vivarina

Here’s chapter 2 of novel 8. Again, it’s not perfect, and since I translated from the Chinese translation the sentences might be a bit weird, my apologies for that. Big thanks to everyone who answered my questions and clarified my doubts^^.

Just in case anyone was wondering about that seemingly random ‘bicycle’ memory in the previous chapter:

Since the ‘cliff rescue scene’ happened at the ending of the previous novel (novel 7), Yuuri might be a.s.sociating the memory of his father talking about ‘not letting go’ with what Wolfram had said, which was about ‘not letting go’ too.

However, it’s actually open to our own interpretation.

Just one thing is for certain, Takabayas.h.i.+ sensei’s writing has a deeper meaning than is apparent on the surface, and seemingly random parts are really not that random at all. I can only try my best to get the meanings across XD. Sentences in brackets are explanations, sentences between asterisks * are my own comments, feel free to ignore them.

Novel 8: Chapter 2

“Did you say Dai s.h.i.+maron’s annual elimination contest involving running, attacking and defending? The World’s Best Fighter Tournament?”

Flynn Gilbert, in a plain sleeping gown, stumbled out from her room.

“….I think that wasn’t quite what they said.”

“Hm… maybe I got the name wrong, anyway they kept repeating ‘s.h.i.+maron, s.h.i.+maron’, and the amba.s.sadors had long flowing hair. I think there’re further details on the letter.”

After getting past all the obstacles to return to Caloria, Flynn soon fell sick and had to rest in bed, maybe due to witnessing the destruction of her homeland by that uncontrolled power, or maybe just because the taxing journey back had exhausted her. But this was hardly surprising, she hadn’t planned on falling into the trap laid by Shou s.h.i.+maron, or being experimented on by them either. Although her own land was a colony of another kingdom, Flynn, as the wife of regent of the land, was surprisingly strong in the face of so many difficulties.

“Then it means that this year is the fourth… I didn’t notice…”

“Do they hold this event every four years?”

“Yes. Every kingdom will seek out representatives to partic.i.p.ate in Dai s.h.i.+maron’s tournament.”

“Then it’s similar to the Olympics?”

Flynn placed the letter onto the table, keeping its four corners down with animal-shaped paperweights. She looked awful, even her beautiful light golden hair had lost its original l.u.s.ter.

 “Flynn, I still think you had better lie down and rest…”

“Don’t worry, I should move round a bit. And we’re not married or lovers, it seems rather inappropriate that you (as a male) should march into my bedroom, doesn’t it?”

Wolfram’s mood seemed to improve greatly after hearing that. The first time he met her, he had interrogated me, “Who’s that woman? Who is she to you?” He had even questioned the relations.h.i.+p between Flynn and me.

“….the elimination tournament that tests intelligence, speed and skill! The World’s Best Fighter Tournament is about to begin…. Antic.i.p.ating Caloria to send their best warriors to partic.i.p.ate…. They already know that we don’t have any time to seek out partic.i.p.ants at this time (of emergency), and yet they send their amba.s.sador with this news.”

“What kind of compet.i.tion is this? Is it like the baseball tournament in j.a.pan, or the World’s Baseball Tournament or wildcard compet.i.tions?”

“All you’re talking about is baseball! Can’t you at least mention the World Cup or the Toyota Cup?” (The Toyota Cup is an annual international football compet.i.tion sponsored by the Toyota company)

And aren’t you talking only about football?

I was thinking about Murata’s own shortcomings, while trying to imagine what the World’s Best fighter tournament would look like. Ninja Turtles, 赛亚人、超级赛亚人、超弩级终极超级百万吨…… superheroes of the turtle variety.

(赛亚人、超级赛亚人、超弩级终极超级百万吨are all superheroes popular in j.a.pan)

“I’ve never seen the World’s Best Fighter before either.”

“World’s Best Fighter?”

“Yes, the World’s Best Fighter, is there anything wrong?”

