faelicy

[faelicy]

I SAW ANNOUCMENT ON TWITTER!!! FAELICY/LILY ITS BEEN AN HONOUR READING UR STUFF AND IT WILL BE AN HONOUR BUYING IT

Hi everyone!

I'm sure many of you saw the announcement yesterday, but yes, in case you didn't know, SVSSS (along with MDZS and TGCF) has officially been licensed by SevenSeas for an official English version! The first volume of each will be releasing Dec. 7th, 2021.

This is the site with all the information (including how to pre-order and a comprehensive FAQ):

https://sevenseasdanmei.com/ Suika also tweeted a great little explanation yesterday: https://twitter.com/yummysuika/status/1422968206420021253 As many of you might have seen, Lily and I are indeed the official translators for this release as well! The chapters we've already posted will go through a professional editing process to tighten up the prose and readability, and we'll be finishing up the entire rest of the novel (including every single extra, uncensored). If you guys enjoyed our translations, and love SVSSS or MXTX, please check out these books! Each volume (of 4) will come with exclusive cover art and beautiful insert illustrations by the talented Xiao. Of course, since we've sold the rights of our translations to SevenSeas, we've had to take them down as of an hour ago. This blog won't be abandoned, however: the tl notes and meta will still remain up, and when the dust settles I do want to get back into writing more! We've also been given blessings to do teasers, even. We'll see how the schedule pans out. In the end, thank you all of you guys for being so patient, and sticking with this fan project for so long! It couldn't have happened without your support. See you around soon, and hopefully in December!

-fae

[faelicy]

Hiatus Update and Expected Timeline

Hello everyone, sorry for the silence here lately. It's been a while since the last translation update, and the reason is because I'm currently in the home stretch of writing and editing a research paper that will be my biggest academic contribution so far.

Originally I hadn't said anything because I'd wanted to sneak out some time to translate and edit future chapters (Lily's even sent me a couple), but as the months have dragged on I think it's quite likely that until this thing is submitted for publication, I simply won't have the energy or mindspace to give each chapter the attention and care I think it deserves.

So apologies to everyone who's been waiting for an update, I promise I'll be back soon. At the very latest the translation will restart mid-February, after the submission deadline. Then I can properly devote myself to fannish things again, including answering all the pending asks.

Thank you for all the concern and even donations; we definitely haven't abandoned this project. See you guys soon!

-fae

[faelicy]

Hi! I'm sorry to bother you about this but would you happen to know of anyone who's finished translating 2HA?

Unfortunately, I only vaguely know about an edited MTL doc floating about from approximately half a year back? But you’d have to ask around for it because it caused some fandom drama when it first surfaced. As far as I know the only human translation project is still Suika and Rynn’s ongoing one.

[faelicy]

I haven't read the novel, is SV an 'enemies to lovers' type of story?

...No, I feel like that label would definitely be false advertising. But they do have huge conflict between them, and one of them plays an antagonistic role for most of the story, if that’s what you were curious about.

[faelicy]

Hi! Sorry if this is a stupid question but where can I find your SV translation? And did you translate the whole novel or the extras? Because I wanted to start reading the novel but I don't know where to find the link to it on your page. TYSM!!!

Oh no, this is what I get for not using a different color for hyperlinks. I’ve updated the header and hopefully it’s much more obvious now!

Currently the project is still ongoing but the entire main novel + some of the extras will all be translated by us.

[faelicy]

Hi there!! it came to my attention you´re translating svsss and i was wondering which version you're translating, the old one or the updated version?? sorry if i'm a bother, i was just curious. Hope you're having a nice day!! <3

Both BCnovels and ours are based off the updated version, partially because I think the writing is quite a bit better, but more importantly that’s the only version that can be obtained legally. Any old versions of the text are pirated, and while SV currently has accessibility issues (unless you’re willing to internationally ship the hard copies), I think as a fan translator working from the source, I at least owe the author to legally own what I’m distributing.

[faelicy]

Hi there!! Thank you so much for translating SVSSS! I was just curious if you were planning to create an epub of the translation when you were done?

Hello, and you’re welcome! I’ve answered a similar ask here: the short answer is, it’s very likely but might take some time. 

[faelicy]

Hi! I'm new to the fandom and have yet to read the novel but I jumped into reading fics straightaway and now I'm a little confused. Could you please tell me about LBH and his harem? Does he have it for the sake of appearances and is he a virgin like all the other protgonists from MXTX's novels or does he sleep with his concubines? Sorry that I have to ask you but reading fics didn't really clear things up to me :D because SQQ seems to think he does but that could be miscommunication. TYSM!!!

Hello, and hmm, this is why I never recommend consuming fanworks before the canon, because the details on what is actually canon get muddled very quickly. Not only that, when you do read the novel your comprehension will be strongly influenced by the characterizations within those fics.

