Either this dude's gotta put his titties away or we gotta undo some buttons to show off Roger Barel's Buxom Bosom. He cannot be outboobied like this. Unacceptable.
Question: I haven’t been in tumblr in a while so when I opened the app today I saw many things have come up about hating a character and other stuff. If someone could explain what happened would be a big help. Thank you!
Oh well people are hating darj bc he not only uses MC for blackmail but he also assaults her multiple times and also even threatened to cut her limbs off and make "love" to her if she ever leaves (in mad love route) and also some of the dari fans are defending him for it bc they said that ppl hate when a villain acts like a villain and mm yeah that's what I've known so far
Question: I haven’t been in tumblr in a while so when I opened the app today I saw many things have come up about hating a character and other stuff. If someone could explain what happened would be a big help. Thank you!
Question: I haven’t been in tumblr in a while so when I opened the app today I saw many things have come up about hating a character and other stuff. If someone could explain what happened would be a big help. Thank you!
Well........this is not first time I complained about SLBP. I just thought, if I wanna talk about it, then I should have a clear picture of it.
SLBP Nobunaga's Act 2 route.
Nobunaga decided to destroy Hongan-ji and with it, the sign of Buddha. And his plan was claim himself something like a mortal god.
Well....a warlord is good, but a god?? I know, in Japan in that time it might not have been weird, but...in some way, this thing went too far.
The most disappointing thing is that, almost all the retainers nods in agreement. Only Mitsuhide retorted.
When Mitsuhide told that what Nobunaga was doing is utterly bad, Nobunaga losts his temper.....and slapped him.
I cannot believe how arrogant he was here.
Nobunaga went to the river bank and MC followed him....when they return, Mitsuhide left the castle. It was normal, considering how Nobunaga slapped him...but still, MC only thinks of making up their relationship?? Oh god, Nobunaga doesn't deserve a retainer like Mitsuhide.
I was really sad. But MC's resolved really made me angry. And the god thing is too much, even if people then were superstitious. We are modern players of the game and it's really annoying how Nobunaga intends to consider him a god.....really, really disgusting.
Again, MC's thought of taking Mitsuhide granted is another thing that annoyed me too. She was there in the war council, she saw in her own eyes that how Nobunaga slapped blood out of the man's mouth, and still, she intends to parsue Nobunaga???
Ikesen Nobunaga is best. At least, Ikesen Nobunaga did not claim himself god! 😭😭😭 And Nobunaga in Ikesen really cares his subordinates (Hideyoshi, Mitsuhide, Masamune, Ieyasu, Mitsunari, Keiji, Ranmaru... Also, our Mai), unlike SLBP.
Another fact. Ikesen Nobunaga has a clear goal and ambition, and Mai learns it very quickly in his route. His clear ambition is one of the reason Mai fell for him (me too). But in SLBP, MC is still in dark about his goal, despite it is Nobunaga's sequel.
The one thing I LOVE in Ikesen nobu that.....he cares for people. He took the burden of killing many alone. But he also has a good heart.
In Hideyoshi's route, when Hideyoshi was a robber and tried robbing off Nobunaga, Nobunaga defeats him and Hideyoshi begged to nobu to kill him. But Nobunaga did not kill. In their conversation, Nobunaga was harsh, but...when Hideyoshi told him that he has no master, then Nobunaga said, "And you have no master? Nonsense. You are your own master."
This dialogue touched my heart. Felt like my hubby Will (from ikevil).
When Mai and Hideyoshi had budding feelings, it was Nobunaga who pushed them to a relationship. Hideyoshi had a tendency to "give his life for Milord Nobunaga". But when Mai came in Hideyoshi's life, Nobunaga pushed him to realize that his life was not so unworthy to be waste. This is one other reason I love.
SLBP Nobunaga is really a brat. I don't know if anyone thought this about. But Ikesen Nobunaga is much more calm, collected, intelligent and better person than him.
Many say, SLBP is more historically accurate, and it may be, but....there are so many this type of characters, and the amount of romance is really low. I sometimes wonder how the MC and ML fell in love.
I started Princess in the Mirror app (another game from Voltage) and it had a royal court thing, similar to ikepri. But....the MC is so dumb there. She is even more naive than Emma. I am not badmouthing Emma (I love her) but, the MC in this game is....too dumb for a game. The story is somehow rushed...
I saw a post that in the new ikepri event, Emma was depicted as weak, but....believe me, this MC in the Princess in the mirror game is worse than that. I just cannot see her lead. Everything is done by her surroundings, and she is in danger in every chapter, and talks like, "Oh no, help me!" She even cannot retort against any bad comment, despite she is a princess in the country and has total authority and utmost power. Emma is lot, lot better than that.
Another thing...it also bothered me sometimes, but...it sometimes feel like the MCs in Voltage games are rendered "special", despite having that not good virtue. I will give example.
