Nothing more comforting than routine and tuning in every week to a garbage radio drama that both of you absolutely hate but neither of you change that dial.
And the only reason the office is so clean is because I am lazy XD
I’ve been wanting to make a joke in this vein for far too long. Doing most of your investigations in (1) room has got to warp your perspective and procedure. Also, Hershel & Alfendi is a dynamic I want to see more of in the world.
Disclaimer: This is a fan-translation for the Japan-exclusive novellisation of the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva. The original novel was written by Aya Matsui under the supervision of Akihiro Hino, and belongs to Level-5.
This translation only aims to be a pleasant read for non-Japanese fans, nothing more: I made a few deliberate changes while translating in order to get the writing style closer to what is usually found in English fanfictions, as the Japanese storytelling can sometimes be different than what we are used to.
＊ The Legend of Ambrosia
Long ago, there was a kingdom ruled by a beautiful queen who loved music.
Because of her intelligence, her determination, her courageous actions, and her angelic voice… The Queen was truly adored by her subjects.
Every day, the Queen would sing for her people. Songs of happiness and joy…
♪
In this beautiful kingdom
Life shines forth
I shall keep your days bright
With my warmth
I will sing about this joy
So it can be shared with you
May this happiness
Last forever
The people obtained free love from their Queen, and swore respect and loyalty to her in return; but these happy times could not last forever.
One day, the Queen fell gravely ill.
The people of the kingdom desperately tried to produce various medicines to cure her illness. All the doctors, scientists and priests of the kingdom were assembled, and joined forces to save her; alas, their elixir would not be completed in time.
One night, the queen used all her remaining strength to sing a final message to the people of her kingdom:
♪
We will meet again one day
So do not grieve
This is but the departure
Of a fleeting life
The people of the kingdom wept, and responded by sending her off in song. In Ambrosia, it was believed that the most precious way to convey feelings to each other was through music.
♪
Why are you leaving us?
This life will only stay with you
Eventually, the Queen died. In an ironic twist of fate, the cure was completed shortly afterwards: the elixir of immortality.
The people of the kingdom were deeply saddened by their Queen’s death. If only they had succeeded in completing it just a little earlier…
Using their newly completed elixir of immortality, they then decided to all gain immortality themselves, so they could wait until the day the Queen would be reborn.
♪
We will meet again one day
With all the love and adoration that they had for her, they kept the queen’s message in mind.
♪
Beyond a thousand nights
Dreaming of the day when we can meet again
We shall sing this song
Only for you
Our devoted tears are endless
As we keep thinking of you
We shall now
Go to sleep…
The legend says that even now, somewhere in this world… The immortal kingdom of Ambrosia, which loved and was equally loved by its Queen, is still waiting for the day when her spirit will return.
The professor completed his retelling of the legend with these words:
“The truth behind the kingdom of Ambrosia remains a puzzle to this day, Luke.”
Disclaimer: This is a fan-translation for the Japan-exclusive novellisation of the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva. The original novel was written by Aya Matsui under the supervision of Akihiro Hino, and belongs to Level-5.
This translation only aims to be a pleasant read for non-Japanese fans, nothing more: I made a few deliberate changes while translating in order to get the writing style closer to what is usually found in English fanfictions, as the Japanese storytelling can sometimes be different than what we are used to.
＊ The Crown Petone Theatre
A few days later, and here we were on our way to the Crown Petone: all three of us in the Laytonmobile, with Emmy on the driver’s seat.
“Professor, do you believe that eternal life is possible?”
As he answered, the professor kept his eyes locked on the brochure about the opera that he was reading.
“It is too soon to tell for sure, Luke. But we may hope to find the answer to this whole mystery once we arrive at the theatre.”
It was Emmy who had found the brochure. For her, it must have been an easy task to find it even before the performance would take place. I hoped I would one day learn to be as efficient as her at gathering clues…
“Then, let’s hurry it up a bit!”
