KKM German Novel 9 (Japanese Volume 8) - Chapter 2 Part 1
Disclaimer: I do not own KKM series.
Notes:
1. It's the 8th book of the main plot line, and the 9th books according to German edition. The full name of this novel is "Chi ni wa MA no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!" or for short, "Chi MA."
2. Translated from German, cross-compared with the Chinese version provided here. Suggestions and corrections are most welcome.
3. Huge thanks to
tati_ai, who proofread and greatly improved my translation.
4. Please give due credit where it belongs. Please do not repost elsewhere.
Chapter 2 - Part 1
"Wait a minute!"
Stefan Van Baren, the elegant gentleman with short brown hair mixed with silver streaks, who also went by the nickname Fanfan, uttered a cry of surprise uncharacteristic for him.
"Mr. Sizemore, are you the one everyone calls “The sea monster,” the terror on the sea that all sailors are afraid of?"
"Oh, you embarrasse me. But in fact, in Shin Makoku’s Navy, there are only two men who bear the name of Sizemore. My younger brother and myself."
He was called "sea monster" mostly because of his hair, or the lack of it, but of course he could not mention that. Although Sizemore was a bear of a man, he was shy and could easily become embarrassed. He fleetingly ran his hand over his head. Sadly, all he could feel was the bare skin.
Friendship between a man and a man usually arises in unexpected circumstances.
Although one was an international businessman across all oceans, the other belonged to a race that had been an old enemy of the humans. It was natural to feel guarded against each other. However, that feeling had already disappeared.
"Then my family is in your debt," said Fanfan. "In the last war, a transport fleet was accidentally sunk by a Shimaron warship while crossing the international waters. It was an accident, but there were many civilian casualties. The Shimaron warship did not fulfill their obligation of rescuing the civilians... It was unbelievable. Even my grandmother would have been among the victims, but she was rescued by your ship. Later on, her nickname "unsinkable Fanfan" spread far and wide. Our family van Baren had indeed become invincible in the harsh competition among all marine transporters. My grandmother’s name is Vancil van Baren. She is the wife of Jefferson van Baren."
Sizemore rummaged through old memories.
"Ah, yes, I remember the lady. What a coincidence, it’s a small world after all."
"After you complete your mission, you must visit us. My grandmother would be very pleased."
"She is doing well? I am glad to hear that."
"Every day she would complain that she had to carry on her life as an old woman. But from my impression after listening to your story countless times, Mr. Sizemore, you have not changed one bit. Even your hair style is still the same. Is this the norm for seafarers?"
"Umm ---"
Friendship between a man and a man would also fall apart when they start paying attention to appearance.
While the competition was reaching its climax, Sizemore, Fanfan, Dacascos, and the quiet Chevalier were on their way to steal the forbidden box "The End of the Wind" from the temple adjacent to the arena. It was truly a reckless plan.
Lady Cecilie von Spitzweg, the Former Queen of Shin Makoku, and Flynn Gilbert, the wife of the late Lord of Caloria, Norman Gilbert, stayed behind and waited in the VIP area, leaving the men alone to discuss their problems with their wives and children to their hearts’ content. That’s what one would expect.
"Oh, my Cecilie. She is so wonderful, she's like a love goddess," purred Fanfan.
Yet for some unknown reason, Fanfan was praising Lady Cherie. Moreover, she was not a goddess, but a demon.
Young and having roughly the same build, Chevalier and Dacascos were carrying the wooden box covered with a green cloth to disguise it as a container of cold drinks. It was supposed to be the substitution for the forbidden box. One was the ultimate weapon of utmost brutality "The End of the Wind," the other was a plain and simple wooden box made by laymen during a boat trip.
The more one thought about it, the more dangerous the plan seemed to be.
The scalp of the faint-hearted Dacascos had become all dry because of nervousness, but the rest of them looked very calm, especially Fanfan. He was not a soldier accustomed to dangerous situations, but a businessman accustomed to a carefree life, yet he did not show the slightest trace of tension, and he even kept talking non-stop about his "beautiful love."
Then Lady Cherie, the love hunter, truly deserved all the praises for successfully capturing this brave and handy man.
