[Translation] Shuuen no Virche EpiC:Lycoris - Yves Encore Ending After Story
Source: Shuuen no Virche EpiC:lycoris Limited Edition Booklet
Note: Spoilers for Yves's Side End -Encore- below.
No matter what it blossoms into – Yves Encore Ending After Story
—As she desperately advanced, dragging the sheets along with her as she said that she didn’t want to die, my only thought was that, “I want to save her.”
‘We don’t have any place to go, and may even be risking our lives trying to escape.....But at the very least, we’ll probably be able to live longer than simply waiting here to be “used.”’
‘............I-I’ll go. I—want to see the Arpéchéle that those two protected with my own eyes as well.’
.....When she returned my grip with trembling fingertips, I became certain that I hadn’t been mistaken in what I had said.
‘—Alright, then it’s settled. .....From now on, let’s get along as good travelling companions and friends.’
This was the beginning of an adventure in a very small and confined country.
* * *
.....I had realized this through speaking with her, but it would appear that we had a stronger sense of separation from our previous selves compared to other relivers.
Normally, it should have been the case that no matter how much of one’s emotions were to fall away, you would recognise your previous and present selves as the same person. However.....
Although we thought of the original Yves and Ceres as us, we also considered them as strangers to be looked up to.
‘It’s kind of lonesome to not be able to think of yourself as you......I feel like I should apologise to my original self and Yves.’
‘............’
As we wandered down a deserted road for the time being, the two of us talked together about our memories and physical bodies.
Wearing the clothes we had somehow managed to procure after escaping from the research facility, her face seemed sad as she looked down.
‘Really? I’m actually really happy thinking about what the future might hold.’
‘Huh?’
‘I mean, back then, I genuinely thought that that was the end for me. But now I’ve been able to become friends with you again, and even get to do over our relationship right from the start.’
‘!’
‘What about you? .....Is it just anxiety you feel?’
Readjusting her oversized clothing, she looked up and vigorously shook her head no.
‘M-Me too.....I’m really glad that it was you that reached out a hand to me back then, Yves.’
‘Mm, I see. —In that case I’m sure the two of us will be just fine.’
‘Yes.....!’
With her energetic reply, she and I together took the first steps of our journey.
* * *
—That said, no journey would be possible without some prior preparation. Although the chaos had now settled and there was no longer as much interest in “Yves and Ceres”, it probably still wasn’t a good idea for us to boldly go out in the open to get the things we needed.
.....For that, we decided to turn to Adolphe, who was living on the city outskirts, almost as if he were in hiding.
Although, he was so surprised at our visit that he crumbled to the ground in shock—
After getting contact with Sister Salome, who was aware of our situation, he immediately put together provisions for our journey.
Black cloaks to hide our identities, and the clothes that she had previously worn. In addition to money, he gave us many things.
When I asked if it was really alright to receive so much as a farewell gift, considering that my feelings of friendship had faded, he smiled feebly and said, ‘This is my atonement for not being able to save you two.’
Once Adolphe and Sister Salome had seen us off, the first place we went to was Courrune, the place I supposed I could call my home.
.....It was clean because Adolphe and the others had continued to look after it, but nonetheless still had the air of a place that obviously hadn’t been lived in for a long time.
‘The fish that used to be here—Puffy, that is...Adolphe was saying that he’d set him free but.....I wonder if he’s swimming around in the ocean right about now?’
‘Yes, I’m sure he’s having a great time. He was a smart little guy, so I can’t imagine him ever getting sucked into the Sea of Death.’
Remembering the fish that had been our constant companion, we entered the house.
.....Naturally, there was no one there.
‘As I thought, Hugo—really isn’t here after all, haha.....’
'Yves.....’
There was a strained smile on my face as I remembered him, the man who had died in a place that I didn’t know.
......Right now, I felt as if I could understand how Adolphe felt.
‘The three of us in my memories—seemed to have had a really good time together. Laughing and talking it up, sometimes getting into trouble....drinking together with our buddies in the self defense squad. Hugo did say he felt awkward around you, but I think that was all it was.....I do think he enjoyed the time all three of us spent together.’
‘.....I hope that was the case.’
‘.....I’m sure of it. Let’s believe in him.’
With the same timing, we both put our hands together and offered up a prayer.
‘—Let’s go. I don’t want to cause any damage to the memories of those three here.’
‘…..Yes.’
The slight bang of the door shutting behind us echoed out, sounding lonely.
Unexpectedly, no pursuers from the research facility had come after us. Did that mean Scien had decided we were of no further use to him?
…..Or perhaps he was intentionally letting us roam free with some kind of objective in mind—
I didn’t understand what he was thinking, but after that we continued to travel around to many different places, with our memories as our guide.
The square we had once played in with the children, the marché the two of us had often done our shopping at, the self defence squad’s station, the mansion where Mathis lived, the hideout that was Ankou’s dwelling—.
The memories overflowed at each place we went to, making us feel the significance of what they had protected.