In SLBP, the cook MC (I am only playing the Radiance path) is put in a poison taster job. She goes to one of the lords' castle and everytime, her gender is revealed in some embarrassing or ridiculous way (believe me, that is my favourite part 😅). If it is an otome game, then why present MC as a guy? She could have been a maid in the castle from the first. Maybe they did it so the MC can catch the warlord's eye. But the thing that bothers me the most, she becomes a maid or cook when her identity is revealed. But there were so much women in the castle to serve the act of warming their lords' bed. It feels like, the warlord's never even felt like to pick a concubine or maid. Like he was waiting for MC to come in his castle in a magical way. And when MC comes, suddenly reveals her identity, and the warlords become fond of her and so on. It might also make sense if the MC was a maid and then she cought the lord's eye somehow, not going to the extent to disguise as a man.
SLBP MC is a cook there. But we don't see any of her actions that can stand her out of ordinary. What she only does is serving sweet bean soup, help her lord to change his dress and those maid things. She does not have any considerable presence in the whole story or battle, unlike Mai. Still, she is regarded as "special", making the days even more brighter...but bro, there were numerous maids there to do it for Nobunaga or Masamune or any other warlords! I just can not figure it out how SLBP MC is this special. It sometimes feel weird.
In Ikesen or ikepri, Mai or Emma is special from the beginning. Mai is a mysterious woman, saved Nobunaga out of no where from Honnoji. And Emma is belle, a pure hearted person. Kate is also especial if you read Victor's route. But SLBP of princess of mirror MC's are like aliens.
In Princess in the Mirror, same. The MC is a secretary and got throws in another world. She there is also like this—really, really naive. I was really surprised that she was not bothered a least amount when she got isekai'd in another world...something like ikevamp. And there she becomes a princess, but she is really dependant on other people there.
In Cybird games, we see strong and inspiring MCs (Like Mai, Emma, Yoshino or Kate). They are strong enough to level with their love interests. They can be support of them and help them. They are strong enough to act as their own.
If Voltage could improve their MC quality, their games could have been more better. I personally don't hate their games, but their MC and suitors are really traditional type.
I don't know if all Voltage games are like this. But still, I almost lost my faith over them 😭.
Voltage prioritizes number over quality. That's why there are so games, but some times it feels repetitive. Cybird is focused on quality because they need foreign community, and people world-wide seeks divergence. This is the reason Cybird games are less in number, but so much enjoyable that, you will remember it in a long run.
Well, I don't intend to hurt Voltage fans, but I really think, Voltage should do better in this kinda things.
The MC in SLBP doesn’t get involved in many thing in comparison to the Ikemen series. The SLBP mc is more like an observer to me that happened to have the lord’s favour not an actual character like Emma or Kate for example. Also nobunaga is a little brat I don’t even recall finishing his route just because I was mostly skipping it out of annoyance by both the mc and nobunaga. In my opinion his unification arc is kinda better but definitely my least favourite of all the characters in general. It needs to be noted that the plots of ikemsen and SLBP are completely different given how Mai is from the future and the MC in SLBP lives in that era so their views of their world is different and see things differently? My most common complaint about the mc in SLBP is how she remains a maid even after marriage, I’m aware she is a cook but cooking and serving are different things, just needed to put that in. Anyway I personally would recommend yukimuras or shigezanes route after nobunagas their much more normal I guess. Definitely not a god complex.
Okay, after significantly stewing and researching between Bakumatsu Ishen and Samurai Love Ballad, I've discovered a few things that have helped me decide what to do moving forward.
For starters, Ryoma is adorable and Bakuten has very nice CG art compared to their other Voltage games. But his route left so much to be desired from an otome perspective. For an "otome" game, this is the least amount of romance focus I've ever read in all otome-history, which is saying a lot because I translate and play a lot of otome games across SEA, Global, CN and JP.
Bakuten seems to have a community of individuals who have the same sentiment. The writing feels choppy on account of Voltage wanting to include so many historical events into a short story, making the entire route feel episodic, and leaving no room for intimate moments or the "slow-burn" of a relationship, if you will. Unfortunately, this sentiment seems to exist across most of their other routes in this game, with the shogunate members retaining a bit more intimacy only because the MC gets to spend more time with them living together. Apparently, JP fans refer to the MC in Bakuten as "observer MC," because she is just never really involved until the very ending where Voltage is notorious for back-loading the actual "blossoming" of feelings into literally the epilogue. In Ryoma's route, it was basically the second part of the epilogue, too.
In short, Bakuten has survived a few years in JP so there is a loyal following, but it makes sense why it's not more popular than a game like Samurai Love Ballad and certainly why it's not more well-known outside of Japan in the otome-realm. As a translator/localizer who is also a huge otome fan, the work put into this was not fulfilling as a result.