Without warning, Emmy suddenly pressed her foot against the accelerator. Steering left, then right, then left again back and forth, she overtook car after car. This shook me so much that I screamed against my will.
“Emmy, w-wait, be careful!”
Still driving, she took a second to peek at me from the corner of her eye, and she smirked.
“You’d better get used to this sort of thing, if you want to be Professor Layton’s… second assistant.”
“S… second assistant!?”
There she was, teasing me again. I knew I was falling into her game, but I simply couldn’t let anyone call me second to anything!
“I’m not his assistant!” I shouted heartily.
“Oh, really now?”
“I’m the professor’s apprentice! And not just any apprentice…”
I thrust my finger forward with all my might.
“I’m his apprentice… Number one!”
I did it! I outsmarted her!
However, my satisfaction was only temporary…
“And I assume that the professor confirmed it?” she asked with a devilish grin.
Even if he had, this was just something I had said in the spur of the moment, without thinking… Well, it seemed like I still couldn’t compete with her after all.
“Emmy, how is your investigation going?”
Thankfully, the professor’s words had come to my rescue and distracted her. Once again, as soon as she was asked, Emmy regained a serious expression and reported her findings.
“It seems that the girl Janice mentioned is not the only one who ‘gained eternal life,’” she explained. “A quick search shows that there are several others who allegedly obtained it… And rumours are spreading all across London, saying that some shady characters would be giving ‘eternal life’ through some sort of transaction.”
The professor hummed. “Eternal Life… The Eternal Kingdom…” he muttered, deep in thought.
“‘The Eternal Kingdom’ is the first opera that Oswald Whistler has written in a long time,” Emmy completed with a nod, seeking his confirmation.
I had already done my research on that. Where were my notes on it?
“Oswald Whistler… Whistler…” I murmured as I flicked through my notebook, and soon found my answers. “The friend who came back to life was named Melina Whistler. Professor, they have the same last name!”
From the driver’s seat, Emmy gave me a thumbs up and winked. She was praising my results! I smiled back.
“Melina was Oswald Whistler’s daughter,” the professor said as he handed me the brochure.
The first page showed a picture of a very beautiful woman with symmetric and straight hair. Her big eyes seemed to stare right into me…
Right under her picture, the caption read: “I dedicate this opera to my late daughter, Melina.”
His late daughter… It was hard to believe that someone with such a bright smile was no longer with us.
Was Mr Whistler aware that a seven-year-old girl was claiming to be her, having come back from the dead… and with eternal life?
I casually turned to the next page, and my eyes widened when I saw the face of someone I had not at all expected.
“Professor, this is Dr Schrader!”
Here he was indeed. A picture of Dr Andrew Schrader, the professor’s mentor, shaking hands with Mr Whistler, had instantly caught my eye.
“I wouldn’t be so surprised, Luke. This opera is based on the legend of the immortal kingdom of Ambrosia. Dr Schrader has been researching this topic for years.”
The immortal kingdom of Ambrosia? Newspapers could be so unreliable. The article I had checked in the library didn’t say anything about that at all.
I instantly wrote down this new information in my notebook.
“Ambrosia is a kingdom shrouded in mystery. Only a fraction of its crest has been discovered and publicly documented… And its exact location is still unknown.”
Just as I finished writing everything down, the car slid into the vicinity of the theatre and stopped.
The sea breeze felt very cold on my cheeks as I jumped out of the Laytonmobile. The Crown Petone Theatre had a very unusual design, built all alone and right above the sea.
“They say that it was built in the image of Ambrosia,” the professor said as an answer to my silent question.
Right as we arrived, dusk started turning to darkness, and the opera lights turned on all at once. The dazzling beauty of this spectacle before the real performance left all three of us speechless for a little while.
Somehow, this did not feel like a real scenery. It rather looked just like the castles I could see in the picture books that my mother would read to me when I was little…
“What is the legend about, Professor?”
