#ikemen genjiden translations

[sakura-samsara]

Shigehira Main Story: Chapter 13

← Chapter 12

✦ part one

Yasuchika: So it seems Yoshino-san has safely returned to Kamakura!

Yasuchika was holding an audience with one of his subordinates in an elegantly furnished room.

Yasuchika: Those two were lovely test subjects. I’ll have to thank them for giving me such a great research opportunity.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: If I’m not mistaken, you had the woman exterminate a hallucinatory ayakashi… correct? 

Yauchika’s Subordinate: Such ayakashi are rarely seen near human settlements, but they are hardly a serious threat. I am certain that its appearance would not incur suspicion towards you, Yasuchika-sama.

Yasuchika: Oh, I’m not worried about being seen at all! I just wanted to conduct some research for a new technique.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: O-Of course…

Yasuchika: I’m so happy I got to see Shige-chan get injured, too.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: …Hm?

Yasuchika: Shige-chan seems like such a disciplined warrior,

Yasuchika: But as soon as the ayakashi turned into a little girl, he immediately hesitated to attack it. How wonderful. 

Yasuchika squinted as he stretched with the languor of a cat lounging in the sun. 

His gaze, however, was not heavy with sleepiness—it gleamed with a sharp, cold brilliance.

The subordinate stiffened at the chill in the air from Yasuchika’s change in demeanor.

Yasuchika: I suppose the next time I’ll see the two of them will be on the battlefield. I’m really looking forward to it. 

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: Yasuchika-sama, isn’t it…

Yasuchika: Hm?

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: Isn’t all of this business with the shogunate and the rebel army rather frightening to you?

Yasuchika: Well, in my opinion, someone who views his work in terms of whether it’s frightening or not wouldn’t be fit to be an onmyōji at all.

Yasuchika: Especially when you work at the palace. You get asked to do all sorts of crazy things, but you can’t exactly turn down the requests, so you just have to get used to it! 

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: I understand… Well said, Yasuchika-sama. It is only natural, given your superior skill in onmyōdō. 

The subordinate’s polite words hardly concealed his eagerness to curry favor with Yasuchika.

Yasuchika’s Subordinate: I sincerely hope that you will demonstrate the new technique you are developing to us when it is ready… 

Yasuchika: You know, I think I will.

Yasuchika nodded, the gesture somehow childlike and elegant at once.

Yasuchika: I’d really like it if lots of people got to see it. 

(So this is Kagetoki-san’s mansion…? Somehow I’m starting to feel on edge just by being here.) 

Shigehira: This way, Yoshino-san.

Yoshino: Okay!

Shigehira confidently led me towards Kagetoki’s estate, seeming as though he'd taken this route many times before.

Yoshino: Do you visit Kagetoki-san’s place a lot, Shigehira-kun? 

Shigehira: I guess I do.

Shigehira: Kagetoki-san mentors me in my studies, so I often borrow books from him.

Shigehira: At some point, he started letting me come and go whenever I wanted.

Yoshino: Really…?

The image of Kagetoki—staring cold, sharp daggers from behind his spectacles—popped into my mind. 

Yoshino: It’s a little hard to think of Kagetoki-san being any sort of teacher… 

Shigehira: You’d be surprised. He’s a pretty good mentor, since he’s so knowledgeable and logical.

✦ part two

Shigehira: You’d be surprised. He’s a pretty good mentor, since he’s so knowledgeable and logical.

Shigehira: But I doubt he would spare his time to teach just anybody, unless they give him a good reason to.

Yoshino: Then what’s his reason for mentoring you? 

Shigehira: I give him koto lessons in return. We're really just exchanging services.

Yoshino: Really?!

Yoshino: I didn’t know you could play the koto too!

Shigehira: I just know the basics, that’s all. 

(But he’s such a skilled biwa player… I’m sure he knows more than just the basics of the koto, too.)

I felt a surge of admiration for Shigehira as I looked at him.

I admire you (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2) You’re a prodigy (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4) You must love it (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: You must really love playing music.

Shigehira: I’ve always enjoyed it. I try to make time to practice every day, no matter how busy my schedule gets.

Yoshino: That's amazing! I bet Kagetoki-san must be a wonderful koto player if you’re his teacher.

Shigehira: Well… I don’t know about that. 

I turned my head towards Shigehira to see an uncharacteristically dodgy expression pop up on his face.

Shigehira: Teaching him never fails to remind me that, uh, everyone has unique talents.

Yoshino: What do you mean?

Shigehira: Um… Anyways, Kagetoki-san should be in here. 

Shigehira stopped in front of the door to the main room to call out to Kagetoki.

Shigehira: Kagetoki-san, are you home?

He didn’t wait for a response before opening the sliding door, when…

Woman: …Oh! E-Excuse me!!

Shigehira: …?!

(Huh?)

A woman stumbled out of the room in a panic. I glimpsed a flustered expression on her face as she shot past us.

Then I caught a whiff of a heady, sensual fragrance—there must have been incense burning inside the room.

Kagetoki: You’re too impatient, Shigehira. Did you never learn not to invite yourself into a room?

(O-Oh…)

When I finally looked past the mountainous stacks of books blocking most of the view into the room,

I saw Kagetoki straightening the lapels of his robe, looking uncharacteristically relaxed as he raised his gaze to us. 

Shigehira: W-Well, you’re usually too wrapped up in your reading to respond when I knock, so I just assumed—

Kagetoki: I suppose you’re not wrong.

Kagetoki: I did tell my retainers to ask any guests to wait to be received. There must have been a miscommunication for this to have occurred. 

Despite our sudden intrusion, Kagetoki hardly seemed bothered.

(Well, now I definitely know what was going on in here before we arrived…)

Yoshino: …I’m so sorry for the intrusion. We wouldn’t have bothered you if we’d known that your lover was visiting you. 

(If anything, I’m just a little surprised.)

(Kagetoki-san is quite good-looking, and I’m sure that he wouldn’t have any trouble finding a partner if he wanted one,)

(But he doesn’t seem like he lets people get close to him very easily. I can’t imagine him being interested in romance at all.)

Kagetoki: Lover? She and I have no such relationship. 

Yoshino: R-Really? 

Kagetoki: She made an offer to me, and I accepted it. It wasn’t as if I had any reason to refuse her.

Kagetoki: Unfortunately, thanks to you two, our rendezvous ended before it could begin.

(...This is so awkward.)

Shigehira: …Disgusting.

I could only stand there speechless, but Shigehira didn’t hesitate to mutter his displeased response under his breath.

Kagetoki: Are you still too young to understand such things, Shigehira? 

Shigehira: It doesn’t matter how old I am or how old I get! I will never engage in this debauchery for a single day in the rest of my life!

Kagetoki: What an uncouth thing to say. It’s hardly debauchery. 

Kagetoki: If you’re not in the mood for it, you can simply refuse. 

Kagetoki: You don’t eat when your stomach is full, do you? In that sense, it’s no different than satiating hunger. 

(That sure is an interesting way to think of it.)

Yoshino: Personally, I’m inclined to disagree…

Kagetoki: That’s a rather foolish opinion.

Shigehira: No, I agree with her. 

 ✦ part three

Shigehira: No, I agree with her. 

Kagetoki: Is that so?

Kagetoki: I would expect nothing less from a man who receives countless love letters and rejects every single one. 

(Love letters, huh…?)

Yoshino: Well, I’m sure it wouldn’t be feasible for him to accept every letter…

Yoshino: Haven’t you considered at least one of the people who’s written to you, though, Shigehira-kun? 

Shigehira: No. I don’t have the time to bother with my love life right now. 

Yoshino: …Oh. That makes sense.

(He’s trying to reestablish the Heike, after all, and the shadow of the past is still hanging over him.)

(When he’s on a mission that’s so important to him, he probably thinks that pursuing love would just be a distraction.)

I was sure that my guess was correct, and if so, it would be a perfectly rational reason not to be interested in a relationship. But, for some reason, I felt a sharp prick deep within my chest as I thought it over.

Shigehira: It’s a pain to be barraged with letters from people I barely even know… 

Shigehira: But it’s not like I can stop them, so I still reply to all the letters.

Kagetoki: If you’re truly not looking to begin a relationship with anyone, then why do you bother with responding to any of the letters you receive? 

Shigehira: It’d be rude if I didn’t. Not receiving a response would imply a rejection, so it’s better that I tell them the truth outright.

Kagetoki: I’d think that receiving an implied rejection would be less emotionally damaging than an explicit one.

Shigehira: Do you think so…?

Shigehira: I don’t know. I feel like it would be more stressful to someone if I kept them waiting for a response that they were never going to get.

(He thinks of others so much…)

Kagetoki: That's very earnest of you.

Shigehira: …You’re being surprisingly prudent now, Kagetoki-san. But you’d better be careful not to slip up and say the wrong thing, or else you’ll definitely regret it.

Kagetoki: I would never make such a grave mistake. 

Kagetoki nonchalantly pushed a pile of books to the side, gesturing for us to sit in the space he'd cleared off.

(Even beyond the initial surprise, I'm genuinely shocked by how cluttered Kagetoki-san's room is. Everywhere I look, I see books.)

Shigehira: Be careful, Yoshino-san. 

Shigehira: If you knock over one of these bookstacks, you’ll set off an avalanche. You might never make it out alive from underneath all the books.

Yoshino: …Got it.

(I think I finally get why Shigehira-kun said that Kagetoki-san’s place was dangerous to visit.) 

Yoshino: Um... I don't mean this to be rude, but I don't suppose you're particularly keen on organizing your books?

Kagetoki: My arrangement is organized by my own standards. Your opinion that I am untidy is of no importance to me. 

(Huh.)

Shigehira: Alright, fine. Sure. There’s no need to quibble over this. 

Shigehira: Your room is even messier than usual today, though... 

Kagetoki: War is on the horizon, after all. In times like these, it’s not unreasonable to give a bit less care to the trivialities of daily life.

Shigehira: Just a bit less, huh…?

Kagetoki turned towards me, almost as if he was physically deflecting Shigehira's doubtful look.

Kagetoki: Now, I assume you’ve come to discuss our medicine reserves and the proposed combat medic system?

Yoshino: That’s right. 

Kagetoki: Then why are you here, Shigehira? Is Yoshino babysitting you?

Kagetoki: I didn’t know that you were such a pampered child. She’s spoiling you rotten.

A teasing smirk tugged at Kagetoki's lips as he removed some documents from a drawer.

Shigehira: I just wanted to borrow a book from you! That’s the only reason why I came with her!!

Kagetoki: Oh, really? 

Shigehira: Can you quit being facetious and actually listen to what I’m saying for once?

Kagetoki: I’ll see what I can do. 

✦ part four

Kagetoki: I’ll see what I can do. 

His tone did not indicate in the slightest that he intended to stop. Once he had made his way back to us, he handed me the stack documents he'd retrieved.

Yoshino: What’s this?

Kagetoki: They detail our estimated rations, the route for our troops' march, and other such matters.

Kagetoki: The information in them will be used to calculate an estimate of the amount of medicine we will need to stockpile, and the format in which they are written will be used to document it.

Shigehira: ...These must be the documents that Yoritomo-sama asked you to compile last night.

Shigehira: Have you already finished them?

(Does that mean that Kagetoki-san finished all of this paperwork in less than a day?!)

Kagetoki: Of course. I wouldn't accept a woman's invitation just to make her wait until I finished my paperwork.

Shigehira: ...I can't believe this.

Shigehira: You can write all of these documents in one night, but you can't even clean up your own room?

Kagetoki: These documents and the state of my room have nothing to do with each other.

Kagetoki responded curtly before presenting us with another document.

Kagetoki: This here is a summary of the structure of our field medicine system.

Kagetoki: We'll use this as a basis upon which we can develop the details. Shall we begin?

Yoshino: Y-Yes. If I may ask, when did you happen to write this document...?

Kagetoki: I had some spare time while preparing the documents I gave you previously, so I used it to write this one.

Shigehira: Seriously... If you were capable of cleaning up your room, and you stopped treating women the way that you do,

Shigehira: And you stopped teasing me so much, I'd defer to you without a single complaint.

Kagetoki: How cute, Shigehira.

(Shigehira-kun said that he and Kagetoki-san were just exchanging services with each other, but these two must be fairly close if they're speaking to each other like this.)

From then onwards, we began to discuss our medicine reserves and our field nursing system, using Kagetoki's documents as our reference.

Once our work was winding down to an end...

Kagetoki: Our discussion has gone on for quite some time now. I think I’d like to have something to drink. 

Shigehira: I’ll call one of the maids to make some tea. 

Shigehira quickly rose to his feet.

Kagetoki: Much obliged.

Yoshino: Thanks, Shigehira-kun.

Now, I was alone with Kagetoki...

Kagetoki: It seems like Shigehira has been getting along with you quite well. 

Kagetoki: You’re far more persuasive than I expected you to be, Yoshino. 

(What?)