On the other hand, Samurai Love Ballad is one of their most popular titles with a larger fan following, though still not on par with Cybird communities or Ikemen Sengoku for that matter. However, it has done well enough to come to global, and it has lasted in JP for over 11 years at this point of writing. The writing is generally seen as better than Bakuten, but with higher emotional stakes as there is a large amount of tragedy surrounding leads. Still, it paces a bit better given that it doesn't time jump the way Bakuten does.
THE PROBLEM THOUGH... SLBP is also notorious for having butchered their global translations when being compared to the original text. In their effort to make tropes more recognizable to the western audience, they have changed personalities for the leads that make them very different from what was originally intended. Sadly, that frustrates me as a localizer and fan, because I think changing a characters personality via localizing is a terrible mistake that completely alters the original intent at what the writers were trying to convey. In a way, it's almost like two different audiences liking the same image of a person, but understanding them as two different people.
I love Ieyasu, but his character in global has famously been butchered to be very brute and crude to get through to the western audience that he is more of a "tsundere" character. As we can see with a lot of tsundere characters in OTHER games (and even anime), it is not necessary to make someone like that for the audience to understand that they are supposed to be tsundy... In JP, Ieyasu is not crude, but rather poison-tongued. You come to realize that he is a deeply traumatized, highly intelligent tactician whose "meanness" is just a survival mechanism, not the evil and cold-hearted torturer he is portrayed as in English.
With all this being said, I think it's fair to move on from Bakuten to SLBP. Not only are there a lot of routes that have not been released to global yet, but I think it's important to preserve the original personalities if for nothing more than to appreciate the Japanese writing. I don't think I'll be playing the global version anymore because I honestly hate how it's been localized, but that does also mean I'll be spending time to localize already-existing global routes in attempt to share and understand their real personalities.
Sorry for the yapping but thanks for reading my analysis if you've come this far lol! Let me know your thoughts if you've also consumed content from Bakuten/SLBP. I've played Court of Darkness (Toa fan!) and have read some stories from 365, so while I'm not entirely foreign to Voltage writing and art, I've definitely seen the worst of their work in the last two months via Ryoma's route lol.
SLBP was my first ever otome game and then my favourite was Saizo. I have to say the MC give me so much second hand embarrassment sometimes I can’t explain it but it does. I have read almost all the routes and I have to say my favourite was either jinpachi (if I spelled it right) or yukimura. The story indeed had so much drama given all the war period. I have to say the romance starts to bloom towards the ending chapters or mid way where the MC is in love and the suitors just keep on rejecting her for various reasons. It’s mostly drama and war and tragedy and the MC just observes them she isn’t really involved into these events to try and do something better since she always says she’s unfamiliar with the samurai life and how she still doesn’t know stuff about samurai even if she is married into one already. What I hate about the game is how sometimes the suitors say she doesn’t have to learn anything to be a lady of the clan she can be herself. Which irritated me because she needs basic education about how to be a lady of a clan she can still be a cook but not full on maid duty when your first role is to be the lady of the clan after you married the lord. Also I dislike in shingens unification arc how she calls her son lord, I get that he is a lord but your his mother first, I get you want to have formality but he’s your son not a random child lord. Anyway these might sound like nonsense because I probably didn’t word it right but I still play the game even if it’s irritating me sometimes. (In my opinion the best routes are Yukimura, jinpachi, possibly shingen as well. Shingens last route chapters broke me but i enjoyed it)
Like or reblog to stay updated with this masterlist!
♡———♡
Curse of Love Arc Route
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Normal Story | Premium Story
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 Normal Story
Chapter 10
Romantic Ending
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Premium Story
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Passionate Ending
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Normal Story
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Both Ending Cleared
Bonus Epilogue
—-
If you’d like to support my translations and read them DAYS before they are published on this Tumblr, consider joining my Patreon!
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STATUS OF THIS TRANSLATION:
Patreon 2nd Tier - Passionate Ending complete; RE Ch 14
Tumblr - Passionate Ending complete; RE Ch 14
Like or reblog to stay updated with this masterlist!
♡———♡
Curse of Love Arc Route
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Normal Story
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 + Letter
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 + Letter
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 Normal Story
Chapter 10
Romantic Ending
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Premium Story
Chapter 14
Epilogue + Letter
Dramatic Ending
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Normal Story
Chapter 14
Epilogue + Letter
Both Ending Cleared
Bonus Epilogue
----
If you'd like to support my translations and read them DAYS before they are published on this Tumblr, consider joining my Patreon!
Alternatively, feel free to leave me a tip here or buy me a coffee through the "Leave a Tip" button on my navigation bar. Thank you for all your support!
STATUS OF THIS TRANSLATION:
Patreon 2nd Tier - Dramatic & Romantic Love Ending complete
Tumblr - Dramatic Ending Complete; Romantic End Complete
This is a fan translation so please don't expect it to be 100% accurate; expect grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Creative liberties have been taken. All content belongs to Cybird. Reblogs are appreciated but do not repost.
Alarms were blaring inside my head, warning me of imminent danger.