"In my whole life, I've never met a lady so pure and beautiful, full of wisdom and the most tender love. She shows me what true love really is, a feeling I had never had before! I regret I hadn’t met her earlier, but still, I am truly the luckiest person in the world!"
But he would be the fourth luckiest person in Lady Cherie’s life.
"I heard that the women of the demon race are all very beautiful, but I believe she is the most beautiful of all. Even though I keep telling her so, she always feels there are women who are more beautiful than she is. To hear such humble words coming out of her lips, red like rose buds, I could not help but touch them. How in the world could there be such a pure heart? She is truly a lady with eternal youth and boundless modesty who knows not arrogance."
Fanfan praises went out of control. Sizemore felt as if a rash was spreading over his right side. Modesty? Madame Cherie?
"I also heard about another lady in your country who is as famous as Cecilie. It seems people use many alias for her because she is both feared and respected. The Red Devil, Shin Makoku’s Nightmare, Poison Lady Anissina. There must be a large number of men who succumbed to her charms."
Dacascos’ eyes teared up instinctively.
She was truly a devil, literally the same as her alias.
"I heard she has exceptional knowledge of literature and a very strong yearning for independence. What a lucky guy, who can win her hand in marriage."
Married to Lady Anissina von Kabernikoff? Maybe it was just the result of his own fear, but Dacascos thought His Excellency Gwendal, who had been bound to Lady Anissina since childhood, was very unfortunate. As for Sizemore, who had not had a taste of the Red Devil’s terror, he merely said: "Really?"
"The third lady... unfortunately has died quite young, long time ago. They say that instead of her, the three most beautiful demons in the kingdom now include a certain lady named Günter. Do you know about her? Well, no matter how beautiful she may be, surely she can’t compare to my spring breeze, my golden fairy. Moreover, it seems that this lady Günter is very eccentric. They say she has shaved her hair and entered a temple, and has strange behaviors such as wearing mask in public."
Alas, His Excellency Günter’s legend had spread to foreign countries! Dacascos could no longer stop his tears from overflowing. Maybe it was because of the dust inside the temple, but now even his nose was running.
"The deceased lady was said to be very close to one of Cecilie's sons," said Fanfan.
A strong admiration surged inside the two demon soldiers. It was unbelievable that Lady Cherie had told her lover about her past. She could still win the heart of one of the few richest businessmen in Shimaron, despite the fact that she was the mother of three sons. She totally owned up to her alias, the Hunter of Love.
Dacascos did not know about the relationship between a son of the former queen and one of the three top beauties of the Demon Empire, so he decided to hold his tongue. The elder and higher ranked Sizemore however was more familiar with the former princes. He had even interacted with the third son, the blond ex-prince, a few days ago. But he had no idea which one among the three had a close relationship with Lady Julia Susannah von Wincott.
"If I remember correctly, Lady Julia Susannah was engaged to His Excellency Adalbert von Granz. Who could have spread rumors about her and one of the ex-princes?"
"Oh, really? But there might be some truth in the rumors. My lovely fairy, the mother herself, told me that her second son, Lord Conrad, was to marry Lady Julia Susannah after the war ended."
"What? Lord Weller and Lady Julia Susannah were in a relationship?"
Lord Weller had always been popular with the ladies, whether as a brave and confident soldier before and during the war, or the sober man after it. It was true that his popularity with the ladies was enviable, but Sizemore would never have thought of him as someone who was capable of stealing the love of another man.
"Lord Weller and Lady Julia Susannah... Ah, really, we can’t judge a book by its cover..."
"It’s not a well known fact in your country? A marriage between these two would have made history. It doesn’t happen everyday for two big names to join together in marriage."
"Oh... ahh..."
God, what a keen interest Fanfan had with gossip from a foreign country. Sizemore couldn’t understand that. Of course the intimate details of other people’s love lives are exciting, but discussing their private life is so indecent and impolite.
"When I heard his name, I understood right away. Surely you know his father, Dan Hiri Weller?" Asked Fanfan.
"The first Lord of Ruttenberg,” said Sizemore.
"His position in his country might not be that of a king, but for the people from this area, he has become a legend."
"Really, he was certainly very popular with the ladies."
Fanfan glanced at the older demon, with a look as if to enlighten him.