Flustered, I felt my gaze dart around the room, landing everywhere but on Kagetoki himself.

Yoshino: That’s not true. I didn’t persuade him into doing anything for me.

Yoshino: It’s really just that Shigehira-kun is a kind person. That’s the only reason that he’s being so nice to me—in his own way, of course.

Kagetoki: Is that what you think?

Kagetoki: You should know that Shigehira only takes such interest in people whom he approves of. Especially when it comes to members of the shogunate. 

(I guess I can see what he means… I know Shigehira-kun comes across as quite uptight to a lot of people.)

Yoshino: …Did you know Shigehira-kun before he joined the shogunate, Kagetoki-san? 

Kagetoki: In a way, I did. After Shigehira had been taken as a prisoner of war, I was the one who escorted him to Kamakura.

✦ part five

Yoshino: …Did you know Shigehira-kun before he joined the shogunate, Kagetoki-san? 

Kagetoki: In a way, I did. After Shigehira had been taken as a prisoner of war, I was the one who escorted him to Kamakura.

(Really?!)

Yoshino: I wonder what Shigehira-kun was like back then.

I couldn't help but let my curiosity win over me.

Kagetoki: He was the same at heart as he is now. He was stubborn, straightlaced, and terribly oblique—yet everything he did was for others' sake. 

Yoshino: That certainly sounds like the Shigehira-kun I know. 

The sentiment brought a slight smile to my face.

Yoshino: But I bet he must have been especially full of resolve when he was on his way to Kamakura. 

Yoshino: …His intention in coming here was to negotiate with Yoritomo-sama, after all.

Kagetoki: Oh? Shigehira has told you about that?

Kagetoki's gaze, usually so cool and unconcerned, seemed to sharpen with interest.

Kagetoki: In any case, you would be correct. Back then, Shigehira was…

—flashback

Yoritomo: Unfortunately, our negotiations are now off. 

Shigehira: …I take it the Imperial Court has intervened.

Yoritomo: Do you have any last words, Taira no Shigehira?

Shigehira: None in particular. 

Shigehira: I no longer have anything to say for myself now that I am captive.

Shigehira: For one who has lived their life on the battlefield, there is no shame in dying as a prisoner of war. Just behead me quickly.

Yoritomo: ……

—flashback ends

I was silent as Kagetoki quietly recounted the past to me.

Kagetoki: His honor and resolve astonished everyone in the room, myself included.

Kagetoki: Even Yoritomo-sama was moved by it enough to spare Shigehira’s life and offer him a place in the shogunate. 

Yoshino: I see…

(Shigehira-kun told me that Yoritomo-sama formed an alliance with him on a mere whim.)

(It seems that Yoritomo-sama’s true reason for proposing the alliance was because of Shigehira-kun himself.)

Kagetoki: Yoshino. 

Yoshino: …What is it?

I was caught off guard by Kagetoki’s hushed voice, and my response came out nervous and hesitant.

Kagetoki: I’m sure you’ve realized that Shigehira is a pitifully honest man.

Kagetoki: It would be far too easy for someone to take advantage of his most glaring weakness and hurt him.

Yoshino: …Right. 

The memory of Shigehira interacting with the nobles of the Imperial Court, their honeyed words masking poisoned sentiments, came to my mind.

Kagetoki: But Yoritomo-sama approves of him nonetheless…

Kagetoki: …Because Shigehira possesses a special quality.

Yoshino: Special? What do you mean?

Kagetoki: I won’t tell you that.

(Huh?)

Kagetoki: If Shigehira truly cares for you, then you will eventually learn what I mean for yourself. 

(Well, that doesn’t answer any of my questions…)

I must have looked exceptionally confused; Kagetoki studied my face for a moment before he smiled.

Kagetoki: Do my words truly puzzle you so much?

Yoshino: W-Well, I just…

Kagetoki: Then allow me to put it this way, Yoshino.

(Uhh...)

Long, deft fingers trailed down my jaw before tilting up my chin.

(What is Kagetoki-san doing??)

His eyes narrowed, and his intense gaze from behind his spectacles focused on me as though he was sizing up prey he’d caught in his clutches.

Kagetoki: I’ll make myself clear to you, if you’re willing to take the place of the woman who was visiting me earlier.

Yoshino: Huh…?

My eyes widened in shock at the sultry timbre in his voice, but at the very next moment—

Shigehira: Wh—What are you doing?! 

Chapter 14 →

Notes:

The koto is the national instrument of Japan—a long, many-stringed zither that’s played by striking the strings with one’s fingers or with plectrums.

Shigehira’s “last words” in the flashback are a paraphrase of a quote by the real Taira no Shigehira that was recorded in the Azuma Kagami, which was a historical chronicle written in 1266 that recounted events of the Genpei War and the Kamakura Shogunate. The full quotation was supposedly* spoken by Taira no Shigehira when he was living as a POW, painting him as a warrior of dignified and humble character—even in the face of his impending execution. 

IRL Taira no Shigehira was killed shortly after being taken as a POW by the Genji. During the Genpei War, Shigehira served as a Heike commander in the 1180 Siege of Nara, which was part of a revenge campaign against warrior monks from various monasteries who had aided the Genji in a prior battle. Despite being vastly outnumbered by the warrior monks, the Heike won victory by burning down almost every single monastery and temple in the city of Nara, including the powerful Kōfuku-ji and Tōdai-ji temple complexes. However, their methods earned them revile from many (including the Imperial Court) due to the sacrilegious act of destroying temples and the shocking scale of death and destruction that they inflicted on the city—around 3,500 people died during the siege. A great deal of hatred was directed towards Shigehira personally… even though there doesn't seem to be consensus about if he himself ordered the burning of Nara, or if the Heike even intended to cause the level of destruction they did at all. (Setting fires on the battlefield to increase visibility during night time was a common battle tactic of the era, and the weather conditions during the time of the battle may have spread any fires set by the Heike further than they might have intended.) Regardless of the extent of Shigehira’s role in the Siege of Nara, he would eventually pay the ultimate price for it. After he was captured by the Genji at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani in 1184, he was handed over to the surviving monks of the Tōdai-ji, who executed him in 1185 as revenge for the burning of their monastery.

*Though the Azuma Kagami is considered the most important historical document about the Kamakura shogunate, it’s important to note that it’s not a completely reliable account. It was compiled in the 13th century by the Hōjō clan (which the real Minamoto no Yoritomo married into; after his death, the Hōjō clan took control of the Kamakura shogunate), who were very obviously biased towards their own clan and against the Minamoto clan in their retelling of historical events. Throughout history, the Azuma Kagami has also passed through the hands of many others (most notably including everyone’s favorite shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu) who may have altered it to fit their own agendas. Thus, it’s not certain whether everything that was recorded in the chronicle was completely true to real life, including its account of Taira no Shigehira’s last days.

#ikemen genjiden #ikemen genjiden translations #ikemen genjiden shigehira #shigehira main story #hey friends! once again long time no tl T_T i took 2 8-week college courses this summer… never again #my classes are starting again soon so i still can't promise consistent updates but! i will try! #this chapter was so fun to work on (and read!) and there’s a LOT in the notes!

[archiveikemen]

no one asked but in case anyone wants to search for route walkthroughs of ikeseries games unavailable globally, you can google "<game name in jpn> <character name in jpn> 攻略". i usually check out the sites like heroine navi, gamerch, and risemaranking.

* for gamerch, sometimes the options aren't in the right rows in their tables. so you might want to double check whether the +4/+4 row text is the same as the in-game text before making your choice.

game box red is also an option especially for ikemen genjiden, but the page is covered with h3nt4i ads so i tend to avoid that site due to security concerns.

** gamerch also contains some h3nt4i ads around although not as many as game box red, so please take note of that if it's something that bothers you.

if you want to copy paste the names...

Ikemen Villains イケメンヴィラン

William Rex : ウィリアム・レックス

Harrison Gray : ハリソン・グレイ

Liam Evans : リアム・エヴァンス

Elbert Greetia : エルバート・グリーティア

Alfons Sylvatica : アルフォンス・シルベチカ

Roger Barel : ロジャー・バレル

Jude Jazza : ジュード・ジャザ

Ellis Twilight : エリス・トワイライト

Victor : ヴィクトル

Ikemen Genjiden イケメン源氏伝

Minamoto no Yoritomo : 源　頼朝

Kajiwara Kagetoki : 梶原　景時

Adachi Morinaga : 安達　盛長

Taira no Shigehira : 平　重衡

Tamamo : 玉藻

Minamoto no Yoshitsune : 源　義経

Musashibo Benkei : 武蔵坊　弁慶

Nasu no Yoichi : 那須　与一

Kurama : 鞍馬

Kitsuji Sueharu : 橘次　末春

Abe no Yasuchika : 安倍　泰親

Ibuki : 伊吹

Sutoku • Akihito : 崇徳・顕仁

⤷ for IkeGen act 2 stories, please search "イケメン源氏伝　<character name> <character name> 第二部　攻略"

e.g. Minamoto Brothers route = イケメン源氏伝　源義経　源頼朝　第二部　攻略"

let me know if there's anyone else you want me to add to the list

#not a translation #ikemen villains #ikemen genjiden #ikemen series #aikm guides

[ga-yuu]

~🌸Gayuu's Otome Game Translations🌸~

~🌸🌸~

Ikemen Genjiden MasterList

~🌸🌸~

Dream Meister and the Recollected Black Fairy MasterList

~🌸🌸~

Ikemen Villains : @gayuu-the-necromancer

#ikemen series #ikemen genjiden #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #otome #cybird #ikegen #ikemen villains #ikevil #dream meister and the recollected black fairy #otome game #gayuu's translations

[baby-bunny-san]

Ikemen Translation Masterlist

Ikemen Prince

Little Rabbit’s Love Is Mine: Gilbert X Clavis

Ikemen Genjiden

Sweet newlywed life Event - Akihito

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Premium End / Epilogue

Shuten-doji Ibuki (On going)

Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3/ ...

Ikemen Villain

Ikemen Villain Prologue Full 1-9

#ikemen games #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #ikemen prince #ikemen ouji #ikemen genjiden #ikepri #ikegen #cybird #cybird ikemen series #ikemen villains #ikevil #ikemen translation #cybird otome #otome games #ikemen spoiler

[bloemrijk]

Out of curiosity, are there any users who have translated Ikemen Revolution and Genjiden? IkeRev is missing a TON of content that just wasn’t translated and IkeGen just never got the English localisation. But I still want to read everything even if I can’t play it.

#🌻.txt #ikemen revolution #ikemen genjiden #ikerev #ikegen #translations

[dear-mrs-otome]

Tamamo - Main Story - Chp 01

Standard Disclaimer: I do this for fun. I don’t, and never would, claim to be proficient at JP. There will be mistakes herein. There will be dialogue I choose to smooth out or change, because it feels choppy just straight translating. There will be the occasional snarky aside and irreverence and just plain summarizing. If you’re looking for 100% pure accuracy, without commentary or localizing, this is not for you. If you don’t mind that…then proceed, and I hope you enjoy! And please, support your local localizer (they make this stuff look easy) and Cybird by playing the games and routes if/when they come to English.

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Ikemen Genjiden, I will direct you to read the excellent prologue summaries posted by @/sakura-samsura here - these are the updated ones that include the introductions of the newer characters as well. You may notice discrepancies between my character's onscreen name, Aya, and what I use in the translations, but given that Yoshino is the 'canon' name and I prefer writing that over 'MC' I will use it in these stories.

Done with all that? Then carry on, and meet our mischievous fox.

Outside the gates of the shogunate’s castle, Yoshino is reminding herself of her goals now: absorb enough magical mojo to fulfill her pact with Tamamo, and open her own apothecary business. With an enthusiastic cheer, she thanks the gathered men and says she looks forward to working with them and offers Yoritomo a respectful bow. 

Tamamo, looking on proudly, strokes her head and praises her energetic good cheer. “That’s just like my girl,” he declares, as she awkwardly thanks him.

He brushes it off, thanking her instead for her honest nature with a smile, and she can’t help blushing slightly under his compliments and his hand on her hair. 

Shigehira though voices his obvious mistrust of Tamamo, and the two bicker slightly as Tamamo mocks him back, clearly enjoying pushing the prickly man’s buttons.

Yoshino looks on, fretting, and tries to break up the squabble insisting they shouldn’t get off on the wrong foot if they’re all gonna be comrades.

Kagetoki cuts her off though. “Comrade’s a bit far. We’re just agreeing to use each other for our own ends, aren’t we?”

She’s appalled at his mercenary categorization, but Kagetoki insists it’s important to be clear about these sorts of things, leaving her stunned. 

At a word from Yoritomo, Morinaga threatens both Shigehira and Kagetoki and they both step back from him, clearly chastized...and she’s left wondering if this bizarre dynamic is what passes for the norm around the shogunate. Morinaga insists they’ll get to know each other better soon enough, no need to sweat the small stuff now, which only sours Shigehira’s mood even further. 

