four-loose-screws

[four-loose-screws]

I have a question regarding how you translated one line in Rafal's S support with Alear. In this support he says something like "You are of my Father's... no, of the Fell dragon bloodline" which seems to be because his Sombron is a different one . But in his boss dialogue with Sombron, he seems to think he is still related to Sombron and Nel as well, so I wondered if there was a problem with that line (i hope i don't bothere you please, have a nice day)

That is a good question! It wouldn't be the first time I got confused on this topic of alternate timelines in Engage, and struggled to translate every part of a conversation accurately.

TL:DR: I think both my translation of Rafal / Alear’s Ring Support and Rafal / Sombron’s Final Chapter convo hold up upon 2nd time scrutiny. I’ve explained why in the full post.

My interpretation and understanding of the Japanese, is that Rafal and Nel very clearly state they do not believe they are directly blood related to Sombrons and siblings from different timelines - but if someone else believed they were directly blood related to all Sombrons and siblings, they'd understand it as a different interpretation, and not refute that person’s perspective.

-

First, here's a screenshot of the JP line in the Rafal / Alear Ring (S) support video:

Rafal starts to say "Father's blood," but then he pauses with a "...", and corrects himself to say "No, the Fell Dragon's blood."

Pretty straightforward to deduce from this snippet that Rafal does not think of this timeline's Sombron as his father, but due to habit, he slips up and starts to say "Father" sometimes.

-

Now, with that established, on to the boss conversation.

When I translated the convo, I was stuck between these two possibilities for my translation of the below exchange:

[ラファール] 父上にもう一度会うことがあれば、 どんな気持ちになるのだろうと思っていたが…▼ そうか、このような心持か。▼ Possibility #1: Rafal: I wondered how I would feel if I met you once more, Father… So this is what it’s like? Possibility #2: Rafal: I wondered how it would feel if I met Father once more... So this is what it's like?

We know from prior conversations that Rafal does not think of this Sombron as his actual father. So I thought at first, maybe he was thinking out loud, out loud enough for Sombron to hear. Not speaking to Sombron directly. So I considered leaving out “you.”

But then in his second exchange later on, Rafal says,

我はあなたを倒す。(I will defeat/kill you.)

So he is speaking to Sombron directly. So I put “you” in my translation of the above.

Then, this part also stands out:

[ラファール] 我は異なる世界の邪竜。 違う存在とはいえ、血の繋がりはあると言っていい。▼

Before: Rafal: I am a Fell Dragon from another world. Though we are from different planes of existence, you could also say that we are of the same blood.

"と言っていい" (to itte ii), in an awkward literal translation, is "It is good/okay to say." It means that the statement before it is another way of saying a prior 1st statement, or another correct interpretation. It’s not the interpretation Rafal has, though. Just another possible way of looking at the same thing. That’s how I understand this convo. 

While Rafal is directly calling this Sombron “Father” in the Japanese, I think it’s more like, he’s talking to his father through this Sombron, as part of his way of achieving closure over his past. Stopping this Sombron would bring him the closure he needs, in the same way that stopping his own father would have, had he still had that option.

It is my understanding that the Japanese is a little bit more blurry about the relations between characters from different timelines. While Rafal and Nel clearly establish that they don’t think of themselves as related to this timeline’s Sombron, they don’t rule out that interpretation completely.

I hope that makes sense! It was hard to put my thoughts into words on this topic, when it’s so fuzzy and not straightforward. Let me know if you have any more questions!

#fire emblem #engage #fire emblem engage #fe17 #fire emblem 17 #rafal #sombron #switch #nintendo switch #japanese #translation #localization

[four-loose-screws]

Diamant / Citrinne A Support Translation

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

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———————————

(English localization script is also below.)

[シトリニカ]

はぁ…心配だわ。▼

ディアマンドったら…

本当に自分の立場をわかっているのかしら。▼

Citrinne: Sigh… I’m worried. Diamant, you fool… I really wonder if you know your own position. 

[ディアマンド]

今、私の名前を呼んだか？▼

Diamant: Did you call my name just now?

[シトリニカ]

別に…ただの独り言よ。

で、何か用事かしら？▼

Citrinne: No, I… was just talking to myself. So, do you need me for something?

[ディアマンド]

貴族たちに書簡で返事を出した。

その報告をしにきたんだ。▼

Diamant: I sent a response letter to the nobles. I came to tell you that.

[シトリニカ]

え！？　何を勝手なことをしているの。

約束が違うじゃない。▼

Citrinne: Huh?! Why are you doing whatever you want? That isn’t what we promised!

[ディアマンド]

安心してくれ。

シトリニカのことは何も書いていない。▼

将来は戦争をせずに

豊かな国を作りたいと書いただけだ。▼

Diamant: Don’t worry. I didn’t write anything about you. I just wrote that I want to create a prosperous country without war.

[シトリニカ]

…………▼

Citrinne: …………

[ディアマンド]

これでシトリニカによからぬ噂が

立つこともなくなるだろう。▼

Diamant: Now, they probably won’t spread bad rumors about you.

[シトリニカ]

そう…▼

ディアマンド。

わたしのためにごめんなさいね。▼

Citrinne: I see… Diamant, I’m sorry for making you do that for my sake.

[ディアマンド]

最初から逃げずにそう返事をすればよかったんだ。

シトリニカ、迷惑をかけたな。▼

Diamant: I should have replied as such, and not run from my responsibility in the first place. I troubled you.

[シトリニカ]

わたしも、変な噂を流されたからって

強気でいるべきだったわ。▼

…ブロディア王国の情勢が落ち着くのって

いつになるのかしらね…▼

今の状況じゃ舞踏会で楽しく踊って

一日を過ごすなんてできないもの。▼

Citrinne: And I should have remained strong when strange rumors spread. …I wonder when the current situation in Brodia will calm down… With circumstances as they are now, I won’t even be able to spend a fun day dancing at another ball!

[ディアマンド]

それは私の努力次第だ。▼

Diamant: That depends on how hard I work.

[シトリニカ]

わたしたち、でしょう？▼

Citrinne: How hard we work, right?

[ディアマンド]

そうだな…みんなやシトリニカの力がなくては

国を安定させることなど不可能だ。▼

シトリニカ。

これからも私に力を貸してくれ。▼

Diamant: You’re right… Without the efforts of you and everyone else, it will be impossible to stabilize the country. Citrinne, please continue to lend me your strength.

[シトリニカ]

当然よ。だって、わたしたちはいとこ同士。

昔からずっと兄妹みたいなものなんだから。▼

Citrinne: Of course! After all, we’re cousins! And because we’ve always been just like siblings.

[ディアマンド]

ふっ…そうだったな。

これからもよろしく頼む。▼

Diamant: Ha ha… So we have. I hope we can continue to rely on each other.

[シトリニカ]

ねぇ、久しぶりに

追いかけっこでもして遊ばない？▼

Citrinne: Say, would you like to play tag like we used to?

[ディアマンド]

お姫様ごっこではなくていいのか？▼

Diamant: Wouldn’t you rather play princess?

[シトリニカ]

今は追いかけっこの気分なのよ。

絶対に捕まったりしないんだから。▼

Citrinne: Right now, I’m in the mood for tag. You won’t catch me!

------------------------------

English Localization script:

Citrinne: What am I going to do… Does Diamant even understand how a future king should behave? Diamant: I heard my name. Did you need me for something, Citrinne? Citrinne: Oh. No, I was just…talking to myself. Do you need me for something? Diamant: I just came by to let you know that I sent the nobles a letter. Citrinne: You did what?! Why? You promised you wouldn't make things worse! Diamant: Don't panic. I didn't mention you at all. I made it clear that I won't wage any wars, but will prioritize a prosperous future for Brodia. Citrinne: … Diamant: That should put a stop to the rumors, right? No more whispers of collusion. Citrinne: Yes, I believe that will do it… I'm sorry you had to resolve this, Diamant. Diamant: No, I should have sent a reply myself. I'm sorry that I passed my duty on to you. Citrinne: And I should have been more direct. It was my attempted sweet-talking that led to the rumors. I hope things settle down soon. I miss dancing my cares away, and it's starting to feel like I'll never attend another formal ball… Diamant: That depends on how well I do my job. Citrinne: You mean how well we do our jobs. Diamant: You're right. We'll need everyone to work together to bring peace to Brodia. I hope you'll keep pushing me forward, Citrinne. Citrinne: Of course I will. We are close cousins, after all. Practically siblings. Diamant: Yes, it has felt that way. I hope that never changes. Citrinne: Diamant, would you like to play a game of tag? Just like we used to? Diamant: Are you sure you wouldn't rather play princess? Citrinne: No, I'm in a rare mood for tag—and this time, you're it!

#FIRE EMBLEM #FE #FE17 #ENGAGE #FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE #FE ENGAGE #JAPAN #JAPANESE #TRANSLATION #LOCALIZATION #NINTENDO #SWITCH #NINTENDO SWITCH #SUPPORT CONVERSATION #DIAMANT #CITRINNE

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FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 5 Part 1

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

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Chapter 5 - To Mila's Shrine

Part 1 - The Sisters from Archanea

"What caused this mountain of corpses?! Was it the earthquake last night?" It was very possible that Valbar was right. 

Judging by the clothing that washed up on the red waves of Zofia's eastern coast which lead into a strait, they were Pirates. But from the number of corpses, they couldn't imagine a human had done this.

After Alm's fated reunion with Celica, she and her army left immediately for Zofia's northeastern region, where Mila's Shrine was located, despite being at the castle for less than a few hours. Zofia's east coast was likely to become the last beautiful scenery they would see. Before them lay nothing but rough terrain, first that of first a desert, then a volcano. 

Leo was the first to find what caused the pile of corpses. "Over there!" He pointed his finger at a pair of pegasi flying over the heads of a group of Pirates among the waves, dragging the corpses onto the beach. "Those are the foxy little ladies from Archanea!" He said, then turned towards Boey and winked.

"Wow…!" Valbar whistled, impressed. "These guys are from a group of Pirates led by Garth, one of Grieth's underlings. They're the fiercest group along this coast! The two of them alone did this? I can hardly believe it!"

As everyone was marveling at the sight of the Pegasus Knights’ abilities in combat, they were already taking down another Pirate with their swift lancework. 

"No! Someone strong is heading straight for them!" Saber shifted slightly, ready to move at a moment's notice.

A giant had snuck up behind the sisters at some point. Everyone quickly recognized him as Garth himself. 

Saber tried to jump into the fray, but Leo stopped him. "Boey, let's go!"

Both Leo and Boey started running. 

Mae scowled as she always did in response to their crude behavior, while Genny simply laughed.

Because their target was the leader himself, they wasted no time in starting to fight. Leo shot an arrow through his chest, and Boey burned his armor with a Fire spell. They watched his giant body collapse to the ground from a far-off distance, smoke billowing into the air, bringing all the fighting across the beach to a halt. 

Still, something seemed strange to Celica, and she didn't even have to squint to see what it was. The Pegasus Knight sisters did not start to come down from the sky, in fact, they turned their lances towards Leo and Boey.

With Celica as their vanguard, Mila's Restoration Army rushed into the fray as the sisters glared daggers at Leo and Boey. Both were yelling at the now pale men at the exact same time, so no one could make out exactly what they were angry about, but they seemed to be infuriated that Leo and Boey had killed Garth. They thought Garth had known something about where their younger sister was. 

"Bring him back and make him tell us where she is!" One of them said, her white cheeks turning bright red.

"We promise to help you find your sister." Celica said not so much as to take responsibility for Leo and Boey's behavior, but because she wanted the sisters’ far above average strength for her army. Ahead of them on their path was a desert and a volcano, where even the royal family's power had hardly any influence. Regardless of what might exactly happen as they traveled, to make it to the shrine and prevent Alm's tragedy, their army needed more members than they had right now.

The sisters realized that Celica was a Priestess and landed their pegasi, albeit reluctantly.

"Though we know she wouldn't do anything reckless, our youngest sister Est is currently training alone. We are worried that she might lose heart out on her own." The elder sister said. 

From their imposing stances, it was clear that they had prior experience fighting in war somewhere else before. The elder sister introduced herself as Palla, and the middle sister introduced herself as Catria, then they finally both shook Celica's outstretched hand, and vowed to go with her.

-

Grieth's Kingdom of Thieves was currently unstable, and much of that was caused by the footprints Celica and Mila's Restoration Army left behind on their journey. They had completely taken out Darth and his Pirates at the straight, and most recently - though this was mostly the work of the Archanea sisters - they had even eradicated Garth and his followers. In less than one month, two of Grieth’s most reliable main groups were gone. It would be strange even for him, the unofficial king of thieves, not to panic.

Or at least, that was the current hottest topic in the town Mila's Restoration Army stopped in to find a room for the night and stock up on food. It was the easternmost town in the eastern region of Zofia. The Pirates had been aggressive lately with their activity around the area, and were now stationed within Zofia's borders. 

They achieved that position by any means necessary, even if it meant choosing a town that could not fight back and physically threatening to turn their weapons against the people until the village surrendered.

That was what the owner of the inn told them.

He also told them that Grieth's Thieves were the reason why one of the villagers said he wanted to join them, after hearing that a group of units was in town.

To make it to Mila's Shrine, Celica felt it was inevitable that they would have to fight Grieth and his army of thieves. And so she said to the villager, Atlas, to accept his request, "If you are willing to help us defeat Grieth, then please come with us."

Atlas's family had been killed by thieves. Not only would his anger make him stronger, but Celica was also amazed by his swordsmanship when Saber challenged him to a duel to test his abilities. He wasn't even a unit yet. She felt that another sword wielder would be of great help to them after Kamui's passing.

"We must go fight Grieth immediately." Both Atlas and the sisters, worried about their kidnapped youngest sister, were impatient and ready to fight. 

But Saber stopped them from going anywhere. As he was taking a moment to relax in the living room of the small house they rented from the innkeeper, taking a sip of his drink, he said, "I understand how you feel, but we don't have a strategy. And as they say, without a strategy, all battles are reckless. It's not like you two sisters don't already know that."

