27 May 2017

Genjitsushugi Yuusha no Oukokusaikenki. Arc 4 Chapter 1 A

Translator Corner
Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!

Decided to include Author note, since I am of a medical profession. If you have painful wisdom tooth because of wisdom tooth impaction, please consult with a dentist.

I still can’t make Roroa accent right… Hmmm…

DISCLAIMER: There is no guarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I was wrong.

Author:
Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)
Translator:
Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor:
So-Chintzy

Enlightenment Arc
Chapter 1: A Tale of Two Cities[1] A

Author Note: The story this time is short. Due to my wisdom tooth, I couldn’t concentrate at all…… I wish that it would get well soon.

Today I have to run an errand near the castle, so……(Souma)

It was morning. As always, I was having a breakfast with my four fiancées, inside my room when I mentioned this.

Can someone go along with me?(Souma)
Is it a job?(Liscia)

I nodded at Liscia’s question.

Sadly so. Since it’s an important case, I want to see to it personally.(Souma)
I see…… Then, I will be going. What about everyone else?(Liscia)

Liscia brought this matter up with the other three (I could already feel her influence as the First Queen Consort), the first one, Roroa made an “X” mark atop her head with her hand.

Too bad. I cannae go. Since Darling had entrusted th’ negotiations wi’ th’ Merchant Guild.(Roroa)
About the matter of transforming the slave merchants into civil servants?(Souma)
Aye. Darling micht had once transformed th’ scrap metal merchants to “resaikel duty”[2] as civil servants, but this time it wonnae be that smooth. Since th’ scrap metal merchants are lik’ trash picker from th’ start, thay were nae guild’s members. Althoogh slave merchants are looked down as lowly just th’ same, thay are properly registered at the Merchant Guild. If thay are separated from th’ guild and then are under th’ country’s control, this will be th’ same as Monopolizing the slave trade ye see.(Roroa)

While saying this, Roroa took a bottle of salt, that was placed on the table. into her hand.

It was different from th’ salt or iron, but it’s th’ first time I’ve heard about monopolizing slaves. Slaves aren’t ‘local procure, local use’ goods, aye? Of course, thay also came from other countries. Transforming slave merchants into civil servants means that it will also prevent th’ flow of this trade from the other countries. As a civil servant, thay would’ve a guaranteed income, but they wonnae earn any profit. Hence, th’ slave merchants who want to earn profits will move to other countries. There will also be those who will oppose. But it is Darling’s wish to curtail th’ slavery……(Roroa)

…… Well, that’s true. It’s different when it’s about the crime slaves that were serving their manual labor penalties, but selling women or children as slaves to reduce the number of mouths to feed or the fact that that the child of a slave was also a slave... I really want to put an end to these kinds of old-fashioned practices at once. It’s not just from a humanistic point of view, but also to increase the prosperity of the country as a whole.

Even if it’s just th’ domestic crime slaves and property slaves, it’s unknown whether or not it will satisfy th’ demand…… Really, it’s troublesome.(Roroa)
……So, is it as difficult as expected?(Souma)

When I asked her, Roroa nodded her head.

Uun, I can dae this. I want to see th’ post-slavery world that Darling had mentioned. Where everyone can earn money, use it, and circulate it in th’ economy. That kind of world.(Roroa)

I had taught a portion of my world’s economic history to the ever-clever Roroa. Because of the technological innovations, it would be possible to mass produce goods, create a demand for a market where those goods could be sold, resulting in further effects on the asset-less slaves’ positions, and how these events lead to the slaves’ emancipation. This kind of story. Of course, I know that there were people who waged war under the ideology that all humans should be equal. For the slaves that had persevered to win their freedom, they didn’t have any disposition to deny the efforts of the people who wished for freedom.

It was just, somehow when I saw the story of that age, I felt the powerlessness of humans, No matter what kind of system it is, in the end, is it suitable for that age or not?. Napoleonic Wars or the US’s Civil War (it was called a war for slave emancipation, but the truth is that the Union Army had adopted Slave Emancipation to garner support, so they wouldn’t be defeated by the Confederate Army)[3] the end result was that these wars pushed the emancipation of slaves forward[4], or that was what I had heard…… right. No matter how splendid an idea is, if it doesn’t suit that age, then it will be crushed. Even after the slavery system ended, in the next age, the conflict between the capitalists and the workers was waiting. However, Roroa saw a frontier in my stories.