“Troublesome man…” Tamamo says at Shigehira’s continued suspicions. “Do you want to know who I am?” His eyes gleam gold, preternatural in the dim night light as he surveys each of them. “I am Tamamo, the Nine-Tailed Fox. Nothing more, nothing less. And I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, humans.”

They all look at him, stunned into silence, as Yoshino thinks that he really didn’t answer ANY question at all.

Shigehira grumbles as much aloud, and Kagetoki agrees. “The only thing we know for sure at this point is he’s a troublemaker.”

Yoritomo muses how the more tails a fox has, the higher its power - and he’s heard that the nine-tailed fox, a kyuubi, is a once-in-an-era being.

“Tamamo’s that big of a deal?!” Yoshino asks, stunned to realize exactly what sort of ayakashi she’s gotten herself tied to - and realizing it’s no wonder he’s got such a dignified air about him if he’s such an illustrious being. 

“Feel free to worship me,” Tamamo agrees with a genial smile, to her sputtering protest. “No matter then...give it time, and my greatness will come to you.” 

She wonders again at the circumstances that have led to him choosing HER of all people to ally himself with...as Kagetoki points out dryly in the background that currently Tamamo has nowhere near enough power left to assume that anyone would revere him.

The two bicker a little now too, Tamamo bristling slightly at Kagetoki’s implications while Kagetoki tells him the equivalent of ‘put up or shut up’ - that it’s not about what you’d done in the past but what you can still do that matters. “My power will eventually recover,” Tamamo reminds him.

“I certainly hope so, or else that’s a real problem,” Yoritomo interjects, looking around at the people gathered there, exuding the dignified confident air she’d expect of the shogun. “All of you, human or not, I have just one thing to say to you - do your job well.”

Tamamo assures him there’s no cause to worry there, and his self-assured smile only serves to highlight his beauty in the luminous moonlight...as Yoshino looks on, wondering if things will really be as simple as all that.

The next morning finds her and Tamamo invited to a meeting with Yoritomo. She’s trying to hustle Tamamo through the corridors, as he keeps getting distracted and gawking at different decorations and other things, strolling leisurely along as she frets.

He whines as they go about humans misguided priorities, and how looking at the art on the walls in infinitely preferable to going and staring at a bunch of dude’s faces. 

She scolds him again, saying they can’t keep Yoritomo waiting - the very idea terrifying her because he seems so stern. Tamamo assures her though they’re too valuable to Yoritomo for him to do anything to them.

“Even so, he could still say something terrible!” she insists, reminding Tamamo that Yoritomo IS the shogun and therefore basically the leader of everything they know. It illustrates the difference between ayakashi and human outlooks, she thinks.

Tamamo finally relents though and admits that it’s obvious Yoritomo has power and influence, if only because it’s illustrated by his rough, samurai-filled war-oriented castle still holding many valuable items of art and craft from all corners of the world. 

“It seems the samurai came to great power while I was sleeping in that stone,” he observes. “It’s fascinating to see the changes of the human world, isn’t it Yoshino?”

Finally, they make it to the gathering hall and find all of the shogun’s head retainers gathered there with Yoritomo - Kagetoki, Morinaga, and Shigehira, along with more than a dozen other samurai as well. 

“Bold of you to be late to the very first meeting,” Kagetoki snipes, and she wilts under the weight of the stares of all those gathered as she wonders if she dares try for an excuse. 

“Yoshino,” Tamamo says in a quiet voice only she can hear. “Just play along, and do as I do.”

Baffled, she watches as Tamamo steps forward and gracefully kneels, bowing his head. She hastens to copy him, as he begins to speak. “Unfamiliar with the place as I was, I found myself lost. I humbly beg your pardon, Lord Yoritomo.”

Yoshino blinks at the abrupt change in Tamamo, and looks around to see all of the samurai appear enraptured by Tamamo’s dazzling smile. 

“Of course, of course - please, take a seat,” Yoritomo replies, fake-charming smile plastered firmly on his own face as Tamamo thanks him.

He and Yoshino head towards the last open seats as the samurai speak up, asking Yoritomo who the newcomers are. Yoritomo introduces Tamamo as a man who’s traveled from China and has paused in his journeys to share his knowledge with the shogunate. 

Yoshino is startled by the smooth lie Yoritomo offers them, but the samurai all seem reassured that Tamamo’s strange air can be explained away by his foreignness. 

“Please forgive me in advance for any rudeness, given that I am not yet familiar with the culture here,” Tamamo demurs, to a chorus of reassurances from the gathered men, and Yoshino notices that - perhaps due to the words of Yoritomo - the vassals all seem to have defaulted to using the most respectful language with Tamamo. 

The men exchange more pleasantries and Yoshino is mostly just impressed with the slick improv of both Yoritomo and Tamamo on the spot - the two men bringing to mind to her a fox and a tanuki conversing, two shifty characters acting their parts so well. 

“What about the woman, then?” one of the samurai finally asks. “ She doesn’t look like a foreigner at all.”

She’s nervous all over again as the attention shifts her way once more, introducing herself and saying she is usually a healer and now she’s acting as Tamamo’s assistant. They all clearly are still suspicious of her obvious commoner status though, especially in comparison to Tamamo’s elegance, and she’s sweating bullets now…

Only for a sweet scent to tickle her nose as an arm comes around her shoulders and pulls her closer. She realizes it’s the smell of incense that always clings to Tamamo, just as her cheek comes to rest against his firm broad chest. “I fell in love the moment I laid eyes on this woman in Kamakura,” Tamamo proclaims. “So forgive my impertinence in asking for your consideration of her during our brief stay.”

Yoshino’s sputtering to herself, stunned at his wild story - love? At first sight?? - when Tamamo interrupts her thoughts. “Isn’t that right, Yoshino?”

“What? Y-yes,” she stammers in confused agreement. 

Tamamo goes on to say he needs some time to get used to living in their country, so please excuse Yoshino’s presence - he would consider it a great personal favor if they treated her kindly as well. The samurai are all so charmed and under Tamamo’s sway they agree immediately...and at Tamamo’s urging she manages to thank them all. 

He finally releases her and she marvels all over again to herself at how easily he pulls one over on people, and how quickly he has them eating out of his hand - so well, in fact, it’s almost scary.

With that, Yoritomo gets the meeting underway and she sits back to listen to the reports and discussion, before Tamamo quietly asks her what’s up. She thanks him for his quick intervention when she had faltered. He says no biggie, and fudging things a bit like that won’t hurt anyone since they’re not staying there forever. 

Shigehira calls them out for not paying attention and talking, but Tamamo just smiles nonplussed. “Forgive me. I was asking after a word I didn’t understand,” he smoothly lies, and Shigehira clams up sheepishly. 

Then, regular business finished, Morinaga segues them to the next  far more somber piece of business. “Minamoto no Yoshitsune is alive,” he tells the gathered men grimly. “From this moment on, the shogunate prepares for war.”

The stunning news ripples through the assembled men like wildfire, setting them abuzz with anxiety and apprehension until Kagetoki harshly tells them to be quiet and listen to what Yoritomo has to say. They immediately fall silent, and Yoritomo begins to explain the particulars - how Yoshitsune and his rebels have formed a base at the town of Hiraizumi, how they have been recruiting amongst the disenfranchised to swell their ranks, and that they plan to attack Kamakura. 

The mood goes immediately somber.

“It is imperative that I crush this movement, destroy it entirely. To protect what we have created,” Yoritomo tells them all gravely. “Which of you will take up their sword and fight at my side? Are there any among you that will brave the very gates of hell with me?”

“Yes! We will give our all for the shogunate!” the assembled men cry. “For Lord Yoritomo!”

As she watches, the men erupt in a fervor, battlelust written plain on their faces...and she realizes what a unimaginable place she’s found herself in, via circumstances utterly beyond her control. She glances over at Tamamo beside her, the source of all of this -

“I’m getting bored,” he proclaims, stifling a yawn, and she wonders if he’s truly that uninterested in human warfare. 

After the meeting she returns to her quarters, exhausted by the morning’s events, and ponders how out of place she feels here in the midst of all these samurai. All of her prior anxieties rise up to nip at her heels again, and just as she’s about to slide into another funk she hears Tamamo’s voice from outside, asking if she is in and if this is a good time.

Confused, she tells him it is and he sweeps in - with a veritable entourage of men and women burdened with trunks.

“Tamamo, who are all these people…?” she asks, baffled. 

He smiles and reassures her, as the boxes are opened and their contents removed and lined up - the room overflowing with a bounty of colorful kimonos and accessories in a matter of moments. Seeing her stunned expression, Tamamo grins like a mischievous boy who is quite proud of himself. “Surprised? I called in a clothing merchant.”

“Merchant?” she echoes, as an assembly of men bow before her. “Whatever for?”

The merchants fall all over themselves, obsequious towards Tamamo, as he thanks them for bringing their wares to him - then he turns to take Yoshino’s hand, pulling her smoothly to her feet. She’s caught in his magnetic golden gaze as he draws her nearer…

“Would you like me to undress you, Yoshino?”

Chapter 02 >>

#ikemen genjiden #ikegen #ikegen tamamo #spoiler #spoilers #ikemen genjiden spoilers #ikegen spoilers #ikegen tamamo main story #mrs o's translations of dubious quality

[senia-nee]

So I'm going to start translating some IkeGen Routes and posting them on YOUTUBE.

I've noticed so far that there's not much people able to read Ikemen Genjiden, especially because it doesn't have any English version yet. It might take a while especially and I'll be putting up some effort on editing it.

I don't like it when I just put the translations on Caption.

My OCD just can't take it... GAHHH!!!!

Anyways, School is about to start so, I hope I'll be able to upload some soon....

#ikemen series #ikemen genjiden #editing #how to translate #ikemen translations

[reccyls]

Ikemen Genjiden Part 2 Prologue

(I am not fully fluent in Japanese so if there’s something wrong with my translations, please let me know!)

Prologue

MC: Phew… This is so nerve-wracking.

I was jittery with the knowledge that history was being made right before my eyes.

Shigehira: There’s nothing for you to be nervous about, you know? Just be your normal, carefree self.

MC: W-well, you’re not wrong, but…

Yoichi: A smile suits you better than a frown. That’s what you wanted to say, wasn’t it, little lord?

Shigehira: …Tch, I’ll thank you not to presume that we’re close enough that you can speak for me.

Right now, representatives of the rebel army and the imperial court were gathered at Ookura Palace.

(It’s been three months since the war between the Bakufu and the rebel army ended.)

(I had no idea what would happen when the imperial court joined the battle, turning it into a three-way war…)

After a long, long battle…

The three sides had finally decided to agree to a peace treaty.

(And today should be the day to commemorate it!)

Yoritomo: All right, preparations on my side are finished.

Yoshitsune: Excellent news. I was just about to get tired of waiting and just cut your head off.

Yoritomo: If you need help learning to be more patient, your “onii-chan” is always willing to help, Yoshitsune.

Yoshitsune: …It seems that to match you being born before me, you also wish to die before me.

Akihito: Ahh, you two get along as poorly as ever, but I suppose that’s all right, isn’t it?

(Well, you can’t really expect the past to be washed away so cleanly…)

Kurama: Hurry up and get on with it. I’ve got a duel with Tamamo I need to get to.

Ibuki: Have you already forgotten how you blew the roof off a teahouse at Kamakura just 10 days ago?

Tamamo: Even though there’s an unspoken agreement with everyone about our true forms, that’s still no reason to intimidate humans as you please.

Tamamo, Kurama, and also Ibuki all took very active roles in the war, and so their true nature as ayakashi was revealed to the soldiers.

And rumors had spread widely throughout town as well, though it was still technically all gossip for now.

(Of course, a lot of things occurred as a result of these rumors, and I’m sure that the three of them had a lot to deal with.)

For the time being, Tamamo, Kurama, and Ibuki were still pretending to be normal humans in front of others… or at least, they should have been.

Benkei: If the three of these guys were freed from their bonds, they could just destroy the whole town, couldn’t they?

Kagetoki: Only slackers with too much free time worry about a future that might not even happen.

(That’s right. Even though the war was over, that didn’t mean that everything was neatly taken care of.)

(If peace truly were to come, then perhaps Yoshitsune and Akihito would also end up giving up their powers…)

In the case of Tamamo and I, he had been able to recover enough magical energy during the war.

But in order to maintain the balance of power with the rebel army and the imperial court, we hadn’t broken our bond yet.

Yasuchika: Rather than worrying about an all out ayakashi war,

Yasuchika: You should all be worrying about how to join hands with the people whose blood stains them. I’d say that’s a more pressing issue, wouldn’t you?

Yoichi & Shigehira: ……

Morinaga: MC. As someone who got tangled up in this bloody war, what do you think?

(Me…?)

MC: …I don’t know what the future holds, but I think it’s a wonderful thing that we’ve reached a point where we can think about having hope for what is to come.

With everyone’s attention suddenly directed at me, I chose my words carefully.