Palla and Catria were both speechless.

"Grieth is a powerful enemy to have. People as strong as Darth and Garth were just small fry in his kingdom. At our current strength, we wouldn't even be able to touch him."

"Then what are you saying we should do?" Atlas, not yet used to being in an army, was overcome by his innate competitive spirit. He further furrowed his brow and shouted his enraged opinion at Saber, "Is Mila's Restoration Army really nothing more than a bunch of cowards?!"

"I appreciate the energy, but," Saber glared at Atlas to prevent him from saying anything further. "We will go to Mila's Shrine. We should keep our battles as small as possible, and prioritize going to the shrine. Since they have already transcended, our magic units should all be fine, but us sword wielders should at least transcend to the next highest class. If we don't, bringing down Grieth will be but a dream. Do you understand, Atlas? No matter how good you are with a sword, a mere villager will be of no help in real combat."

Valbar glanced down at Atlas's clenched fists and said, "But don't you have it backwards, then, Saber? We need to defeat Grieth to make it to the shrine. But you're also saying that it is impossible to defeat him without completing the transcendence ceremony at the shrine. So hasn't our mission always been impossible from the start?"

"It isn't like you at all to say something like that, Valbar." Saber said with a laugh. "If we face Grieth head on, then we'll all be killed. However, if we are able to transcend, then we will have a path to victory. The shrine is where we will obtain our path to victory. …But don't you know that we are in the greatest danger now? If we do not arrive at the shrine ready to face danger, then we will not be able to defeat the danger we must defeat to make it to the shrine, and we will enter a vicious cycle that will never end. If there's anyone who can sleep soundly through that kind of danger, they certainly aren't units!

"We must cast aside our shame, avoid any all-or-nothing battles that would make us sacrifice even one or two people, and commit transcending at the shrine as our only goal." Saber stated, and everyone fell silent.

-

In one of the rooms of the inn, Genny and Mae were tying up each other's hair in front of the crackling fireplace. At first glance, it looked like they were just doing regular girl stuff, but when Saber realized that the hairstyle they had chosen was the one usually reserved for the recently deceased before burial, he was sad to see that they had taken his words to heart.

Celica was sitting at the desk, just finishing a letter. As she prayed to Mila to grant Genny and Mae her divine blessing, she folded up the letter and placed it in a small leather bag, then dropped a ring. She had requested one of the blacksmiths in the village to have it made out of a piece of the hilt of the sword she received at the Necrozombie Shrine. Though it did not have much power, it could be used in place of healing magic to heal someone. During her brief meeting with Alm that afternoon, she had measured the size of his finger.

They heard a knock on the door. It was a peddler who utilized his ability to cast teleportation magic as capital to run his business. He went around each room of the inn, asking the patrons if there was any business he could do for them. He appeared to be a good person, and so Celica asked him to send a package to Alm at Zofia Castle. She then handed him the leather bag with the letter and ring inside, along with several gold coins.

Just as she did so, Valbar came flying into the room, completely out of breath. The scene startled the peddler so much that he thanked Celica and immediately left the room.

"The sisters are nowhere to be found! Atlas is gone too, and there's no trace of Boey or Leo either! They must have gotten too impatient, and left for Grieth's desert… You wait here, Celica. I'll go bring the five of them back." Valbar said.

Genny and Mae immediately began preparations to leave as well.

"What's so great about those pegasus ladies anyway?!" Mae grumbled.

"They have been quite a lot of trouble already!" Genny grinned widely to make her nervousness go away, then clasped her hands together to pray for forgiveness for Mae's understandably frustrated complaints.

-

Alm had already left Zofia Castle. Though this shocked the peddler, because Celica had paid him so exorbitantly well, he still saw the job through, finally finding Alm at the entrance to the western forest, and handing him the leather bag directly.

Alm decided that this town would be their frontline base for their attack on Desaix's fortress. As the village was one of many living in fear of Desaix's threat to their lives, once he said that they were the Deliverance, the villagers welcomed them with open arms.

'We will arrive at Mila's Shrine very soon. But because of the earthquake, I assume you will be stuck at Zofia Castle for some time.'

Alm read Celica's letter, then crumpled it up into a ball. "We really are on opposite paths." Alm grumbled as the ring fell out of the bag and landed at his feet. When he picked it up and tried it on, it fit his left ring finger perfectly. It made all of his childhood feelings for her come rushing back, so much so that his head started spinning.

Alm truly was in love with Celica. But there was no way for that love to grow right now. Because his heart was in such disarray, he already resented his reunion with her.

Desaix's fortress looked much more sturdily built up close than it did from far away. Alm reminisced on their fight against Commander Zakson, a reinforcement army of Desaix's who ambushed the Deliverance when they left the castle. It was no easy fight. Silque was forced to run all across the battlefield healing everyone, eventually fainting from exhaustion, and they had no guess yet as to when she would recover.

The Deliverance was getting impatient. They were still missing something, and that something was the very backbone of their operation. Mycen was right. They didn't know for certain if anyone who could inherit the throne was alive, and that uncertainty spread like an illness through the hearts of all their members.

A member of the royal family's bloodline. That was the only weapon the Deliverance needed now.

"Princess Anthiese… If you are alive, then grant us your divine protection…" Alm prayed. As meaningless as it was, that was all he could do.

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

[four-loose-screws]

Diamant / Citrinne B Support Translation

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

(English localization script is also below.)

[ディアマンド]

シトリニカのお陰で、

貴族連中からの書簡に追われることもなくなった。▼

色々とすまなかったな。▼

Diamant: Citrinne, thanks to you, the nobles have stopped sending me letters. I’m sorry for putting you through all the trouble.

[シトリニカ]

いいえ、王子が臣下に謝らないで。

…ディアマンド様。▼

Citrinne: No, a prince shouldn’t apologize to his retainer. …Prince Diamant.

[ディアマンド]

ディアマンド様だと…

どうした。いつもは呼び捨てではないか。▼

Diamant: “Prince Diamant?” Why? You don’t ever use titles with me, do you?

[シトリニカ]

どうもしていません。それでは、

これから用事がありますので…▼

Citrinne: No reason. If you’ll excuse me, there’s something I must attend to…

[ディアマンド]

ちょっと待ってくれ。

シトリニカ、様子がおかしいぞ。▼

Diamant: Hold on a minute. Citrinne, you’re acting weird.

[シトリニカ]

…わたしの立場もわかってください。▼

Citrinne: …Please understand my position as well.

[ディアマンド]

どういうことだ？▼

Diamant: What do you mean?

[シトリニカ]

次期国王になる方が、貴族のわたしと

親しくしていたら、どう思われるかわかりますか？▼

Citrinne: Do you know what people would think if the next king was close to a noble like me?

[ディアマンド]

私たちは長い付き合いで兄妹みたいなものだ。

極々自然なことではないか。▼

Diamant: We’ve long been like brother and sister to each other. It’s only natural that we would be, isn’t it?

[シトリニカ]

わたしの家が王族と結託して、良からぬ事を

考えているのではないかと噂されているのですよ。▼

この前の貴族たちへの対応が癪に障ったのです。

だから、これからは少し距離をおかせてください。▼

Citrinne: Rumors would start spreading, wondering if my family is colluding with the royal family, and up to no good. The way you previously treated the nobles irritated them. So please start to put some distance between us.

[ディアマンド]

…そんなことが…▼

私の想像以上に、

シトリニカには迷惑をかけていたようだな。▼

Diamant: …So that’s what this is… It seems I have troubled you more than I imagined.

[シトリニカ]

別に、そんなことは…▼

Citrinne: Not at all…

[ディアマンド]

シトリニカに任せきり��した、私の責任だ。

貴族連中の誤解は私が解こう。▼

Diamant: I’m responsible for putting things on you. I will clear up the noble’s misunderstandings.

[シトリニカ]

何を言っているのですか。そんなことをしたら…

余計に話がややこしくなってしまいます。▼

Citrinne: What are you saying? If you do something like that… Saying more than you need to will just complicate the situation.

[ディアマンド]

ダメだ。他人行儀なシトリニカなど、

私の知っているシトリニカではないからな。▼

Diamant: No. The Citrinne who treats someone she knows so well like a stranger, is not the Citrinne I know.

[シトリニカ]

…………▼

はぁ…わかったわ。

ディアマンド、わたしの負けよ。▼

今までどおり普通に接するから、

事を荒立てないでちょうだい。▼

Citrinne: ………… Sigh… Fine. Diamant, I concede defeat. I will remain as close to you as always, so please do not aggravate the situation.

[ディアマンド]

これからは気をつける。

だから、いつもどおりに接してくれ。▼

Diamant: I will be careful from now on. So please remain as close to me as always.

[シトリニカ]

まったく…

お願いだからね。▼

Citrinne: You’re such a headache… Please do as we agreed, alright?

[ディアマンド]

ああ、約束だ。

私たちは兄妹のようなものだからな。▼

Diamant: Of course, it’s a promise! Because we are the same as siblings!

------------------------------

English Localization script:

Diamant: Citrinne! Thanks again for giving the nobles my answer. It's been nice to have that off my back. Sorry if it was a hassle.

Citrinne: There is no need for royalty to apologize to a simple retainer, Prince Diamant.

Diamant: "Prince" Diamant? You never call me that. Is everything OK?

Citrinne: Everything is fine. Please excuse me, my prince. I have an errand I must attend to...

Diamant: Hold it. Tell me what's going on.

Citrinne: Please, Diamant, I'm in a very awkward position.

Diamant: What do you mean?

Citrinne: It's dangerous for me to be seen speaking so casually with the heir to Brodia's throne.

Diamant: We're cousins. We've known each other our whole lives. Where is this coming from?

Citrinne: The nobles did not care for your response. I must be cautious in my exchanges with you. Rumors are quickly spreading that my family has been colluding with Brodia's future king.

Diamant: Ah...I see. I placed more of a burden on you than I ever could have imagined, Citrinne.

Citrinne: It's quite all right, Prince Diamant. I—

Diamant: I shouldn't have asked you to do my job for me. I'm going to clear this up. Right now.

Citrinne: No! You'll only complicate things further.

Diamant: I have no choice. I've been robbed of my cousin and have to get her back.

Citrinne: Ooh... Very well. I surrender. I'll resume our usual, casual banter...like making you promise not to kick down any doors.

Diamant: That's more like it. And don't worry.

Citrinne: "Don't worry" is not a promise, Diamant. I need to hear you say it. Do not make things worse!

Diamant: I promise. Trust your cousin, OK?

#FIRE EMBLEM #FE #FE17 #ENGAGE #FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE #FE ENGAGE #JAPAN #JAPANESE #TRANSLATION #LOCALIZATION #NINTENDO #SWITCH #NINTENDO SWITCH #SUPPORT CONVERSATION #DIAMANT #CITRINNE

[four-loose-screws]

Diamant / Citrinne C Support Translation

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

(English localization script is also below.)

[ディアマンド]

ふんっ…せいっ…▼

Diamant: Ha! Hyah!

[シトリニカ]

ディアマンド。

やっぱりここにいたのね。▼

Citrinne: Diamant, I knew you’d be here.

[ディアマンド]

シトリニカ。

ここにいるのは誰も言っていないはずだが。▼

Diamant: Citrinne! Even though I didn’t tell anyone I’d be here…

[シトリニカ]

あなた、面倒事があるとここに逃げてくるから。▼

Citrinne: Because this is where you run off to whenever something is bothering you.

[ディアマンド]

ふっ…

小さい頃から一緒だと、何でもお見通しか。▼

Diamant: Sigh… We’ve been together since we were small, so you can see right through everything, huh?

[シトリニカ]

よくお城のお庭で遊んだわね。▼

わたしはお姫様ごっこをしたかったのに、

追いかけっこばかりやっていた気がするわ。▼

Citrinne: We often played in the castle garden. I would want to play princess, but it feels like all we really did was play tag.

[ディアマンド]

追いかけっこは遊びながら鍛錬ができるからな。▼

…………▼

貴族連中からの書簡のことか？▼

Diamant: Because tag is playing, but it can also be training. ………… Is that a letter from the nobles?

[シトリニカ]

そうよ。

どうして返事をしないの？▼

ディアマンドは今後の戦争についてどう思っているのか。

わたしはそれを確認するように頼まれたの。▼

わたしも貴族なのよ。

親の知り合いも多いし、無視することはできないわ。▼

Citrinne: Yes, it is. “Why won’t he respond?” “What does Diamant think of future military campaigns?” I was asked to confirm that. I am also a noble. And my parents also have many acquaintances, so I cannot ignore them.

[ディアマンド]

…………▼

Diamant: ...

[シトリニカ]

大人の追いかけっこは退屈ね。▼

Citrinne: The adult version of tag is boring, isn’t it?

[ディアマンド]

貴族たちが自らの利益のために

戦争を推し進めたいことはわかっている。▼

だが、私の代では戦争など起こすつもりはない。▼

Diamant: I know the nobles want to push a war for their own benefit. But during my rule, I have no intention of starting a war.

[シトリニカ]

その答えが聞けてよかったわ。

後はわたしの方から適当に誤魔化しておくから。▼

Citrinne: I’m happy to hear that answer. After this, I’ll smooth things over well enough with them.

[ディアマンド]

板挟みにさせてしまってすまないな…▼

Diamant: I’m sorry to stick you between a rock and a hard place…

[シトリニカ]

困ったときはお互い様よ。

宮廷での社交辞令に比べたら楽なものだわ。▼

Citrinne: During rough times, we’re in it together. This is easy compared to having to be diplomatic in the royal court…

------------------------------

English Localization script:

Diamant: Hah! Hyah!

Citrinne: There you are, Diamant. I thought I might find you here.

Diamant: Citrinne. I don't remember telling anyone where I Was going to be training.

Citrinne: Well, I know this is your preferred escape when something is bothering you.