It may be a bit pushy, but if th’ Empire makes th’ first step, then we can dae it. If the influential half of th’ continent, nay, th’ humanity side, reduces th’ slavery, it should be difficult for others to oppose it. Then, th’ matter of the shortage of labor, though the turn is reversed from Darling’s story, we could only compensate it with technological development. This is Darling’s work.(Roroa)
Yeah. That is my objective. Leave it to me.(Souma)
I’ll be waitin’. Since I also will dae what I can dae.(Roroa)
I’ll counting on you.(Souma)
Mufufu~. Say it more.(Roroa)

Our arms were tightly linked. For this kind of matter, Roroa was really reliable. So, Roroa couldn’t accompany me, but what about Aisha or Juna-san? I looked in their directions.

I am terribly sorry, but I need to prepare for the next music program, so I can’t go with you.(Juna)
I-I had been asked to accompany the new soldiers’ training…… Of course, if Your Majesty says the word, then I will discard the other arrangements and will accompany you.(Aisha)
It’s alright. No need to push yourself. Hmm…… Well then……(Souma)

The matter this time is something where I don’t wish to take too many people with me. Since “that side” will be cautious of the number of people. On the other hand, as expected, I will be uneasy if I don’t take any bodyguards with me. With Liscia going with me…… Well, rather than an unskilled bodyguard, Liscia’s fighting strength is surely higher, right? The Black Cats Squad is assigned to gather intelligence in the other countries right now, so there are no personnel left for bodyguard duty. If possible, I want to personally take either Aisha, as the strongest one, or Juna-san, who could gather intelligence. Then,

Your Majesty. May I have a permission to present a counsel?(Serina)

The Chief Maid, Serina-san, who was waiting near the wall, bowed with a refined demeanor.

Serina-san? What is it?(Souma)
If Your Majesty is searching for a bodyguard, then I have someone that I wish to recommend.(Serina)
Fumu. Who is that person?(Souma)
Your Majesty’s martial arts instructor, Owen-dono.(Serina)
Gugh…… That jii-san[5], Owen, huh……(Souma)

Owen Javana, a noble who is the Head of the Javana House and also a military veteran. He has a tremendously zealous and honest temperament and I appreciate him for his direct and frank speech. Currently, he is my advisor and martial arts instructor. A “Gahaha”-type of jii-san. Well, if it is that jii-san, his combat prowess is dependable and he might be bored when I’m not here …… When I was pondering this, Serina continued.

Also, Your Majesty may freely take Carla-san from the Maid Squad.(Serina)
Eh!?(Carla)

The one who let out that yell was not me, but the surprised Carla who was standing beside Serina.

She might be officially part of the Maid Squad, but her position is Your Majesty’s slave. Isn’t this an occasion, where we can put this meat sh-…… cart-horse to work?(Serina)
Head Maid!? Were you just going to say meat shield!? Or rather, I think you correcting it to cart horse is also quite terrible!(Carla)
……(immediately taking out a whip used for maid-training)(Serina)
Hiiii!? I will be working with all of my body and soul!(Carla)

Carla made a bow. It was as if she had been completely domesticated.

Th-then, I will be relying on you.(Souma)
A-……As your wish. Master.(Carla)

With this, the members who will follow me to the city will be Liscia, Owen, and Carla. I wonder why….. Just by selecting those people, I suddenly feel tired. Give me a break.[6]

◇ ◇ ◇

Gahaha, This one[7] is very happy to be taken along as a bodyguard! Your Ma-(Owen)
Sssst! Owen…… How many times do I tell you not to call Your Majesty in the city like this?(Souma)
Ulps, please excuse this one.(Owen)

Owen-dono laughed in such easygoing manner that it made my head hurt. Even Liscia made a wry smile when she looked at me.

Under the broad daylight, Liscia, Owen, Carla and I were walking in the middle of the city. Since we were travelling incognito and didn’t want to be too overt, we didn’t use a carriage and were going on foot instead.