I was only surprised at that term, it sounded like the remains of noodles or the name of a strange exotic dish.

(I think this is due to the j.a.panese p.r.o.nunciation)

“Caloria has never entered before. Not only because of lack of talent, but also because we don’t have any suitable young people to partic.i.p.ate in a challenge they can never win.”

“So you mean that you don’t know what the compet.i.tion is about?”

“Yes. But I think that the winner of all three events of intelligence, speed and skill will be awarded a special honor.”

“What do you think it is?”

If it was just the awarding of a medal, I think the winner would definitely lose his cool on the podium.

Flynn sighed and said, “It’s an honor that everyone desires, but no one will ever get it.”

“Then could it be a wish that will come true?”

“But what do you mean by a ‘wish’? Is it for the well-being of your whole family or for great wealth?”

“s.h.i.+buya, they aren’t G.o.d.”

“It doesn’t matter! Just imagine, you could wish for a land of your own, or to regain the power and wealth of your famlily, or even gold and diamonds…. Anything you wish will come true! On the face of it anyway.” 

“Ah, I know! The winner gets to marry the princess of s.h.i.+maron? I see, that’s so romantic. Going beyond nationalities for love, burning pa.s.sion, wild wayward youth!”   *their imaginations are going quite far isn’t it? XD*

I see, let’s not imagine it like Dragonball, it could be more like ancient Roman gladiators.

“No, it’s impossible, s.h.i.+maron doesn’t have a princess. And no one has ever thought about such a romantic notion, nor has anyone ever had a wish come true.”

“Then what does it mean? Are they just playing around with us? Enticing us with rewards, then letting us down?”

I pointed at the lower half of the thick and rough letter. But maybe because of the overly cursive writing, I couldn’t understand even a word.

“Look here, the winners of the first tournament – Dai s.h.i.+maron. Winners of the second tournament –Dai s.h.i.+maron…. All the winners from the first to the latest tournaments have been Dai s.h.i.+maron. Just looking at this, it’s impossible that anyone else can win!”

She rolled the paper up again, smiling self-deprecatingly.

“However according to our present condition, there won’t be many partic.i.p.ants. Most of the kingdoms in the mid-west region of the mainland are busy rebuilding, and the last day for entering is six days later. Getting from here to Donierson would take at least twenty days even if we went at full speed.”

“Then we just give up without trying?”

“That’s right, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“It’s such a pity… it’s not easy to get a chance to make a wish….”    *why’re you still stuck in that ‘wish’ fantasy of yours Yuuri?*

However my brain started working furiously. Maybe it (the prize) was new baseball shoes, baseball gloves, or lighter equipment than the ones I used. Or maybe s.h.i.+n-guards that could go with 狮子蓝石 (maybe a team in j.a.pan?), protective goggles like those worn by小宫山悟 ( a professional baseball player in j.a.pan). However there shouldn’t be baseball equipment in this world, where would they find the光蜡树 (tree of which the wood is used to create bats)to create baseball bats anyway? Wait, wait, wait, if we thought about the whole (baseball) team, first we must have a clean storing s.p.a.ce….

“…storage….. is it?”

Murata who had just figured out what was in my mind, although so surprised he could hardly speak, took the words out of my mouth. I didn’t hesitate, instead I just said what was in my head.

“What about asking for the box?”

“Box?”

Flynn tilted her head like an innocent girl, it seems like she hadn’t quite understood what I meant.

“Yes, the box. If we win then we can ask for the box as a prize, maybe they’ll be so surprised they won’t know how to refuse?”

Wolfram was very excited, hitting his knee hard (in realization).

“Dai s.h.i.+maron has ‘The End of the Wind’!”

“That’s right! It’s because they have that box that you want to bring along descendants of the Wincott family isn’t it? Because you want to use the Wincott poison to control the person that’s the key to ‘The End of the Wind?”