"No, this is not about his love life. Dan Hiri Weller, the son of Glenn Gordon Weller, was a descendant of the three famous kings of the continent. It has been recorded in history. The two signs were also tattooed on his arms. After his expulsion from Shimaron, the officials announced that his royal bloodline was extinct. There were of course rumors that he had had a child oversea and had returned to the kingdom undetected. No one could verify the credibility of the rumors, but since he was a threat to the royal family of Big Shimaron, they have always been on the look out for his whereabouts."
"Lord Weller’s father carried the royal bloodline of the kings of Shimaron? Did Madame Cherie know this?"
"Well, it is possible that Cecilie had no knowledge. Dan Hiri Weller would not have revealed his true identity carelessly. His forefathers were forced to change their names and only managed to survive as prisoners. Weller is only part of the original family name. But the fact is that this legendary man has fathered a child with a demon, and if this child had married Lady Julia Susannah, a descendant of the Wincott, then ... "
"Then what?"
Sizemore swallowed, imagining terrible things to happen. Maybe the oceans would turn red, maybe the sea water would boil over in the blink of an eye. In any situation, his first thought would always be about the sea.
“Countries would be shaken.”
“You mean the oceans?”
Fanfan, putting on his “irresistible” smile that had proved to be invincible in business negotiations, casually responded:
“The oceans? Don’t they always shake...”
At that very moment, the deafening roar from the arena below interrupted their conversation. They had no idea the very person they were talking about, Lord Conrad Weller, had entered the arena as the third competitor from the enemy’s camp, much less that he was going to fight his own Lord, the one he once swore to serve, or that the match had been halted.
"In ancient times the Wincott family had ruled over the southern tip of this continent. Up until the battle against the Creator Gods, Wincott rulers were known to be beloved and respected by the people. If a descendant of the Wincott and one who carries the bloodline of the three kings had joined in marriage, and if a child had been born from this union, then for all the underground anti-Shimaron forces, he would be their ultimate hope, the ideal leader they were waiting for. Just imagining that much, I already feel excited. Wouldn’t it be great?"
If Lord Conrad Weller and Lady Julia Susannah had got married, their offspring would become the leader of the anti-Shimaron forces?
For someone who could only think of the different states of the oceans, whether it would be calm or stormy, Sizemore had long since stopped following the story. Perhaps Fanfan took his silence as agreement, as he cheerfully continued:
"Moreover, beside being extraordinary in all other aspects, the child would undoubtedly be a true beauty as well, seeing that the parents would be the grandson of the most handsome man of the continent, Glenn Gordon Weller, and one of the three top beauties of the Demon Empire.”
“Wait...”
Dacascos, carrying the box behind them, hesitantly asked:
“Could you be mistaking our three most powerful demon ladies as three top beauties?”
The prisoner of love however did not hear these words, as he had moved on to discuss the next beauty.
“Speaking of beauty, I heard that the sense of beauty of the demons have been completely changed from the ground up by their new head of state. I would really like to see that person for myself once."
"Probably our majesty is now fighting in the arena right below us."
"Really? She must be a truly brave queen. But I’m sure she still can’t compare to my Cecilie, loving and soft spoken like a little golden birdie."
Sizemore felt like scratching his right side until it bled. Dacascos, meanwhile, immediately memorized all of these beautiful words so that he could use them to flatter his wife later. “Your lovely voice sounds like thousands of crickets and beetles...”
After they ascended two narrow stairs, the group reached the top floor, forbidden to all outsiders. Along the way they had bribed three guards with a bottle of wine and four soldiers with money.
"It seems this is but a storage room. Is the box really here?" wondered Dacascos.
“It can’t be. The room isn’t even well guarded. We need to continue, and be prepared to fight." said Fanfan.
Sizemore wrinkled his nose while sniffing the musty air.
"But we're already at the top. I don’t think there is a stair to go further up."
"No, no. Not upward. Look, here! "
Fanfan was at a corner pointing to a small door at the end of the aisle. It looked just like a simple door in a common house, but there were five guards standing in front of it. That was an obvious hint, so to speak.
"From there, a staircase leads down again, because the Treasury is in the basement,” said Fanfan. “In that room they store all kinds of rare treasures, a collection of precious treasures from all over the world.”