MC: Everyone here carries the burdens of the past with them. I’ve seen it demonstrated through the war.

(I’d seen everyone’s beliefs and determination clash. Of course, I wanted to help the Bakufu.)

(But I couldn’t overlook the beliefs and ways of life of the people who had once been my enemies.)

MC: It wasn’t just a terrible war, but also a tragic one. And that’s why…

MC: To everyone here, whom I admire and respect, I hope that you can all be happy.

At my spirited declaration, the expressions of everyone softened just a little.

Sueharu: Well, well. Who could be boorish enough to refuse a heartfelt request like that?

MC: That was probably too presumptuous of me. I’m sorry.

Still, though, I hope that there could be a day when people could simply exchange smiles, regardless of whether they were enemies or allies.

And just as I was imagining that lovely future–

(Aaah!?)

A sudden thunderous roar cut my daydreams short.

Shigehira: …! What was that!?

Some of the soldiers waiting outside of the hall raced in.

Bakufu Soldier: Lord Yoritomo! We shall go to confirm the situation right away!

Yoritomo: I shall go as well.

At Yoritomo’s words, everyone else stood up and prepared to follow him out.

Morinaga: MC, you wait here.

MC: Ah… no! I’m curious about what happened so please let me go as well.

(If it’s a landslide or an earthquake, then people may need medical assistance.)

We all rushed out the gates of the palace–

MC: What is this!?

The ground had split open, and an eerie black mist was rising out of the fissure, staining the sky dark.

Bakufu Soldier: T-this is…

Rebel Soldier: What in the world happened here!?

Yoshitsune: Everyone, calm down. We’ll split up from here to find the source of the anomaly.

Yoritomo: At the same time, people are going to be panicking so we should escort them away. First of all–

Yoritomo and Yoshitsune immediately began directing their respective subordinates.

Akihito: Yasuchika, do you know anything?

Yasuchika: I’ve sent some shikigami out to investigate.

Yasuchika: But, this is the first time I’ve encountered such a strange aura.

Yasuchika: It feels as though miasma from the spirit realm has been mixed with something even thicker that I can’t identify.

(So even Yasuchika doesn’t know what this is.)

Tamamo: It gives off an awful stench. For now, let us search for where the aura is heaviest.

…

Taking only the bare minimum of soldiers with us as guards, we followed the aura to the source.

I was riding along on a borrowed horse.

(When did it get so foggy…?)

Bakufu Soldier: Ugh…

Rebel Soldier: Strange, I suddenly feel so sleepy…

Through the fog, I saw the forms of the soldiers ahead of me suddenly start to sway.

MC: Careful!

The soldiers slipped off their horses and fell to the ground.

I stopped my horse and dismounted to check on them.

Yoritomo: What is it?

MC: I’m not sure… It seems as though they’re just sleeping.

Benkei: Hey, the horses are falling asleep too. Watch out!

At Benkei’s call, everyone dismounted as well.

And then–

Sueharu: So, the only ones that haven’t fallen asleep are the fourteen of us.

Kagetoki: A suspicious development. It feels as though someone planned this.

Yoichi: But it’s not like we have any other choice but to keep going for now.

(I’m not sure what’s going on. But I have a bad feeling about this.)

Uneasily, we pressed onwards through the fog that was so thick that we couldn’t even see where we were going.

After some time, we arrived at…

MC: Is this the ocean…?

(The water is red. I’ve never seen anything like this before.)

The waves that lapped at the shore looked just like blood, and it made the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end.

Tamamo, Kurama, and Ibuki had all returned to their ayakashi forms at some point, and were surveilling the area with sharp eyes.

Yoshitsune: …! Everyone, halt.

(What… is that…?)

Within the mist, something enormous was breathing.

I could hear the sound of something massive and heavy scraping against the ground.

It grew louder and louder, and a dark shadow fell across us…

???: I have been awaiting you, Living Ones.

(Ah…)

No one dared to breathe.

A massive, eight-headed serpent stood before us.

(It’s like something out of a nightmare.)

After some time, Ibuki craned his head back and glared.

Ibuki: …Yamata no Orochi?

Yamata no Orochi: Yes, that is what I had been called in the distant past.

(...It’s cold.)

The goosebumps across my skin weren’t just from a normal chill, but also from sheer terror.

(I thought I had already gotten used to the presence of ayakashi.)

(But just from standing in front of Yamata no Orochi, I feel like it could crush me with its sheer presence alone.)

Ibuki: This isn’t some kind of bad joke, is it?

Ibuki: Even I’ve never come across Yamata no Orochi.

Ibuki: It’s supposed to have died in a time period so long ago that it’s considered a myth rather than history.

Yamata no Orochi: Indeed.

Yamata no Orochi: My current self belongs neither to the world where humans live, nor the realm of the ayakashi.

Yamata no Orochi: I am manifesting here as a messenger of the netherworld.

MC: The netherworld…?

Shigehira: When you say the netherworld, do you mean the realm where the souls of the dead travel to?

Kagetoki: Tamamo, is this snake telling the truth?

Tamamo: The next world after death is sacred to ayakashi. But as for where souls come from, or where they depart to…

Tamamo: I have lived for many centuries, and all I can say is that there is no way to know that without dying yourself.

Kurama: There is a way.

(Kurama!?)

Summoning whirlwinds at his side, Kurama conjured blades of air out of them.

And then he launched them towards Yamata no Orochi.

Yamata no Orochi: ……

The blades of air sliced through Yamata no Orochi’s torso without any resistance.

(Did Kurama do it…?)

However, in the next instant…

Kurama: …!

Yamata no Orochi: My, my. The youth are so lively nowadays.

The cross-section of Yamata no Orochi’s torso silently repaired itself, and soon it looked exactly as it did before.

(No way…)

Yamata no Orochi: At any rate, to act in accordance with the urges of one’s blood is the privilege of living beings.

Tamamo: No matter how ancient the ayakashi, regenerative ability of this strength still defies all reason.

Yamata no Orochi: You cannot kill what is already dead. That is all.

Yamata no Orochi: Even if everyone here were to band together against me, it would do nothing at all.

(How powerful is it, to be able to withstand the combined strength of everyone here…?)

Yoritomo: As things stand now, we cannot defeat you. I understand that.

Yoritomo: But you must have a reason to show yourself like this. What is it?

Yoshitsune: You said you were a messenger. So that must mean you have something you want to say to us.

Yamata no Orochi: Listen well.

Its eight heads began to move and twist, turning to face Yoritomo, Yoshitsune, and Akihito in turn.

Yamata no Orochi: Minamoto no Yoritomo, Minamoto no Yoshitsune… and Emperor Sutoku, Akihito.

Yamata no Orochi: As decreed by fate, the three of you are supposed to have met your ends already.

Yoritomo & Yoshitsune: …!

Akihito: ….

(What does it mean by fate…?)

If even one of the three of them were to die,

There would be no chance that the outcome of the war would be as peaceful as it is now.

Yamata no Orochi: All three of you possess the strength to cast your influence upon the world.

Yamata no Orochi: Upon your deaths, the people shall lose their spirits, and the world will fall into unimaginable chaos. This shall certainly come to pass.

Akihito: Will it? You speak as though you have seen the future. 

Yamata no Orochi: History is woven together by countless coincidences falling into place. Furthermore…

Yamata no Orochi: Events that could change the course of the world to such a degree are inevitably preordained. 

Yamata no Orochi’s words hung heavily over us.

Yamata no Orochi: Mourning the loss of Yoshitsune, the rebel army loses their direction and ceases to exist.

Yamata no Orochi: The Kamakura Shogunate, who should have been the victors, meet their end years later following the death of Yoritomo…

Yamata no Orochi: And the imperial court, although able to endure, lacked a steady ruler, and warps into a form unrecognizable to what it is now.

I didn’t want to believe the future that Yamata no Orochi spoke of, but its proclamation chilled me to the bone.

Yamata no Orochi: But the threads of fate have been entangled, and the three of you yet live.

Yamata no Orochi: And not only that, but the tens of thousands of people who would have perished in the ensuing struggle for power also yet live.

Yamata no Orochi: Therefore, the netherworld seeks only to right the balance of life and death.

MC: To right the balance…?

Kagetoki: In other words, you intend to kill Lord Yoritomo and the others, as well as those tens of thousands of people?

(No! Not after everyone has worked so hard for peace.)

Yoritomo: What nonsense. Fate is something that people take into their own hands.

Yamata no Orochi: There are some destinies that can never be changed. You all, who have lived through the worst of life, should know that better than most.

Yoritomo: …

Yoshitsune: If that is the case, then who decides these unchangeable destinies? You are only a messenger, so who is your master?

Yamata no Orochi: I do not know. The netherworld is itself simply the concept of death. And death has no form.

Yamata no Orochi: Even if it did, it would not be a form that neither humans nor ayakashi could comprehend.

Yamata no Orochi: When I had woken from a long slumber, my duty had already been engraved in my eight minds.

Yamata no Orochi: I am nothing more than a puppeted corpse.

(If that is true, then how do we resist?)

(We can’t fight against the concept of death…)

As despair began to set in my heart, I clasped my hands together tightly.

Yamata no Orochi: However… The will of the netherworld also commands me thus: Before claiming the lives of those who should have passed, put humanity on trial.

Yasuchika: A trial? What do you mean by that?

Yamata no Orochi: The boundaries of the netherworld grow weak. Thin enough for hordes of undead to emerge and force their way into the land of the living.

Yamata no Orochi: Commanded by the will of the netherworld, they will seek to bring destruction upon the living.

Yamata no Orochi: If you can prevent that, then you have passed the trial. If not… then the will of the netherworld will have come to pass.

Akihito: You’ve demonstrated that we cannot fight you. How do you expect us to fight against the undead? This sounds incredibly unfavorable to us.

Yamata no Orochi: I am different. The undead are not undying.

Yamata no Orochi: If you kill one ten times, then the connection that binds them to the world of the living will be severed, and they will return to the netherworld.

MC: Ten times…

(No matter how strong everyone is, a battle like that is too much to handle.)

Yamata no Orochi: The will of the netherworld is as fair as death. Accordingly, you shall be granted with new power.

(Power?)

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Yamata no Orochi’s tail move. And in that instant–

(Wha–!?)

My body was lifted into the air.

Shigehira: MC!

Wrapped up in Yamata no Orochi’s tail, I struggled desperately.

MC: L-let me go!

Yamata no Orochi: Be still. Wait.

MC: Ugh…

I thought at first that the tail was wrapping around me even tighter,

But a strange heat grew from where it was connected to my body.

Tamamo: What are you doing!?

(What is this? It’s odd… It feels just like when I’m channeling energy from my bond with Tamamo.)

Silver fluttered at the edges of my vision.

(...! My hair changed color! How is it drawing my magic out of me?)

Yamata no Orochi: Everyone, I would not move if I were in your position. I am sure you would not want me to strangle this girl, would you?

Everyone had moved to strike, but their faces twisted at Yamata no Orochi’s words and they did not take another step forward.

Yoritomo: She has nothing to do with the future of death you spoke of. Release her.

Yamata no Orochi: No. She is the center of that fate.

MC: What…?

Yamata no Orochi: At first glance, she is simply an ordinary apothecary.

Yamata no Orochi: Surprisingly, however, she is the one largely responsible for the peace that has fallen over the land.

MC: …! That’s not true!

(It’s only due to coincidence that I was bound to Tamamo and received these abilities.)

Yamata no Orochi: You may not realize it yourself, but everyone else here knows what I mean.

Everyone: ……

Yamata no Orochi: This girl shall become the miko of the netherworld.

Yamata no Orochi: The power of the nine-tailed fox is an interference, so I shall split the flow of the flow of magical energy.

(No, I can’t hold it back!)

A vast amount of power was swelling uncontrollably from deep within my body.

MC: Let me go!

Tamamo & Kurama: …

Ibuki: Tch…

That uncontrollable energy immediately began to drain away Tamamo, Kurama, and Ibuki’s magic as well.

(That’s strange… How is the power I received from Tamamo being turned against him?)

Yamata no Orochi: I will be taking the magical energy you have absorbed.

Yamata no Orochi: And now…

A sphere of light, swirling with an intricate mix of colors, drifted up to eye-level with Yamata no Orochi.

(Is that all their magical energy?)

Kurama: …Give it back.

Yamata no Orochi: Not in its original form.

Yamata no Orochi: A nine-tailed fox, a tengu, and Shuten-Douji. I shall give new form to your three energies, and create a new power from it.

Yamata no Orochi: Power to defeat the living dead, and to save the world… You may call it the Power of the Hero.

Shigehira: Power of the… Hero…

Yoichi: What a grandiose name.

Sueharu: So what? You’re going to grant us all that power?

Yamata no Orochi: There can only be one hero… Is what I would like to say. But this is too much power to grant to a single person. Two of you will be selected.

Yamata no Orochi: My miko, name the two heroes who shall be granted this power.

(Me!?)

The tail that was wrapped around me set me down, and I was free to move again.