His long fingers traced my cheek, and then he gently nibbled my ear.
Kate: …!
Nica: Don’t you want to know?
The words whispered in my ear were like a sweet poison, enchanting me and rooting me to the spot.
What happened between us last night? Is it really what I’m imagining?
Those thoughts kept spinning endlessly in my mind, and I felt as if even my vision was starting to swirl along with them.
Nica: Pfftt… ahahahahaha!!!
Kate: Huh…?
Suddenly, Nica doubled over with laughter, clutching his stomach, and collapsed onto the spot.
With a soft thud, his head sank into the cushion, and the bed shook slightly.
Nica: Ha… you’re really something, you know.
Confused, I sat up and realized I was in the same condition as yesterday.
My clothes weren’t disheveled anywhere, the only difference was a few small wrinkles here and there.
Kate: What…?
Looking more closely, I noticed that Nica was wearing rings and bracelets, and aside from his shirt, he was fully dressed.
Nica: Yesterday, we were talking while eating sweets in the reception room, right?
Kate: Yeah
Nica: And then you fell asleep. I couldn’t just leave you there, of course, so I carried you to your room.
Nica: But then you held me back, saying you didn’t want me to go.
Kate: I did what…?
Nica: Were you having a nightmare or something? While you were asleep, you grabbed my hand and started crying, so comforting you was… well, not easy.
(I… I don’t remember…)
I buried my face in embarrassment, but then my eyes inadvertently caught his chiseled abs, and I hastily covered my face to hide my fluster.
Kate: Uh, I… I really am sorry about that, but… why is your shirt—
Nica: This? …Well, a little robin opened it.
Kate: What?!
My wrist was grabbed, forcibly pulling my view open.
And then, Nica’s body loomed close—
Nica: Looks like you didn’t get a proper look yesterday, so I’ll show you now.
Nica: Come on, don’t hold back… or do you want to touch?
The wrist he held was guided, my fingertips tracing along his taut neck and sliding over his well-built chest.
And then, he led my hand even further inside, sneaking it through the gap in his shirt—
Kate: D-did I… really try to take it off…!?
He let out a soft, teasing laugh as I squeezed my eyes shut, struggling desperately,
Nica: Nope… just kidding.
Kate: J-just kidding!?
He released my wrists, and I opened my eyes as I felt his presence moving away.
Nica was sitting on the edge of the bed, starting to button up his shirt.
Nica: You really are very gullible. You should be careful.
Kate: Ugh…
Nica: I left it open in front because I thought you’d be surprised when you woke up.
(That means…)
He buttoned up his shirt, threw on his jacket, and lightly stroked my hair.
Nica: You seemed unusually flustered… what were you imagining?
Kate: W-well, that’s…
Nica: Come on, say it. Were you imagining… that?
His teasing, mischievous smile made me want to scream inside my head.
(This guy… he’s doing this on purpose!!)
Nica, stroked my cheek as he waited for my answer, looked utterly delighted.
Kate: I-I’m keeping that a secret!!!
I brushed his hand away and ran into the bathroom, marking the start of the morning on the first day of my second week.
(Something outrageous happened first thing in the morning…)
By just past noon in the palace, I had been summoned to Victor’s office.
Victor: Sorry for calling you out all of a sudden… are you feeling tired, perhaps?
Kate: N-no, I’m completely fine!
Victor: Really? That’s lovely then..
I let out a small breath and smiled at Victor, who didn’t press me any further.
After the morning incident, when I returned to my room from the bathroom, Nica was already gone.
The only thing left behind was a note that read: “Let’s talk again soon.”
It felt like a storm had passed over the morning, yet my mind was strangely clear.
That was probably because I had gotten a proper night’s sleep.
I hadn’t woken up once during the night — it was the first time that had happened since arriving here.
(Maybe it’s thanks to Nica…)
Even though he teased me, Nica had eased my anxieties enough that I was able to sleep peacefully.
Just as I was feeling grateful, Victor’s serious tone brought me back to reality.
Victor: The reason I called you in today is regarding Vogel.
Kate: Regarding Vogel…?
Victor: It seems they’ve taken an interest in the role of the Fairytale Keeper.
Victor: They’re curious about what kind of work you do and how you support Crown.
Victor: If you prove to be someone beneficial to their organization, it seems they’re considering hiring a Fairytale Keeper.
The position of Fairytale Keeper existed thanks to Her Majesty the Queen’s benevolence.
Just as Crown had been able to operate without a Fairytale Keeper until now, I wasn’t entirely sure whether my presence was really that much of a help to them.
Victor clasped his hands in front of his face, his expression serious.
Victor: So, Vogel has made a proposal.
Victor: They want to ‘borrow you while they’re in England.’
Kate: What…?
Surprised, I looked at him, and Victor continued speaking.
Victor: Of course, it wouldn’t be every day.
