Shingeki No Kyojin Smartpass AU : Some Stories of Determination vol. 1 (Eren Jaeger)
So, a new side story titled (”Tell me a Story : Some Stories of Determination”) came out on the 31st July. Since I didn’t find the raws or the translation anywhere on tumblr I figured I would post the raws here along with a rough translation by yours truly.
My japanese isn’t that good though, so if anyone who’s more fluent stumbles upon this post, be free to re-translate it properly. I just want a maximum amount of people to have access to this story since I think it’s really good and actually foreshadows some recent events and character motivations/relationships in the manga.
世界は、嘘と虚構でできていた。ねじまげられた歴史のせいで、多くの人が犠牲になった。
子供たちがこれから学ぶのは、世界の真実と未来の物語。
壁に囲まれた、小さな世界。その片隅に、牧場を改装した孤児院がある。
そこで慎ましやかに「先生」として生きている少女ヒストリアに、子供たちが声をかけた
「ねえ、ヒストリア先生。エレンってやつ、本当に巨人になれるの？」
「僕、知ってるよ。オルブド区では巨人になって、街の人を守ったんだって！」
「うそだあ。あいつ、手伝いもしないで、ボーッとしてるの、おれ見たもん」
男の子たちがうわさをする横で、小さな女の子がヒストリアの手を掴んだ。
声はわずかに震えている。無理もない。巨人といえば、人を食らって殺す絶対悪だと、この壁の中の人間はみなそう思っていた。
「彼は人を食べたりしないの。巨人の力で、戦ってくれるんだよ」
「少しボーッとしてるかも。だけど、信じてあげてね」
おだやかに笑って、ヒストリアは遠く南の空を見上げた。
孤児院には、ヒストリアと同期で兵士になった者たちが手伝いに訪れる。
子供たちが寝静まったあと、彼らと簡素な夜食をとりながら、彼女は昼間にあったことを話して聞かせた。
「オレは……『みんなを守って戦ってくれる良い巨人』ってことになってるのか」
「それ以外にどう説明するってんだ。あてにならないヤツだと思われちゃ、兵団全員が困るんだよ」
憎まれ口のようでいて、大局を見据えたジャンの発言に、ヒストリアはうなずく。少しだけ、エレンに申し訳なさそうに。
「エレンのこと、疑ってほしくなかったから。背負わせてごめんね」
孤児院の「先生」としてのヒストリアは、エレンを調査兵団の兵器、人類を守る英雄として紹介した。それは、いまの壁の中を治める女王として必要な判断だ。
エレンもそれは重々承知しているようで、しかし、どこか納得のいかない顔だった。
何かと用事の多いアルミンが宿舎に戻ると、エレンはまだ起きていた。
幼馴染の表情から、ただならぬものを感じる。ままならない世の中への、怒りにも似た、やり場のない感情。
「そんなの、みんな知ってるよ。だけど、戦うつもりだよね」
「自分のために戦ってるだけだ……敵を倒して、自由になるために……」
エレンを動かすのは、自由への渇望と、それを許さない者への怒りだ。
アルミンたち、調査兵団の仲間は当然のように共感し、ともに戦ってきたが、果たしてそれは人類普遍のものだと言えるだろうか。
「壁の中の人たちは、エレンの自由がみんなの自由につながるって信じてる。エレンは違うの？」
このとき、エレンの瞳は、海よりも遠い、夜空の果てを眺めているとアルミンは感じた。
朝になって、アルミンは真っ先にヒストリアのところへ向かった。胸騒ぎがしてならなかった。
「ヒストリア。この先、エレンが何をしても……やっぱり、みんなを守る英雄だって言う……？」
「エレンが戦ってくれる限りは、そう言おうと思ってる。どうして？」
「……なんでもない。ヒストリアにも立場があるのは知ってるから」
アルミンには、エレンの未来にある道が、英雄的なものだとは思えなかった。飢えた獣のような感情が、あまねく人々の幸福になるとは限らないと、そう思われて仕方なかった。ただ、今は何もはっきり言うことができず、言葉を飲み込む。
「ここの子供たちはエレンを直接、見ているから。今はわからなくても、いつかは自分と同じ、迷ったり悩んだりする『人間』だって、理解できると思うの」
未来に生きる子供たちなら、エレンという人物のことを冷静に見られるだろうと、ヒストリアは信じているのだ。
牧場の朝のけだるい風は、アルミンの不安をただ揺らすだけで、答えを出してはくれなかった。
The world was made of lies and fiction. Because of the twisted history, many people were sacrificed.