Yamata no Orochi: The Power of the Hero was born of your will and your inner strength. You should be able to sense the two most fit to bear it.

Yamata no Orochi: But bear in mind that great power comes at an appropriate price.

Benkei: What price?

Yamata no Orochi: The Power of the Hero may frequently break free of its wielder’s control and drain their life force.

MC: …I don’t want to give anyone that kind of dangerous power.

Yamata no Orochi: Fear not. The outbursts can be contained by using the power of the fox spirit that you already possess. That too is the duty of the miko.

Yamata no Orochi: Though I suppose that it would feel somewhat different than normal.

(What is that supposed to mean?)

Yamata no Orochi: The Power of the Hero working in concert with the miko is very powerful.

Yamata no Orochi: If you were to join together with a partner with whom you shared a deep connection… you may experience a delight so strong it may feel more like torture.

As if to say that it would not listen to any more questions, Yamata no Orochi’s tail slammed into the ground.

Yamata no Orochi: Now, miko. It is time. Choose.

The sphere that glowed with an unearthly light drifted closer to me.

Biting my lip, I looked towards everyone.

(What do I do… If I don’t choose two people, it would be sacrificing so many others.)

With everyone’s gaze acting like a supportive hand pushing me forwards, I lifted my hand towards the sphere of light.

And my eyes slowly drifted shut…

(...Ah, I can hear the voice of the power…)

My voice was hoarse as I spoke.

MC: The two heroes I choose are…

#ikemen genjiden #my translation

[shatcey]

START PAGE

Me myself can no longer find my posts when I need it, so I decided to combine them in some order for future reference.

I don't know Japanese, so I don't do translations. I can write, but I don't know English enough to try to write something more significant than regular posts. So I'm just giving some retellings and summaries, expressing my love and frustration… but mostly I'm just making jokes.

Ikemen Prince

Ikemen Vampire

Ikemen Villains (JP)

Ikemen Villains (EN)

Ikemen Sengoku

Ikemen Genjiden JP

Ikemen Revolution (archive)

Other games

Midnight Cinderella

23/01 (Leo and Alyn)

Sid (so familiar) Sid (part 2)

Byron (love at first sight)

Albert (so cute) Albert (Benjamin) Albert

Love and DeepSpace (archive)

VA jp (Zayne) VA kr (Xavier) VA kr (Rafayel) VA kr (Caleb)

birthday Xavier (heart rate) Zayne loves me

Mystic Messenger and Ssum

Ray April Fool's DLC Seven

Comparison games

Wolfs Pets My heart on 11/11/23 Aggressively defensive

Faces of the games Birthday presents Familiar backgrounds

Sirius and Ibuki My fav smiles The same VA (how could it be?)

Purple eyes Villain's logic Drama Princess

...and grumbling

bad written story (Faust) time zones No luck (cards)

That's just not fair (Jude)

...and my scribblings

Alternative prologue IkeVamp: Prologue Picture

Bread

#cybird ikemen #ikemen series #cybird #ikemen games #ikemen prince #ikepri #ikemen sengoku #ikesen #ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikemen revolution #ikerev #ikevil #ikemen villians #ikemen villains #ikemen genjiden #ikegen #midnight cinderella #love and deepspace #love and deep space #l&ds #the ssum #mystic messenger #mysme #main page

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

My opinions on Ikemen Villain Characters

Look! I just found out today that there are voiceovers of the characters. Yes! I forgot to hear them when I was translating the whole character profile. I was listening to their voices and I'm slowly warming up to some of the characters I didn't care about at first....and I found my new favorites!!!

William Rex

He looks BEAUTIFULLLLL!!!! I'm happy that they broke the trend of Black-haired male leads. As the page-boy of this game, he looks perfect. His design is not too over the top but also not blunt. I LOVE THE COLOURS USED ON HIM!!!! I'm in love with that beautiful cape!!! Design-wise, out of the page boys of every ikemen game, William is my favorite.

Personality-wise I feel like he's gonna be the friendly type, which is not usually my favorite...but I hope they make him domineering and a little bit sadistic, who loves teasing people. I hope they do it! Then I might fall in love with this guy even more. I can't wait for the trailers to come out!!! For now he's my 2nd Fav.

And in my other account, I said that there will be 3 factions----one led by the black-haired male lead, one by the black-haired male lead's rival, and the last one by the villain. This guy looks like he is the leader of the 1st faction----containing Harry and Liam (Alice in wonderland gang) because he's the Queen of hearts.

Elbert Greetia

Ahh...Blonde hair blue eye male leads are the best! Repeat after me: "BLONDE HAIR BLUE EYES MALE LEADS ARE THE BEST AND I WILL WORSHIP THEM"

He looks..haaa....so pretty that'll die when he smiles at me. Again, the design, the cape...I wanna see him as the rival male lead to William because he's also a Queen (Snow white gang) and he also has a fancy cape....and he looks beautiful so much that he can have my heart as well. I'll eat any poison apples he gives me and I'll die happily~

Personality-wise I feel like he's the quiet type but also he sounds very kind and maybe a little bit of a yandere. But I'm looking forward to this guy because he's the second male lead according to me. Now he's sharing the spot with William as my 2nd Fav.

Victor

I'm in love with this guy ever since I saw his silhouette and recently, I've started liking male leads with long hair. I know everyone expected him to have white hair, if you deny then you're lying! I too expected him to have white hair but I'm happy with this design as well...because he looks as equally as BEAUTIFULLL as the two people mentioned above. Again, the BEAUTIFULL CAPE!!!

Victor, I have an offer for you. How about leaving this game and joining Ikemen Genjiden as IDK a new demon or something? Or become the King of the Underworld....because that's the vibe you're giving me right now!!! I swear, if you become the king of the underworld, I'll present myself to the eight-headed serpent and would ask him to swallow me so that we can meet in the underworld and get married....and....make me your Queen...I guess. (Yeahh, that's a bit too much)

Personality....I can smell my Yoritomo. I feel like this guy is gonna be Yoritomo with long hair. (If you don't know who Yoritomo is.....well, he's my husband) because look---they both have black hair, they both have blue eyes and they both have that (⌒‿⌒) fake smile....or maybe he is actually Yoritomo....

Harrison Gray

I like Harry's design, although he doesn't look like a prince, he looks like a more playful sarcastic free thinking kinda guy. He could be the big brother character of this game...and I'm very picky about the big brother characters. I want them to sound cool, desirable, and caring towards MC like patting her head and giving her his charming smile, teasing her from time to time, and spoiling her when she works hard...Yeah! That's the big brother male lead character I want! I just don't want Cybird to ruin this character by making him overly perverted and doesn't make his every dialogue sound like it's a script from a porn movie. That's all! He looks nice, so I want him to sound cool!!

Liam Evans

Design-wise, he's fine....I'm more concerned about his personality. Yeah, sure he's gonna be the character that flirts with MC constantly. I don't mind those types of characters but I'm picky about them as well. Again, I don't want them to be overly perverted. Make him a little bit like a gentleman but also flirts with MC from time to time. I'd be happy if MC playfully flirts with him too instead of blushing like a typical MC. But for now, he's my least fav from this game.

Roger Barel

Hmmm....I wasn't interested in him at first, but he's slowly growing on me..for some reason. I feel like once I start playing the game, I might start liking him even more. But for now, my heart belongs to Victor, William, and Elbert. For now...all I can say is...Wait for me, my love...

Nice design...doesn't give doctor vibes at all and he is egoistic? Can't wait to see how that transpires. For now, he's my 3rd Fav even though I'm not super into megane characters. Just please don't hold a whip, sir. I don't wanna see another megane character with a whip in their hands.

He's a doctor character as well, so if in the story MC is sent to war something, I need a valid reason as to why she's there. I don't wanna hear excuses like "Oh, she's here to treat the injured soldiers." or "Oh, she's the lucky charm"

Alfonse Sylvatica

Two words: TOTAL PSYCHOPATH. He looks to be SPY character of this game. That's all I feel for him. He's now along with Liam as my least fav character from his game. Though it might change once I start actually playing the game.

Jude Jazza

Again, another man with a beautiful cape!! I know it's a coat, but he wears it like a cape and he's a format Yakuza member? Seriously? Cybird, when are we going to get Ikemen Mafia? Make that you're next game!!! If you're running out of ideas, just ask me or the whole fandom!!

Design-wise, he's perfect, he gives me rich bossy vibes! He could be tsundere. Yeah! SO far, I haven't seen the tsundere character of this game, so maybe Jude is.......Hmmm...

Personality-wise, he is said to be arrogant and ruthless and loves to enjoy people's misery....sounds like Ibuki 2.0. I might like him. I'm starting to love villain characters recently. 'Villain characters' as in 'Villains' from each game for example, Kicho from Ikemen sengoku, Silvio from Ikemen prince, and my fav, Yasuchika, Ibuki, and Akihito a.k.a YasuBuAki!

Ellis Twilight

This guy, I feel like he has some kind of obsession with Elbert. I can't understand Japanese, so I can't tell what the characters are actually saying about each, so it's just my guess. I wouldn't mind a good platonic relationship between the male characters. Some great friendship moments, brotherhood, a little bit of rivalry, tension, and awkwardness in showing that the male leads care for each other...things like that are what I crave! Simply a romantic story with MC is just boring, so I want scenes where the male leads have fun moments together, like teasing each other or playing video games...anything is fine! Don't shy away from doing it again, Cybird, the fandom really loves it when you show male leads with great chemistry in a funny situation. Ellis for now is my second least character.

The list is like this:

Victor (obviously)

William and Elbert

Roger

Jude

Harry

Ellis

Liam and Alphonse

#ikemen series #ikemen villain #ikemen villain william #ikemen villain victor #ikemen villain elbert #ikemen villain harrison #ikemen villain liam #ikemen villain roger #ikemen villiain alphonse #ikemen villain jude #ikemen villain ellis #otome #cybird #cybird ikemen #cybird otome

[sakura-samsara]

Shigehira Main Story: Chapter 12

← Chapter 11

✦ part one

Morinaga: I can tell that you’re doing your best to work with us, so cooperating with you would be no trouble at all.

Yoshino: Umm, well, if you’re really sure…

Shigehira: Wait a second.

(Wah!)

Before I could continue, Shigehira grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him.

He fixed his gaze on me, looking thoroughly displeased.

Shigehira: …What do you think you’re doing, trying to make a decision like this without asking me?

Yoshino: Huh…?

Tamamo: Ooh, things are starting to get interesting.

Tamamo: You knew what you were doing, didn’t you, Morinaga? Excellent work.

Morinaga: I don’t know what you’re talking about. 

I caught a glimpse of Tamamo and Morinaga whispering to each other out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t have the time to ask them what they were talking about. 

Yoshino: I was just worried that the rumors annoyed you, Shigehira-kun.

Shigehira: When did I say that they annoyed me?

(Huh? Was I wrong?)

Yoshino: I mean, you went through all this trouble to disprove them, so that’s what I assumed…

Shigehira: Well, that’s…

He hesitated for a moment, looking rather sulky, before he looked intently at me.

Shigehira: That's because the rumors are disrespectful to you.

Yoshino: To me?

Shigehira: …?

(What does he mean by that?)

Shigehira and I exchanged a puzzled look.

However, it wasn't long before I noticed the tinge of pink that had appeared on Shigehira's cheeks.

Shigehira: …

What happened? (Romantic +2, Dramatic +4) I don’t really understand what you mean (Romantic +4, Dramatic +2) Are you embarrassed? (Romantic +4, Dramatic +4)

Yoshino: Shigehira-kun… Could it be that you’re… embarrassed?

Shigehira: What?! Of course not!!

Yoshino: O-Of course. Sorry.

(I get the feeling that I shouldn't push him any further about this.)

Then a laugh from Yoritomo cleaved apart the awkward silence, seeming as though he'd been holding it in for quite a while already.

Yoritomo: You two are really exceeding my expectations. 

Shigehira: What are you talking about?

Tamamo: Oh, no, no, carry on, you two. Don’t mind the rest of us. 

I had a feeling that there was something the rest of them were thinking that neither I nor Shigehira were aware of.

Yoshino: Why are you all looking at us like that…

(I have no idea what's going on, besides that they're definitely teasing us!!)

Just when I was starting to feel more than a little frustrated...

Yoritomo: With all of that said.

Yoritomo: If neither of you are affected by those rumors, there’s no need to get up in arms to disprove them. 

Yoritomo, still smiling his half-smile, spun the kemari ball in his hand.

Shigehira: I-I guess, but…

Yoritomo: Otherwise, you need to accept that if you are unable to get the rumors under control on your own now, you won’t be able to do so in the future.

Tamamo: I see… These are the wise words of a man who has his very own fanclub. He is imparting his learned experience of contending with the “Lord Yoritomo Worship Association.”

Yoshino: …Worship association?

Morinaga: It’s somewhat of a… volunteer organization that’s formed among the maids.

