7th Time Loop WN Vol. 6 Fan Translation

210

"Excuse me. Are you awake?" she projected through the door.

She knocked softly, then gently opened the door after receiving no response. Without closing the door behind her, she approached the bedside. On the side table, the medical tools brought in earlier were still lying there.

There, she looked down at Yoel, who was sleeping.

(...That familiar sleeping face...)

His fluffy red hair and fair skin. Long eyelashes that many women envied, and delicate features.

Watching Yoel breathe softly, she felt a mixture of sensations, as if they had been apart for just a few months and yet had just reunited.

(In my sixth life, it feels like it happened just recently... But even so, I understand that this life I'm living now doesn't have a clear path.)

Memories of past lives remained vivid in Riche's mind, yet they felt separated from the "present" by a transparent wall. She felt like she was recalling a dream seen just moments ago while lying in bed.

***

In her past loop with Yoel, two years had passed since Arnold Hein murdered the previous emperor and usurped the throne. She never expected him to reform his own country so quickly and embark on invasions of other nations. That was when Arnold declared war on various countries.

The always cheerful king of Sharga spoke with a tense expression in front of all the knights. "For the past two years, our country has been thoroughly preparing. Even if Galkhein invades our country, there should be some time."

Next to him, the knight commander stood, also wearing a difficult expression. The king sighed softly and continued. "Our country, Sharga, is an island nation. There are logistical problems with invading, and historically, Galkhein, which has always been embroiled in continental wars, is not adept at naval battles."

He continued, "Begin preparations for battle. We will form an alliance with Halil Rasha, the king of Zahad, and work together to defeat Galkhein. If we attack from both the continent and the sea, we should have a good chance."

However, that plan went awry. Just as Sharga had finished forming alliances with other countries and was about to send ships to fight Galkhein, the kingdom fell into despair.

"I must inform you urgently, Your Majesty!!" The messenger announced in a tense voice. "Enemy ships at sea!! Judging from the eagle flags they're flying, they're Galkhein's ships...!!"

"W-What... nonsense...!"

As the enemy's appearance from the sea became apparent, disbelief filled everyone.

"Why does Galkhein have ships of that make...!?" they cried. 

Arnold Hain's campaign of invasion changed flexibly according to the world situation, taking different courses in each life. As a result, the fact that Galkhein crossed the sea so quickly was something Riche, even with memories of past lives, could not have anticipated.

"Escort His Highness to the designated location immediately!" the knights yelled. "Our light, our lord! Protect them with our lives, even if we die, pave the way!!"

Riche vaguely recalled the final day of her knight life.

(...No one is breathing anymore.)

The surroundings were filled with the bodies of fellow knights. The friendly king who invited Riche to become a knight was killed before her eyes while trying to protect his young sons.

The captain, who had taught her diligently until late at night, sacrificed himself to protect the weeping princes as they escaped.

The knight order of Sharga, an island nation that had fought fiercely with neighboring countries over resources for generations, should have had a strong military force even on a global scale. Even so, they were no match for the army led by Arnold Hain.

Only Yoel, known as a "genius," was able to oppose Galkhein's forces and Arnold Hein.

(...And yet, Senior Yoel protected me and was killed by Arnold Hain.)

Arnold's sword cut from Yoel's abdomen to his left chest. It was just a few minutes before Riche ended her life as a knight.

(In that moment, he made sure I was safe and smiled gently at me... Then I was killed by Arnold Hain, pierced through the left chest...)

*** 

Now, in her seventh life, Riche is Arnold's fiancée.

Rishe down at Yoel sleeping on the bed just like in her sixth life.

"Mm." Yoel stirred and slowly opened his eyes.

Riche adjusted her posture and greeted him with the same, but slightly different, words she had used with Yoel before.

"...Good morning, sir."

After a moment of blinking, Yoel's golden eyes, which seemed brown at first glance, gazed at Riche.

Rishe continued, "Thank you for your help on the ship. You fought to protect the other women even though you were drugged."

Yoel sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

Riche took the hem of her dress and made a formal gesture of respect.

"I apologize for asking the impossible of you, assuming you were an experienced swordsman because of the sword on your finger. I am Rishe Irmgard Weitzner."

"..."

To Yoel, who looked unresponsive, she thought to herself.

(Even though I introduced myself, Yoel probably has no interest in me. He even said he didn't care whether he remembered me or not when we first met in my knight life...)

However, at that moment, he spoke, "...Tell me again."

"Huh?" Rishe felt surprised.

Yoel's hand tightly gripped Riche's wrist.

Despite looking delicate and white, Yoel's arm had a strong bone structure and muscle development typical of a man. Thinking objectively about such things, Riche blinked repeatedly.

"Your name. Tell me again." he spoke again.

"Rishe... Rishe Irmgard Weitzner."

"Rishe... Rishe, Rishe..." Yoel repeated it as if trying hard to remember.

During her knight life, Riche had used a false name, so Yoel had never called her "Rishe."

Moreover, she had struggled so hard to get him to remember her name in the past, but now he repeated it easily.

"Rishe... Let's play together?" he asked.

"Huh..."

"Even though I couldn't see you leaving the cabin, I could tell from the footsteps echoing in the ship what kind of fighting style you were using. The light footsteps of a light girl... That's you, right?" Yoel quietly stared at Riche. "It's strange, but I heard a fighting style similar to mine, so..."

(...How did he know so much just from the footsteps...?)

In her knight life, Rishe had acquired a more precise technique than the swordsmanship she learned in her noble days.

Among them, Yoel's swordsmanship, which fought not with strength but with agility and instantaneous power, had a significant influence on Riche's swordsmanship. Apparently, Yoel had discerned that much from just that.

"So... please...?" Yoel's voice, which sounded like he was begging for something, had a tone that did not intend to let the prey escape.

Yet, it also carried a sound that had no intention of letting go of the prey. Yoel's voice, lower than usual, triggered an instinctual sense of danger within her.

(In my sixth life, Senior Yoel started out indifferent to me...)

Rishe cleared her throat.

(This life is different... I've piqued the interest of Senior Yoel, who was previously only concerned with sleeping and swordsmanship...)

In a way, this was a failure.