Chapter 308 The Desperate Hope and the Savor of Miso
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Theocracy Pentis, commonly known as Theocracy. In a room within the capital’s palace, an elderly woman sat on a bed. The wallpaper and carpet were undoubtedly expensive, befitting a room in the palace. However, the rest of the furniture was surprisingly modest—almost unsuited to the surroundings. The decor was minimal, featuring only the bare necessities. The old woman sat alone on a simple single bed in this mismatched room, quietly waiting. ¹
Eventually, the Item Box sitting on the bedside table activated, connecting the elderly woman to a distant location.
”I’m sorry. My call is late,” a voice said.
”It’s fine,” the elderly woman replied. “I am used to waiting.”
The person speaking with the woman through the Item Box was Espera, the Inquisitor stationed at the frontier settlement.
”So, what caused the delay?” the elderly woman asked.
”I was talking with Neil Atmiras,” Espera stated.
”Oh? That’s unusual for someone as cautious as you. To be so proactive,” the elderly woman mused. “You usually maintain distance and investigate more slowly… Does that mean he is different from everyone we’ve encountered so far?”
”There is no mistake that he is an extraordinary person. We have known that for the last four years,” Espera pointed out.
”That’s not quite what I meant… But never mind. What did you talk about?”
”Actually, we spoke about Miso.”
”…Miso?”
The elderly woman’s reaction to the word Miso was delayed, yet it wasn’t the kind of hesitation that comes from encountering an unfamiliar word.
”Did you find it?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
”I tasted it personally. It was much saltier than the stories described, so it doesn’t seem to be a perfect match,” Espera reported.
”…I see.”
To Espera’s matter-of-fact report, the elderly woman murmured softly, her sigh containing a complex mix of surprise, disappointment, and elation.
”Is it possible to have it sent here?” she inquired.
”I’m supposed to receive some tomorrow, so I will send a portion to you. But truly, it is very salty. If you eat it, there’s a risk you’ll harm your health from excessive salt intake,” Espera cautioned.
”Hmph, if that happens, I will simply pass the torch to the next person. I’ve already decided on the next Pope’s candidate,” the elderly woman said, chuckling softly.
The elderly woman speaking with Espera was none other than Arcanimus, the Pope of Theocracy Pentis. An Inquisitor interacting with the Pope in such an intimate way should have been absolutely forbidden, yet neither Espera nor Arcanimus seemed to care about this transgression.
”To say you’d die happily if you could eat Miso? If a Pope died for such a reason, it wouldn’t even make a funny anecdote,” Espera noted, her tone disapproving.
”Is that so? All Popes are essentially the same, so I think it’s fine for one of them to be like this,” Arcanimus argued.
”I don’t understand. Is that a consequence of your long life?” Espera pushed.
”‘Consequence’ is a strong word. I’d prefer you say that only now, after all this time, have I finally gained the heart to enjoy life,” Arcanimus countered, a faint, sad smile gracing her lips.
”Enjoy life… I never imagined that you, who are nothing more than a vessel, would speak such a thing. I always believed your only desire was a single answer,” Espera challenged, her words sharp.
Arcanimus looked back at the Inquisitor with a gentle, almost sorrowful, maternal smile.
”The time will come when you understand, too. The time when you grow exhausted from a life spent chasing an answer that may bring neither hope nor despair… But perhaps this will finally end it all. So, what is your judgment? Is he the person we can entrust with our answer?” Arcanimus asked directly.
”I cannot judge yet. I tried reciting the grace before meals in front of him to gauge his reaction, but… Arcanimus, is he truly an Ikoнша?” ²
”That’s strange. You should already possess that knowledge, as we determined he was one four years ago. Why are you so doubtful?” Arcanimus inquired.
”I feel like he is somehow different from the Ikoнша we know.”
”We already knew that, given the alien nature of the soul he carries. Besides, whether he is an Ikoнша or not is a trivial matter. What’s important is whether he is the right person to entrust with the answer, isn’t that right?” Arcanimus stated, conviction ringing in her voice.
As she spoke, Arcanimus took a small wooden box from the shelf of the bedside table and held it out to Espera.
”Take this. If you determine he is a worthy person to entrust our answer to, give him what’s inside.”
”…Arcanimus, are you rushing?” Espera noticed a slight tremor in the older woman’s hand.
”My life is also rapidly approaching its end. Is it not natural for me to wish to know the answer before that happens?” Arcanimus confessed.
”There is also the possibility that dying without knowing would be happier,” Espera retorted.
”Perhaps. But right now, I want to know, no matter what that answer may be.”
”Even if it means the downfall of Pentis?” Espera’s voice dropped to a grave, serious whisper.
Arcanimus fell silent, unable to answer Espera’s question about whether she would sacrifice Theocracy for an answer that could bring either hope or absolute ruin.