Diamant: Heh. Can't hide from you. Guess I haven't changed much since I was a kid.

Citrinne: We used to play in these castle gardens all the time, remember? I would try to play princess, but you always turned it into a game of tag.

Diamant: Of course. Tag makes for good training. So... Is this about that letter from the nobles?

Citrinne: Indeed. They're eager for a response. I've been sent here to ask you directly about your stance on future military campaigns. These nobles are acquaintances of my family. As a noble myself, I can't ignore their demands.

Diamant: ...

Citrinne: Diamant, don't send me back empty-handed. I don't have the energy for tag anymore.

Diamant: War is profitable. The nobility is expecting to line their pockets for years to come. I, on the other hand, do not intend to wage any wars during my reign as king.

Citrinne: I'm so glad to hear that. The nobles won't like it, but you can leave them to me.

Diamant: Sorry to make you the messenger.

Citrinne: It's fine. I'll take this over the diplomatic battles you must survive in the royal court any day.

#FIRE EMBLEM #FE #FE17 #ENGAGE #FIRE EMBLEM ENGAGE #FE ENGAGE #JAPAN #JAPANESE #TRANSLATION #LOCALIZATION #NINTENDO #SWITCH #NINTENDO SWITCH #SUPPORT CONVERSATION #DIAMANT #CITRINNE

[four-loose-screws]

Hi! Congrats on finishing the FE7 novel translation, and thanks for all that you do! I'm a big fan of your works. If it's not too much trouble, I was wondering if you could translate the Diamant and Citrinne supports?

Thank you, it's always awesome to hear directly that people are having a good time reading their favorite translations from me!

The Diamant / Citrinne support chain translation is complete and now in my queue, set to post over this week and next. ^^

[four-loose-screws]

Blog Update 2024.4.13

The FE2 novelization translation posts are taking a break between chapters 4 and 5, so there will be no upload this week.

Look forward to the 1st part of chapter 5 next week! There will be no further breaks until the end of book 1!

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 4 Part 2

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 4 - The Red Haired Woman

Part 2 - Differing Paths

Far away in the western forest stood Desaix's fortress, with countless embrasures carved out around the building, and visible from all angles in plain sight. The stone the building was constructed from stretched deep underground, and was further strengthened by a layer of hardened black clay, dug up from deep within the earth. Such a majestic appearance was closer not to the style of construction used in Zofia, but Rigel, proving for certain that Desaix was receiving support from Emperor Rudolf.

As Alm stood within the castle watchtower and felt the wind blow around him, he gripped the stone windowsill beneath him so hard that it cracked. He would never forgive Desaix. With no outlet for his anger, he couldn't even stand to be with his allies, especially Gray and Tobin. Every time he saw their faces, he was reminded that Kliff was dead, and his tears blurred his view of the royal crest on the wall.

'Desaix killed one of my friends. I will not let him get away with it! And even after causing me so much grief, he is shamelessly showing off his wretched fortress. Even taking his head myself will not be enough to satisfy me! And behind him, Rudolf is also shamelessly reveling in my pain. My desire to kill him is burning hotter than ever. Zofia's peace will be but a secondary effect of my actions. Right now, my sorrow will be the reason for taking their heads!' Alm shouted to himself in his heart, and the windowsill cracked further still.

"Don't get impatient, Alm. Desaix is not as soft an enemy as you think he is." That voice was Mycen's. He was staring straight at Alm's shaking back, and his thick gray hair was blowing in the wind traveling through the watchtower.

When Mycen had banged on the castle gate and appeared before the Deliverance, they were still in the process of grieving Kliff's death. They saw his visit as a gift from the Knights of Zofia in the afterlife, and a lone torch to light their path ahead. 

Lukas worried that Mycen had no doubt come to take Alm back home, but that feeling quickly vanished. 

Mycen deeply appreciated them for retaking the castle, and gave Clive, as well as the units under him, his favorite weapons and armor from his time as the Holy Knight, stained with his blood and sweat.

He had pushed his aging body to its limit to come visit them, and the survivors of the Knights were especially touched by his kindness. Or so they thought - Lukas had told them in a moment of quick thinking that Mycen was ill, not unwilling to help them. But though it was all born from a lie, there was no need to correct Clive and the others' good-natured misunderstanding. Gray and Tobin, who knew the truth, did not say more than they had to either.

"Alm." Mycen said. "You should think very carefully about how a mere chancellor was able to become so powerful. General Slayder was a soldier. He lived to fight. But Desaix is a thief. He would not commit such a disgrace as simply handing over a castle. No act that helps him obtain Zofia will embarrass him. He is not a unit. He is a politician. This war to liberate Zofia will always be a political war.

"You are all pure of heart. And because of that, you focus only on defeating your enemy. Desaix is different. Desaix knows that your true target is the one that comes after defeating him. That is why he is strong. Meanwhile, where is the Zofian royal family that you fight for now? Where is the crucial piece of this puzzle that will rebuild the kingdom after you defeat Desaix? The moment you start to worry about that, your army will fall apart. But if you do not have that worry, you will not be able to defeat him."

Mycen said without hesitation to Alm's back, who would not turn back to face him, still staring at Desaix's fortress. 

These were not the words that Mycen should be telling Alm. But he was not speaking to the boy he had raised on his own. He was merely giving his advice, based on his years of experience, to the general of the Deliverance.

Mycen thought to himself, 'Alm will defeat Desaix. There is no doubt in my mind about that. And so long as they are not the final enemy standing before him, then he will defeat everyone after Desaix, however powerful they may be. That is how Alm is being used as a pawn to bring us further and further to tragedy. It is a cruel fate, Alm, but you should walk the path you believe in. These feelings of sorrow will tear me up inside, but my sorrow is nothing in comparison to the world we will be granted in exchange…'

Those were just the few words of many that Mycen should never say aloud. It would be meaningless for him to do so. If a fate is chosen by the gods, then only another god could alter its course. To argue to Alm that he should stop fighting would be the same as putting a single leaf on his body, and expecting it to stop the wind from blowing.

'But if there is one person who can prevent Alm's tragedy from happening, it's…' Mycen simplified the thought in his head to a cryptic message and said, "Alm, there is someone you must meet. A red haired woman is about to arrive here."

Through the tears in his eyes blurring his vision, Alm's back looked so much stronger than before, though they had really only been apart for just a few days. 

Mixed in with the sound of the wind blowing, Mycen heard a tapping sound. It was the footsteps of someone coming up the watchtower's stone steps. He left Alm to be alone, and walked out of the watchtower.

-

As Mycen was walking down the watchtower steps, he crossed paths with the red-haired woman. 

After greeting each other, Mycen was overcome with emotion and hugged her. "I'm sorry. Because your mother was dragged into this, you were, too. You shouldn't have to bear any responsibility in ending any of this." He said, and cried fresh tears. "But fate is controlled by beings much greater than us. It is not black poison rain, nor seas dirtied by war that will destroy the world. Our hearts that would not be able to withstand the pain know very well. That your secret cannot be revealed to anyone." Mycen said, and patted her red hair with all the affection he could muster.

Now more determined than ever not to tell a single soul her secret, she pulled her face away from his chest and said, "You will find the members of Mila's Restoration Army downstairs."

-

'What are you trying to tell me, Grandpa… no, Grandfather?' Alm wondered as the sun began to set and the direction the wind blew in shifted. Of course it didn't mean anything to just take back the castle. Serving someone an empty plate was not the same as serving them a plate piled with meat. So long as the Deliverance did not have a member of the royal family - Princess Anthiese - to place on the throne, the war would be utterly meaningless, no matter how long they fought for.

'You said there is someone I must meet. But who could it be? Who is this red-haired woman? When we entered the castle to chase after Desaix, I saw a portrait that must be of the royal family hanging on the marble walls. The princess and the queen both had red hair.'

Was anyone of the royal family really still alive? Was Mycen telling him to escort them and reestablish the government? Alm crossed his arms and stared back at Desaix's fortress again, now casting a shadow that gradually grew and spread fear further and further across the land. "...Princess Anthiese. Did Grandfather bring her to this castle?"

There was no way he could, was there? It was a dream within a dream that she could still be alive. So long as she was not an active player in this coup d’etat, it made the most sense to assume she had already passed away.

He was lost in his thoughts when a person called out to him. 

"Alm."

It was a woman's voice, but not Silque's, like the gentle ring of bells. This voice much more closely resembled the low tone of a harp, the most pleasing of all sounds to the ears.

Alm turned around.

A lone woman stood before him, her luscious red hair blowing in the wind. Alm knew exactly who she was. He'd seen her red hair long before he'd ever seen that of the royal family depicted in the castle's portrait.

"Celica…"

It had been years since he'd uttered that name. And the moment he did so, the feelings of affection he'd worked to keep locked away deep inside because he'd thought them effeminate for being so warm, came bubbling up to the surface once again, now stronger than ever.

He remembered the way she would look lovingly at him out of the corner of her eye as she was learning how to write, Mycen guiding her hand. Her bangs were still short enough that he could see her bite her lip even when looking down at the paper, hard at work moving her pen across it.

He remembered the sweet scent of her hair just before they parted. As she brought her face directly before his, it tickled his nose. She had picked wildflowers, as she always loved to do, and offered them to him, holding them to his chest.

When they were children, Mycen would bring Celica to visit Alm once a month. Alm did not know the reason why Mycen did so, but they were still young and did not care about such details yet. They would enjoy a few fun and exciting days together, then they would both cry their eyes out when they parted. Alm would stand crying and wailing on Ram Village's tiny pier as the boat Mycen sent Celica away on became smaller and smaller. But when it finally disappeared, he would remember that she was coming back straight away next month, and his heart would start to beat wildly, before that energy moved to his legs, making him dance all the way back to the village.

And so, that tradition continued on as they caught up to the trees that were the same age as them, and until they surpassed those trees in height. But before they knew it, they had stopped seeing each other.

Alm was most interested in swordsmanship, and so that was what Mycen focused on teaching him.

"Do you remember when you cried and said you wish you had wings just like Mila's?" Celica asked.

"I did that?" Alm tilted his head to the side.

"We were throwing a ball around, and it got stuck up on the roof of the priory. I loved it so much that you tried as hard as you could to reach it, but the roof was too high up and you couldn't. So you said you wanted wings, and started crying."

"I don't think you're remembering right. I've never once left Ram Village until now. You're remembering something that happened on Novis Island."

"No, you visited Novis Island once too." Celica said. She was the one who always had better recollection of their memories together. "In the end, Mycen was easily able to get it down. I still remember that roof every time I pass through the garden. You could reach it now, too. It's just the roof to the thrush cage."

And so, the two spent a short while lost in their most precious memories together. If they dug up everything they remembered about each other, they would of course have just as many minor squabbles and disputes to discuss, but time had filtered those memories out of their minds, and all they remembered were the peaceful and most beloved of their days together as children.

The more they remembered those peaceful days, the harder it hit Alm that Zofia was in chaos, and the harder it hit Celica that Mila's presence had weakened so much. But they were already past the point in their lives where they could happily reminisce with each other and leave it at that.

Celica was now a unit of the highest ranking clergy class, and the general of Mila's Restoration Army; and Alm was deemed a chosen fighter beyond transcendence, and the general of the Deliverance. They'd grown a lot since their days of throwing around a ball together.

"Emperor Rudolf is the root of all this evil. Killing him is my ultimate goal. Defeating Desaix will liberate Zofia, so once I have done that, I will immediately start marching towards Rigel." Alm said. 

"Rudolf's death." Those words made the ominous feeling inside Celica's chest stronger than ever. 'Alm cannot kill Rudolf.' She thought, though she did not know why. And until she figured out the reason why, she could not tell him how she felt, because he was a general just as she was.

"The forces in your army are very strong. Your magic units are particularly impressive, and it looks like your Knight will soon transcend and become a Baron. You even have a Myrmidon unit! Please, lend us your strength." Alm asked Celica. "Our final goal is one in the same, so why couldn't we walk the same path? Won't fighting Desaix, liberating Zofia, and taking down Rigel bring stability to Valencia?" As Alm gave his passionate speech, he looked directly at Celica. 

She immediately looked away. 

Alm did not expect that to be her reaction, and so he waited for her to speak.

"Alm, please look up at the starry night sky sometime." Celica said. "I interpret Zofia's chaos differently. It is not merely a barbaric war caused by the actions of Desaix, Rudolf, or any other unit."

Alm narrowed his eyes. "Are you calling the Deliverance barbaric?!"

"No, I'm not. I'm saying that our paths are different. You are trying to level the land to plant seeds across the continent. That is essential to ending all of this. I am trying to make the land healthy again so that those seeds can sprout. That is also essential to ending all of this." The balance of power between Mila and Duma has been broken, and that is what's causing the chaos in Zofia." Celica said. "Earth Mother Mila is under War Father Duma's control right now. I am going to Mila's Shrine to find out exactly what is wrong with her, restore her full power, and save her from Duma."

"No matter what may happen?" Alm asked. Though they were young, they were both generals. He quickly realized that further prying and attempting to persuade her would be meaningless, certain proof that he had become aware it was best he ruled his army as its only general.

"My army is going to leave immediately." Celica turned away from Alm as soon as she finished her sentence. "Now that we are on our correct paths, they will not cross again. May Mila grant you her divine protection." She started to walk back down the watchtower steps.

-

Alm was left all alone inside the watchtower, now feeling piercingly cold night air settle in around him. He remembered himself as a boy, standing on the bridge crying as he watched Celica leave on the boat. He felt the exact same sadness in his chest that he did back then. However, he could not use it as a reason to chase after Celica. He had devoted his life to becoming the general of the Deliverance, and Celica had devoted her life to becoming the general of Mila's Restoration Army.

Meanwhile, as she rushed down the stone steps, Celica could not hold back her tears any longer. If she could, she would have wanted to walk the same path as Alm. But it was impossible.

Did Celica suppress her own feelings, in her awareness that she was a general now too? If she were being honest, she would say that was wrong.