From now on, what children will learn is the truth of the world and the story of the future.
As such, let's pass it down.
Everything that has happened until now, and the decisions we've kept secret.
A small world surrounded by walls. In this corner of the world, there's a farm reorganized into an orphanage.
Here, children called out to the young woman Historia, who modestly lives as a teacher:
"Hey, Historia-sensei. That guy Eren, can he really turn into a titan?"
"I know, I know. He turned into a titan in district Orvud and protected the townspeople!"
"Bullshit. He never helps around and he always daydreams, I saw it"
Next to the little boys who were busy making up rumors, a little girl grabbed Historia's hand.
"... When Eren's a titan, who does he eat?"
Her voice is slightly trembling. It's understandable. If we're talking about titans, they eat and kill people and are the absolute evil, that's what everyone inside these walls thinks.
"He doesn't eat people, you know. He uses his titan power to fight."
She said with a simple-minded, reliable voice.
"He might zone out from time to time, that's true. But please, trust in him"
Historia quietly smiled and gazed at the southern sky.
"Eeeh... So that's what the kids talked about"
Historia and her fellow comrades become soldiers who came to help at the orphanage.
After the kids fell asleep, while taking a simple meal, she informed them of the things that were said during the day.
"I'm... becoming a 'good titan who fights to protect everyone', huh"
The person at the center of the discussion seems to be perplexed.
"Besides, how do you even explain that. People think you're an unreliable fuck who gets everyone in the corps in trouble"
Historia nodded to Jean's harsh yet accurate words. Just a bit, she felt sorry for Eren.
"That's because I didn't want them to doubt him. Sorry for burdening you with that"
As the "teacher" of the orphanage, Historia introduced Eren as the Survey Corps' weapon, the hero that protects humanity. This was a necessary decision she made as the queen who governs the walls.
Eren also seemed to fully understand that, and yet, his lack of conviction showed on his face.
Armin came back after running some errands only to find Eren still up.
"Does Historia's story bother you?"
Judging from his childhood friend's expression, he sensed something alarming. An emotion similar to anger, directed at a world which was beyond his control, an emotion he had no outlet for.
"I'm not a hero or anything like that"
"We all know that. But, you're still fighting, aren't you"
"I'm just fighting for my own sake... Destroying the enemy, in order to be free..."
What motivates Eren is the longing for freedom, and his anger towards those he can't forgive.
Armin and co, everyone from the Survey Corps did sympathize with him and fight alongside him, but can we really call it something universal?
"I believe your freedom and that of everyone inside the walls are connected, Eren. Do you think otherwise?"
In that moment, Armin felt that Eren's eyes, more distant the ocean itself, were gazing at the limits of the night sky.
When morning came, Armin was the first to head over to where Historia was. He felt some uneasiness.
"Historia. From now on, no matter what Eren does... As I thought, you'll keep saying he is a hero that protects everyone...?"
"As long as he keeps fighting for us, I will keep saying that. Why?"
"...Nothing. You have your own viewpoint, I understand that"
For Armin, it didn't seem like Eren's future path would lead to heroic acts.
However, being unable to say anything for certain, he swallows his own words.
"...I'm simply teaching my own viewpoint. That is all"
Historia said with a soft, yet firm voice.
"The kids here have direct contact with Eren. They might not understand now, but someday when they lose their way or find themselves in trouble, they'll be able to understand what being human means. That's what I think."
The kids that will live in the future should be able to see the person called Eren with serenity/calm, that's what Historia believes.
"Ah, yeah. That's right..."
The morning breeze blowing across the meadow only shook Armin's anxiety (not sure if that means it made him even more anxious or if it shook it away lol), and he was unable to come up with an answer.
PS: This sentence「飢えた獣のような感情が、あまねく人々の幸福になるとは限らないと、そう思われて仕方なかった」 has me beat. Don't know what it means at all, no matter how hard I try to make sense of it. I can understand the beginning, "similar to feeling like a starving beast" and "he couldn't help but think that..." but I'm lost with あまねく人々の幸福になるとは限らないと. If any other person who can read Japanese could help I'd be grateful.