Sizemore groaned loudly. Climbing all the way to the top floor, only to go back down to the basement? That would not happen to him at sea.
Notes:
1. It's the 8th book of the main plot line, and the 9th books according to German edition. The full name of this novel is "Chi ni wa MA no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!" or for short, "Chi MA."
2. Translated from German, cross-compared with the Chinese version provided here. Suggestions and corrections are most welcome.
3. Huge thanks to
tati_ai, who proofread and greatly improved my translation.
4. Please give due credit where it belongs. Please do not repost elsewhere.
Chapter 2 - Part 1
"Wait a minute!"
Stefan Van Baren, the elegant gentleman with short brown hair mixed with silver streaks, who also went by the nickname Fanfan, uttered a cry of surprise uncharacteristic for him.
"Mr. Sizemore, are you the one everyone calls “The sea monster,” the terror on the sea that all sailors are afraid of?"
"Oh, you embarrasse me. But in fact, in Shin Makoku’s Navy, there are only two men who bear the name of Sizemore. My younger brother and myself."
He was called "sea monster" mostly because of his hair, or the lack of it, but of course he could not mention that. Although Sizemore was a bear of a man, he was shy and could easily become embarrassed. He fleetingly ran his hand over his head. Sadly, all he could feel was the bare skin.
Friendship between a man and a man usually arises in unexpected circumstances.
Although one was an international businessman across all oceans, the other belonged to a race that had been an old enemy of the humans. It was natural to feel guarded against each other. However, that feeling had already disappeared.
"Then my family is in your debt," said Fanfan. "In the last war, a transport fleet was accidentally sunk by a Shimaron warship while crossing the international waters. It was an accident, but there were many civilian casualties. The Shimaron warship did not fulfill their obligation of rescuing the civilians... It was unbelievable. Even my grandmother would have been among the victims, but she was rescued by your ship. Later on, her nickname "unsinkable Fanfan" spread far and wide. Our family van Baren had indeed become invincible in the harsh competition among all marine transporters. My grandmother’s name is Vancil van Baren. She is the wife of Jefferson van Baren."
Sizemore rummaged through old memories.
"Ah, yes, I remember the lady. What a coincidence, it’s a small world after all."
"After you complete your mission, you must visit us. My grandmother would be very pleased."
"She is doing well? I am glad to hear that."
"Every day she would complain that she had to carry on her life as an old woman. But from my impression after listening to your story countless times, Mr. Sizemore, you have not changed one bit. Even your hair style is still the same. Is this the norm for seafarers?"
"Umm ---"
Friendship between a man and a man would also fall apart when they start paying attention to appearance.
While the competition was reaching its climax, Sizemore, Fanfan, Dacascos, and the quiet Chevalier were on their way to steal the forbidden box "The End of the Wind" from the temple adjacent to the arena. It was truly a reckless plan.
Lady Cecilie von Spitzweg, the Former Queen of Shin Makoku, and Flynn Gilbert, the wife of the late Lord of Caloria, Norman Gilbert, stayed behind and waited in the VIP area, leaving the men alone to discuss their problems with their wives and children to their hearts’ content. That’s what one would expect.
"Oh, my Cecilie. She is so wonderful, she's like a love goddess," purred Fanfan.
Yet for some unknown reason, Fanfan was praising Lady Cherie. Moreover, she was not a goddess, but a demon.
Young and having roughly the same build, Chevalier and Dacascos were carrying the wooden box covered with a green cloth to disguise it as a container of cold drinks. It was supposed to be the substitution for the forbidden box. One was the ultimate weapon of utmost brutality "The End of the Wind," the other was a plain and simple wooden box made by laymen during a boat trip.
The more one thought about it, the more dangerous the plan seemed to be.
The scalp of the faint-hearted Dacascos had become all dry because of nervousness, but the rest of them looked very calm, especially Fanfan. He was not a soldier accustomed to dangerous situations, but a businessman accustomed to a carefree life, yet he did not show the slightest trace of tension, and he even kept talking non-stop about his "beautiful love."
Then Lady Cherie, the love hunter, truly deserved all the praises for successfully capturing this brave and handy man.
"In my whole life, I've never met a lady so pure and beautiful, full of wisdom and the most tender love. She shows me what true love really is, a feeling I had never had before! I regret I hadn’t met her earlier, but still, I am truly the luckiest person in the world!"