'Alm must not fight. For this overwhelming ominous feeling in my heart to subside, I must stop his great tragedy from happening. To do that, I must restore Mila to her rightful place as quickly as possible. Once the balance between Mila and Duma is equal again, the war will end on its own. Alm cannot walk the path of war. That is the only way to prevent his tragedy from happening.' That was what Celica believed for certain.

It was not at all true that their paths could not merge. Celica had prevented it on her own from happening. Right now, for his sake, she had chosen her own path of fighting instead.

-

Many believe that earthquakes are caused by the land's wrath. If so, then something must have occurred that made the land furious as soon as Celica and her Restoration Army left Zofia Castle.

The path to the east leads to Mila's Shrine, and the path to the west leads to Desaix's fortress. A huge earthquake occurred within the mountain range that divides eastern and western Zofia. Its shaking twisted and contorted the land, causing it to cry out in pain and send giant boulders flying that landed on one of the paths.

The path behind Mila's Restoration Army was now closed off, leaving the western path to Desaix's fortress as the only option for the Deliverance to travel. The land had literally split Alm and Celica's paths from each other.

Mycen told the Deliverance that he was going to go negotiate with Emperor Rudolf, then left the castle without giving them any space to argue against him. On his way to Rigel, the earthquake caused him to fall to his knees, and he looked back at Zofia Castle.

"Can fate already no longer be changed?" Mycen whispered to himself as the color drained from his face. Then, he stood back up, and immediately began traveling once more.

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

[four-loose-screws]

Hi, if it isn't too much trouble, could you translate the ending of the Ingrid/Dorothea B-support? I heard that the bit where Dorothea talks about pouncing on Ingrid and Ingrid's reaction are different in the Japanese version. Thank you.

In short, not really. The exact words are just a bit different.

Japanese w/ my translation:

[ドロテア] それに貴女は、おしゃれをすれば、 絶対に魅力的になると思ったのよ。▼ 実際、素敵だったわ。▼ はあ、固い蕾が可憐な花を咲かせたような、 思わず襲いたくなるほどの美しさだった。▼ Dorothea: And I thought that when you got fixed up, you would become absolutely bewitching. You're lovely already. Ah, like a hard bud blooms into a beautiful flower, you're so beautiful it makes me want to pounce! [イングリット] 襲いたく……え？ ドロテア、それは困ります。▼ Ingrid: It makes you want to pounce... What? Dorothea, I would not like that. [ドロテア] わかってるわよ。 襲う時は、ちゃんと事前に許可を取るから。▼ Dorothea: I know that. So right before I lunge, I would ask for permission! [イングリット] ふ、不許可ですっ！ おかしな考えを持つのはやめてください！▼ Ingrid: Y-You do not have permission! Please stop having such strange thoughts!

Localization:

Dorothea: My real point is that you're quite lovely even before getting all fixed up. Absolutely bewitching, in fact. So when I'm finished with you, well... Someone looking at you could be forgiven for...wanting to pounce. Ingrid: Could they be? I don't know that I'd forgive them. Dorothea: Oh, I know. That's just before I lunge, I'm gonna ask permission. Ingrid: Permission is not granted–ever! Just back off.

I kept the wording of the localization in a couple places where it was a direct translation, even if I might have chosen other wording if I had translated the Japanese without looking at the localized version first. But that's just how Japanese is. Easy 1-to-1's don't usually happen between English and Japanese.

The main meaning of 襲う (osou) is to attack, but it is used very broadly beyond the context of full-on combat as well. Pounce/ lunge is a good translation in this context.

In the localization, Dorothea kept it vague at first who would want to pounce, but in the Japanese I think Dorothea was clearly implying it to be her from the beginning, because Ingrid calls her out directly.

That's about it for all I have to add. Again, this one really isn't different from the Japanese in overall meaning, I think!

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #fe three houses #fe16 #fire emblem 16 #dorothea #ingrid #dorothea arnault #ingrid brandl galatea

[four-loose-screws]

I've heard that mustaches and beards or Hige, were popular with the Samurai in Japan and it was considered manly for a Samurai to have facial hair. This was also why Samurai helmets often had mustaches/beards. Facial hair also became associated with a military service in general in Japan.

After World War II, with the rise of the salaryman, facial hair became unfashionable and it was expected for men to be clean-shaven at all times, which has continued to today.

I've also read a few people are challenging this now, like a postman was threatened with losing his job for growing a mustache, but he responded by getting his lawyers involved and proving that his forcing him to shave was a violation of his human rights.

(Feel free to tell me if this is completely wrong).

Since none of this ever came up in my college studies (I avoided military matters and history on purpose; I focused more on Japanese religion, art, and fine culture), and I would just be doing the same as most anyone else here - a Google search - to confirm, I won't add too much to the discussion, ha ha.

I do have an anecdote though, that can confirm facial hair is picking back up as a normal thing to see in Japanese life - when I was an English teacher, one of my student's dad had a goatee. And he was no "bad boy" or anything - he was a super active member of his local community with 5 kids.

(Slightly off topic, but also, the mom in the family that lived in the apartment next to mine had tattoos.)

It's always amusing to to see Japanese culture still holding on to practices they adopted from the West, while the West has moved on to other things. At least... that's my experience in the US recently. For example, I've had 2 office jobs now where people seem to wear whatever the flying heck they want. One of my old managers wears ripped jeans almost daily. While Japanese office workers seem to largely still be wearing not only suits, but VERY specific suits like they're a uniform.

But things are changing, as they always are everywhere in the world. Whether a Japanese community as a whole accepts facial hair, tattoos, casual attire, etc. is just super case-by-case. One town will think nothing of people doing as they please with their appearance, while the next will end up on national news after someone is harassed so bad it leads to a lawsuit.

#japan #japanese culture #japan discussion #japan anecdotes

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 4 Part 1

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 4 - The Red Haired Woman

Part 1 - The Port Town Tavern

As Celica, Genny, Boey, and Mae had not left Novis Island since they were young, this was their first time seeing the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Though it was large, Novis Greatport was nothing more than a rural port town. Still, it felt to them like another world, and they were in utter shock when they first laid eyes upon it, neither holy nor depraved, but still a town full of too much activity for them, unrelated to their world of prayer and faith.

Regardless, it was not such a stretch for Celica and her friends to be so wide-eyed. Even Valbar, Leo, and Saber, who all knew Zofia Harbor very well, tilted their heads at the strange energy this port town was filled with when they stepped off the boat.

"It's strange. Desaix's insurrection was successful, so the people should all be in fear, knowing that his tyranny will soon reach them. Yet they seem to be in high spirits as always." Valbar said.

Saber answered, "Desaix is no fool. He probably won over the people with pardons, or by lowering their taxes."

Still, this town felt as if it was in the middle of a festival. Wine bottles were rolling around everywhere, and all the merchants in the area had tied up their pack horses to dance down the main street with the tavern girls. Their drivers were not shouting at them to come back, but simply waiting patiently for the commotion to calm down.

"Maybe there really is a festival going on?" Leo murmured as he took in a good look of the town before noticing something. He stood next to Boey, who was utterly captivated by the bewitching attire of one of the dancers, then elbowed him in the side and pointed at something with a nudge of his chin. 

When Boey looked in the direction the suggestively smiling Leo was suggesting to him, he saw two pegasi tied together outside a tavern.

"Pegasus Knights are always total knockouts, or so I've heard." Leo said.

Boey's face turned bright red.

"They don't appear to be Valencian pegasus knights. And there's two of them! Lucky you, finding two foreign girls when you're just getting started!!"

…As the two had chatted earlier while still on the ship as it faced the harbor, they learned they were only two years apart in age. Leo was of course the older one, but he made the gap seem even greater than it already was, and teased Boey for his ignorance of the world. 

Leo pointed out in particular, quiet enough so that Mae would not hear, that they only lost their temper with each other because Boey did not know how beautiful the women of the world outside his own were. Leo told him all about the beautiful women of each region he'd traveled to as part of his lifestyle as a unit, and Boey was enraptured the entire time, his eyes sparkling with wonder. 

"And as we travel, you too will meet even more beautiful women than you could ever imagine!" Leo said, and Boey's dreams grew and grew slowly but untiringly, like the movement of their ship slowly progressing across the seas.

"Now let's go!" Leo started to walk towards the tavern the pegasi were tied next to. 

Boey looked back, but still followed after him.

"Oh dear…" Genny sighed, exasperated. 

Mae watched him leave with her mouth twisted in a disapproving frown. 

Celica put an arm around her shoulders to console her.

“He's such a child!” Mae grumbled under her breath.

As Mae spoke, Celica turned to the remaining men in their group and said, "I know! Let's have a toast to celebrate Saber for transcending into a Myrmidon and turning over a new leaf. We have a long road ahead of us. We'll need all the strength we can get!"

"And to honor Kamui." Saber added, putting a hand on Kamui's scarf around his neck.

"He would never pass up an opportunity to drink, either!" Valbar said, and slapped Saber's shoulder. 

Everyone started walking towards the tavern.

-

The men both ordered strong liquor, and the women all ordered herbal tea.

"This won't be any celebration at all if you drink that stuff!" Valbar protested, and asked the bearded bartender to bring them three orders of sparkling wine as well.

"We don't have anything like tea anyway!" The bartender said, and started to walk away.

Before he could, Celica looked at Genny and Mae for a moment with a smile on her face. 

They smiled back. 

She stopped the bartender and said, "Change our orders to the same thing they're having!"

"You got it." He assured them with a wink, then disappeared into the kitchen with a roaring laugh.

Now, it was Valbar and Saber's turn to look at her. 

"I shouldn't have underestimated you!" Valbar said. 

"Now he's going to make their drinks stronger than ours!" Saber said, and scrunched up his nose.

Genny clasped her hands together in front of her chest and uttered under her breath, "Please forgive us, Sage Nomah."

They all heard her, and laughed loudly together.

"Pegasus Knights are never this stubborn!!" Leo said as he returned to the group.

Boey was close behind, sitting down with disappointment written all over his face.

The pegasus knights had been sitting in the corner, but were already gone.

"They probably didn't want to waste their time with someone who's still just a baby. You shouldn't have come with me, Boey!" Leo scowled.

"That's not what they were thinking at all! They didn't like how you were talking to them!" Boey argued back. "You sounded like a thug!"

"What are you talking about?! It's all your fault because you couldn't bring yourself to say a single word to them!" Leo's tone changed to a teasing one. "So, which one did you fancy? Let me guess. You liked the older sister. I think you've got a thing for older girls, don't you? Mae's older than you, right?"

"Hey, don't bring Mae into this!" Boey said, and glared at Leo. 

Mae couldn't leave well enough alone, either. "What are you saying about Boey and me!? He's like a whiny child! I wish a pegasus would step on him and crack his skull open!!"

"You've got some nerve, saying something like that out loud!" Boey growled.

The two continued shouting back and forth, glaring daggers at each other.

Even though they had just met, Valbar and Leo were already used to the two fighting.

"So those Pegasus Knights were sisters?" Valbar asked.

Leo answered, "Yeah, they said they're from Archanea."

"Archanea?"

"They're searching for their youngest sister. She was kidnapped by Grieth."

"Archanea's the country that was recently at war, isn't it?" Saber asked. "I heard the hero Marth successfully reunified it."

"I've caught word of that rumor as well." Valbar said. "But it's a very far away land. It has nothing to do with the politics of Rigel and Zofia. I don't think there's even any ships that travel in that direction."

"If they fly in a tailwind, then pegasi can probably make it across the seas." Leo said, just as the bartender was coming back with their drinks.

He put a bottle in the center of the table, then placed a thick ceramic cup in front of each person. The sunlight shining in through the window reflected off the completely transparent bottle, and cast a rainbow on the table beneath it.

Valbar took all of the cups, opened the bottle, and started pouring each person a drink. Once each person had a full cup, they all said cheers, and started to drink.

The bartender did not move, still standing in front of them.

Saber realized what he was looking for, and handed over payment for the bottle.

"You all look like you're units." The bartender said as he took the silver coins. "If you've come looking for work, then you're out of luck."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know who you were hoping to hire you, but they're already done looking. The rebellion is over."

"Has the royal family regained the throne?" Celica asked.

"No, they haven't. The remaining members of the Knights of Zofia recaptured the castle. Unfortunate for units who had plenty of work until now, but still a joyous occasion. Anyway, let me know when you run out." The bartender returned to the kitchen.

So Desaix's grip over Zofia had been loosened enough that the people were celebrating. They no longer felt they had to worry about his oppression. If the Knights of Zofia had retaken the castle, then the government, economy, and abundance of peace they had always known should return to what it once was. And that was why this town was in such high spirits.

"Well that was a sudden downfall. Does it mean Desaix wasn't really all that strong?" Valbar said, and the conversation at their table naturally shifted towards a discussion of Desaix's cruel methods. 

Having been sent to Novis Island to live largely secluded lives, Celica, Genny, Boey, and Mae had only heard rumors. However, to Valbar, Saber, and Leo, any and all movements in politics directly affected their lives, and so they knew all about Chancellor Desaix's politics.

"The members of the royal family died one after the other of illness, but that too was all part of Desaix's plans. I heard that a contagious illness was spreading throughout the castle, but no matter how you look at it, it's unnatural that every member of the royal bloodline, including their extended relatives, would die of the same illness. And the ministers were all killed to cover up the truth, making for quite a convenient inconvenience." Valbar explained further.

"Princess Anthiese is said to be the only member of the royal family alive today, though none know where she is." Saber said.

"Princess Anthiese?" Valbar responded with a question, signaling that he did not seem to know anything about her.

Saber continued, "She is the daughter of King Lima IV and his first queen Liprica, making her the crown princess. You know of Holy Knight Mycen, right?"

"Of course. He is the ideal that all us units strive to become."

"Mycen was probably the first and only person to realize what Desaix was truly planning so early on. He took Princess Anthiese from the castle when she was just a baby to protect her from Desaix's cruelty."

"But Mycen was chased out of the castle as part of Desaix's plot."