Victor: It seems they want you to work as Vogel’s Fairytale Keeper on specific days, but Crown is opposed to it.
Victor: This judgment is based on how you came here and your one-month time period of being a Fairytale Keeper.
Victor: We don’t want you to get any more deeply involved on this side than you already are.
Victor: If, while spending time with Vogel, you happen to learn any of their important information…
Kate: …I won’t be able to return to my previous life.
Victor nodded slowly, then looked at me again, his expression changing.
Victor: However, this is only Crown’s perspective.
Kate: Huh?
Victor: Kate, what do you want to do?
I hesitated, unsure how to answer.
(If there’s a risk, maybe I shouldn’t agree so easily…)
But then I remembered what Harrison had said.
Harrison: They’re lying.
(Maybe, by working as Vogel’s Fairytale Keeper, I could find that out.)
Thinking about it positively, it was a rare opportunity to learn more about Vogel.
As a Fairytale Keeper, knowing about cursed ones was an important part of my work.
And if I were able to obtain any useful information, I might be able to help Crown.
(Other than that… I just need to be careful with my actions so I can return to my previous life.)
I lifted my head and spoke.
Kate: I’ll accept that proposal.
(First, I need to know more about the three of them.)
After leaving the office, I began searching for Vogel.
Since I would be working occasionally as Vogel’s Fairytale Keeper, I needed to know more about them.
Their curses and abilities, their likes and dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses… I figured the best way to learn about them was to speak with them directly.
(Ah… over there…)
Kate: Mr. Darius
Darius: Hm? Oh, the Fairytale Keeper.
Darius turned around as I called his name.
Darius: Do you need something from me?
Kate: Victor told me. It’s been decided that I will occasionally work as Vogel’s Fairytale Keeper.
Darius: …Did I say something like that?
Kate: Huh?
Darius tilted his head and looked slightly upward, then clapped his hands as if remembering something.
Darius: Ah, that’s right. Nica said it might be okay for us to hire someone like that, so I passed it along.
Kate: I see…
His gaze, as if observing me, made me flinch slightly.
But it passed quickly, and Darius spun on his heel and began walking away.
Kate: Uh, um…
Darius: You don’t need to talk so formally from now on. We’ll probably be interacting more anyway.
Darius: And if you want to stop me, make sure it’s for something really important.
I tried to follow him, but he walked so fast that he disappeared from sight in no time.
(I… I didn’t get to ask anything…)
I was left alone in the hallway.
After parting with Darius, I began looking for the other two.
(I need to make sure I actually talk to them next time!)
Switching my mindset, I walked along the corridor and spotted Ring’s back around a corner.
Kate: Ring!
When I called out, Ring turned to face me, but his expression immediately tensed.
Ring: …Do you need something?
Kate: Yes, actually—
When I told him that I would occasionally be working as Vogel’s Fairytale Keeper, his expression grew even more stern.
(…Could it be that he dislikes me?)
From our first meeting, at last night’s social gathering, and now — Ring always directed a stern gaze toward me.
And even now, during our conversation, he kept his distance.
Ring: ……
After a long, awkward silence, I averted my eyes, feeling uneasy.
Then I noticed a bit of lint stuck in Ring’s hair.
Kate: Ah, Ring, there’s some lint—
Ring: !
I slowly reached out my fingers and plucked the lint from the tips of his hair.
It was such a simple thing, and yet—
Ring: Ah… uh
Ring: Waaaahhh!!!!!!!!
Suddenly, Ring’s face turned bright red, and he bolted away faster than the eye could follow.
Kate: Wha…?
Once again, I was left alone in the hallway.
(…Could it be that I’m not cut out to be Vogel’s Fairytale Keeper?)
I turned away from the corridor and trudged out toward the palace grounds.
(Being left behind repeatedly really gets to you.)
The thick clouds that covered the sky seemed to echo my feelings.
I wandered aimlessly, feeling down, when someone’s shadow fell over mine.
Nica: What’s with that gloomy face? It’s ruining that cute expression of yours.
Kate: …Nica.
Seeing me, Nica frowned, clearly worried.
Nica: …Did something happen?
I told him about my encounter with Ring.
Nica: Pfft… ahahaha! Ah, that’s perfect… as expected of Ring.
Nica: Sorry about my brother. You didn’t do anything wrong, so don’t worry.
After hearing everything from my meeting with Victor to this point, he took my hand and smiled.
Nica: If you want, I can tell you about Vogel.
We walked slowly side by side outside the palace.
Nica gestured animatedly as he explained various things to me.
Nica: Let’s start with Darius. He’s the chief of Vogel, a man so fearsome that even crying children go silent, and some call him the White Devil.
Kate: W-White Devil…?
I was shocked by such a terrifying nickname, but Nica continued unfazed.
Nica: He loves cursed ones and is devilish toward other humans. Basically, a devil wearing an angel’s face.
Nica: Hey robin, do you know about Swan Lake?