But he would be the fourth luckiest person in Lady Cherie’s life.
"I heard that the women of the demon race are all very beautiful, but I believe she is the most beautiful of all. Even though I keep telling her so, she always feels there are women who are more beautiful than she is. To hear such humble words coming out of her lips, red like rose buds, I could not help but touch them. How in the world could there be such a pure heart? She is truly a lady with eternal youth and boundless modesty who knows not arrogance."
Fanfan praises went out of control. Sizemore felt as if a rash was spreading over his right side. Modesty? Madame Cherie?
"I also heard about another lady in your country who is as famous as Cecilie. It seems people use many alias for her because she is both feared and respected. The Red Devil, Shin Makoku’s Nightmare, Poison Lady Anissina. There must be a large number of men who succumbed to her charms."
Dacascos’ eyes teared up instinctively.
She was truly a devil, literally the same as her alias.
"I heard she has exceptional knowledge of literature and a very strong yearning for independence. What a lucky guy, who can win her hand in marriage."
Married to Lady Anissina von Kabernikoff? Maybe it was just the result of his own fear, but Dacascos thought His Excellency Gwendal, who had been bound to Lady Anissina since childhood, was very unfortunate. As for Sizemore, who had not had a taste of the Red Devil’s terror, he merely said: "Really?"
"The third lady... unfortunately has died quite young, long time ago. They say that instead of her, the three most beautiful demons in the kingdom now include a certain lady named Günter. Do you know about her? Well, no matter how beautiful she may be, surely she can’t compare to my spring breeze, my golden fairy. Moreover, it seems that this lady Günter is very eccentric. They say she has shaved her hair and entered a temple, and has strange behaviors such as wearing mask in public."
Alas, His Excellency Günter’s legend had spread to foreign countries! Dacascos could no longer stop his tears from overflowing. Maybe it was because of the dust inside the temple, but now even his nose was running.
"The deceased lady was said to be very close to one of Cecilie's sons," said Fanfan.
A strong admiration surged inside the two demon soldiers. It was unbelievable that Lady Cherie had told her lover about her past. She could still win the heart of one of the few richest businessmen in Shimaron, despite the fact that she was the mother of three sons. She totally owned up to her alias, the Hunter of Love.
Dacascos did not know about the relationship between a son of the former queen and one of the three top beauties of the Demon Empire, so he decided to hold his tongue. The elder and higher ranked Sizemore however was more familiar with the former princes. He had even interacted with the third son, the blond ex-prince, a few days ago. But he had no idea which one among the three had a close relationship with Lady Julia Susannah von Wincott.
"If I remember correctly, Lady Julia Susannah was engaged to His Excellency Adalbert von Granz. Who could have spread rumors about her and one of the ex-princes?"
"Oh, really? But there might be some truth in the rumors. My lovely fairy, the mother herself, told me that her second son, Lord Conrad, was to marry Lady Julia Susannah after the war ended."
"What? Lord Weller and Lady Julia Susannah were in a relationship?"
Lord Weller had always been popular with the ladies, whether as a brave and confident soldier before and during the war, or the sober man after it. It was true that his popularity with the ladies was enviable, but Sizemore would never have thought of him as someone who was capable of stealing the love of another man.
"Lord Weller and Lady Julia Susannah... Ah, really, we can’t judge a book by its cover..."
"It’s not a well known fact in your country? A marriage between these two would have made history. It doesn’t happen everyday for two big names to join together in marriage."
"Oh... ahh..."
God, what a keen interest Fanfan had with gossip from a foreign country. Sizemore couldn’t understand that. Of course the intimate details of other people’s love lives are exciting, but discussing their private life is so indecent and impolite.
"When I heard his name, I understood right away. Surely you know his father, Dan Hiri Weller?" Asked Fanfan.
"The first Lord of Ruttenberg,” said Sizemore.
"His position in his country might not be that of a king, but for the people from this area, he has become a legend."
"Really, he was certainly very popular with the ladies."
Fanfan glanced at the older demon, with a look as if to enlighten him.