"No, that's not what really happened. The truth is that Mycen left of his own accord to protect Princess Anthiese."

"I've heard that Mycen is living in hiding in Ram Village. Is the princess there, too?"

"No, I don't know where she is. But that's obvious, right? If we knew where she was, then there's no way Desaix wouldn't know too. She would have been killed long ago."

"Makes sense." Valbar nodded.

"I've also heard rumors that Grieth, king of the desert thieves, has discovered where Princess Anthiese is, and wants to use her as a puppet while he is the one truly in power over Zofia. It's a pretty big dream, but that's what the thieves are hoping for. If so, then she may already be in Grieth's clutches. Assuming that to be the case, it also means that it is becoming less and less likely that she could fall into Desaix's hands. While Grieth's kingdom of thieves is not formally recognized as its own nation, it does have a lot of power. Still, none of this information is known for certain. The case for the princess being alive is about as strong as the one for her being dead. If she is alive, then she's gotta be… hmm… around Celica's age, I'd imagine."

Genny, sitting next to Celica, found that last sudden detail to be very curious. 'If she is alive, then she's gotta be… hmm… around Celica's age, I'd imagine.' When Saber said it, she saw the color drain from Celica's face.

Now that Genny thought about it, not a single person at Novis Priory knew anything about the circumstances of Celica's birth. Even Nomah did not seem to know where she was from or who her parents were. Because lineage was not a relevant factor in religious study and training, no one at the priory had any interest in it. However, now that she had left the island and met people living normal lives, Genny had naturally become curious about Celica's background. But Celica was a Priestess, the highest class of all clergy units. To ask her any questions on the topic outright would be rude.

"If the princess really is alive, then she will bring peace back to Zofia." Valbar said. "The castle has been recaptured by the Knights of Zofia. If the princess returned now, then Zofia would be fully restored to its former glory. It would make our journey much easier."

"No, I wouldn't be so optimistic." Said a small voice that came from their table, but an old man behind Valbar, sipping slowly on his drink while listening in on their conversation. "The owner of this tavern and the locals are happy to be free from Desaix's rule. All of you seem to be as well, but that is utter foolishness."

The entire group turned their eyes and ears towards the old man, who, now knowing that they were paying attention to him, put down his cup and began to talk to none of them in particular.

"The castle has been freed from Desaix's grasp. That is all. Zofia Castle was built for defense. A man like him has no interest in it. Everyone knows he is building an even sturdier fortress in the western forest, but no one wants to acknowledge it. Not a soul here in Zofia wants to stare the truth in the face, but Zofia's time of ever enjoying peace again is long over. Next, Desaix will shift his strategy to spread even greater terror throughout Zofia, and obtain total control." The old man said. "It would have been better if the Deliverance did not act. Not ever being liberated will be much preferable to the terror Desaix is about to unleash. Not a single member of the royal family's bloodline is in the castle. The idea that Princess Anthiese is alive is a dream within a dream. The Deliverance is nothing more than a shadow of what the Knights of Zofia was. The argument is stronger than ever that Desaix is the royal family now. Everything is still under his control, yet Zofia is celebrating without a care in the world."

Someone suddenly stood up. It was Celica. She came up to the old man's table, and asked as she refilled his cup, "Can you tell us who recaptured the castle, sir?" Celica had a feeling she knew exactly who it was. The wheels of fate were turning, and the sound was ringing in her ears. 

The old man smiled down at his refilled cup, then looked up at Celica and said, "It was Alm. Mycen's grandson."

Alm. That name felt nostalgic, and even moreso, beloved in her heart. 

'I see, so Sir Mycen raised Alm as his grandson.' She thought. She knew Mycen very well, too.

Celica next realized that Alm had chosen to walk down the path of war. She felt a large lump of ominous premonition form in her chest, and it made her heart heavy. She did not know why, but it kept growing and growing inside of her, and she couldn't make it stop. It terrified her.

The premonition told her, 'He can't. He can't walk down the path of war. It will only lead to tragedy.' 

She knew no details, only that the inevitable tragedy was the cause of the growing premonition in her heart.

"We will go to Zofia Castle." Celica said, flipped back her long red hair, and walked out of the tavern, the sounds of her footsteps echoing loudly across the floor. Her allies all followed after her immediately, abandoning their drinks, regardless of how much was left.

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

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Wait there are novelizations of Tearring and Berwick sagas???

There are... And I've had the goods, ready and waiting, in my collection for a while now! I won't consider the "1st round" of novel translations complete until these are translated too!!

(Since some FE games got 2 novelizations, I consider there to be a round 1 and round 2 of FE novel translations in my long-term plans.)

#tearring saga #tear ring saga #berwick saga #ps1 #ps2 #playstation #playstation 1 #playstation 2 #the fire emblem not fire emblem games #light novel #translation

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Hello there, so I saw your Louis and Hector post and it really got me thinking if Louis is really that different between Japanese and English. From everything I’ve been able to gather, whether it be support/bond conversations or his Ally Notebook, it seems to suggest that he’s still in general a people watcher just with a general preference towards women. The way I see it, the only really major difference between the two versions is that his preference is more clear in Japanese while in English it’s more subtle, but still present through a couple of his supports (particularly his C support with Chloé and B with Ivy), as well his personal skill. But even with that preference, he still very much has interest in watching men as well, what with his supports with Clanne and Zelkov, and of course his bond with Hector. There seems to be a consensus that Louis was meant to be a reverse Nina from Fates, and while there’s some sort of truth to that, i don’t think it’s an entirely accurate description. I say that because if Louis really was meant to be a reverse of Nina, then things like the aforementioned examples would come across as really odd and seemingly random. Plus I went through a admittedly rough translation of his Ally Notebook pages where it states that he always keeps an eye on his friends and enjoys seeing them get along, not necessarily specifying a particular gender. With this in mind, I take it that Louis’ particular preference was toned down or made more subtle in English as they didn’t want to give anyone the wrong idea about him, as his pretty strange hobby aside, he’s a very caring and thoughtful guy who just loves helping out his friends and wants nothing more than ensuring that they’re in good states of mind, which is a heavily recurring theme in his support conversations. But that’s just how I see Louis, I’m interested if you share any similar thoughts on this matter.

Once again thank you for all your hard work you do for this community, it’s all very much appreciated.

For me, Louis is in that category of Fire Emblem character that has existed mostly post-Awakening, where the writers wanted both a “joke character” and a “nuanced character” all rolled up in one package, and the two sides don’t always mesh so well, for better and for worse. In general, I’ve come to be neutral on it, because it’s simply one of Fire Emblem’s tropes at this point. He’s both “Ha ha creepy dude stares at women” and “sweet man who picks up on everything about everyone, men and women, because he’s wholesome and just wants his allies to be happy” all at once. I can both love him as a sweet caring friend to his allies, and think “wow, creeper” all at once. It’s Fire Emblem doing a Fire Emblem. The writers just write like that. I can wish FE’s sense of humor didn’t have to be like this, but I also know what to expect at this point.

So fun story, the first Louis support I happened to unlock was his one with Alear, and it took me nearly the entire C conversation to get why Alear was weirded out. And I was reading the Japanese version of the convo!

I assumed Louis was like this, vibing in social situations, until finally at the end of the C convo I said to myself, "Oh, that's what the game is getting at! He's kind of a creeper!" ...And that's my humorous story, that I didn't even get the joke that probably should have been obvious.

Like... people watching is super normal to a certain degree. Multiple people have explained to me that they like to sit in a crowd and not listen in on conversations or anything... especially when I was in college! The main dining hall was built into a slope, so there were three 'tiers' of seating, each one elevated slightly lower than the last. It was a common hobby to sit at the edge of the top tier, and just hang out and look at everyone in the 2 lower tiers for a while. They weren't snooping, eavesdropping, or staring on purpose... just enjoying the vibe. Because humans are social creatures and often just like the vibe of being in a social situation, without having to be social themselves at the moment.

I'm honestly a little surprised Treehouse didn't do more to tone down the “staring at women” side of Louis’ people-watching. Anon, you mentioned the Louis/Chloé supports, and they are worth bringing up again, because the localization really did nothing to change the weirdness of them, in my opinion.

 Let's look at a direct snippet from Louis/Chloé C:

Japanese w/ my quick translation:

[クロエ]そうして堂々と言われると、 まっとうな趣味のように勘違いしてしまいそうよ。▼ Chloé: When you describe it so magnificently like that, you almost make me mistake it for a respectable hobby. [ルイ]仲良く話す女性たちを眺めるのが好き。 それが趣味なのはおかしなことでしょうか。▼ 触れたいわけでもなければ、 会話に加わりたいわけでもないのに。▼ Louis: I like gazing upon women chatting amicably. Is that really such a strange hobby to have? Considering I do not want to bother them, nor join in the conversation? [クロエ]本当に見ているだけがいいのね。▼ Chloé: And you are truly happy just watching them? [ルイ]美しい風景を楽しむのと同じですよ。 心を穏やかにし、静かに眺めるんです。▼ 無害で健全な趣味だと思っていますし、 クロエさんなら理解してくれるはずでは？▼ Louis: It is the same as enjoying beautiful scenery. It calms my heart, and I watch quietly. I think both are a harmless, healthy hobby. You of all people should understand.

Localized English:

Chloé: The way you talk, it sounds like you were taking in fine art at a gallery. Louis: To me, there is no greater art. The finest galleries fall far short by comparison. There are so many subtleties and nuances to be seen that I could do so all day. Chloé: That's really the whole reason you do it? Louis: It's no different than appreciating a beautiful landscape. I sit quietly and let it soothe me. I see no harm in people-watching, and I'm sure you of all people must agree.

Of course everyone will have their own reaction, but calling it a work of art to stare at the subtleties and nuances of women who might not know he's there... feels even more weird to me than the Japanese, where he directly says he likes watching women talk. The exact words of the conversation are different, sure, but I get the same feeling. 

As I’ve said before, I feel like certain groups of conversations get assigned to different staff, and the two (or more) translators/localizers don’t always meet up to make sure they are on the same page with the same character. Some chunks of the localized text feel like the localizers tried to make Louis’ people-watching more gender-neutral, and others feel like it's still very much a thing he mostly does to women. Just an observation, nothing to quote me on.

And so, I think that’s all I have to say on Louis for the moment! Thanks for the question anon, he is a character that makes for interesting discussion.

#fire emblem #engage #fire emblem engage #fe17 #louis #character discussion #character discourse #switch #nintendo switch

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 3 Part 3

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 3 - To Zofia Castle

Part 3 - Kliff's Gambit

Clair's pegasus suddenly shook the curl between her eyes. Clair had never felt this heavy on her back before, but that was because Clive had chosen the most defensive set of armor in the cave's weapon storage for his sister.

The pegasus shook her head and slowly spread open her large wings. The gesture was graceful and majestic, like a thick fog hanging over the surface of a lake.

The moment her pegasus took off without a sound, Clair closed the front of her helmet with a loud squeak. The last sight left clearly within everyone's hearts and minds was that of the light in her almond eyes, filled with determination.

With just one more flap of her wings against the wind, the pegasus drew a single, straight white line in the blue sky, and flew towards the castle, dazzling in the sunlight. Desaix's army did not notice her. No one at the castle moved, and they disappeared behind the castle wall in the blink of an eye. 

As the Deliverance watched, frozen in fear, the eastern gate moved slightly. She had done it! All they needed was for the latch across the gate to be opened, and the sacred horses would be able to gallop through.

Now, only the western gate remained. They had calculated the time it would take her to move to the west side, and knowing that it was taking longer than they originally predicted, their fear only continued to build up. When it finally reached its peak, they saw the units within the castle begin to move. The sound of multiple sets of hooves echoed throughout the building.

Clair's actions had finally alerted the enemy.

"The really heavy and loud hooves have to be those of a Paladin's horse." Forsyth said, the color draining from his face. 

This development made the current tide of battle fall even further out of their favor. If there was a Paladin, the promoted unit above Cavalier, among Desaix's ranks, then it could be none other than General Slayde. When the Knights of Zofia learned that an army attempting a coup d'etat had been formed, one of the most regrettable outcomes was General Slayde defecting to Desaix's side. It was no exaggeration to say his changing sides was the entire reason why the Knights lost. If you asked any ten units in Zofia who their bravest and strongest general was, all ten would first answer with General Slayde's name.

Clive thought General Slayde had been ordered by Desaix long ago to lead the army subjugating the rural regions, but he was actually still here in the castle.

The entire group became more scared, even after thinking they had reached their peak. They had no choice but to prepare themselves for Clair's death. If she could not open the western gate, then there would be only one path for them to take. They would have to move the Ram Village group away from the western bridge, and have everyone move together.

Clive prepared himself for that outcome. Alm prepared himself for that outcome. Then, finally, the western gate moved.

Out from the open crack in the gate slipped a white figure that shot up into the air. It was Clair's pegasus. Seeing that she had slipped past Desaix's forces and completed her duty without a hitch, Alm smiled from ear to ear and shouted, "Go!"

Clive's horse kicked up his front legs into the air. On the west bridge, Gray's horse whinnied loudly.

"Our victory is imminent! Operation Clair's Wings is a success! This battle is ours to take!" Alm shouted.

Everyone cheered in unison, "Glory to the Zofian royal family!"

-

The members of the Deliverance slipped through both sides of the castle gate, defeated all of the weaker enemies in their path, and came together as planned. 

However, everything afterwards did not. General Slayde's units were each experts in their respective weapons and very strong, forcing the Deliverance into a standstill they could not easily break out of.

The three Archers fighting on the front line were giving them the most trouble. Without defeating them, the Deliverance would not be able to make any progress forward. If they left the Archers behind them, no matter how far into the enemy's ranks they got, they would eventually lose.