The truth is, as a fandom ages, the characterizations will inevitably drift away from canon, because most people spend more time consuming fanfiction than they do the original material. Which makes sense, because the average person only reads the novel once, while they may read anywhere from tens to thousands of fanfics. Writers begin unconsciously basing their characterizations on their own favorite fics, amplifying the effect.

This isn’t so much a criticism as it is an inevitable truth: some will even end up ignoring the canon characterizations entirely. But the goal of fandom has always been self-fulfillment and self-indulgence, so I don’t see it as wrong, per se? As long as people are aware of the separation, so people who want to discuss the canon can.

Now onto the actual question itself: SV is about a transmigrator changing the path LBH takes. In PIDW, og!LBH is indeed a male escapist fantasy, a stallion protagonist with a massive harem who collects women like trophies and sleeps around. His harem itself is a mess, with lots of scheming and plotting and infighting, as all his wives step on each other.

With his course changed by SQQ’s care and affection, he becomes a “pure maiden” (in SQQ’s own words) instead. Though because of various circumstances, SQQ is unable to believe this until much, much later.

One thing (of several) that I think doesn’t come across well in SV fanworks, is that even in SV LBH is a huge misanthrope. Yes, even the fourteen-year-old him, though he disguised it much better. There’s a bit of a push to make him more amiable than he actually is, maybe because his detractors tend to complain about how cruel and standoffish he is to everyone not SQQ.

#svsss #scum villain

[faelicy]

Hey i am new to the fandom and currently reading svsss and mdzs novel, i want to ask you regarding transmigration/reincarnation, what is the difference between transmigration and reincarnation? And why shen yuan have to be recognized as sqq not shen yuan but wwx was recognized as wwx by other characters not mo xuanyu after transmigration? Is there a rule about if someone come from modern world then transmigrate to a novel they cannot reveal their identity to the other characters on the novel and spent the rest of their 2nd life on the novel as that character? I know i haven't finish the novel yet but who was lbh fell in love with was it the real shen yuan or the real shizun? Sorry for asking this silly questions but i just have those thoughts and it's been bothering me ever since :( also sorry if i said something wrong and thank you for your translation :)

Hi!

This is an older ask so you might have figured it out already, but in general, transmigration means the person entering the body is from outside the universe while strictly, reincarnation (following Buddhism) means a deceased soul was reborn as a baby. WWX’s case is actually more of a possession, but “reborn” can also used to mean coming back to life in a different body, and MXY’s dead so the body is effectively WWX’s now. Also, that everyone will eventually know it’s WWX inside is a major plot point. So he keeps his identity.

As for why SQQ’s previous life as SY in brushed over instead, Chinese transmigration and the related Japanese isekai genre usually downplay the original identity and personality of the transmigrator, which I think is to help facilitate escapism for the reader. And this is another one of the tropes SV plays with, since SQQ’s personality is actually very defined, and him pushing aside his old identity is consistent with his characterization (perhaps I’ll explain one day in another post after I get through the backlog of chapters and asks).

As for who LBH fell in love with, it’s definitely SY!SQQ. There are many hints in early SV about exactly how LBH sees og!SQQ behind his white lotus facade. Tellingly, before chapter 13 (when SQQ’s fatally poisoned), LBH consistently and reasonably suspects that SQQ’s trying to hurt or murder him at each major plot point: being summoned into SQQ’s room in ch 2 or into the carriage in ch 5, being used as bait for the Skinner in ch 7, and being called for the Immortal Alliance Conference match in ch 12. It takes SQQ selflessly giving up his life for LBH, with no strings attached, for LBH to really begin to trust and open up to him. Contrast all this with him at the Abyss in ch 27, where he refuses to believe SQQ will hurt him even when Xiu Ya’s pointed at his chest.

(I’d even argue that to some extent, LBH knows and sees SY!SQQ as a separate person from og!SQQ, whether literally or metaphorically. There’s a very interesting detail in ch 40: when LBH is trying to guilt-trip SQQ in the dream realm, he specifically chooses an abused fourteen-year-old LBH as one of his apparitions. Why specifically fourteen, and not younger when he was under the unrestrained abuse of og!SQQ? That’s the age he met SY!SQQ.) 

#svsss #scum villain

[faelicy]

Hi, i'm KadaYukiru and I was hoping to talk to you about possibly using your version of the translation for Scum Villain for my own version of an audiobook? You see, I am an aspiring voice actress and I love the MXTX novels, but there are some people that have a hard time enjoying them because of reading difficulties, so i was hoping to make it easier for those such people! Would you happen to be up for that?

Wow, that’s incredible if you’re willing to do so! And yes, in this case I’d treat it like a translation: please feel free, as long as Lily and I are credited. Please drop the link if you wish to distribute it and I can help share too, in case any followers are interested!