”My own substance is still thin, so I cannot empathize with your personal feelings. I cannot take such a risk merely to fulfill your individual desire,” Espera stated firmly. “I understand the purpose you gave me for this role. However, I will continue to act strictly as the Inquisitor of Theocracy. The person I am now is the individual ‘Espera,’ not the ‘hope’ you once held. But—”
Espera shifted her gaze to the offered wooden box, continuing her thought.
”Regardless of your hope, I want to know the answer for myself. And it is true that I harbor hope that he might be the one. So, I will take custody of this.”
Espera accepted the proffered wooden box and held it carefully against her chest. Arcanimus nodded, clearly satisfied.
”I entrust ‘our’ wish to you,” Arcanimus murmured gently.
”…I will contact you if there is any progress.”
With Espera’s final word, the connection between the frontier settlement and Theocracy was severed, and silence returned to Arcanimus’s room.
”Phew… Yokkora-sho,” ³ Arcanimus said, taking a breath after the conversation with Espera, and stood up from the bed with that distinctively Japanese exclamation.
”Heh-heh-heh, using Yokkora-sho when standing up… I’m just like that person,” Arcanimus said, her face lighting up with a nostalgic smile. She moved her gaze to the full-length mirror standing in the corner of the room, and upon seeing her own reflection, her feet naturally carried her toward it.
”‘Not my hope,’ she said.”
Staring at her reflection, Arcanimus recalled the words Espera had spoken.
”You probably don’t realize it, do you? You called my focus on the individual a consequence of a long life and denied me by asserting your own self. Yet, you, who seek to suppress the individual and fulfill your duty as an Inquisitor for the collective, are also succumbing to that very consequence. No matter how much you try to kill your individuality for the sake of the collective, you cannot stop your own emotions. This is because you were born from my hope—you are the EsPelant, the person who hopes.” ⁴
Therefore, Espera, you have no choice but to act exactly as I desire, Arcanimus thought. The Pope was utterly convinced that Espera would bring her the long-awaited answer, whatever that might be.
—
Summary:
The enigmatic Pope Arcanimus, frail and nearing the end, risks the entire Theocracy for one final answer. Her conversation with Inquisitor Espera, conducted secretly via an Item Box, reveals the central mystery: the discovery of ‘Miso’—a powerful cultural link—and the special person, Neil Atmiras. The stakes couldn’t be higher: a simple wooden box holds the final test for Neil, and Arcanimus is willing to die, and let her nation fall, just to satisfy her personal, weary hope.
—
Character Insight:
Arcanimus’s facade of serene leadership is crumbling, revealing a desperate, human desire. She is tired of being a ‘vessel’ and wants to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, symbolized by the Miso. She’s also frighteningly convinced that Espera, her creation/protégé, is ultimately bound to her will, even as Espera claims her own independence. Espera, on the other hand, is struggling to balance her duty as an Inquisitor with her developing, individual hope, making her a much more dangerous, unpredictable player.
—
Behind the Scene:
This chapter is a powerful exposition on the deeper, mysterious lore of this world. The introduction of ‘Ikoнша’ (likely ‘Otherworlder/Isekai-sha’) and ‘EsPelant’ (Hope-Pelant, or one who hopes) elevates the story’s stakes far beyond a simple fantasy setting. The political and personal lives of the Theocracy’s leaders are entirely dedicated to finding an ‘answer’ tied to the protagonist’s origins, and the ‘Miso’ is the first physical, tangible clue to a possible shared past or desired solution.
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T/L:
¹ The contrast between the luxurious room and the simple furniture highlights Arcanimus’s personal rejection of earthly pomp, perhaps due to her long-held, singular obsession. ↩
² Ikoнша: This term is a syllabic mashup, almost certainly a subtle corruption or localized version of Isekai-sha (異世界者, ‘Person from another world’). It suggests that the Theocracy is aware of the concept of people coming from other worlds. ↩
³ Yokkora-sho (よっこらしょ): A classic Japanese onomatopoeic exclamation used when exerting effort, particularly when standing up, sitting down, or lifting something heavy. It’s often associated with the elderly and is a very casual, down-to-earth expression. ↩
⁴ EsPelant: This is a combination of the character’s name, Espera, and the word for ‘hope’ (kibou / espoir). The translation given, ‘person who hopes,’ emphasizes that Espera embodies the very essence of Arcanimus’s original, desperate hope. ↩
Notes:
• Espera – An Inquisitor (middle clergy rank) of the Pentis faith from the Theocracy, serving as the official point of contact. She is characterized by her crisp tone and brutal honesty, defending the necessity of charging high fees (‘fair compensation’) to maintain their resources and aid the suffering. She possesses a cool, assessing gaze and is highly perceptive, noticing Bearty and closely examining her distinctive features before choosing to leave without incident.
• Zora – One of the harem. Race Mire.
• Iko – Loli with light purple hair, part of the ‘Ihomono’ group. Pragmatic and observant, notes the lack of security in the settlement but isn’t overly concerned due to their self-reliance. Requests a bath, highlighting daily comforts.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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