Tobin and Python shot arrows at the embrasures in the walls, but all their arrows did was hit the stone and fruitlessly shatter to pieces. The two were unable to land a lethal hit on any of the Archers. Clive, Gray, Lukas, and Forsyth, as the Cavaliers and Soldiers of their army, all focused on defense, but as General Slayde's units tried to break through, they put up a better fight than anticipated, and began to succeed. Tobin and Python could not afford to aim properly, and instead impatiently shot arrows one after the other.

Alm, who was originally supposed to dash ahead and move deeper into the castle, had no choice but to turn his attention towards defeating the Archers, meaning that General Slayde had also succeeded in stopping Alm as well.

Alm flew down towards the Archers' hiding spot, where they were all lined up against the honeycomb-like wall. He cut off the head of one, and as he swung his sword back, he landed a lethal blow to another by slicing open the Archer's dominant arm. 

But in that moment, he realized what a bad idea it had been to change the strategy. A third Archer had an arrow aimed straight at him, and behind him, a Soldier was creeping up towards him. Alm was isolated entirely from his allies.

Kliff was the first to notice that Alm was in danger. …Nay, it wasn't that he was the first. All the members of the Deliverance already knew that Alm was trapped. But while they gave their best effort to move towards him, the onslaught they were facing from Desaix's forces was too great.

"Forsyth, take care of Silque for me!" Kliff shouted, and called out to Clair, who was flying around in the air, having no idea what else she could do. After checking that Silque was hiding in the shadow of Forsyth's armor, he jumped at Clair's pegasus, and clung to her side. The pegasus wavered at the addition of further new weight to her load, but was able to carry Kliff over Alm's head.

"Thunder, slay my enemies!" Kliff cast a Thunder spell just before landing back on the ground. The bolt of lightning moved from the heavens down to the floor and shook through the castle wall, traveling straight towards the Archer shooting his arrow at Alm's eyes, and rippling through his body.

"Dammit, when did you get this strong?!" Alm shouted at Kliff as he put his back against Alm's.

"With an entrance like that, there's no way they can kill me!" Kliff answered. 

The moment Alm sliced his sword through a Soldier's torso, they heard a scream from below. They each looked out one of the embrasures to see Silque shrieking. Gray and Clive were doing their best to surround Robin and Python, who were fighting as hard as they could as the current main attackers, while Lukas was running over towards a Cavalier targeting Clair.

Silque was still safe, but protecting her was too much for Forsyth alone. And to make his situation even worse, his current enemy was an Arcanist. Forsyth's weapon of choice was the lance. To land a hit, he had no choice but to charge straight for the Arcanist's chest, when that was the one maneuver that made offensive magic the most likely to hit its target.

"Poison, slay my enemy!" The Arcanist cast a Miasma spell, and it was a direct hit. 

Forsyth fell to his knees.  

"Forsyth!" Alm shouted and started to run, but Kliff stopped him.

"You defeat Slayde. I'll defeat that no-good Arcanist, and protect Silque!" Kliff declared, and with his cape fluttering in the wind, he jumped down and stood before the Arcanist.

He was terrified by how easily Forsyth had fallen, but shouted to Silque, who was slowly backing up against the wall, "You cast Recover on Forsyth immediately! The Miasma spell is taking a toll on him fast! If we don't do something soon, he will die!"

Silque snapped back to her senses and ran over to Forsyth, now collapsed completely from the effects of the poison. The Arcanist kept his eyes hidden under his black hood. All Kliff could see was the light in the eyes staring at him. 

While simultaneously judging the distance between him and the arcanist, he glanced upwards to double-check what Alm was doing.

Alm lept out from behind an overhang over the castle wall, and ran straight towards General Slayde. The sight reassured Kliff, and made him feel a new power course through his body. Alm believed Kliff was strong enough. He'd entrusted Silque entirely to him.

Kliff blushed. 'Is this what joy is?' He was fighting only for Silque. It was the first time he'd ever felt this way.

Kliff flared out his cape like a cobra spreading open its neck and said to the Arcanist, "I am Kliff from Ram Village! How ashamed you must be if you hide behind a hood and cannot tell me your name!"

Kliff cast a Thunder spell, but a split second later, the Arcanist grinned from beneath his dark hood and cast his own Death spell.

-

"And who might you be, little boy?!"

Alm looked up and saw General Slayde, who resembled a boulder falling from atop a mountain peak. Alm lowered his sword slightly, and heard Slayde's sacred horse snort violently over his head.

"My name is Alm, grandson of Mycen!" Alm said.

"Oh?" Slayde's mouth opened in surprise. "This is the first time I am hearing of Mycen having any grandchildren. Regardless, you cannot win against me, however you may try. I have seen all of Mycen's moves. If you have learned every skill he has to pass down, then I have already seen all of your skills as well."

"You sure talk a lot!" Alm shouted, and ran behind Slayde's horse. Slayde pulled his horse's reins, but because he had taken Alm so lightly, he was a moment too late. Alm's sword slashed his horse's rear leg tendons, and he fell off it with a crash, his heavy armor cracking when it hit the floor.

If Slayde knew what the voice at Mila's Shrine had said to Alm, he would turn tail and run immediately. Alm was a being above transcendence. His strength and abilities were those of Mycen's at their core. But his will was a fighting spirit surging up from within his body, in an absolute state that no other unit had ever attained before. It was a fighting spirit already meaningless to compare with that of any other unit's.

Alm's sword stabbed easily through the glittering strip of steel protecting General Slayer's neck like parchment, and pierced his throat before he even had time to scream.

As their fates were tied together, the moment Slayde's life ended, his horse breathed his last breath. Alm confirmed it was dead, and ordered Clive, "We will take Desaix's head. Let's go, Clive!"

There were already only a few survivors left in Slayde's army. Clive entrusted them to his allies, then followed Alm further into the castle. 

It seemed that Desaix had already sent all of the central units of his army to halt the Deliverance from advancing any further, as the forces left within the castle were all less powerful units. They started to retreat when they saw the light reflecting off Alm's sword, and heard the thunderous echo of Clive's horse's hooves. 

Alm and Clive followed the units, and in the end, were led to Chancellor Desaix.

He was a Baron, a combat class transcended from Knight, covered in a full suit of steel armor. He was rumored to be so large that he was as big as a rhinoceros. His retreating troops seemed to have intended to do so from the very start, as they were all calm behind him.

"So you're the one who killed Slayde, are you?" Desaix faced Alm and spoke to him directly in a low, heavy voice. The room was a large atrium, and though they could see Zofia's northern forest behind him, separated by the castle's thick stone pillars, his voice still echoed throughout the entire castle. "Do you really think you can take the Chancellor's head after leaving your elders to die and surviving in complete shame?"

"Damn you!" Clive howled and hit his horse's reins, but pulled them back immediately. His rider's sudden movements made him neigh wildly in confusion.

"Mathilda!" Clive screamed. 

From behind the shadow of his scarlet red cape, so large it could act as a curtain and cover the entire atrium behind him, Desaix dragged out a person with her hands tied behind her back. The sleeves and legs of her clothing were torn, she appeared to be seriously wounded, and she was unconscious, but there was no doubt in Clive's mind that she was Mathilda.

"She came here and climbed the castle wall all by herself. There is no point in killing one or two reckless units, so I didn't bother. Clive, I was going to kill her in front of you to amuse myself, but I've changed my mind." Desaix said, and looked over at Alm. 

Desaix was the leader of the coup d'etat, and had overthrown the entire Zofian government. If even General Slayde, who excelled only in combat, did not notice Alm's special mark, then there was no way Desaix would.

Though Desaix was acting tough, it was part of his plan all along to retreat. He would use Mathilda as his hostage and swear to keep her safe if they swore to let him escape. With General Slayde already dead, he had no way of assessing Alm's strength. Still, in front of the units under his command, he could not show any signs of wavering, no matter how small.

"Zofia Castle is a useless pile of toy blocks. If you want it, Clive, I'll give it to you. In fact, just say the word, and I'll build one or two more of this same castle myself for you!!" Desaix said and laughed. "I'll keep the little lady with me until the next time we meet. The fort in the western forest is also under my control. You're welcome to come by whenever you want to chat. But don't forget. I have no interest in negotiating. The only words I want to hear are those vowing your undying loyalty to me."

He then said even louder, "I am Desaix, ruler over all of Zofia! You better not forget that, either!" And leisurely left the building with his units.

-

They had finally retaken the castle that pained the Knights of Zofia so much to leave. But Desaix was still alive. And with Mathilda as his hostage, he still had the upper hand.

And when Alm and Clive returned to their allies, one of the great tragedies of war awaited them. Not even one day had passed since they all met each other and officially became the Deliverance.

Amongst the piles of enemy corpses, their allies were all gathered together and kneeling. At first, they thought everyone was so exhausted from fighting that no one noticed them.

Then, Lukas turned around, tears streaming down his face. "Kliff, he's…"

"What the matter?! What happened to him?!" Alm asked, and ran over to Forsyth.

He responded, "It's all my fault because I'm so weak and useless…"

It was then that Alm saw Kliff in Silque's arms. Kliff recognized it was him, and slightly moved his bloody right arm. He was trying to reach out to Alm, but couldn't.

"He sacrificed himself to kill the Arcanist." Forsyth said through loud sobs, and lifted one of his fingers. They looked in the direction he was pointing in and saw the hooded corpse of the Arcanist, the flesh of his back charred and torn.

"Why aren't you healing him?!" Alm pushed past Silque and put his hands around either side of Kliff's face. Tears ran down his face.

They'd been friends since they took their first steps, or perhaps even since they were born. Neither of them could remember. But now, Kliff felt so small in Alm's hands. Whenever they ran out to the fields, Kliff was always the last to return; whenever they got into fights with the boys from the neighboring village, they called him a weakling; and he had always been the worst at their swordplay lessons. But now, he has become a great friend who aided Alm and Forsyth, and protected Silque. Yet he was losing his strength, and responded with grief to Alm's cold hands. 

Neither Gray nor Tobin could hold back their sadness either, and sobbed loudly as they held on tightly to the tattered sleeves of his uniform.

"His heart is stopping. There is nothing that healing magic can do for him." Silque whispered in Alm's ear, the words barely managing to form due to the dried tears on her face, and just how raspy her voice had become. 

When Alm pieced the meaning of those words together in his head, he finally started to cry. "Why?! Why do you have to die?!"

Kliff's eyes opened slightly and he said to Alm, "I'm sorry. I wanted to be with you until the very end. Even if I just got in your way or wasn't any help at all, I wanted to be with you no matter what. I'm sorry."

With his remaining strength, he turned his head slightly to look at Silque, and said her name. 

Knowing that this was his final moment, she put her ear to his mouth. Her tears fell on his cheeks, mixing with his own. 

With her ear now close, his mouth moved two, then three times, before he lost the last of his strength and his head fell.

It was clear that Kliff had said something to her, but what could it have been? Gray and Tobin interpreted his words to be him finally confessing his love to her, but no one could really know for sure, as Silque would keep them under lock and key in the depths of her heart.

"Kliff!" The one sound that anyone could hear was that of Alm screaming his friend's name in grief over and over again, the sound only to be sucked up into the blue sky that knew nothing of his pain. All it could do was stare down at him.

-

After Gray closed Kliff's eyes, he drew a detailed portrait of him on a piece of his finest parchment. In Gray's rendition, the color was returned to his face, and he was smiling as he slept peacefully. 

Gray gave the finished portrait to Silque. She wrapped it up in several layers of cloth, carefully tied it to the breast pocket of her robe with a strong piece of string, and held it tightly to her body.

They buried Kliff southeast of Zofia Castle, in a location looking down at the sea, then carved his name into a rock. As they each placed a flower on his gravestone, the shadow the sun cast on his grave grew and grew, stretching out further and further, like their unending grief.

The sun disappeared behind the horizon. Though it was hardest of all for her to walk away, Slique did so first, because then everyone else would have an easier time doing so. They all remained silent, and prayed to themselves for Kliff's soul to find peace, as they returned to the castle. 

Soon after, another person stood in front of his grave, and placed another flower upon it - the Holy Knight Mycen.

When rumors of Celica leaving Novis Island reached his ears, Mycen left for Zofia Castle himself, following Alm. If Celica had begun her journey, then Alm's fate could no longer be changed. Now that this was the case, there was only one path for Mycen to travel.

He had to do what Kliff had wanted, but in the end could not. He had to be there when Alm's tragedy occurred, no matter the cost.

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

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FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 3 Part 2

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

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Chapter 3 - To Zofia Castle

Part 2  - The Night Before Storming Zofia Castle

"The castle really is everything it's said to be! I've heard the rumors, but I never imagined it would be this beautiful! The entire building was made with marble mixed with seashell plaster to harden it, allowing it to stand tall and sturdy throughout its long history. Doesn't it look just like a mountain range covered in snow?" Gray said as he looked at the breathtaking view of Zofia Castle from atop the fort watchtower. He was currently drawing a rough diagram of it on a piece of parchment. He was so blown away by how beautiful it was that he said his thoughts aloud to Tobin next to him, who was looking through his telescope and counting how many units were stationed within it.

"It's more like a white rose covered in thorns! Desaix's units are everywhere!" Tobin said, still looking through the telescope. 

Gray held out his brush, using it to measure the rough dimensions of the castle.

Upon retaking the southern fort and successfully rescuing Clair, Alm ordered Gray, Tobin, Kliff, and Silque to stay there. It was likely that Desaix would send more of his units once he realized that it had been captured, so in order to protect their new base, Alm left four of his units there.

"We'll be right back." Alm had said to them, then left with Lukas and Clair to go to the cave where Clive and the others were waiting. 

And so, the other four members of the Deliverance were now gathered together at the southern fort, and had to immediately start planning their attack on the castle.

"It has a moat and a castle wall, making it a perfect castle for defense. Because there's no opening that allows the army stationed inside to go on the offensive, once we break their defenses, it might as well be a sand castle. But getting to that point will be tricky." Gray said as he switched to a finer brush to write down the distance between different locations on his diagram. 

Tobin nudged his shoulder. 

When he turned around, Tobin was already looking through the telescope out the watchtower window, and down at the fort courtyard.