(Note to anyone else who’s reading, I always give permission for translations/projects to increase accessibility with proper credit! I just always ask for a link so I can keep track of how many projects are out there.)

#svsss #scum villain

[faelicy]

I just wanted to thank you for the new theme update (although your old theme was lovely as well!) I opened your tumblr on desktop for the first time in ages and somehow I can *comprehend the story better*???? It's so readable, and also the font is nice and makes me feel like I'm reading a legit novel

I suppose I should now shamefully admit that the reason I updated the theme was because tumblr managed to break it, so I went looking for a new one in a panic after uploading the chapter. It’s a happy accident that I stumbled on it, but I agree: I love the novel feeling it gives off and that’s why I chose it. The old one’s sidebar always got in the way and drove me nuts. I owe the theme designer a lot of thanks.

[faelicy]

First, I wanted to say THANK YOU so much for the translation! It's so good and it reads so well. Second, I wanted to ask how you felt about people making and binding paper copies for personal use. I haven't seen any kind of english-translated hardcopy available anywhere but I would like to make myself a paper version. I understand if that's something you are opposed to but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.

And thank you for reading! My feelings about anything that’s for personal use is: go wild! As long as it’s not being distributed I see no reason to place any restrictions (distribution is different not only because of credit, but also version control, since even if I have editing power I now have to update multiple versions and that quickly gets hectic).

So feel free to print it out and do as you like! I do warn again that I do intend to do final edits once everything is done, as a consistency check. But even then it shouldn’t affect comprehension.

[faelicy]

Hi! May I ask real quick how are you translating Beijiang, Nanjiang and/or Southern Xinjiang? I'm writing a fic but I can't seem to get correctly the locations following BC Novels' multiple trans! Thanksss

Hi! I think this is a translation error: jiang (疆) also means border, so in these cases they should be “northern border” and “southern border.” I’ve seen several Chinese danmei where it’s mistakenly translated as Xinjiang, even though the novel is set well before Xinjiang was ever occupied by China.

Something similar applies to SV: ZZL even says that his father is from 南疆, (Nanjiang) so unless we think MXTX placed Xinjiang in the Demon Realm, most likely it’s just a generic “southern border in the Demon Realm.”

#translation notes

[faelicy]

Since you asked for opinions on the google docs: I think priority should be with the translations first!! But as someone who enjoys reading translations from google docs, I think it might be helpful to have that option for an easier time finding/saving the translation (for future rereads) and accessing it once the translations finished :) Thanks so much for all the time and hard work into the retl for svsss ! Can’t wait to reread it and follow along as you update it

Ah, thank you! I promise I’ll consider both. Once the translations (including tentatively whatever extras) are done, I do want to go back and make some final edits to make sure everything is as consistent and smooth as possible. I don’t know if it’s been noticeable, but I’ve definitely seen some terminology drift over the past two years as the translation updates.

It’d be then that any google docs or e-reader versions would come out. It might be a long wait but if it helps make anyone’s reading experience easier, I think it’s worth it!

(If anyone wants to go ahead and download/convert the translation for their own personal use now, I think that’s fine too, as long as it’s not distributed. It’s just that I do go back and edit stuff semi-frequently, so the compilation text might not be as smooth as it could be.)

[faelicy]

Hi I was just wondering do you know if MXTX tends to release all the extras of a novel before starting her next one? Partially wondering because I wonder if there'll be more HOB chapters before her 4th novel but also because I feel like it'd be insane if she had to write the scum villain extras while working on MDZS lmao

Unfortunately MDZS and SVSSS are still locked on JJWXC so I have no way of being certain, but I remember that the last SV webnovel extra was released before MDZS started serializing.

Also, we do know that paper copies of TGCF have been announced for sale! Since paper copies are usually seen as the “final version” I’m fairly sure she doesn’t intend more chapters. But they may have some extra chapters included that aren’t online, like how it was with SV.

[faelicy]

Thank you both as always for the translations. Can I ask if you are only going to translate the novel itself or will also translate the extras in order (I'm still not sure of the order of what extras to read)

Hello, most of the extras have been translated with very good quality by Pizziccato so if I do, it’ll mainly be so everyone can have multiple versions to look at. The only one I’ll do for certain is Honeymoon Daybook, because I remember the existing translation uses the unedited raws. But if there’s high demand I can try my hand at the other extras too; let me know!

I’ll take out the time to write out the chapter order for the extras on the SV TOC eventually, I promise. That should help clear some things up.

[faelicy]

I’m just curious but how did you learn Chinese? Did you grow up with it or were you taught it later on?

I grew up speaking it at home, but I find my Chinese didn’t really improve dramatically until I was forced to read it for things I was interested in. (I did go to Chinese school for several years but the dryness of the textbooks meant I barely retained anything).

Of course this means my writing ability lags far behind everything else because I’ve never practiced; to this day I’m jealous of people who can write good Chinese prose, haha.