Kate: Yes, that’s the ballet, right?
Swan Lake is the story of a princess who was transformed into a swan by a devil’s curse, and the prince who fell in love with her.
By the lakeside, the prince witnessed one swan transform back into a human and learned the truth about the swan named Odette.
To break her curse, a person of the opposite gender, who had never sworn love to anyone else had to dedicate their love to Odette.
The two made love, but the night eventually ended, and Odette had to fly away.
The prince, deceived by the devil’s power, mistook Odile — a black swan who looked exactly like Odette — for her and vowed marriage to her.
Realizing he had been tricked, the prince immediately rushed to Odette to beg for forgiveness.
Odette, forgiving the prince, leapt into the lake with him.
By the power of their love, which feared even death, the devil was vanquished, and the lovers’ souls were bound together forever.
Nica: That ‘devil’ is Darius’ curse. He can see the worst possible future of anyone he touches.
Nica: And Ring has the Black Swan's curse. He can give joy to anyone whose hand he holds.
Nica: But Ring is unbelievably innocent. He turns bright red and panics just from touching someone of the opposite gender.
Nica: So unless it’s something really serious, he can’t use it on them.
(So that’s why he ran away earlier…)
Feeling sorry for touching his hair without knowing the circumstances, I spoke up.
Kate: And your curse, Nica…?
Nica: I have the same Black Swan curse as Ring, but my ability is different.
Kate: Really?
(So even with the same curse, different abilities can manifest.)
As I thought this, Nica leaned closer, peering at my face—
Nica: My ability is that anyone whose hand I hold will fall in love with me.
Kate: Huh?!
I tried to step away, since our faces were close enough for our noses to touch, but he grabbed my arm.
Nica: It doesn’t work unless there’s already a certain amount of affection, but I wonder if it works on you right now.
His long fingers traced the palm of my hand, slipping between my fingers.
Nica: Shall we try?
I nearly lost my focus at his words spoken so close, but I hurriedly pulled my hand away.
Kate: J-just… stop teasing me!
I lowered my head slightly at Nica’s smirking face and ran off.
(My face… it’s so hot…)
The wind cooled the heat concentrated in my face.
Yet the lingering sensation of his fingers tracing my palm didn’t seem ready to fade.
[Chapter 1] [Masterlist]
tags: @malleus-draconias-rose @jetitetime @mkisxq
lmk if you want to be tagged in further translations (my portion) of nica's main story chapters
*Fan translation for funsies! IP owned by Cybird, translations are my own and may be inaccurate. See About page for more info.*
If life were a fairy tale, it would be easy to be happy. Don’t do "bad things." Don't enter the forest, don't open the door, don't try to learn any secrets.
Just stay quietly in your little room, waiting for the moment to come. Then you'll never touch forbidden love, and fortune will flutter like a single white feather, landing right in your hands.
Yes, if life were a fairy tale—
Finding happiness should have been easy.
The clatter of cutlery echoed throughout the room. The organization "Vogel" directly under the Emperor, had arrived from Germany. A few hours after meeting them for the first time, a dinner party called the Cursed Gathering was held at the palace.
This is the first time Crown and Vogel have had a proper conversation.
(It's was fine that I, as the Fairytale Keeper, was invited to participate too... but...)
Some smiled, some conversed, some continued eating quietly. Regardless of what anyone was doing, I could feel the tense atmosphere in the room. Crown's reactions in particular were far from positive.
(But perhaps that was inevitable.)
What came to mind were Harrison's words from just hours ago—
Harrison
"They're lying."
Needless to say, that one comment completely changed the way I viewed them.
(It felt like they are trying to size each other up...)
Victor
"Vogel was talking to a research organization, but what exactly are they doing?"
Darius
"'A better society through the power of cursed beings.' To achieve that, we first need to understand cursed beings."
Darius
"We use our authority as an organization directly under the Emperor to do as we please. Similar to you guys, I suppose."
William
"Indeed, in the 'do as we please' sense, we too have the freedom to move around thanks to Her Majesty the Queen."
Victor, William, and Director Vogel, Darius, were conversing at the head of the table. They were smiling, but it was clear they were trying to gauge each other's intentions.
(...No good, I'm worrying too much too.)
We still don't know what lies they're telling us or what true intentions they're hiding. That's why I think I should get to know them first. Pulling myself together, I took a bite of the food.
(Whoa, this is delicious...!)
As I blinked in surprise at the taste, a soft chuckle reached my ears—
???
"Hmph... what a cute face."
Neema
"Huh?"
I looked up suddenly and met Nica's eyes, who was sitting right across from me.
Nica
"Looks like you really enjoyed that."
I nodded back at him as he pointed at my plate.
Neema
"Ah, yes... it's really delicious."
Nica
"You got sauce on your mouth, you were so into it. So cute."
Neema
"Eh?"
I hurriedly wiped my mouth, but he just chuckled.