Looking into the horizon, he took in the scent of the sea breeze, then started his tale.
“The legend of Ambrosia, the Immortal Kingdom, goes like this…”
Disclaimer: This is a fan-translation for the Japan-exclusive novellisation of the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva. The original novel was written by Aya Matsui under the supervision of Akihiro Hino, and belongs to Level-5.
This translation only aims to be a pleasant read for non-Japanese fans, nothing more: I made a few deliberate changes while translating in order to get the writing style closer to what is usually found in English fanfictions, as the Japanese storytelling can sometimes be different than what we are used to.
── Three years ago
＊ A Letter from Janice Quatlane
“Professor, there is a letter for you!”
I held out for him an envelope which had his name on it in neatly drawn cursive.
“Who is it from, Luke?”
He did not look up to read it himself, as I noticed that his eyes were currently glued to his microscope. Scotland Yard had sent him some fossils and asked for his expertise on them.
So I turned the letter around to look at the sender, and read:
“Janice… Quatlane…”
“Janice…” he repeated, deep in thought.
I frowned. “P-Professor, this isn’t the same Janice Quatlane as the opera singer Janice Quatlane, is it?”
“Of course it is,” he simply responded.
“But… You’re saying it so casually! Janice Quatlane is an immensely popular singer in London, maybe even in the entire United Kingdom! Her records always end up selling out so fast in Misthallery…”
As I was still talking, Emmy came back. She was working as the professor’s assistant and would travel around every day to help him with his puzzle solving.
“Luke, you’re so loud that I could hear you all the way from the front gate. So, what’s sold out?”
“Music records… But that’s not important. The professor received a letter from Janice Quatlane, that singer!”
“Whaaat!?”
I was ready to assume that Emmy’s surprised voice must have reached all the way up to the bells of Big Ben, not just the front gate.
“Professor, are you acquainted with Janice Quatlane?”
Our shared excitement finally convinced him to look up from his microscope.
“Janice graduated in Gressenheller. Her major was in the Faculty of Arts, but she also opted for some archaeology classes. She was an enthusiastic and serious student.”
Having said that, he took the letter from my hands, a paper knife from his desk, and removed the seal.
As soon as he ran his eyes over the letter, tension flashed on his face. Emmy’s expression became stern when she saw him.
“Is that a new case?” she asked gravely.
Once he was done reading, the professor took a deep breath, then answered:
“I am not sure we can yet call this a case… but this certainly seems to be a very curious puzzle.”
Emmy eagerly took the letter from his hands when he offered, and she started reading it aloud so I could hear.
Professor Layton, how have you been?
For my part, I have just met quite the astonishing event.
My friend Melina Whistler, who died of illness a year ago, has come back to life. What’s more, she is now taking the form of a seven-year-old girl…
This child knows secrets that only Melina and I could know. I can only assume that this truly is her.
To my utter shock, she also said:
“I was granted eternal life, Janice.”
There is an upcoming performance for a new opera at the Crown Petone Theatre, called ‘The Eternal Kingdom,’ in which I will play the lead role. Professor, please come to this opera. I need you to solve this mystery.
To Professor Layton,
my esteemed teacher,
Janice Quatlane
As the contents of the letter were unravelled to me, I couldn’t help but get excited.
“Granted eternal life, she says?”
In the ten long years I had lived, never had I ever heard of such a strange story. And yet, ever since I met professor Layton, my days had been a long series of surprises and incessant puzzle-solving.
“Professor, we have to go now! Let’s go to that theatre… to the Crown Petone!”
The professor smiled gently. “It appears that we still have to wait a few days until the performance, Luke.”
“Oh…”
“Come on, you’re in such a hurry,” Emmy giggled mockingly.
As I blushed with embarrassment, she pulled out two tickets from the envelope and showed them to me.
“Hm, she sent two tickets… One is for the professor, of course, but what about the other?”