According to my faithful G-SHOCK, that had happened about five hundred and four hours ago. Concealing the death of her husband Norman Gilbert, Flynn Gilbert had protected Caloria in the role of ‘the man in the iron mask’. She had had dealings with Dai s.h.i.+maron secretly despite the objection from Shou s.h.i.+maron.

She had stated, “Those who had ruled this land in the past concealed the Wincott poison, which can control anyone, in the depths of this estate. I’m willing to hand it over, but on several conditions. You must reduce the number of Calorians that are recruited as soldiers for your kingdom, and also let our youths return to our country (as I can no longer stand losing our own citizens in the wars your own kingdom engage in).” In the end Flynn had succeeded in closing the deal, handing over the poison to Dai s.h.i.+maron.

At that time, we had also lost our way here. We had concealed our ident.i.ties by claiming to be Wincott descendants. The jewel I had worn had the same fittings as the insignia (of the Wincotts), which was not surprising. This was because it had been the property of Susanna Julia Wincott, who had escaped to the West and became a Mazoku.

It was then that Flynn had had an idea.

Only those with the blood of the Wincotts can control the humans who had been poisoned. If they could hand over the one with Wincott blood (Flynn had thought it was Yuuri) to Dai s.h.i.+maron, they would find it easier to control the person who was the key. If the deal had gone through, the Calorian youths would have been able to s=come back to their country.

Without considering the ethics of that action, her plan had been quite brilliant, the ones who blundered had been Dai s.h.i.+maron.

Because they had found two targets, one who was now in a semi-death-like state, the other whose whereabouts was now unknown. Although Conrad had only been hit by the poisoned arrow, he had lost his left arm, and had also been involved in an explosion…..

“Darn it!”

I slammed my fist against the wood-carved table.

That arm definitely belonged to Conrad, I just couldn’t figure out why the arm that had been chopped off would wind up in the hands of Shou s.h.i.+maron. What puzzled me more was that since it had been the wrong key, why had Conrad been the target?

And…

Conrad…. You’re still alive aren’t you?

Would you come back to my side alive?

I had covered both my eyes with my palms without noticing it. I removed my fingers one by one, moving my right hand slowly from my face.

As I exhaled the air slowly from my lungs, I could see Wolfram’s disappointed expression. Really, he needn’t have worried, I wouldn’t have cried in front of everyone.

“That’s right.”

The ruler of Caloria had gripped her own throat with her right hand, looking as if she felt like strangling herself.

“I had wanted to use you, I was prepared to betray you to fulfill my own dreams for the kingdom.”

Von Bielefeld-kyo’s sword clanged as he drew his sword out from its sheath a few centimeters. If I consented to it, he would have killed this woman on the spot. Actually he had said this many times, he probably had been serious, but….

“Don’t be like this, Wolfram, I don’t want you to do this. Flynn has…. Anyway let’s settle this later.”

“But..!”

“It’s all because of that box!”

I cut off her pained voice with (the name of) that cursed object.

“If it hadn’t been for that ‘The End of the Wind’, all this wouldn’t have happened. If the humans…. If Dai s.h.i.+maron hadn’t gotten that weapon, they wouldn’t have gone after Conrad and Gunter, we wouldn’t have lost our way in this strange place, and there’s more….”

This world had four objects that should never be touched. Men hadn’t known what a terrible experience that their ancestors had gone through in sealing that horrifying power, nor did they know that tragic history.

Men now dreamt of claiming that power as their own, and were confident in their ability to control that power.

In the end, they had been so anxious to release that evil power, they had used the wrong key.

“If those idiots of Shou s.h.i.+maron hadn’t experimented with the wrong key, this kingdom (Caloria) wouldn’t have been destroyed. What’re the names of the boxes they have again? They’ve ‘The End of the Wind’ and….”

“’The End of the Land.”

Murata answered in a toneless voice.

“That’s right, ‘The End of the Land”, they still have it, they still have ‘The End of the Land.”