Morinaga: The members collect information about Yoritomo-sama, and supposedly also prevent each other from making any moves on him by themselves…

Morinaga: It’s a tight-knit group with a large number of members, so we don’t know just how much information they’ve been able to gather. What we do know is that they’re not to be underestimated.

✦ part two

Morinaga: The members collect information about Yoritomo-sama, and supposedly also prevent each other from making any moves on him by themselves…

Morinaga: It’s a tight-knit group with a large number of members, so we don’t know just how much information they’ve been able to gather. What we do know is that they’re not to be underestimated.

Yoshino: Wow! I can’t believe it…

(That's honestly really impressive.)

Shigehira: How are you not tired of smiling that vapid, empty smile and putting up with all of this nonsense? 

Yoritomo: You get used to it with time, Shigehira. It’s a small price to pay to keep all our affairs running smoothly, wouldn’t you agree?

Shigehira: I guess. 

Shigehira's thorny response was in stark contrast to Yoritomo's blindingly bright smile.

Nonetheless, Yoritomo continued.

Yoritomo: On another subject. You seem to have built up a good reputation for your work as an apothecary, Yoshino. 

Yoshino: Have I?

Morinaga: Our military training has gotten more intense in preparation for the war, and we’re all very grateful to you for caring for the wounded. 

Morinaga: The soldiers’ morale is high, knowing that they’ll have a doctor accompanying them into battle.

Yoshino: Really? I’m so glad!!

(I've only really made a small contribution, but it makes me so happy that they appreciate it!)

Tamamo: That’s my Yoshino for you. You’ve excelled even when taking up work as an apothecary in an unfamiliar place must have been quite the ordeal. 

Yoshino: It would have only been an ordeal if I’d been alone. I couldn’t have done it all without Shigehira-kun’s help. 

Shigehira: Don't be daft. I didn’t do anything to help you. I was just keeping an eye on you so you wouldn’t screw things up.

(It's just like him to say that.)

Yoshino: Of course. But, still… Thank you.

Shigehira: …Mm.

His response, so curt in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, made my heart squeeze.

(I've decided to stand beside the frontlines for Shigehira-kun's sake.)

(So it's really encouraging that my efforts are being recognized in this way.)

The fire that had been lit within my chest on the day I made my decision still continued to burn—and in this moment, I felt it warming me from within.

Shigehira: So this is what it all came to in the end. Kicking a ball around and getting bullied. 

Yoshino: Well... at least it seemed like you had some fun playing kemari!

After parting with the others, Shigehira and I walked side-by-side through the halls of the palace.

Yoshino: I wish I was as athletic as you are, Shigehira-kun.

Shigehira: Clearly you’re athletic enough to perform all of the stunts you’ve been pulling recently. I bet you’ve been having fun doing them, too.

Yoshino: Hehe, is that a compliment?

Shigehira: Your ears work almost as badly as your brain does if that sounds like a compliment to you. 

✦ part three

Yoshino: Hehe, is that a compliment?

Shigehira: Your ears work almost as badly as your brain does if that sounds like a compliment to you. 

Despite the severity of his words, I wasn't fazed at all by his retort...

Because there was now a noticeable warmth in his eyes and in his tone of voice that had not been there before.

(Does this mean that we've become closer as friends now?)

Yoshino: It seems like everyone we just talked to really likes you. 

Shigehira: Do your eyes not work either?? Obviously they were just heckling me for their own entertainment. 

Yoshino: But I’m sure they were teasing you because they like you.

Shigehira: Then that’s a terrible way of showing it.

(No matter how strict or severe Shigehira-kun might seem, I know that he's honest and gentle at heart.)

(I'm sure that everyone has learned that about him for themselves, and the reason that they love him so much is because of it.)

Shigehira: By the way, what are you planning on doing after this?

Yoshino: I was thinking of visiting Kagetoki-san’s estate.

Shigehira immediately stopped in his tracks.

Shigehira: …You’re going to Kagetoki-san’s house?!

(Huh? Why would he react like that so suddenly...)

Yoshino: Yeah. I wanted to discuss some things with him about the medicine stockpiles and the combat nursing unit that we’re working on setting up. 

Yoshino: But I haven’t been to his estate before, so I’ll have to ask someone for directions first.

He put his hand on my shoulder and fixed me with a serious look.

Shigehira: Yoshino-san, that man’s residence is dangerous to visit if you’re unprepared.

Yoshino: Dangerous?! What in the world could possibly be in Kagetoki-san’s house?

Shigehira: ……

Shigehira: Ugh, I guess it can’t be helped. Shall I accompany you?

Yoshino: Huh? But I don’t want to trouble you.

Shigehira: It’s no big deal. There was a book I wanted to borrow from Kagetoki-san anyways. 

Shigehira: Or are you still worried about the rumors about us?

Yoshino: No, I just...

To my chagrin, I felt a bit of heat rise in my face.

I had to my eyes to the side in embarrassment before I could respond.

Yoshino: I don’t mind the rumors as long as you don’t either.

Shigehira: Then I won’t pay them any mind at all.

Shigehira suddenly turned his gaze away and started walking again.

(This conversation was so short and inconsequential, but something about it feels bittersweet...)

(I wonder if... No, surely there's no way.)

The answer to my own question had risen up to tip of my tongue, but then it slowly began to sink back down into the depths of my chest.

(I'm sure it's just my imagination.)

No matter how much I'd been enjoying spending time with him,

I knew that we had little time to brace for the war ahead of us, and I couldn't afford to get carried away by my own feelings.

Meanwhile, at the rebels' estate...

Yoshitsune: Now, you say you met Shigehira and the fox-possessed woman in the capital?

✦ part four

Yoshitsune: Now, you say you met Shigehira and the fox-possessed woman in the capital?

Yoichi: Yes. It was at the perfect timing.

Having returned to Hiraizumi, Yoichi was reporting to Yoshitsune about the events of his trip.

Yoichi: I happened to have some fellas from the Heike with me at the time, so I got them to approach him to try and see if it’d shake him up. From the looks of it, it worked perfectly. 

Kurama: What a paltry little scheme.

Kurama: That… “Shigehira,” or what have you—is he really so much of an obstacle for us to bother taking such measures against him?

Benkei: Hey. Don’t say that, Kurama.

Benkei: He was a tough opponent back when we fought in the Genpei War. 

Benkei: Especially when you consider how young he was back then, he had some crazy talent as a general. It’s no wonder that bastard Yoritomo snatched him up for himself.

Kurama: Hmph.

Kurama's crimson eyes gleamed, his interest now slightly piqued.

Yoshitsune: If the Heike—with the exception of Shigehira—had not been so drunk on their power, the Genji would have had much more difficulty winning the war.  

Yoshitsune: That is precisely why Shigehira��s presence in the shogunate poses an even greater issue for us now. 

Yoichi: Well… you’ve got nothing to worry about anymore. Talking to him has convinced me of that. 

Yoichi: Shigehira’s as soft as jelly. Much unlike Lord Yoritomo, no?

Yoichi: There’s a good chance we’ll be able to take advantage of that.

Benkei: Hmm. I dunno, Yoichi, but it's not like you to be so… motivated. 

Kurama: How unusual for a man who is always nothing but a pain in the neck.

Yoichi: Oh, come on. You guys don’t understand your pal here at all.

Yoichi: Even a guy like me is capable of doing things when they have to be done.

Yoshitsune: ……

Yoichi grinned, seeming as relaxed as ever, but Yoshitsune was unsmiling as he stared back at him.

Yoshitsune: Yoichi, wait.

Yoichi: …!

Once the meeting had concluded, Yoshitsune followed after Yoichi as he left the hall.

Yoichi: Oh, hey, Yoshitsune-sama. What’s up?

Yoshitsune: It’s nothing. I was just wondering if you were feeling alright. 

Yoichi: …What do you mean?

Yoshitsune: I’ve known you, Benkei, and Kurama for a long time.

Yoshitsune: Though I may not be familiar with all the nuances of others' emotions, I at least am able to tell what my closest companions are thinking. 

Yoshitsune's unblinkingly honest stare captured Yoichi's own gaze.

Yoichi: …Well, I guess you just don't get me. C’mon, can’t you see I’m as sprightly as can be?

Yoshitsune: Yoichi.

Yoshitsune: I know you force yourself to smile the most when you are hurt. Is that not true? 

Yoichi: …Please forgive me for that.

Yoichi's smile remained, but there was a faint, yet desperate plea in his voice.

Yoshitsune: If you truly do not wish to tell me about your feelings, I won't push you any further.

✦ part five

Yoshitsune: If you truly do not wish to tell me about your feelings, I won't push you any further.

Yoichi let out a deep sigh at Yoshitsune's words.

Yoichi: Aw, man. You’ve really got me now. 

Yoichi: I’ve always had a weakness for you saying things like that. 

Yoichi: Say, how come you always try to be there for other people when you can’t even express your own emotions? 

Yoshitsune: …I don’t know. But if I can help you feel better, then that's all that matters to me. 

Yoichi: Ahh. That’s my commander, alright.

Yoichi: No matter how much I try to avoid it, I have no choice but surrender to you in the end.

Yoshitsune: ……

Yoshitsune's only response was to wait for Yoichi to continue.

After a moment of shared silence, Yoichi cut through his hesitation to speak.

Yoichi: Honestly, using those survivors from the Heike to get to Shigehira really rubs me the wrong way.

Yoichi: It just doesn’t sit right with me to take advantage of their desire for revenge.

Yoshitsune: I understand.

Yoichi: But at the same time, I know that we can’t afford to be picky about the tactics we’re able to employ.

Yoichi: That’s why I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, after all—for victory against the shogunate, and for victory against the Heike.

Yoichi: It’s all for the sake of serving you as your vassal… and serving as the chief of the Nasu clan. All of it.

Yoshitsune bit his lip, as though he was feeling Yoichi's pain like it was his own.

Yoshitsune: …Yoichi, I am grateful for your commitment and resolve. 

Yoshitsune: But I don’t wish to trouble you.

Yoichi: Nah, you’re good. It’s no trouble at all. I’m just an old man who likes brooding over sentiments from long ago.  

Then Yoichi made another attempt at jokingly adding onto his words:

Yoichi: You know what? Let me tell you a secret. When I first met Shigehira, I thought he was a girl. 

Yoshitsune: …He does have rather androgynous features.

Yoichi: I’m telling you, he looked even more like it when we were little kids. He had these sparkling eyes… Made him look just like a beautiful girl.

Yoichi: …To tell you the truth, he was my first love.

Yoshitsune: …

Yoshitsune: I’m sorry. I can’t find the words to comfort you.

Yoichi: Nah, it’s alright.

Yoichi eked out a bitter laugh at Yoshitsune's serious response.

Yoshitsune: But I understand your feelings.

Yoshitsune: Shigehira must have been someone very special to you. 

Yoichi: Once upon a time, he was. But now…

Yoichi: I’ve had enough of clinging onto old memories, and I’m not gonna let nostalgia get in our way. 

At the same time, in the capital…

Yasuchika: It seems like Yoshino-san has safely returned to Kamakura!

Chapter 13 →

#ikemen genjiden #ikemen genjiden translations #ikemen genjiden shigehira #shigehira main story #long time no shigehira!! #i've been looking forward to doing the arc of shigehira's story that starts with this chapter for a while :3

[archiveikemen]

Yasuchika • Akihito Act II Main Story Release D-14 Login Message

From: Yasuchika

「 I want to see you, whom I'm very fond of, as soon as possible... in the second part of our main story. I'm getting so impatient, I almost want to develop a time-traveling technique with my onmyo abilities. 」

#ikemen genjiden #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #otome #cybird otome #ikegen yasuchika #aikm translation

[ga-yuu]

----Part 1----

(It's Shigehira-kun and Morinaga-san. They seem to be looking for me)

The moment I squirmed, I felt the two arms holding me a little tightly.

Sueharu: "Don't go."

(Sueharu-san?)

While letting out a painful sigh, he buried his head in my shoulder.

I was confused at his indulgent actions.

Yoshino: "Mm....."

I felt a sweet bite on my neck.

Sueharu: "If those two see us like this, they might misunderstand our relationship."

His voice resonates in my ear and my head went blank.

Yoshino: "If....If you think...then s-stop..."

He kissed me where he had bitten earlier and started pecking my skin over and over again...

(Mm...I must not let my voice ah...)

I looked at him feeling desperate.

Then he covered my mouth with one hand...

Yoshino: "Mm..mm..."

I then feel his tongue running over my earlobe.

Disturbed by the wetness, my body loses its strength.

Sueharu: "Haa....you're so cute. It only makes me want to corner you even more."

------Options-------

If you go on like this...

Stop.

Please.

---------

Yoshino: "P-Please.....I'm already...."

Sueharu: "There there. Hold on a little longer."

When I begged him, Sueharu-san looks at me lovingly.

But his eyes had a cat like glint as if he was cornering his prey.

Morinaga: "Don't worry. She must be somewhere around here. Let's wait."