…… It’s just that, even though we should be travelling incognito, we were strangely conspicuous. It was because I, who was wearing the travelling garb of a Northwind Youngster[8], which was now the standard garb for me when travelling incognito these days, Liscia, who was wearing the Academy’s uniform like she wore when we first visited the city, the maid outfit-wearing dragonewt Carla, and a Macho jii-san, who was wearing an adventurer-like light armor, were walking side by side. What’s with this messy mishmash that was all over the place. It wouldn’t be strange for passerby to unconsciously take a second look at us.

Even a temporaryily assembled party would have a more matching feel……(Souma)
Then, wouldn’t it be better for Souma to wear an Academy uniform like before? Then, Owen-dono’s appearance would surely look like a practical skill teacher.(Liscia)
If you said it like that, then Liscia should have an adventurer-like appearance, so we would be seen as a party, right?(Souma)

While we were talking, we looked at the dragon maid who was walking behind us.

W-what!? Both of you are looking at me.(Carla)
……In any scenario, Carla will be out of place.(Souma)
……You’re right.(Liscia)
Aren’t theboth of you being too cruel!?(Carla)

Carla might raise her voice to protest, but…… She was wearing a maid outfit after all. Of course, we had planned for her to wear a different attire, but Serina firmly refused it. Carla’s maid outfit was not the typical long-skirted classic type, but the frilly dress-type (or rather, it could be called the maid-café type). To order her to walk in the middle of the street wearing those clothes, Serina-san was really a super-sadist.[9] Even Carla had been completely flushed red due to shyness for awhile now……

By the way, Your-…… Kazuya-dono. Is this road, really the correct direction?(Owen)

Owen asked, slightly bewildered.

Hmm? Yes, it’s the correct one…… Is something wrong?(Souma)
No, but if this one’s memory serves right, this road will lead to……(Owen)
Ah! …… It’s true. This is the way to……(Liscia)

It seems Liscia had realized something and didn’t complete her words…… Ah, so that’s the reason.

This is the way to the former slums.(Souma)
Yes. That is not a place where someone like Kazuya-dono or the Princess should go.(Owen)

Even in the Capital City, there was a dark side. In the large population, there were those who were successful in their businesses, people were neither affluent nor poor, and those who had failed. There was a place where, the people who had failed, but who didn’t fall so far down that they were enslaved, drifted away into and spent their lives barely being able to earn money for the daily essentials one way or another. That place was the slums. There were many shanty-like houses, the hygiene situation was bad, diseases were rampant, where people gathered about without looking at each others’ origins, and so it was infested with crimes. That kind of place.

Well, that’s an old story though.(Souma)
It’s different now?(Liscia)
…… It might be quicker if you see it for yourself. At any rate, when we go to have an inspection in the slums,(Souma)

I made a gesture as if my hand was holding a hose-like object.

There is someone who will be strangely energetic, shouting “Filth will get sterilized!”(Souma)

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽


That’s one chapter down. 3 more to go!
Another quirky character will appear!