"What is it?" Gray asked.

Tobin did not respond with words, but pointed at something. 

There were two people in the embankment, where the enemy archer had stood. They were Kliff and Silque.

"Looks like they're having a good time!" Tobin commented.

"A very good time!" Gray responded with a grin on his face.

From this far away, they couldn't hear what the two were talking about, but their shoulders were touching, and they appeared to be talking very intimately, like two lovebirds spreading their wings and resting together.

-

 "Lukas!"

"Forsyth!"

Upon seeing his little sister's safe return after being prepared to receive news of her death, Clive's expression lit up with such joy that it looked as if he was going crazy. 

But Lukas and Forsyth might have been even happier upon their reunion.

They called each other out by name, then hugged hard as they could, and Forsyth unabashedly cried big, wet tears.

They were both Soldiers, and units of the same class generally have a stronger bond than those who are not. Meaning also that Clive's sadness over losing fellow Cavalier Mathilda must have been the reason why he could not truly celebrate his reunion with Clair.

"Where's Mathilda?" Lukas asked. 

Clive told him everything that happened. 

Knowing that it was her fault Mathilda ran off, all of the color drained from Clair's face. "I'm sorry, everyone. Especially to you, Brother. Please, forgive me." 

Mathilda was always very kind, and often encouraged Clair, who was timid due to her gentle nature. Clair thought of her like an older sister. She knew she felt that way because she was Clive's sister, and Mathilda was deeply in love with Clive. Clair knew that he also felt the exact same way about her.

Standing a slight distance away from everyone else as their excitement overflowed was the archer Python. From the moment Lukas returned, Python was wary of the young man he brought with him to the cave. In fact, he thought Clive and Forsyth were the weird ones, so easily able to open their hearts and share their joys and sadness in front of a guest when they had no idea who he was or where he came from.

Lukas explained everything, highlighting that he brought Alm with him because he was of Mycen's bloodline, and that he witnessed the strange experience Alm had at the remote Mila Shrine. But even after that, Python's feelings did not change. Python was a unit who valued hard facts most of all, and would not believe anything until he saw it with his own eyes, even if he had heard of it one hundred times before. It was set in stone that he would not consider Python his ally until Alm approached him directly and showed him Desaix's head.

"Let's trust what Lukas says for now." Python said. "And accept this boy's worth as someone of Sir Mycen's bloodline. If Mycen has fallen ill and sent Alm directly himself, then we should accept his aid. Alm also seems to be someone special who has received Mila's divine blessing. When I see his face, I can tell immediately that there is something mysterious about him. But right now, you're our leader, Clive. I want to hear what your plan is."

Clive's expression suddenly became serious. Python wasn't the only one asking him that question. It had to be the question on the minds of the other remaining members of the Knights of Zofia as well.

He said, "Lukas saw everything with his very own eyes, so it must all be true. I believe Alm is fit to be the Deliverance's general even just because of his strategy that retook the southern fort alone."

Python responded with the topic that concerned him most. "He might not feel obligated to save Mathilda."

"I don't think that's true." Clive answered without a moment's hesitation. However, that instant, clear reply only revealed how unsure he was. 

'Clive surely remembers what Mathilda said to him when she ran off. That he is unqualified to be leader.' Python thought. 'Even now, he might still have lost the determination needed to lead the Deliverance.'

Python growled. Until now, he'd never once felt that Clive, as their leader, would do something as unsightly as show weakness in front of everyone. If that were still the case, Python probably would have immediately accepted Alm without any worries weighing on his mind. 

Python, as his friend, remembered how much pain Clive was in right now. The Knights of Zofia were not built on the ideal that combat strength and ability was everything. Power and strength bring people to trust each other, but trust alone was not the reason why they could put their lives in each other's hands. Their bonds were stronger than trust - almost as close as family.

'Time might be able to heal Clive's wounds.' Python thought, and decided to accept Alm as their general for the time being. Still, that did not mean that he approved of him one hundred percent, and so he started to interrogate Alm, partially as a means to convey his feelings to the others.

"There's just one thing I want to confirm." Python said. "What is your opinion of Emperor Rudolf of the Rigel Empire?"

"I've heard that he is a naturally gifted leader, and that he is both kind to and popular with the people. However, he is Zofia's greatest fear. He must be removed from power." Alm said without even a hint of hesitation. 

Python continued, "How must his power be taken from him? Through an alliance with another country?"

"Achieving a balance of power is an illusion. Judging by the current relationship between Zofia and Rigel, an alliance would clearly be meaningless. History has proven that to be true."

"Then shall power be taken from him through a treaty?"

"Treaties are relative. They change based on the current era. As I said, Rudolf is Zofia's greatest fear." Alm stated once again, and looked directly into Python's eyes. "Rudolf must be killed. That is my ultimate goal. Killing Desaix and liberating Zofia is the first step towards achieving that goal."

"Then we are of the exact same opinion. I will serve you." Python said, took Alm's hand, and kissed it. The gesture was how the Knights of Zofia swore their fealty to their lord.

-

The run-down assembly hall in the western fort was turned into a temporary strategy meeting room, and all the members of the Deliverance, excluding Mathilda, gathered around the small light of a lanturn. Upon seeing Gray and Clive's horses nuzzle each other the moment they met, everyone naturally felt as if they were all destined to meet each other.

They were currently in the middle of a strategy meeting, planning their attack on the castle. Everyone helped to place a piece of the fort's door, which Alm had smashed during their siege, on top of a rock, and roll out Gray's diagram of Zofia Castle on top of that. 

"Your diagram is amazing! It has details that even we didn't know about!" Gasped Forsyth, normally one to make calm and collected decisions even in the heat of battle, in astonishment as he looked it over. It was now complete with Tobin's analysis and predictions for the army's battle stations.

"I'm shocked that such talent was hidden in a remote village! They're all going to be a huge help to us!" Lukas said and slapped his hand on Forsyth's shoulder. 

Gray, Tobin, Kliff, and Silque all heard what he said and all looked at each other while scoffing, remembering that Lukas had argued against taking them along until the last second.

"Zofia Castle was built for defense. That is why Rigel makes fun of it and says it's like a castle made out of toy blocks." Python said.

The conversation naturally gravitated towards Alm and Clive trading ideas back and forth to develop their battle strategy, but Python, as the member among them quickest to anger, interjected every chance he got. Their forces were all very strong, but when they compared themselves to Desaix's army, they were vastly outnumbered. Python served a role akin to the person stirring the fire as they perfected their strategy that they had to construct with extreme caution, making the others in the group resent him from time to time.

"The moat has two bridges over it, and the castle wall has two gates. But if we can break through that far, then we have a chance." Clive said, and proposed to split up into two groups. 

Clive and Python would take the east bridge, with Forsyth in the middle. The western bridge would also utilize the same Cavalier-Soldier-Archer formation with Gray, Tobin, and Lukas. That choice was the most logical, and no one objected to it.

After finalizing that decision, Clive said to Clair, "You can fly over the castle wall, right?"

"Of course! It was the training grounds for me and my pegasus!"

Though it was being used as Desaix's base, Zofia's Castle was like a home to the Knights of Zofia. Clive and Clair's interaction made Alm and the others realize the suffering the surviving members experienced by being chased out of the castle.

"The gate does not open from the outside. You are the only one of us that can do it. You understand how important this role is, right?"

Clair nodded deeply at her brother's words. 

Looking at Gray's diagram, there were three archers guarding the castle gate. Their arrows could easily reach a flying pegasus, and Clair would be flying straight towards them. Their biggest gamble all rested on this part of the strategy. Whether or not they entered the castle depended entirely on if Clair could open the gate from the inside. In other words, everything hinged on whether she lived or died.

"This is our momentous first battle as the Deliverance! We shall call our strategy, 'Clair's Wings!'" Alm said. 

Clair stared straight at him. Underneath her bright blue, thick bangs, there was a faint light in her eyes that might have been tears.

"Where should we position Silque?" Alm asked. The position of healer units had a close effect on the tide of battle.

"The five of us remaining from the Knights of Zofia could march through the castle with our eyes closed. Let's put her behind our allies from Ram Village first. We'll be fine until we reconvene, and just use Vulneraries on our wounds."

Clive handed down his decision without hesitation, then on the diagram on the west bridge, which Gray and his group was responsible for, wrote down her name, "Shilk."

"I will go ahead of Clive." Alm said.

"When Clair opens the gate, I will immediately rush inside to be her reinforcement. Everyone else should continually assess the current state of battle, and proceed with caution. Once the gate is open, both the east and west groups should focus on reconvening. The two Cavaliers will be the vanguard with the Archers in the middle, and the Soldiers will guard the rear. The Cavaliers and Soldiers should put more effort into defense than offense, and the archers should prioritize offense. My only target will be Desaix, and I will charge directly into the castle. Clair will fly ahead and report to me the foes I will need to face. Even if I am injured, I will not hesitate. I will focus solely on locating Desaix until I find him."

As Alm explained his strategy, both Clive and Python were rather impressed, but Alm did not think it was that impressive. He simply decided it sufficient to expand on the scope of the strategies he would plan while defending Ram Village from Brigands; and saw finer details the Knights of Zofia did not notice, as he had more real combat experience.

He next addressed Kliff directly. "You will protect Silque. Do not hold back. Whether you need to use fire or lightning, you must strike down any foe that comes near her. This is a very important assignment. You'll be able to get all the rest you need after the battle. Do not let up your spells until you have defeated every last enemy."

"I've known to do just that since long before you told me to." Kliff said, and held out his fist towards her. 

His dependable words and tone made her face turn red as she bumped his fist back, a gesture Gray and Tobin would never miss. They both looked at each other and whistled.

The scene made Clive chuckle as he wrote down Kliff's name as "Klih" next to "Shilk."

Kliff noticed the spelling and clarified, "You're a little off. It's K-L-I-H-S. There's an S at the end."

"That's an unusual way of spelling it." Lukas said.

"That's how my mother spelled it. She's from the countryside."

"Yeah, must be a countryside thing." Lukas said, and everyone laughed, the cheer in their voices relieving the strategy room of the tension it has been filled with since they started to decide their tactics for the next morning's battle.

-

With their strategy complete and perfected, they all entered their makeshift beds early, but could not sleep with the day ahead of them that would decide their fates. Forced to wait until the next morning to act, each member of the Deliverance spent the night unable to sleep for their own reasons.

Clive thought about Matilda. She might already be gone. Since there was no sign of her her at the western fort where Clair was being held hostage, it was logical to think that she might have been killed by Desaix's army here several days ago. 'But now is not the time to be overcome by grief! Tomorrow we will liberate Zofia Castle, and make our teacher's dying wish a reality!' Clive thought, and shut his eyes tight.

Lukas and Forsyth decided that if they could not sleep, they might as well practice sparring together, and went outside.

Python spread his arrows out across his bed and polished them with oil. Gray and Tobin, perhaps because they were from a remote rural town and did not mind their manners so much, talked all about how cute Clair was, despite only having just met her today. Gray proposed to make the battle tomorrow a competition, and whoever lost would have to graciously give up pursuing her to the other. Tobin accepted the bet, then responded by saying, "Clair is mine!!"

Clair herself, meanwhile, was in her bed in a separate room from the men, thinking about Alm. His skill with his sword that he displayed atop the watchtower… His regality as a general despite his young age… The kindness of his heart, that he would name their strategy after her, a soldier beneath his rank… Silque said that he was the person who would rule over all of Valentia. Clair saw him as an ideal person.

If anyone had looked at it, they would have realized Kliff's bed was empty. After everyone went to lay down, he continued to stare into the strategy room, still lit in the bright lamp light, from the shadows.

"Even with such a significant difference between our numbers and Desaix's, the actions a healer unit takes are more important than offense." Alm said before continuing to give Silque his carefully detailed briefing to her. 

While Kliff of course felt nervous before their decisive battle, he also could not sleep because he felt uneasy about Alm and Silque being alone together. Alm spoke softly, but his words still reached Kliff's ears.

"I've assigned Kliff to be your guard, but sometimes his kindness can backfire. You might think of me as insecure for doing this, but I have requested Forsyth to be a second guard for you as well. You have no reason to worry."

At his current strength, Kliff had no other choice than to realize Alm was right. He watched Silque nod in response, and bit his lip.

But what Kliff was worried about was not the idea that Alm did not really trust him to be able to do the job. He was afraid that Silque would reveal the secret of Alm's fate directly to Alm. Until the tragedy completely played itself out, even Alm himself should know nothing. His tragedy was to be the sacrifice made in exchange for world peace and stability, and was directly connected to Mila, Duma, and Valentia's fates. 

'His secret will move the gods, meaning…' That was as far as Kliff's thoughts got before the lantern went out. He hurried to his bed so that they would not see him.

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

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Blog Update 2024.3.13

I started my new job last week, and they are being super nice, training me up nice and slowly. I'm currently using the time to catch up on FE2 - I got a week behind when I finished up my last job.

I'm also reorienting myself on my exact FE novelization translation schedule through 2024 - 2025, as well as my basic schedule for 2026-2030.

I thought I might as well share my thoughts so far!

Here's the long-term plan, as detailed as I currently have it:

2nd half 2024 - September 2025: Alternating FE2 Book 2 and FE6.

September 2025 - December 2025: A secret non-FE novel translation project!

1st half 2026: FE1 (1 book.)

2nd half 2026, all of 2027, 1st half 2028: FE3. (4 books)

2nd half 2028 - all of 2029: Tearring Saga (3 books)

2030: Berwick Saga (2 books)

The 2nd novelizations of the games that have them, as well as the game books (choose-your-own-adventures), have yet to be scheduled. But will be 2031 and beyond, as is easy to deduce!

As I have mentioned previously, I am alternating FE2 Book 2 and FE6, because FE2 was written at a higher, denser reading level than the other FE novelizations I have tackled so far; whereas FE6 is at an easier reading level for me. This system allows me to take much-needed breaks from FE2, without slowing down my overall translations output. The upload schedule will be chapter-by-chapter. (1 chapter of FE6, then 1 chapter of FE2, then 1 chapter of FE6, etc.)