At this moment I felt as if I had had a strong dose of mint, I felt a shudder vibrate through my head. Then, in a voice so calm I couldn’t believe it was my own, I said, “ …….it can’t fall into the hands of those foolish humans….. only we can have them.”

“Ah!”

My friend responded in a very unnatural yet dramatic way.

“Why’re you breathing so heavily, are you high?”

“Huh? Wh….what? What did I say?!”

I had changed back to the weak and clueless Heika, flipping my bangs embarra.s.sedly.

“I’m not high! You know very well that I’m against drinking and smoking.”

“I’m not saying that you’re drunk, I meant that you’re undergoing a ‘natural high’.”

“Don’t think about saying I’ve a ‘natural high’, I don’t even feel sick when I’m boarding public transport! It’s Wolf who gets seasick!”

“Really? Then you don’t have anything to worry about our school trip after graduation.”

“That’s right! Anyhow our school’s graduation trip involves a full-day bus trip on the first day, unlike your private school that involves a plane trip, so….. huh? It’s not the time for discussing transport is it? Back to what’s important, we should be talking about the boxes! The boxes…..”

“I never thought you would think of such a good plan, wimp.”

Seeing that Wolfram had withdrawn his right hand from his sword, I heaved a sigh of relief. I understood his hatred of Flynn, but I couldn’t let him, who hadn’t been here at that time, inflict punishment because of how he felt.

“The boxes can’t fall into the hands of the humans, that’s perfectly right. But what do you say we should do? Do we attack Dai s.h.i.+maron before they discover how to use them? Anyway the naval forces will gather tomorrow, although they aren’t fully armed, the emergency task force is made up of highly trained soldiers. If you’re willing, I can teach you how to direct an army from the beginning.”

“You want to teach me? Oh, I didn’t mean that! Sorry, I probably used the wrong words! I didn’t mean that I don’t trust you, I didn’t mean that at all! Really, I didn’t mean that! Haven’t I said so before!? I don’t want to start a war, not under any circ.u.mstances.”

Hey, don’t yell at me so loudly!

“I…. well, that elimination contest about running, attacking, defending! The world’s fighting pageant?”

“It’s the elimination contest involving the combination of ‘intelligence, speed, and skill’! The World’s Best Fighter Tournament!”

“Right, if we win the t.i.tle of World’s Best Fighter, I think Dai s.h.i.+maron will have to give us the box.”

Everyone responded with “Ah?” and “Yii?”, the combination was the hilarious ‘Ah yii’. (Ah yi means aunt in Chinese, don’t know about the original j.a.panese text, sorry)

“They’ll give the box to the champion….!?”

“Thanks, everyone for being so simultaneous in your disbelief, thanks a lot.”

“Do you mean it? Yuuri!? Do we have to waste so much time? Actually we can just launch a sudden attack, can’t we?”

“Wait a minute, Caloria doesn’t have any potential partic.i.p.ants now! Also, didn’t I tell you what had happened before? It’s impossible to win the champions.h.i.+p!”

“Don’t talk at the same time, you two!”

Only Murata was beaming without saying a word. I breathed in deeply before saying, “Please calm down, you two. First, Wolf, as I had said before, I’ll never declare war. Then, Flynn, partic.i.p.ating in such tournaments is actually meaningful, even if we don’t win we won’t suffer any loss, right? Even if we can’t find any skilled partic.i.p.ants, we can’t just give up.”

“Partic.i.p.ating in tournaments is meaningful…. That’s the first time I heard of such a thing.”

Flynn put a hand to her forehead, bowing her head and trying to calm down.

“But didn’t I tell you before, even if we went at full speed we’ll have to spend at least twelve days to get there. Even if we start off now, we won’t make it for the registration day!”

“When you said full speed you meant traveling by on land, didn’t you?”

“That’s right.”

I said a bit proudly, “Then what if we travel by sea? Don’t we have that Duchars’ speedcraft?”

TBC