[1] 二都市物語 I think it might be a reference to Charles Dickens’ Novel of the same name (二都物語 in Japan).
[2] Roroa said it as : りさいくるwhich shows that she consider the word or concept of “Recycle” as foreign.
[3] Before any US citizens protest, the circumstances surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation, the political tension between the Copperhead Democrats, War Democrats and Republican which then swooped onto the victory in the 1862 Election, and how the Proclamation gained the Union the support of anti-slavery countries and countries that had already abolished slavery (especially the developed countries in Europe), which ended the Confederacy's hopes of gaining official recognition, could be read in any US history textbook. In any case, the Civil War was not all about Slave Emancipation, but more about the unity of the US. At least, that was the impression that I as a foreigner got. [E/N: As an American citizen, Yukkuri’s right about that. They simplify it as “slavery is bad so WAR!!” in elementary school, but they later hammer it into students that “The Civil War was about keeping the nation together, the South was not as industrialized as the North & didn’t want to be, etc. etc.” in middle/high school. The main cause was economic reasons: tariff laws & such. It was the mere possibility of slavery being outlawed that made the South secede: their entire economy depended on slave labor & they were incredibly resistant to being industrialized like the North.]
[4] The Congress of Vienna conducted after theNapoleonic Wars condemned the slave trade. Several years since then, major European countries began to abolish slavery both in the home-country and/or in the colonies. By 1861, most of the European and American countries had banned and abolished slavery.
[5] Jii-san means grandfather. Also a way to call an elderly man (a middle-aged man will be os-san). In English will be “Gramps”.
[6] Yareyareda.
[7] Owen uses soregashi. An obsolete humilific pronoun used by Samurais. It means: a certain object or person. It’s really hard for me to find a nice translation of it into English since English doesn’t employ that many variants of pronouns.
[8] Kitakaze kozou, 北風小僧. Which Referring to 北風小僧の寒太郎 (Kitakaze Kozou no Kantarou) a Japanese children’s Enka song: https://youtu.be/eZpiVKywnEs
Something like this
[9] do-S. do means super, very, extremely, while S is Sadistic. This refers to a stereotypical character who likes to cause suffering in others as they enjoy their victims’ reaction to it. Example: Okita Sougo from Gintama. Imagine a Tsundere, without any dere-dere, only tsun-tsun.

35 comments:

  1. >Due to my wisdom tooth
    How old is the author?!

    >By 1861, most of the European and American countries had banned and abolished slavery
    Fun fact, Brazil was the latest western country to abolish slavery.

    >Carla’s maid outfit was not the typical long-skirted classic type, but the frilly dress-type
    Tooru-chan?

    Yukkuri-sama, please post somewhere else(or here if you prefer) a chapter version without Roroa's accent, sometimes it's really hard for a non-native english speaker to understand what she says.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps early 20s? The MC is an university student, so I think the author is the same, Humanities student, perhaps history or economy?

      I prefer Kanna... But it just my taste.

      Delete
    2. No worries, everyone prefer Kanna, but given Carla has JK feeling, so Tooru-chan image is stronger XD

      Delete
  2. Yukuri please help me I can't find the chapter that justified Soma going to Turg after going to the dragon mountain peak.

    Also thanks for the translation always better reading translated works than using MTL and my mediocre knowledge with Nihngo well I did fail that subject 3 times.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm? It should be there.
      Aw... Googlecache had been purged...

      Delete
    2. So that means those part can never be seen our do you have other source.

      Delete
    3. Hmm... I got old TXT save.
      This is the reason why you should save all interesting novel.

      Delete
    4. Can I have a copy, if not then I'll just wait for the TL

      Delete
    5. You can search PDF version around the google. I think i've seen some sites have whole volume 1 and 2 PDF-ed, and volume 3 90% PDF-ed.

      Delete
    6. I already have those were referring to the OLD raws which some parts are missing.

      Delete
  3. Thanks for the chapter part... I really like the talk...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think you're trying a bit too much on her Kansai dialect.
    I know what you mean though, I've read before how other translator used another accent that is not to heavy for kansai dialect, but even I've forgotten how it goes.

    on a side note, yeah there's nothing wise about wisdom tooth.
    hurts like hell for days

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's just that... Kansai speaker sounds really really different from Tokyo speaker. If you can know Japanese, you can spot a Kansai speaker from miles away. Also, Kansai speaker (especially Osaka) are used in stereotypical money-crunching merchant (Osaka is a major port city)
      The different is much more greater than American English, British English and Australian English combined.
      Scottish English sounds quite different from Standard English so I was aiming for it... but, I just lack the capability to render the difference in beautiful yet comprehensible way...

      Delete
  5. please tone down the dialect its unreadable because of it.
    also its ruin the flow of the story when i read it.

    bro ngebaca aksen roroa jadi pengin ngebanting laptop

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kalau terjemahin ke bahasa Indo, logat Roroa bakalan dibikin logat Batak...

      Delete
    2. Eh... sampai saat ini saya terjemahin pake bahasa gaul xD

      Delete
  6. That last bit reminded me of Bakugou shouting "DIE YOU BACTERIA FUCKS, DIE!"