I'm taking a break from FE in the last quarter of 2025 because FE6 is very awkward in length. At 381 pages, it is far too long to squish into 6 months, but also too short to drag out over 1 year. I also don't have any other FE books that are short enough to be reasonably translated in 3-4 months. And I would hate to break this "always start a new book in January and July" momentum that I have going.

So, I decided to pull something short and sweet from the other video game franchises I have on my novelization shelf. It was written for children, at a 3-4th grade reading level to be exact, so even at its 200 page length, it should be easily doable in 3 1/2 months.

I do have other video game franchises near and dear to my heart other than FE (shocking, I know), so I do want to show at least one of them some love sometime. And this seemed like a good opportunity to do so, without taking too long of a break from FE!

-

As for getting caught up on asks, and starting to reconsider non-novel translations, I'm going to put thought into that after I get caught up on the missed week of FE2.

Thanks for sticking with me through the IRL crazy!!

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 1 #fire emblem 2 #fire emblem 3 #fire emblem 6 #tearring saga #berwick saga #japan #japanese #translation #light novel #novelization #fe novelization translation #shadow dragon #mystery of the emblem #the binding blade #fire emblem gaiden #fire emblem echoes #shadows of valentia #fe1 #fe2 #fe3 #fe6 #blog update

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FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 3 Part 1

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 3 - To Zofia Castle

Part 1 - Rescuing Clair

On the main road that continues directly south from Zofia Castle, overlooking all the people and goods that travel it, lies the southern fort, half a day's walk away. Though it was called a fort, it had not actually been built for combat. The watchtower, which jutted out from the castle like the horn of a unicorn, felt as if it had been moved from elsewhere and attached to the building. The fort otherwise did not at all look like it was made for combat. It was built to exclusively serve as a central facility to train the Knights of Zofia, placed atop the coastal cliff to increase the amount of naval training the new recruits received.

When Desaix's coup-d'etat ended, he no longer had any need to maintain control over the fort. And with the Knights of Zofia utterly destroyed, it was of even less use to him. 

In fact one day ago, when Lukas was on his way to Ram Village, he had seen how empty the castle was as he passed through at dawn.

Gray, now transcended from a villager into a Cavalier unit, pulled Sister Silque atop his sacred horse to allow her to ride behind him. The Deliverance traveled down the road towards their next destination with Alm currently in front, gradually speeding up as he went. If he stepped off the road briefly to stand on the coastline and gaze at the seas to the far east, he would have seen the ship carrying Mila's restoration army, led by Celica, who he was soon to finally have his fated meeting with. But he had no way of knowing that right now.

Once the southern fort came into view, it would be dangerous to continue along the main road any further. If they were to make it to the cave without being discovered by Desaix’s army, they needed to travel away from the main road and into the waves of bushes and trees. To keep an eye out for the fort, Lukas followed directly behind Alm and raised his hand to his brow to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight.

Eventually, he saw the top of the fort peeking through a deep forest. He also saw the signal light flickering even though it was the middle of the day, that could be seen from a two day’s walk away.

"Get off the road and into the bushes!" Lukas shouted, though not to guide them down the road to the base. 

There was not supposed to be anyone in the fort, but Lukas knew the light meant someone was there, keeping watch over the main road. And since he knew there was no one from the Knights of Zofia who could be there, it had to be occupied by Desaix's forces.

At Lukas' uncharacteristic tone, Alm rolled into the bushes and laid down on his left side. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Lukas answered, "Desaix's army is in the fort. He might know about the resurrection seeds, and that there are survivors."

"Dammit, Desaix’s army would figure it out!" Tobin cursed from behind them as he placed his telescope up to his eye. 

He then offered it to Lukas, who took it, and now that he could see the fort several times larger in size, he noticed several people gathered around the signal light, all wearing Desaix’s army uniform.

Gray returned from entering further into the trees to hide his horse, laid down with everyone in the bushes, and stared intently at the fort in the distance.

"What's that? The white thing." Silque asked. 

Everyone turned around to see her hiding behind Kliff, crouched down and pointing up at the sky.

Lukas looked through the telescope at what Silque had found.

"It's a pegasus!" Lukas was the first to identify it, but Kliff was the one to whisper what it was. Flying high in the skies, but having lost its freedom because it was tied to a thin rope connected securely to the castle, was the unmistakable silhouette of a winged white horse. 

But what made Lukas' voice finally tremble was the sight of a curly lock of mane hair that sat between the pegasus' eyes, which he could see clearly through the round lens of the telescope. "That's Clair's pegasus! This is bad! It means the base was attacked!"

-

"There's seven units from Desaix's army in the castle. One Archer, and seven Soldiers."

Alm had ordered Tobin to go out and gather reconnaissance. He returned not even half an hour later to the camp the rest of the group made in the forest, hidden completely among the tree branches. Tobin was already used to performing this duty thanks to his history of facing off against the Brigands in Ram Village, but after transcending and becoming a unit, those skills were even further honed, turning him into a true Soldier. Gray and Kliff were the same.

"The only one that will be a pain is the Archer. They aren't that threatening of an army." Gray said, and Kliff nodded.

"Did you see a sacred horse?" Lukas asked.

Tobin shook his head.

Lukas' expression clouded over.

“Only two nights have passed since you went to visit Mycen, but the remaining members of the Knights of Zofia must have been killed except for Clair. And even then, all I really confirmed was that her sacred mount is safe.” Tobin said with his head down.

"Clair was the last person to see me off before I left. She said to me under the starry sky that she wanted to understand how her older brother Clive felt. Even more so than the rest of us, he felt deeply indebted to the elder units that chose to sacrifice themselves for us. And he was holding back his desire to go save Mathilda right away. So Clair told me to go bring back Sir Mycen as quickly as I possibly could. But I was too late." Lukas said with tears in his eyes.

"Sounds like Clive is a really good guy." Alm said.

Lukas nodded deeply. "He is. Clive dedicated everything to liberating Zofia. Taking down Desaix is the only offering he can make to the regrets of all those in the Knights of Zofia that lost their lives, and so he has closed his heart to the sadness in front of him and his memories of their deaths. He swallowed his resurrection seed faster than any of the rest of us, because the elders' will left the biggest impression on him."

Alm turned around towards Tobin and asked, "How long would it take for us to get from the southern fort to Zofia Castle?"

"About half a day." Tobin answered.

"Lukas, you said the Deliverance's base is west of the castle, right?" Alm asked Lukas as tears still continued to stream down his cheeks. 

Unsure of what Alm's question was getting at, Lukas was puzzled when he answered, "Yes, in a cave alongside the coast."

"Then that place is no good." Alm said. "It won't be of any use to us. We won't be able to organize into an effective formation to attack the castle. The Zofian winds blow from east to west, or from the castle towards the sea, in the afternoon. And at night, they blow from west to east, or from the seaside and the base straight to the castle. The winds never deviate from this pattern. The sacred horses in Desaix's army will immediately pick up our scent, and they'll know everything about us, including how many of us there are, and what types of units we are. For a group as small as we are, that would spell out our end."

Lukas knew that Alm was right, and hung his head. He'd thought there was no way the cave would be discovered, but that was probably the exact reason why it had been found and attacked.

"Clive's soul and will were commendable, but it is clear how unaccustomed to real combat the Knights of Zofia were. It is a misfortune caused by living in peace for so long, but saying that now won't get us anywhere."

Alm called out Gray, Tobin, and Kliff by name. "We will seize the southern fort. The wind does not blow from the fort to the castle, so the fort should become the main base for the Deliverance. Half a day is the perfect distance to be away from the castle. We can observe Desaix's army and their movements from the watchtower."

"Understood!" The three all said, and began to discuss their strategy, with Gray facilitating the conversation. 

Lukas agreed that their only option was a full frontal attack. No matter how they looked at it, the cave had already been conquered by Desaix's army, meaning that securing a new fort for the Deliverance to utilize was currently of the utmost importance.

Still, Lukas felt that their situation was hopeless. Even with the prodigy Alm leading them, their forces were still critically weak. The only members of their army were three units who had just transcended, and Sister Silque. In a worst case scenario, their only option would be to rely on Alm and himself. 

When Alm saw that the unease in Lukas' eyes was not going away, he slapped his shoulder and said, "If a sacred beast is alive, then that means the unit controlling it still lives. Clair is alive and being held captive in that fort. And none of our other allies are there.

"You know what that means?" Alm asked rhetorically, and continued on, "Desaix's army is merely using Clair as a hostage to provoke the others into surrendering. If their hostage is still alive, that means our allies must still be alive, too. The cave is still safe. Desaix hasn't found it. I swear it on my life.'

Lukas looked up, and the color returned to his face.

"Lukas, you can't reunite with someone as amazing as Clive empty handed! Let's take back Clair and the fort, and when I meet them for the first time, I will vow to our allies that I will liberate Zofia and go down in history." Alm said with an invigorated smile on his face.

-

Tobin did not only gather information about Desaix’s forces at the fort while on his scouting mission. He also ascertained the best location in advance to position themselves for a frontline storming of the fort.

There were absolutely no downsides to the shaded rock he selected. One side of it jutted out like a hawk's beak, from which could hide them all from the fort's watchtower, even Gray's large horse. And if they maneuvered themselves through the bushes not far from the rock's walls, providing the perfect defense, they would be able to survey the entire fort through the thick, thorny stalks and branches. Both Alm and Lukas praised Tobin for his reconnaissance skills.

"Ever since we were kids, hide and seek is the only thing you've been good at!" Gray said to Tobin, and everyone laughed, including Alm and Kliff. 

As soon as they were done laughing, though, Alm said, "Lukas, does the fort have a dungeon?"

Lukas shook his head. 

That meant Clair would be inside the watchtower. According to Tobin's intel, seven of Desaix's units were at the fort. From the shadows underneath the rock, they confirmed that four of the Soldiers were guarding the entrance, and the Archer was positioned high up at the top of an embankment in front of the castle. The last two Soldiers were guarding the watchtower, and had to be keeping watch over Clair as well.

"Our main objective is to rescue Clair. We probably won't be able to do so easily, but even if we are injured, once we safely rescue Clair, everything after that will be easy! The only question left unanswered is how quickly we can make it inside the watchtower." Alm said.

Silque responded apologetically, "Please forgive me. I am still in training, and have not even mastered Warp yet."

Warp was a classification of strategic magic that warped space to instantly send a unit right next to an enemy. Clergy units, as units that manage an army's defenses, are considered to also become offensive units once they master teleportation magic. It is often said that offense is the best defense. From that perspective, for units like Silque, no matter how great they were at healing, if that was all they knew, then they were still only half trained.

"Don't put yourself down." Alm reassured her. "Healer units are always vital on a battlefield. You and I will rush straight to the watchtower. Kliff will come with us, too. You will support us by healing Clair. I will take care of the two Soldiers." Alm turned towards Gray and said, "Let me borrow your horse."

"He's all yours!" Gray replied simply, and raised the wings on the helmet that covered his horse's face. The horse looked straight ahead, ready to gallop as fast as it could.

"Can you take care of the Archer?" Alm asked Tobin. 

"Leave him to me!" Tobin said, and nocked an arrow.

"Alright! We'll deploy when you shoot your arrow. Lukas, Gray, you defeat the four Soldiers at the bottom of the fort. Tobin will support you from the rear. Now go!" 

The moment Alm gave the order, everyone moved in unison.

Tobin climbed out to the top of the rock, drew back his bow string, and aimed his weapon at the Archer in the embankment. The Archer quickly realized that he was being targeted, but by that time, it was already too late, and Tobin's arrow pierced his right arm.

Alm took the reins of Gray's horse, and with Silque and Kliff atop it with him, they kicked up a huge cloud of dust. Gray grew up running through both hills and fields, and so the sudden assault from his horse born from his Achilles heel caused the four Soldiers to panic, fall out of formation, and go flying in different directions. Lukas and Gray jumped right into the fray without hesitation. Though his right arm was injured, the enemy Archer bravely attempted to attack. However, Tobin dodged his arrow by no more than a hair, and followed-up by shooting his own arrow through the Archer's throat.

The horse did not resist Alm's directions even in the slightest, tackling the fort's tightly closed gate and smashing it to pieces, then galloping excitedly up the long staircase to the watchtower. The force of its hooves were so great that it damaged the stone steps and made chunks of them break off and fall down bit by bit, making it as if a torrential rainstorm was assaulting only the fort.

When they arrived, they saw a young woman and a Soldier attempting to slice open her neck with his dagger. The moment they saw her beautiful blue hair, a defining feature of many Pegasus Knights, they knew she was Clair. Alm pounced like a leopard from atop the horse's back and sliced off the Soldier's head.

Having just witnessed the death of his ally, the second Soldier unsheathed his sword and pinned Alm down. While Soldiers are a unit that excel in lances, the watchtower was by no means a wide open space, so the fact that he did not choose to wield his lance was a sign of his great combat prowess.

Silque watched the two swords collide to make a cross-shape with a loud clang, then ran over to Clair. Kliff followed after Slique without a moment's hesitation and stood in front of her, already holding Clair's shoulders to prop her up. He waited for a sign that the Soldier would point his sword even slightly in his direction, ready to immediately cast a Fire spell when that happened.

"He's…"

As Alm's shouting and the Soldier's growling battle cry mixed together to produce a strange sound, Kliff heard a weak voice from behind him. Clair was trying to ask Silque a question. And as she prepared to cast a healing spell on Clair, the answer she gave shocked Kliff.

"He is Alm. He has a cross-shaped mark on his right hand, meaning he is the person who will one day unite Valencia." Silque said.

'Silque knows Alm's secret! Only Mycen and I should know it, but so does she!' Kliff did not turn to look at her, but his eyes did open wide as he watched Alm's sword stab effortlessly through the Soldier's torso, blade glittering in the midday sunlight shining down through the window.

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