been startled. The collective gaze of everyone present, which had been directed at Sylvia, now shifted simultaneously to Gutheil. After glancing at Sylvia, Gutheil shook his head with a regretful expression as if he wanted to say something, then spoke.

"Your Highness Arnold, Lady Rishe, would you please forgive me for leaving?"

Gutheil's voice was filled with concern for Sylvia.

"If there is anything I should discuss with you, I swear I will fully disclose it in the future. However, my presence here, for Sylvia..."

"Gutheil." Sylvia called out his name clearly. "I want you to stay here. I asked the knight who summoned you to let you stay. I want you to be present for our conversation."

"Lady Sylvia..."

Gutheil clenched his fist and slowly sat back down.

At Sylvia's urging, Raul in his knightly attire, Sylvia herself, and Gutheil all took their seats, with Sylvia sitting in the chair closest to the door, next to Gutheil. Rishe watched over them and then looked up at Arnold.

"Your Highness Arnold..."

"First, proceed as you wish to tell your story. That man isn't likely to arrive anytime soon anyway."

"Yes..."

Though Rishe nodded in agreement to Arnold's words, summoning the courage to begin was still necessary.

Nevertheless, Sylvia must have made up her mind. Her purple eyes, with their enchanting impression, gazed earnestly at Rishe.

"Please, go ahead, Lady Rishe."

"... "

Rishe felt a deep sense of loneliness in Sylvia's refined choice of words. Nevertheless, conversation needed to take precedence now. Rishe continued to speak in his usual manner.

"The first concern I had was when Sylvia visited this castle."

As she reflected on that moment, Rishe slowly began to speak.

"The night before, there had been considerable discomfort to the point of collapsing during the performance. Yet, you said you were feeling better."

"Thanks to Lady Rishe's first aid and Gutheil carrying me. After resting for the night, I was completely fine."

"At first, I accepted that explanation. However, fainting from acute symptoms and recovering to a considerable extent immediately afterward is unusual for an illness."

Gutheil looked at Sylvia with concern as he had been doing all along. Conversely, since Sylvia had stopped Gutheil after he had been detained, she had not looked at him once.

"In that case, it's possible that the discomfort was not from an illness originating within the body but from something ingested externally. For example, poison or a sleeping draught... If that were the case, it would be relatively easy for health to be restored after the substance is expelled, something I am familiar with."

When he spoke like this, Arnold furrowed his brow slightly. At this moment, Rishe remembered the time when he had been poisoned in the Domana Holy Kingdom. Arnold might have recalled the same memory.

"I've had the idea that 'Sylvia may have been made to drink something by someone' in the back of my mind since then."

"... Yes. I've had experiences where enthusiastic fans or competitors have tried to drug me."

"If it were a fan, they would surely avoid timing that would cause the opera to be canceled. Even if someone were after your role, they would know that if the lead collapsed during or just before the performance, it would lead to a cancellation."

If someone were plotting to take over a role, they would plan it much earlier.

"Furthermore, though I hate to consider it... a substance administered to you would naturally be something from which recovery would not be possible with just a few days' delay."

Indeed, after a few days' break, the opera resumed with Sylvia's lead. If the culprit was after the role, they would have committed a crime but gained nothing.

"Despite being cautious, when I went to the theater to teach the flower petal method, I subtly observed the members of the troupe. At that time, I learned something."

Rishe looked at Sylvia and said.

"Sylvia, you can walk without making any sound, can't you?"

"... "

In place of the downcast Sylvia, Gutheil hastily spoke up.

"I apologize for the interruption. What exactly..."

"You noticed it too, didn't you? Gutheil."

Arnold interjected towards Gutheil.

"Last night, when you approached the pavilion, it wasn't just me who sensed it. Despite the pouring rain and the fact that your footsteps couldn't be heard, Rishe also sensed your presence."

Then, Gutheil swallowed hard and muttered.

"... Was I mistaken? I did feel both of your gazes on me in the darkness."

Arnold leaned back against his seat and continued lazily in place of Rishe.

"Even when dozing off in the carriage, you woke up just from my reaching out my hand. If you weren't hiding your presence, Rishe can read the presence of most people... That's why."

Arnold was already informed of everything beforehand. Rishe nodded and explained to Gutheil.

"When I visited the theater today, there was a moment when I didn't notice Sylvia's presence. Though I was lost in thought, I couldn't sense her until she hugged me from behind."

Surely, it was because Sylvia had hidden her presence. There was likely no ulterior motive behind it. It might have been a playful gesture to surprise Rishe, inadvertently concealing her presence along with her footsteps.

However, as Rishe integrated various pieces of information, even such playful gestures became a cause for concern. Sylvia remained bowed, unable to gauge her expression. However, Rishe realized that Sylvia wanted Gutheil to be present for this conversation.

"... It should have been widely known that Sylvia, a flirtatious songstress, traveled with an opera troupe that visited various countries."

She had laughed it off, saying it was for the sake of her songs. But what if there had been another reason? If she had used the preconception of being a free-spirited beauty to approach bureaucrats from various countries and gather information.