    Thanks for the chapters!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have no clue what Roroa just said. Something with monopoly and guilds... maybe? Who knows. Could you have an translator note or something with her speech unaccented?

    I understand what you are trying to do, but Osaka is like a few blocks away from Tokyo in comparison to Scotland and USA or Australia and Britain. I feel that there is more exposure to the differing accents for Japanese speakers in comparison to English speakers.... meaning i feel your making it more complicated than needed.


    Do they spell words differently with different kanji?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The difference was really marked, not only on the phonology but also on the grammar.
      To lazy to copy paste, please read the Wikipedia article:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansai_dialect

      Hence why I choose Scottish English as it still intelligible to English but have distinctive pronunciation, grammar, expressions, and vocabulary.

      Delete
    2. Try to read this:
      https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

      Delete
  8. About the civil war. The war started based on states rights vs federal powers.

    The southern states felt the federal government had to much control, over their state. They left British rule because they wanted to control their own governement and not have someone else tell them what to do. They felt disconnected from the government because Lincoln won the election.

    .


    The southern states felt the state had more power while the northern states felt the federal government held the most power. The southern states split from the union and made their own country, the confederacy and they elected their own president.

    The union states felt this action was a rebellion, that citizens unlawfully took government land. So they sent troops to establish the dominance of the federal government, and take back control over the lands the confederacy took. The Union felt once they showed their strength the confederacy would give up.

    The confederacy blocked those troops to show they meant business and to show how strongly they wished to split from the union. Their side felt that once they showed their strength the union would give up.

    Both sides felt the war would be short and that the lives lost wouldn't be that bad. The union thought everything would go back to normal, the federal government would be the law of the land, and the confederacy felt their country would be recognized and trade and diplomacy between the two would be great.

    The war turned out horribly, Lincoln came out with the emancipation proclamation to justify the continuation of the war and the reason for all those lives lost during the war. The confederacy took on the ideology of northern invaders to justify the continuation of the war.

    Now schools simplify this period as anti slavery and pro slavery movements when Lincoln had no plans to abolish slavery from southern states when the war started.

    ReplyDelete
  9. While it might be how the author wrote Roroa, there was never really any in-universe justification for her accent, was there?

    It seems like just a character trait for the sake of making her more of an oddball. No one else from her country was given an accent, so at least when it comes to suspension of disbelief, Roroa being a princess with a really strong accent that no one else has, least of all her family or countrymen, is really jarring.

    I think you'd be completely justified in reeling her accent back drastically. Frankly I would say to eliminate it entirely, but maintaining some kind of speech quirk so as not to completely disregard the author's vision of the character is also something to be considered.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the accent that merchant use in that world, she actual turn it off later you will see other merchant have that accent and there will be time she actual use normal accent.

      Delete
    2. I can't ignore the dialect. There is a reason why the author use Kansai dialect on the character, so I try to capture the quirkiness as much as I can.

      Delete
  10. Please no more the accent.

    ReplyDelete
  11. While getting rid of slavery is nice and noble of him, I do feel the way he's going about it was poor. He should have instead done the transformation far more slowly; such as working with a few slave traders to begin training King-approved slaves that are instantly "reserved" upon completion of their training and then given jobs, with the option to work off their slave contract that way.

    That way, it avoids outright conflict with the slave traders, ensures that the otherwise free individuals are not leeching off the system, keeps the people going into slavery productive while providing some security for them, and if the slaves do not-unreasonable work under Souma, would likely end up freeing themselves by buying out their contract and still have a job to work.

    Basically, foster the "hard working man" ideology while they're slaves, but able to buy their own freedom after getting comfortable with their work station. And if they do not feel confident about their freedom yet, they would still be supported directly as part of the master/slave contract. Rather than just being trained but then have no jobs to take because there's a lack of need in one sector than the other.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You mean create model slaves first for publicity? Something like what Roland, from Release that Witch, is doing right now to the serfs?

      Delete
  12. US civil wars is also a war to get the right to print money if you are looking at the backer.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So stupid yo souma to forgat that Carla is not just an average maid and what the heck you do what serina say,aren't you the fucking king ?

    ReplyDelete
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