Oh no, there only were two?
“P-Professor, I’ll go with you!”
“But, as his assistant and as someone who is older than you, it should be my responsibility to go—”
Emmy often loved teasing me like this. This was such a bad habit.
I knew she was not mean-spirited, and that it was my fault for falling into her provocations so easily, but…
Sure, she was his assistant as an actual job. She was older than me, and I was younger than her. Those were facts. But this specific situation was absolutely non-negotiable!
I had decided I would be a perfect gentleman, just like him. From the very moment I saw the professor’s brilliant puzzle-solving in action in Misthallery, this had become my goal.
I could not afford to miss the chance to see him solve another case from up close once again! I had to convince him to let me go…
Just as I was thinking this, he spoke up:
“Emmy, I need you to do some research regarding this ‘eternal life’ matter. Gossip, rumours… Anything you can find. You have to start working on it immediately.”
Instantly, her face switched from her teasing expression, to her working mode expression.
“Right away, Professor!”
And with a quick stride, she ran out of the office. She had only come back a few minutes ago, yet now she was already leaving again, full of energy. This was something I really admired about her.
“Professor, what about me…?”
“Well, I shall ask you to do some research regarding a certain opera called ‘The Eternal Kingdom,’” he said with a wink. “Go to the library, look for recent newspaper articles, and see what you can find.”
“Y-yes!”
“The more mysterious the puzzle, the better it is to have prior knowledge of it,” he explained. “It will serve you greatly once you come watch the opera.”
My eyes widened. “S-so that means— I’m going to the theatre!?”
The professor did not say a single word; but as he looked down on me, his flashing smile answered every question I had.
Disclaimer: This is a fan-translation for the Japan-exclusive novellisation of the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva. The original novel was written by Aya Matsui under the supervision of Akihiro Hino, and belongs to Level-5.
This translation only aims to be a pleasant read for non-Japanese fans, nothing more: I made a few deliberate changes while translating in order to get the writing style closer to what is usually found in English fanfictions, as the Japanese storytelling can sometimes be different than what we are used to.
☆ Luke Triton
“Why must I stand alone in one of the many rooms of Gressenheller University, deep in thought, you ask? Well, this is indeed a great mystery.”
I was standing in Professor Layton’s office, and I, Luke Triton, was talking to myself.
The room was overflowing with puzzles that we had solved in the past, and others that we would solve in the future… as it had always been.
“The answer is simple. Soon, the professor will finish his lecture, and return here to enjoy his afternoon tea.
“It takes five minutes to boil a pot of water, two minutes and fifteen seconds for the leaves to infuse and the tea to be ready… Of course, I mustn’t forget to add one more serving for myself.
“Working backwards from there, the only matter I have enough time to settle now is…”
I looked around the room, letting my last sentence trail off. After all, I am Professor Layton’s apprentice! I’m used to thinking over this sort of situation.
“Alright, I’ve got it!”
I picked up a newspaper that was spread haphazardly on his desk.
“Puzzle solved! Of course, that’s what a gentleman does.”
I even tried to mimic his tone of voice a little.
After making sure that there was nothing important stuck between its pages, I folded the newspaper neatly and then put it aside. Every now and then, a misplaced coin will happen to fall out of places like this.
To me, the famous Professor Layton is as close to a perfect gentleman as it can get.
Though when I say ‘as close as it can get’… Yes, there is a reason why I used this subtle expression. One of these reasons is that the professor is not good at keeping things organised.
Well, in his defence, he is a very busy man with a lot of thoughts and puzzles always running through his head. I know he can’t help it. Between the daily requests to solve other people’s troubles on one side, and the curious letters mingled with his mountain of important documents on another, he is lucky to have someone like me who can help him sort through all his paperwork.
Well, what always happens is that I will be trying to classify everything, but then a little bit of every pile soon gets mislaid somewhere else, so this is quite the issue in and of itself. But nothing will get lost under my watch!