Shigehira: "Okay."

Finally, we heard them walking away.

(Thank god!)

I felt so relieved that I almost fell down, but Sueharu-san supported me.

Sueharu: "Looks like we didn't get caught."

Yoshino: "E-Enough!...When I said I wanted to help you ease up, I didn't mean this."

Sueharu: "Mm. I know....but thanks."

His voice, that felt slightly hoarse, made me sad.

(This person is so sneaky)

Feeling irritated, I moved away from Sueharu-san's arms.

Sueharu: "It's true that your warmth calms me down."

Yoshino: "....That's fine. But next time, if you feel uncomfortable, please try talking."

Yoshino: "It doesn't have to be with me....if you keep your feelings inside, it will affect you both mentally and physically."

Sueharu: "It's will affect both mentally and physically huh? I see."

Sueharu: "I'll keep that in mind."

He stroked my hair gently...as if he didn't want to let go of my warmth and left the room.

...........

That same night, we left for Hiraizumi with the orphans.

Few days later...

We arrived at Hiraizumi city, and the first thing we did is immediately go to the temple supported by Sueharu-san.

Sueharu: "These are the children I told you about."

-----Part 2-----

Sueharu: "These are the children I told you about."

Chief priest: "I see. I see....don't worry, we'll take good care of them in this temple."

(The chief priest seems kind)

We decided to have few people accompany the orphans who are frightened of adults.

Benkei and Shigehira-kun were waiting outside.

Sueharu: "How are the other children?"

Chief priest: "Thanks to you, they're living healthy. Their wounds are healing and soon they will go back to their normal life."

(So this temple actively protects abused children, right?)

Sueharu: "That's good. Thank you for your services."

The chief priest nodded with a smile.

Sueharu: "Yoshino. Can you bring those kids?"

Yoshino: "Yes."

I looked at the children, hiding behind by back.

I crouched down and looked at them.

Yoshino: "Don't worry. This is a safe place, so take some rest."

Yoshino: "I'm not telling you all to forget what happened just like that but..."

Yoshino: "From now on, you will all be happy. I want you all to remember that."

Orphan 1: "Will.....onee-chan also be here?"

Those words made my heart ache.

Yoshino: "....Forgive me. But I'll be away for a while and won't come back anytime soon."

(Because I belong to the Shogunate and this is the enemy territory)

Yoshino: "But I'll definitely come see you again."

Orphans: "............"

I could see the children closing their hearts as they look down in disappointment.

Yoshino: ".....Sueharu-san, don't you wanna say anything?"

Sueharu: "I don't know."

Sueharu: "I don't know what to say."

(....Nn)

Both Sueharu-san and the children looked at each other.

The children flinched.

Sueharu: "..........."

(Sueharu-san was extremely angry when he first found the children)

(It was an anger directed towards the adults who used orphans for cruel bets...)

The children still feels scared of Sueharu-san's presence.

Sueharu: "You guys will have a health life here. I've already paid for that."

Sueharu: "That's all I can do for you."

Sueharu-san's voice feels stiff.

(Because of the same circumstances, Sueharu-san may not be able to act as calmly as usual)

We left the place while feeling worried about the children.

........

The sun soon started to set when we reached our next destination.

Sueharu: "Finally! We're here."

-----Part 3----

Sueharu: "Finally! We're here."

(The whole atmosphere is different from the Shogunate. What a magnificent mansion!)

We crossed the bridge and went through the gate.

Yoshino: "I feel kinda nervous..."

Shigehira: "It's the enemy territory after all. So it's natural."

While walking down the hallway, when I expressed my honest feelings, Shigehira-kun shrugged.

Benkei: "Yoshino. Shigehira. You guys are now Yoshitsune-sama's guests."

Benkei: "But there are restrictions on where you can go around this mansion. You are also forbidden to use any weapons and supernatural powers."

Shigehira: "Understood."

Sueharu: "You don't have to think too hard. You'll feel comfortable here."

Yoshino: "Is this mansion build by Yoshitsune-sama?"

Sueharu: "No. This was originally the mansion of the Oshu Fujiwara clan who previously ruled this area."

Sueharu: "After they perished, Yoshitsune-sama rebuilded it."

Shigehira: "I heard that....it was Sueharu-san that brought Oshu Fujiwara Clan and Yoshitsune-sama together."

Sueharu: "I guess it was something like that."

Sueharu-san narrowed his eyes as if he remembered something.

Sueharu: "While on a business trip, I just happened to meet Yoshitsune-sama."

Sueharu: "I brought him to Hiraizumi thinking that it would be an investment for a huge business deal."

Sueharu: "But never did I think that our relationship would last this long."

Benkei: "What the hell do you mean by that!? Having any kind of relationship with Yoshitsune-sama is worth more than money."

Sueharu: *sighs*"...I have no energy left to fight with a Yoshitsune-sama worshipper."

Benkei glared as Sueharu-san sighed.

Yoshino: "From your perspective, what kind of person is Yoshitsune-sama?"

Sueharu: *sighs*

Unusally, Sueharu-san is sighing a lot today.

(I wonder what he is like?)

Benkei: "Well, it's only naturally that Yoshitsune-sama's charm cannot be expressed in words. I understand."

Sueharu: "Benkei, shut up. Please don't make this any more complicated."

Sueharu: "He's just my customer."

Shigehira: "I don't think he is just a customer."

Shigehira: "If all you think about is profit, there is no reason why you would continue to be by Yoshitsune-sama's side even after he was banished by Yoritomo."

(I'm sure they must have formed some kind of bond after being together for a long time, right?)

Sueharu: "There is something about his pretty face that I don't like."

-----Part 4-----

Sueharu: "There is something about his pretty face that I don't like."

Shigehira: "It's not about the face!"

Shigehira-kun frowns.

Sueharu: "Yoshitsune-sama is a bit strange."

Yoshino: "Strange?"

Sueharu: "There are people in this world who won't go according to your calculations."

Sueharu: "I learned that from Yoshitsune-sama after I met him. As merchant, it's something I didn't want to know.'"

Benkei: "It can't be helped. Yoshitsune-sama is special after all."

Sueharu: "See this!? Look what he has done to Benkei. This is what I'm talking about. The fact that Yoshitsune-sama can't even fake a smile, fascinates people. His charms are out of this world."

Shigehira: "....I don't understand."

(Right...for me, the terrifying first impression is still fresh in my mind. I don't think anything will change that)

Yoshino: "Is Sueharu-san also facinated by Yoshitsune-sama?"

Sueharu: "Of course not. For my honor sake, do you think I would let that happen?"

Sueharu: "But then there times when he would look at me with those eyes..."

Sueharu: "When I see those eyes, all the calculations I make messes up."

(Yoritomo-sama captivates everyone with his perfect Shogun demeanor...)

(Maybe Yoshitsune-sama attracts people in a different way...)

Shigehira: "......"

Even Shigehira-kun was silent, as if he was thinking of something.

Sueharu: "Everyone in this mansion spoils Yoshitsune-sama. A lot."

Benkei: "Huh?"

Sueharu: "These guys even praise Yoshitsune-sama for breathing."

Yoshino: "Ehh."

Just then-----

???: "Did someone call me?"

Shigehira: ".....!"

(That voice)

Yoshitsune: "Benkei. Sueharu....welcome back."

Sueharu: "Hi, Yoshitsune-sama."

Benkei: "I'm home!"

Yoshitsune-sama who appeared from the corner, approaches quietly.

Yoshitsune: "Yoshino and Shigehira. I never thought I would be inviting you two here, but----"

Yoshitsune: "Let me know if you have any inconvenience while staying here."

Yoshino: "...Yes. Thank you."

(Although he looks impressive, he may not be a bad person)

Shigehira: "Thank you for taking care of us."

-----Part 5-----

Shigehira: "Thank you for taking care of us."

Yoshitsune: "If possible, I hope you could share some of your war stories during dinner, Shigehira."

Yoshitsune-sama nodded with an expressionless face.

(Now that I think about it, Benkei did say...)

(Yoshitsune-sama had taken an interest in me and he told me to ask him when I meet him face to face...)

Yoshitsune: "Yoshino."

Yoshino: "Y-Yes."

The amethyst eyes looks at me intently as if he read my mind.

Yoshitsune: "I want you to tell me stories about Sueharu."

Sueharu: "Ha?"

Yoshino: "What do you mean?"

Yoshitsune: "I received Benkei's report and it stated that the distance between you and Sueharu has shortened."

(EEHHHH!?)

Sueharu: "Benkei!?"

Benkei: "What? It's the truth."

Benkei declared confidently.

Shigehira: "....I agree. Even I could feel the raging sexual tension between the both of you during our trip here."

Yoshino: "O-Of course not! ......I think."

(Sueharu-san has been messing with me everyday now that I've grown numb to it)

Yoshino: "We did work together and also spend a lot of time together for various reasons..."

Yoshino: "But it's nothing that Yoshitsune-sama should worry about."

(I know you don't want Sueharu-san, your ally, to not get involved with me, right?)

Yoshitsune: "Sueharu is a really cautious man."

Yoshitsune: "That's why, it's difficult to find people who would get into his heart."

Sueharu: "Wait. Can you please stop saying weird things, again?"

Sueharu-san, tries to stop Yoshitsune-sama's words.

Yoshitsune: "Weird? Did I say anything weird?"

Yoshitsune-sama tilted his head with a straight face.

(I think I understand little by little, the relationship between these two)

Yoshitsune: "Sueharu has had affairs with many women. But I have never seen him feeling something special for someone."

Shigehira: "Woah."

Sueharu: "You don't even listen to people. Didn't I say that if I get a girlfriend, I'll only end up making her cry?"

Yoshino: "It's refreshing to see someone like Sueharu-san is not being sarcastic as usual..."

Benkei: "Hey, I think you should calm down a bit."

While everyone expressed their own opinion, Yoshitsune-sama continues speaking calmly.

Yoshitsune: "Sueharu is my benefactor, so I want him to be happy."

(Yoshitsune-sama....)

Sueharu: "..........."

Yoshitsune: "If there is someone in this world who could pry open his heart then it would be all joy for me."

Yoshitsune: "That's why, Yoshino."

Yoshitsune: "I don't want you to take part in the Great War."

Yoshino: "Eh...!?"

Chapter 18

#ikemen series #ikemen genjiden #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #otome #cybird #ikemen mc #ikegen #main story translations #ikemen genjiden sueharu

[baby-bunny-san]

IkeGen: "Sweet newlywed life" Event - Akihito/Sutokuin

Premium End

Everything below belongs to Cybird

Translation does not correct entirely

Spoiler warning!!!

Akihito: Yoshino!

Akihito-sama, with an unusually tense expression, stretched out his hand to----

(.…Ah)

Being held in his arms, I managed not to fall down

Yoshino: I’m sorry, I overdid a bit

I put my hand on Akihito-sama’s chest and tried to stand on my own feet, but a sharp voice stopped me

Akihito: Don’t overdo it

Yoshino: B..But…..

(Wah)

The moment I was about to say it was okay, my body floated gently… Before I knew it, I was being held by Akihito-sama

Yoshino: Ah, Akihito-sama…!

Akihito: Shh. Be quiet

I followed his gentle voice and reflectively shut my mouth. Perhaps sensing my restlessness, Akihito-sama smiled a little mischievously

Akihito: I’m going to take you to a place where you can rest. Children who don’t listen to what I say will be punished here. Do you want me to do it?

(Oh, yeah)

A sigh mixed with laughter touched the edge of my ear…

I shook my head many times to disperse the sweet sensation that was running up my spine

Yoshino: I will listen to you!

Akihito: Nn, good girl

Akihito-sama slowly began to walk

(The smile just now was serious…!)

Perhaps I shook my head vigorously, my head felt dizzy again

Finally giving up, I decided to entrust myself to Akihito-sama. By the time we reached a quiet hill, my eyes and limbs were completely healed. This time, I stood on my own feet and faced Akihito-sama

Yoshino: I’m fine now. I’m sorry to bother you

Akihito:…

Yoshino: Then… thank you for your concern

Akihito: …Are you a child?

(Eh?)

There was a laugh that resembled a sigh

(Akihito-sama made such a face, it’s rare)

When I was perplexed by the expression that I don’t often see, Akihito-sama’s hands wrapped around me

Yoshino: Akihito-sama?

Akihito: Yoshino…

My heartbeat faintly beat to the warmth that came from my cheeks

(Ah)

The next moment, I opened my eyes wide as my cheeks were lightly pinched

Yoshino: W-what?

Akihito: Punishment

Letting go of my hand, Akihito-sama peers into my face]

Akihito: I was hoping this trip would give you a break, but you’ve been pushing yourself too hard these days

(Ugh…)

Lately, I’ve been putting too much effort into studying so that I’m suitable as Akihito’s wife. It was only recently I realized that

Akihito: Did you notice it yourself?