Nica
"I'm just kidding."
Neema
“.......There’s no sauce?"
Nica
"Yeah, there's no sauce on you. You're just so cute I couldn't help teasing you. Sorry."
He stared at me intently, and I felt suddenly embarrassed, looking away.
(He says "cute" as naturally as breathing....!)
I'd thought he seemed cheerful and easy to talk to since we first met. But being told I’m "cute" this many times in such a short time, so naturally...
(It's nice, but honestly, it's embarrassing.)
Neema
"Um, Nica..."
Nica
"Hm?"
When I looked back up, Nica was still smiling at me.
Neema
"I appreciate you saying I'm cute, but when you say it so much..."
Nica
"Oh, could it be that you didn't have a chance to be told so even though there is such a cute girl right here?"
Nica
"Girls are meant to be cherished, you know? No matter how much you feel it, if you don't say it, it won't get through to them."
Nica
"Right, Ring?”
Nica wraps an arm around Ring's shoulder, who's sitting next to him.
Ring
"W-well, I..."
Ring stammers, and Nica sighs in exasperation.
Nica
"Sorry about that. My other half's just a little shy, you see."
Nica
"Ah, and you can just call me by my name. Honorifics are too formal, right?"
Neema
"Then... Nica?"
Nica
"Good job. Robin is such a good girl, huh?"
Nica, fork in hand, begins poking at his dessert and continued speaking.
Nica
"I'm glad you sat in front of me. I wanted to get to know you."
Neema
"Really?"
Nica
"Yeah. Plus, you eat with more enthusiasm than anyone else."
Nica
"I could never get tired of watching you."
His words, delivered so casually, made me smile unconsciously.
(He seems a bit used to this... but he's a nice guy.)
Having formed a good impression of him, I decided to take this chance to ask him some questions and opened my mouth to speak.
Neema
"What kind of organization is Vogel?"
Nica
"It's not that different from the Crown, is it? A group of cursed individuals directly under the Emperor."
Nica
"We crack down on troublemakers and carry out all sorts of tasks by the Emperor's orders."
Nica
"Research too, like trying to learn about all kinds of cursed individuals, right?"
(Kind of like the German version Crown, I guess?)
Nica
"But, personally, I envy Crown."
Neema
"Huh?"
Nica
"Because such a cute Fairytale Keeper comes along on missions, right?"
Niriki
"Isn't that the best?"
Feeling a gaze that seemed to carry a hint of sensuality, I couldn't help but swallow hard. Then, a voice filled with exasperation came from the side.
Jude
"What the hell are you doing, making noises like that?"
Neema
"Eh, no, I mean..."
Jude
"You're definitely the type to fall for scams. If someone said, 'My mum back home is sick...' You'd hand over yer cash right away, wouldn't you?"
Neema
"No, that's not true at all!”
Nica
"Isn't it kind of harsh to make me sound like a con artist?"
Nica
"Seriously, more than that, how can you not cherish such an adorable robin?"
Jude
"Huh?"
A tense silence hangs between the two.
Darius
"Hey, Nica, don't start a fight."
Jude clicked his tongue at Darius's words and stabbed his dessert roughly with his fork.
Then Nica gave him a troubled smile.
Nica
"Looks like I got scolded."
The gathering ended in an awkward atmosphere, and I headed to the palace library to write my report.
Flipping through books, I committed the necessary information to memory. For a week since arriving here, unable to adjust to this surreal daily life and struggling to sleep, my routine became staying up late at the library researching.
Noble names, their family histories, what activities they undertook... Every time I accompanied the Crown on a mission, I encountered nothing but unfamiliar things.
But since I was being well taken care of, I wanted to be useful and do my best. I'll gain as much knowledge as I can to get through this month.
Thinking that if I couldn't sleep, I might as well study until I got sleepy, I ended up frequenting the library.
(The noble condemned during the last mission I accompanied......)
My eyes scanned the noble registry, jotting notes with one hand. Then, the chair in front of me slid back, and I heard someone sit down.
(Who could it be?)
When I looked up, the figure that met my eyes was—Nica's.
Neema
"Eh—"
I almost let out a loud gasp, but Nica pressed his index finger to his lips, shushing me.
Nica
"Shh... You shouldn't speak loudly in the library."
Seeing me cover my mouth with both hands and nod vigorously, he flashed a gentle smile and spoke in a low voice.
Nica
"Working on research at this hour? That's impressive."
Neema
"...I just want to be of some help to everyone."
I replied in a hushed voice. Nica, propping his cheek on his hand, wore a slightly worried expression.
Nica
"You're not pushing yourself too hard? You okay?"
Neema
"No, it’s not like that. I'm fine."
Nica
"Really? Well, that's good... but... I'm still a little worried."
Nica
"Take better care of yourself, Robin."
Suddenly, Nica snatched the documents from my hands and stood up.
Neema
"What—"
Nica
"Hey, you. Do you like sweets?"