This time, I chose to deal with this newspaper in priority: this is because newspapers are especially dangerous. Sometimes the professor will just roll up the whole thing and throw it in the bin, and not even notice that it was tangled with something else… The Mystery of the Missing Documents is not a puzzle I want to solve often if I can avoid it. This mystery is far from being the interesting kind, since from the very beginning we know who the culprit is…
“Does this reasoning really hold true, Luke?”
This is what the professor would sometimes tell me, in those times when I would be trying to solve yet another of these Missing Documents puzzles.
In those times, he would usually look a lot less like a gentleman, and instead more like a naughty boy playing rock-paper-scissors in a London street corner. He would have the same glint in his eye, so I would sometimes imagine him as if he were a lot shorter than he is in reality, without his suit and top hat… I would just see him as a young street boy named Hershel, who in this moment would be a professor by title alone.
And then, in those times, I would always wish that I could tell that naughty Hershel boy, once and for all:
“These Missing Documents… The person who holds the key to this baffling case…”
Of course, I would get ready to point a dramatic finger. It would only hold weight if I acted just like him.
“…is you!”
Just as I remembered that I was actually speaking aloud, the professor opened the door.
Oh no! Did he hear me just now?
“…i-is you that I’ll tidy up next…”
As a natural continuation to my desperate attempt at covering up my mistake, I rushed to prepare his tea. Let’s… see, it would take five minutes to boil the pot of water, two minutes and fifteen seconds to infuse once the leaves would be added, leaving me to wait until it would be ready to drink… Of course, I needed not forget to add an extra serving for myself…
“Luke, do you remember this song?”
As I heard the professor’s voice and turned around, I saw him place a record on the gramophone.
The music answered his question faster than I could ever have. As soon as the singer’s voice reached my ears, it was as if an electric current had run through my whole body. It was soft and so, so beautiful…
“Professor, isn’t this Janice’s song?” As I tried to say this, my voice had just cracked…
The professor nodded and handed to me the record sleeve.
“It was on display in the show window of a disc shop. They said that it was their latest album.”
Janice’s face was on the cover. Her lips were slightly smiling, looking at someone else out of the frame.
My heart ached a little. That pain… I had already felt it three years ago. The moment I had met her, I was left in awe: she was much older than me, beautiful…
It was then that I noticed on the cover the pendant which was hanging around her neck… She was already wearing it back then. I was glad that she still cherished it to this day.
“Wow, it’s already been three years…”
The professor nodded quietly. Three years… In this moment, it felt like all this time had passed in the blink of an eye; yet also, as if it had been an eternity.
Have I grown up since then? Could I be getting closer to being that ‘future gentleman’? Between the time of that case and today…
“Hm? Luke, what is all this?”
“Oh, that’s…!”
I followed his look, and blood rushed to my face in embarrassment. It was a big pile of documents. I had taken all these letters and paperwork out of the mailbox, and then proceeded to completely forget all about it.
“I’m sorry, Professor, I have yet to clean this up…”
He turned to the pile and picked up a letter from the bundle. For a moment, this gave me a sense of déjà-vu.
No, this was not déjà-vu… Three years ago, this was exactly how things were when the professor and I had received Janice’s letter.
Yes... That curious case had all started with one single letter from her.
And at the time, this case would then become precisely the first puzzle-solving journey in which the professor and I worked together…
Disclaimer: This is a fan-translation for the Japan-exclusive novellisation of the movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva. The original novel was written by Aya Matsui under the supervision of Akihiro Hino, and belongs to Level-5.
This translation only aims to be a pleasant read for non-Japanese fans, nothing more: I made a few deliberate changes while translating in order to get the writing style closer to what is usually found in English fanfictions, as the Japanese storytelling can sometimes be different than what we are used to.