"No, this is not about his love life. Dan Hiri Weller, the son of Glenn Gordon Weller, was a descendant of the three famous kings of the continent. It has been recorded in history. The two signs were also tattooed on his arms. After his expulsion from Shimaron, the officials announced that his royal bloodline was extinct. There were of course rumors that he had had a child oversea and had returned to the kingdom undetected. No one could verify the credibility of the rumors, but since he was a threat to the royal family of Big Shimaron, they have always been on the look out for his whereabouts."
"Lord Weller’s father carried the royal bloodline of the kings of Shimaron? Did Madame Cherie know this?"
"Well, it is possible that Cecilie had no knowledge. Dan Hiri Weller would not have revealed his true identity carelessly. His forefathers were forced to change their names and only managed to survive as prisoners. Weller is only part of the original family name. But the fact is that this legendary man has fathered a child with a demon, and if this child had married Lady Julia Susannah, a descendant of the Wincott, then ... "
"Then what?"
Sizemore swallowed, imagining terrible things to happen. Maybe the oceans would turn red, maybe the sea water would boil over in the blink of an eye. In any situation, his first thought would always be about the sea.
“Countries would be shaken.”
“You mean the oceans?”
Fanfan, putting on his “irresistible” smile that had proved to be invincible in business negotiations, casually responded:
“The oceans? Don’t they always shake...”
At that very moment, the deafening roar from the arena below interrupted their conversation. They had no idea the very person they were talking about, Lord Conrad Weller, had entered the arena as the third competitor from the enemy’s camp, much less that he was going to fight his own Lord, the one he once swore to serve, or that the match had been halted.
"In ancient times the Wincott family had ruled over the southern tip of this continent. Up until the battle against the Creator Gods, Wincott rulers were known to be beloved and respected by the people. If a descendant of the Wincott and one who carries the bloodline of the three kings had joined in marriage, and if a child had been born from this union, then for all the underground anti-Shimaron forces, he would be their ultimate hope, the ideal leader they were waiting for. Just imagining that much, I already feel excited. Wouldn’t it be great?"
If Lord Conrad Weller and Lady Julia Susannah had got married, their offspring would become the leader of the anti-Shimaron forces?
For someone who could only think of the different states of the oceans, whether it would be calm or stormy, Sizemore had long since stopped following the story. Perhaps Fanfan took his silence as agreement, as he cheerfully continued:
"Moreover, beside being extraordinary in all other aspects, the child would undoubtedly be a true beauty as well, seeing that the parents would be the grandson of the most handsome man of the continent, Glenn Gordon Weller, and one of the three top beauties of the Demon Empire.”
“Wait...”
Dacascos, carrying the box behind them, hesitantly asked:
“Could you be mistaking our three most powerful demon ladies as three top beauties?”
The prisoner of love however did not hear these words, as he had moved on to discuss the next beauty.
“Speaking of beauty, I heard that the sense of beauty of the demons have been completely changed from the ground up by their new head of state. I would really like to see that person for myself once."
"Probably our majesty is now fighting in the arena right below us."
"Really? She must be a truly brave queen. But I’m sure she still can’t compare to my Cecilie, loving and soft spoken like a little golden birdie."
Sizemore felt like scratching his right side until it bled. Dacascos, meanwhile, immediately memorized all of these beautiful words so that he could use them to flatter his wife later. “Your lovely voice sounds like thousands of crickets and beetles...”
After they ascended two narrow stairs, the group reached the top floor, forbidden to all outsiders. Along the way they had bribed three guards with a bottle of wine and four soldiers with money.
"It seems this is but a storage room. Is the box really here?" wondered Dacascos.
“It can’t be. The room isn’t even well guarded. We need to continue, and be prepared to fight." said Fanfan.
Sizemore wrinkled his nose while sniffing the musty air.
"But we're already at the top. I don’t think there is a stair to go further up."
"No, no. Not upward. Look, here! "
Fanfan was at a corner pointing to a small door at the end of the aisle. It looked just like a simple door in a common house, but there were five guards standing in front of it. That was an obvious hint, so to speak.
"From there, a staircase leads down again, because the Treasury is in the basement,” said Fanfan. “In that room they store all kinds of rare treasures, a collection of precious treasures from all over the world.”
Sizemore groaned loudly. Climbing all the way to the top floor, only to go back down to the basement? That would not happen to him at sea.