Akihito-sama tilted his head gracefully while still staring at me

(Akihito-sama, maybe you’re a little angry…)

Akihito: I’m not angry

Yoshino: Eh

As I blinked at the words that seemed to read my mind

Akihito: Yoshino

Akihito-sama reassured me with a smile and gently hugged me

Akihito: I think I know what you’re thinking and why you’ve been reading and studying until late lately

(!… I thought I was hiding it, but you already knew)

I listened to the voice of my beloved with a feeling of relief and embarrassment to be known

Akihito: I love you as a man. Being my wife will also mean taking on many invisible responsibilities. We were born and raised in different places, and have different values

Yoshino: Akihito-sama

(I already knew that, but…)

Yoshino: Still, I want to know about you

Akihito: Yeah, I know

Akihito-sama once again tightly hugged me as I cling to him

(Akihito-sama)

In the eyes that looked at me, there was a heartrending love

Akihito: I know everything, and on top of that, I’m a greedy man who won’t let you go. Because you’re my partner who has contracted me with body, mind, and even soul

Yoshino: Me too… hmm

My lips that were about to open to convey my feelings were blocked by the person I love in front of me. After just touching it, Akihito-sama narrowed his eyes at the mischief

Akihito: I’ll always tell you what I know. That’s why It’s forbidden to shut yourself in the library… if you fall down, you know what I mean, right?

Yoshino: Y-yes!

(I don’t want you to worry anymore… Akihito-sama is the kind of person who does what he says he will do)

I obediently shook my head

Akihito: Good

Akihito-sama’s lips, which seemed satisfied, gently touched me again

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

After that, I felt completely calm----

Akihito-sama and I went to the hot spring near the inn

(Yes, it has the effect of recovering from fatigue)

When I sighed let out a sigh at the comfort of the hot water, Akihito-sama next to me gave a small laugh

Akihito: I’m glad you’re feeling good

Yoshino: Ah….

In the hot water, I was stunned by the bare skin I touched as I was gently hugged in the hot water

Akihito: Since when have I been relaxing with you like this?

Yoshino: Um, sure…

Thinking about what happened after we exchanged vows

(I was so busy that I didn’t have much time to be alone with you… ah)

(It’s been the first time since the night after our marriage that I have been with Akihito-sama)

Akihito: Yoshino?

Yoshino: N-no…

Once I noticed it, I couldn’t calm down because I was worried about Akihito-sama next to me

Akihito: I want you to always be aware of me as a man like that

(Ah…)

Putting his hand on my embarrassed cheeks, Akihito-sama smiled softly

Akihito: From now on, we will spend a long time together. For me, no matter how old you’re, you’re my most beloved women

While touching our skin, Akihito-sama’s eyes approached

(.…N,nm)

From the beginning, the love that was given to me was deep and hot--------

His tongue traced the weak spots in my mouth, and my body was lit with an irresistible heat

#ikemen games #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #ikemen genjiden #ikegen #ikegen akihito #ikegen sutokuin #ikemen translation #ikemen spoiler

[an-aroaces-harem]

My first impressions of Morudoru

First of all, my current progress is Xeno's chapter 1 plus skipping through a few bond (called commu here but I prefer bond) stories.

1. The game's a bit buggy. Well, it is new, I had to download it via a third party app and my wifi is not greatest here, so yeah, it's a bit off-putting but I'll survive. But seriously, I had to restart several times to skip the prologue in the memory because it got stuck.

2. At first glance, it has the same features as Ikemen Prince and Ikemen Villains. You know, bond system with voiced lil' scenes, battle with an unknown opponent, story split after chapter 20 and so on. But there are differences. There's no avatar shop, for example. You can put TWO LIs in your room. There seems to be no epilogue. The ends are named differently (Melty and Passion). The CGs are all over the place. With that, I mean that we don't have the usual chapter 1, mid-route and ending CGs. For example, Xeno has a CG in chapter 1, 6, 13, Melty 21, Melty end and Passion end. Or at least I believe they are all CGs because game tutorial said something about 'still cards'. Well, we will see.

Two suitors! Andy my empty room xD

3. Finally, my CG bug didn't follow me to this game. To clarify, Genjiden, Prince and Villains I have the problem of CGs zooming in way too much and support doesn't help me. Anyway, that's a big, fat plus. I only got one CG so far and looks pretty.

4. On to the boys.

Xeno: Chevalier's personality + Ellis' looks minus the murder lust is a very fitting description xD Since he has a personality that shares a lot with my own, he's kinda relatable. Also, black and purple are my favorite colors. I don't regret choosing him first.

Ivy: He's the mom of the group, ngl. And I found a post here on tumblr, translating the little plot summaries. My hot take is that his overprotectivness could kinda turn yandere? If that's true, man's right up my alley haha. And since I followed a bunch of Ivy users, I unlocked his first two bond stories. That's what we get greeted in the second one already:

Half of his shirt is already unbuttoned??? Gonna google translate my way through it later. And black dress shirts totally aren't my weakness.

Jace: Can't say too much about him. I just know that he's a womanizer who caused trouble for the group, so Eito (their manager) asks Rina (our MC) to fake-date him or something like that. And in typical Cybird manner, our playboy seems to be a playboy because of trauma. Can we please get a playboy who just genuinly likes to sleep around for once?

So yeah, that's all for now. Ivy's definitely creeping up my list.

#morganatic idol #morudoru #resa's rambling #morudoru xeno #morudoru ivy #morudoru jace

[dear-mrs-otome]

Tamamo - Main Story - Chp 02

Standard Disclaimer: I do this for fun. I don’t, and never would, claim to be proficient at JP. There will be mistakes herein. There will be dialogue I choose to smooth out or change, because it feels choppy just straight translating. There will be the occasional snarky aside and irreverence and just plain summarizing. If you’re looking for 100% pure accuracy, without commentary or localizing, this is not for you. If you don’t mind that…then proceed, and I hope you enjoy! And please, support your local localizer (they make this stuff look easy) and Cybird by playing the games and routes if/when they come to English.

Yoshino is scandalized by Tamamo’s nonchalant offer, still reeling to catch up when he lets go of her and picks up a nearby obi, remarking on its beauty and asking her opinion. She agrees, and before she knows it Tamamo and the merchants are discussing all manner of clothing options and outfits for her.

She starts to protest, but is cut off by a finger from Tamamo, laid over her lips. “Hush now, and just leave everything to me.” His low voice scatters her thoughts, and he turns back to point out another combination, drawing compliments on his taste. 

Any other concerns she raises are immediately brushed aside by Tamamo, who insists he wants to see her in the nice clothes, and he turns her over to the merchants and staff who are happy to busy themselves dressing, rearranging ‘Lady Yoshino’s’ hair, and applying makeup.

Eagerly, they ask for her opinion after they finish, and she hesitates. “Um...it’s incredibly nice, but don’t you think it’s a bit too much for me?” She’s never worn such a beautiful, extravagant kimono before. 

“Ridiculous! It suits you perfectly,” they gush. “Isn’t that right, Lord Tamamo?”

“Yes,” he agrees with a smile, giving her such  slow once-over that her heart begins to flipflop. “Every bit as beautiful as I expected. It’s not as if your everyday appearance is lacking...but dressed like this, you’re even more lovely.”

She can’t keep the smile off her face at such flattery, as she searches for words to answer him. “Th-thank you. But I’m not sure that’s true.”

“Humility can sometimes be a shortcoming, no?” Tamamo reminds her, insisting once again that he’s not exaggerating when he says she is beautiful. As he does, he picks up a hair ornament of delicate tortoiseshell and cradles her face in one hand to steady it.

His proximity sets her nerves alight, as he slowly slides the piece into her hair, his fingers lingering for long moments. “There, good. That looks perfect.”

She says she has no idea, being unable to see it herself, and Tamamo insists that he be the judge of that - and tells the merchants they will take the hairpiece too. 

His words sweep her out of the fantasy and back to reality, remembering that there is no way she can afford any of these lovely garments or accessories. She wonders if Tamamo is even aware that humans exchange money for goods…

Only to be pulled out of her fretting by the merchant assuring them that what Tamamo has paid already will cover the hairpiece as well. He assures a shocked Yoshino that Tamamo has paid for everything, and as she look on in mute astonishment Tamamo and the merchant settle up and they politely take their leave.

“I have so many questions…” she begins, when everyone had finally shuffled out. “But most of all, why did you buy these new clothes?”

Tamamo insist though that it only makes sense if she’s going to be seen with him - and when she still protests he snags her by the waist and draws her close, a hand at her chin so that her gaze meets his as he reminds her that a good woman elevates the status of a man beside her...and now she fits the bill perfectly.

She only has time for a token complaint before he’s ushering the both of them out the door.

“Where are we going?” she manages, as they walk down the corridor, and he tells her they’re headed to town, his face alight with curiosity. She wonders aloud if it’s alright for them to go on their own, and Tamamo brushes aside the troublesome concept of ‘getting permission’. 

As they walk, she finally dares to voice the question that’s been nagging at her - it was real money he gave them, right? Not fake money that would turn into a leaf later or something? Tamamo laughs and says she’s been listening to old folktales too much, and she sags with relief.

“Oh, phew. I’m glad we didn’t commit some kind of crime or something…”

“Good grief, what exactly do you take me for?” His beautiful features crumple sadly, and guilt immediately stabs her as she hastens to apologize for her lack of understanding about ayakashi.

“Nothing to be done for it, you’re forgiven,” he replies, immediately cheered again.

She tries a different tactic, asking HOW he had money, and Tamamo tells her he’d negotiated pay from Yoritomo earlier in exchange for his ‘services’ as a ‘visitor from China’. She recalls that is their cover story for the vassals, but Tamamo corrects her - it could be true, in a way, given that he was born on the continent across the sea and made his way to Japan many many years ago.

“That’s amazing...all the way from across the sea!” she exclaims, thinking how it’s obvious once again just how experienced and worldly Tamamo is. 

“Yes. But this is my first time seeing Kamakura,” he tells her, brimming with curiosity as he eagerly pulls her in the direction of town again.

As they make it into Kamakura, they’re surrounded by the hustle and bustle of it all. They both marvel at the wealth of trade good from across the country and sea, and the array of foodstuffs. “Before I was sealed in the sesshou-seki* I was in the city of Kyoto, which was wonderful, but Kamakura has a charm all its own,” Tamamo observes. 

* -  the ‘sesshou-seki’ or ‘Killing Stone’ is the stone he was trapped in, referenced in the prologue and it is a real place to this day, in the Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

She tells him she’s envious he’s seen a place as distinguished as Kyoto and he discusses the difference between the two towns - one grand and steeped in age, the other vibrant and still full of potential. He’s so eager, she thinks how she can practically see his ears and tail twitching with excitement, despite their being hidden right now.

 

They wander town some more, Tamamo taking special note of the incense sellers, before they find themselves eventually at a tea shop, relaxing and sampling the sweets and tea available. They're both enjoying their food, as Tamamo tells her how ayakashi have no real need to eat - to them, it's just a pleasant diversion.

She's smiling and laughing, talking about how caught up in all the sights and sounds of Kamakura she'd gotten.

"I see...I'm glad," Tamamo smiles, and reaches out to cradle her cheek. "I'm happy you're feeling a little bit better." She stares at him in astonishment, and he goes on. "Did you not have a distraught expression at the shogun's manor?"

She's surprised and a little embarrassed that he saw all of that so easily, and she asks if that's perhaps why he wanted to go into town in the first place. He says he is in her debt after all, and doesn't want to see her under the weather.

She's touched that he was paying such close attention to her, and that it belies his seemingly mercurial and carefree nature. "Thank you, Tamamo," she tells him, smiling. 

He brushes it off cheerfully, as only natural that he'd be concerned over her, and then sobers to ask her what it was that had her so upset. She's hesitant at first, wondering if she can confide in him, but he seems so trustworthy that she finally does - telling him she'd been fretting over whether she'd ever be able to become friendly with the people of the shogunate.

He doesn't seem to see this as anything to be concerned over, and she wonders aloud if the thought doesn't bother him. 

"I choose to live alone," he tells her, seemingly unconcerned. "Ayakashi don't have friends."

"Oh really?" She looks at him curiously, thinking how even in the bright light of day outside of his extraordinary beauty Tamamo looks perfectly human. He seems very well acquainted with the ins and outs of humanity as well...but that doesn't necessarily mean he isn't something completely different inside. 

Still, though...whether he's ayakashi or human, she can't help feeling as if she wants to get to know him better.

"Ayakashi lives are much longer than humans. Live long enough, and you get tired of the company of others," Tamamo tells her. 

"How old are you?" she asks him.

"Around 800 years old. I stopped keeping track after that," he replies. 

“Eight hundred?!” she yelps, stunned, but he just seems confused by her surprise.

“There’s no need to be so shocked, unless of course…” Tamamo takes her hand and presses a kiss to her fingertips, heat radiating from the touch of his lips on her skin as she tries not to short circuit entirely. “You dislike older men?”

<< Chapter 01 | Chapter 03 >> (TBC)

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