♪
As we rise out of the sea
The stars’ glimmers sing praises
This soul remains close to your heart
As the sunlight filtering through the foliage sparkles
The forest’s raindrops sing praises
These eyes shall sleep and watch over your dreams
Count the lives that sank at the bottom of the sea
We believe that someday
This prayer will reach you
Now let the eternal slumber alone prevail
The tears of the beloved
Dissolve into the sea
Beyond a thousand nights
If the day ever comes
When you smile once more
We will never cry again
Beyond a thousand nights
Watch in our dream
The day we meet again
As we sing this song
Believe in the promise
Beyond the far-off time
We will see your smile again
As you stand in the future when the skies intersect
You must let our thoughts guide you back to that day
We will never run out of the tears
That are destined to none but you
We lie asleep dreaming of you
We shall now sleep
Always thinking of you
Our beloved...
♪
── London・Present
☆ Janice Quatlane
The sound of thunderous applause brought me back to reality.
This was just a rehearsal for tomorrow’s performance…
I could now remember that I was on the stage of the newly built opera house in London. And yet, I still found myself thinking: “The sea that was just now spread out before me, where did it go?”
The azure blue sea softly embraces the island of Ambrosia, the gentle waves lapping at the shore…
“Miss Quatlane, what a wonderful voice!”
“This fabled opera, The Eternal Kingdom… Nothing could be more fitting for the inauguration of this opera house!”
“Oh yes, I can already see the audience going wild!”
“They had better be! Tomorrow will mark the second time it was ever performed!”
The impresarios seemed to be praising me, but their voices were all drowned out by the sound of the waves that were still echoing in the depths of my heart.
Swoosh… Whoosh…
Always thinking of our beloved
Eternally dancing to and fro between sea and land
Looking at the sea was like looking at myself, wandering back and forth between dream and reality…
“The memories of the melody…”
All I could do was mumble these words. Standing here, after the end of the song, made me realise… There was something that I had carefully buried inside of me, out of my sight, never to look back. But now, the melody of The Eternal Diva was the key that had just unlocked it: the memories from three years ago.
Memories that were made not of images, but of feelings and emotions…
Joy, sadness, sorrow, pain…
I want to see you, I yearn to see you, I languish without you, I want to see you…
These thoughts and feelings all came back to me in a single instant, and they pierced through my entire being. I was almost crushed by this tsunami of emotions, leading me to reconsider my previous decision. Was it really a good idea for me to sing The Eternal Kingdom tomorrow, in front of a live audience?
I could not believe that these memories were still occupying so much space in my mind, even after all this time…
It was a selfish request of me, but the composer, Mr. Oswald Whistler, had graciously accepted to let me sing it again. The reply in his letter was filled with such warm words:
Miss Quatlane…
No, I will call you Janice, just like old times.
How long have I waited for the time when you would ask! I know what you said three years ago; that you wanted to seal The Eternal Kingdom forever… Still, even from that very moment, I had been hoping to see your role as its diva rise again one day.
I understand how much pain and grief it caused you at that time. But Janice, you must never forget that I wrote this opera for you, and you alone.
To me, music is the most sacred thing in this world. No matter how foolish and fragile the human heart may be, only music will never burn its wings and fall alongside it.
I am with you, Janice. You are an angel chosen by the muses. Please, by all means, I want you to embrace the whole of London with your great love as the diva.
It truly is a pity. I would already be rushing over to the opera house and supporting you if I could, but we both know that reality will not make this possible.
With all my love,
Oswald Whistler
When his letter said that this opera had been written only for me, of course I believed him. I already knew this was true.
Thinking of his words again made me understand: this was a piece that I needed to carry on singing, again and again, for as long as I would be able to. This was my fate.
However, one important thing that few could know, was that this opera never was mine. This, too, was fate.
I only sing for you.
Can you hear it, Melina?
My best friend…
I’m coming back tomorrow, to see you.
All I can do now is keep hoping, thinking back to that time three years ago, when we spent time with Professor Layton…
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