‘We were put into some pretty desperate situations because of the malice of the people of this country. But when it comes right down to it, I don’t regret my decision. …..I’m really glad I was able to protect the people important to us.’
‘…..Me too. Because I was with you, Yves, I wasn’t afraid of anything.’
‘Heheh, same here.’
Smiling as we reminisced on the affection between those two, we continued to advance down an arduous path.
The reason we had come this far out wasn’t to put distance between us and other people…..
‘…..We made it. This is the place Ankou told us about.’
As the wind blew, we came out of the forest and the view before us widened out all at once.
What was reflected in our artificial eyes in the next instant was—
‘A field of red lycoris—’
‘It’s so beautiful…..!’
The miracle flower that only bloomed in a single corner of Arpéchéle.
…..It was the proof that the curse was gradually coming undone after the sacrifice of Yves and the others.
‘They really are blooming…..! Red lycoris flowers, just like the one my uncle made as a hair ornament—!’
—…..As I spoke, tears sprang spontaneously from my eyes.
‘…..O-Oh…how strange. As I am now, I shouldn’t still have the emotions I had back then-’
Why?
‘The tears keep flowing, and I can’t stop them…..’
‘…..Yves.’
Tears were also falling from her eyes as well as she stood beside me.
—“If only I could have seen this in a different way”
I could tell that was what the memories within me were screaming.
‘…..…….Yves.’
Just like before, she held out her hand to me.
…..After lightly brushing the tears away, I took her hand without hesitation.
The vividly coloured lycoris swayed.
—Live.
Feeling as if the flowers that were her brethren were encouraging me with all their might—I nodded.
‘No matter what kind of relationship we end up having in the future. …..Let’s come see these flowers again and again….hundreds of times over. —Not just for their sake, but so we can create many more memories for ourselves.’
‘…..Yes. I’m so happy I was able to see this flower field with the current version of you, Yves. No, I suppose I'm happy just to be able to see this with "Yves"…..From the bottom of my heart, I’m glad to be alive.’
‘…..Yeah, me too. Back when I first met you, and the person you are now…I love all of you!’
As we smiled at each other like children, I became certain of it seeing the look on her face. No, I would make a vow of it.
‘I’ll always be with you, princess of the lycoris. Even with my physical body and memories gone— so long as I am “Yves”, it will forever be my destiny to walk at your side.’
No matter what happened in the future, even if it meant making the world my enemy—I would continue to be your protector.
—I swear it on the beautiful red lycoris that their courage made bloom.
(This thing is utterly unhinged but then so am I today, thanks to finally starting Scien's post-Salvation epilogue. Vague spoilers for Virche Evermore and Virche Evermore: EpiC Lycoris)
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The love doesn't change, only the circumstances.
The man who tells Ceres "If the world doesn't forgive you, I will" in that timeline and "I'm glad you became my specimen" in another? They are one and the same. The gestures change, but stem from the same practiced lines of code thrumming away in his memory bank.
It could all go awry so, so easily: a single choice unraveling an entire world of possibilities. If Ceres flees from him that night he confessed his sins, if she stubbornly arrives at his doorstep with sandwiches the next day. It all hinges on one decision.
Rewind. Here, a chance: if Ceres' dagger had hit its fragile target.
Somewhere out there, in a parallel world, perhaps Scien was the one who found her. Cold, sad, the ground beneath her softened with blood and rain. Where would his constant striving lead him then?
Rewind again, fast-forward: here he is drowning in grief, the memory of Ceres' smile warping his brain. Rewind yet again, play. Now he is coldly drawing blood samples from her in the same room where, in another life, he confessed "You will be the one I fall in love with."
Only one person remembers all these possibilities, an outside observer who can only let this world play on.
Pause.
These circumstances are not unique to them. Ceres' existence is a tangled one, meshed with five other men's in a mesh of despair and love and hope. All are worth thought and affection. And yet.
Continue? Yes.
This outside observer lingers here. Like an irresistible pull, they replay this particular story again and again, in all its permutations: God and Death, the branded saints, husband and wife, widower and lost love, scientist and specimen, and finally, finally, Scien and Ceres. Somehow, the hypothesis of "love" holds, even if the variables change each time. It's intoxicating, maddening in the best way.
Yes, Scien and Ceres' love is beyond the bounds of reality, one that could only happen in this island cursed by Death, in this static-not-static sequence of ink and paper, zeroes and ones, trapped in an endless cycle of story. There are no miracles in "this world". Or perhaps there are six miracles, guided by choices and circumstances into their own flowering branches in the metaphorical sun.
This outside observer suspects there's a bit of madness at work, to be so singularly focused on one miracle of storytelling in particular, but then what is love if not a chemical reaction akin to madness, transformed into something more than itself?
Continue?
(Even if you've seen it before? Even if the changes are small? Even if Scien and Ceres are the same? Even if they're broken more than ever? Even if your brain, constantly thinking, seems to find something new in the narrative's mechanisms every time, never stopping? Even if you yearn to put this feeling into words, this formless thing that may well be yours only?)