Neema
"Huh?"
Nica
"You do, right? You were munching on dessert so happily earlier."
Neema
"I do like them... But what about it?"
Though he tilted his head at the sudden question, he exhaled with a slightly troubled look.
Nica
"Actually, I was planning to eat this box of fancy sweets I got from the Queen's Aide as a token of our closeness."
Nica
"I was looking for someone willing to share this sin of eating sweets at this hour with me."
He lifted the corners of his mouth, his eyes locked on mine.
Nica
"Commit this sin with me, Neema."
Neema
"Th-they’re shining...!"
Nica
"See? They’re practically glowing."
Accepting Nica's invitation, I made my way to the reception room. On the table sat the luxurious assortment of sweets Victor had gifted. Each one shimmered with an incredible luster, making my stomach growl just looking at them.
Nica
"Don't be shy about eating them. They’ll probably go bad before we finish them all."
He pushed the tin containing the assortment closer to me, urging me on. I picked up the biscuit covered in sugar that shone the brightest.
Neema
"Let’s eat!”
The moment it touched my tongue, a satisfying crunch echoed as the biscuit crumbled away.
Neema
"Oh, this is delicious..."
As I savored the refined sweetness and faint hint of tea flavor, he gazed at me with a delighted expression.
Nica
"That's the happiest face I've ever seen on you."
Neema
"Huh?"
Nica
"Ever since we first met, you always seemed tense—both around us and in front of the Crown."
Nica
"Well, I can understand why. You've been through a lot too, it seems."
He picked up another biscuit and continued.
Nica
"How much longer will you be here?"
Neema
"If I keep the secret properly, three more weeks until I can return to my old life..."
As I spoke, it suddenly hit me.
(I never told Nica about this story, did I?)
Noticing my hesitation, he gave a slight smile.
Nica
"Ah, Crown told me how you came to take this job."
Neema
"I see."
Knowing he understood how I ended up here lifted a weight from my shoulders. Feeling relieved, I began recounting my daily life leading up to that night.
Neema
"I don't worry about being killed now. They've been treating me so well."
Neema
"But as long as I'm here, I have to be useful somehow. If I'm not useful..."
I didn't know what would happen.
I knew the real reason for my shallow sleep was that fear still lurking deep inside me. An awkward silence fell, and I reached for the tea. But before my hand touched the cup, his hand caught mine.
Nica
"You really went through a lot. You’re doing so well..."
(......)
Those words might have been the ones I needed to hear the most.
The moment he said it, the depths of my eyes began to heat up, and a warmth spread through our joined hands. Seeing that I was on the verge of tears, Nica smiled softly and said,
Nica
"Don't worry, I'll listen to anything you have to say. Whatever you say to me for now, I'll keep secret."
I continued to pour out my anxieties, one whisper after another. Each time, he listened while stroking the back of my hand. For the first time since I'd arrived, I felt the long night fill with warmth, and my heart began to lighten.
Soon, feeling safe and relieved, sleepiness began to wash over me.
Nica
"Guten Nacht, poor little Robin."
Before his final words reached my ears, I lost consciousness.
Neema
Hm......"
When I opened my eyes next, I was in my own bed.
(Huh, yesterday I...)
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I tried to recall last night's events.
Nica
"Finally awake?"
Neema
"Huh?"
I hear a voice came from the left, and I rolled over. There sat Nica in just a shirt, smiling at me.
Neema
"Uh..."
His shirt was unbuttoned and his beautiful muscles laid bare, captivating my gaze.
In an instant, I wake up from my sleepiness, and what awaited me was a state beyond bewilderment and confusion.
Nica
"Hey, Robin, don't sleep defenselessly in front of a man."
Nica
"That's the same as saying you're okay with him doing whatever he wants to you, right?"
Neema
"What?"
On the bed, a woman and a man gazing at me with a meaningful smile… there’s only one thing that comes to mind. But my mind keeps denying that it could be true.
(I mean, yesterday I just talked to Nica and ate some sweets...and then I fell asleep, but...)
Nica smiles and puts his lips close to my ear.
Nica
"If you don't remember, let me tell you."
Nica Schwartz. A guest from Germany.
A wonderful man, easy to talk to and very kind.
But he's...
Nica
"Hey, what should we do?"
A pure white villain.
—
Notes:
Spoilers about his curse below
Kate, I’m begging you to please have some situational awareness. First you walk into someone’s house in the middle of the night to deliver mail (bad idea) and witness murder (also bad), now you let a little sweet talk fold you like a pretzel? I wonder how powerful his curse is and if the people he uses it on are aware of it or question themselves after it wears off. Cause wow Jude really called it on the con situation instantly.
Also idk about my translation of the party name “Cursed Gathering”. It reads as more as Evil Gathering, but that felt weird. Also for the honorifics, Kate called him Nica-san before then, I just didn’t write it out that way.
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