When Kurando tried to raise his body, he could only moan in pain. The sensation was similar to his whole body being torn off; continously a.s.saulting his brain like a surging wave. His whole body felt like it was torn to pieces, even by the simple act of breathing. It was as if something very hot was burning inside his body.
After a while, he knew that he was rolling on cool stone. He then tried to put strength into each one of his fingertips, while he clenched his teeth to endure the pain. When he regained his senses, he also numbed his pain. The back of his head felt heavy. It was a feeling similar to the worst ever hangover. A nauseous feeling a.s.saulted him all at once.
However, he couldn’t take a breath, like something clogged his throat. “Help me”. He opens his mouth like someone losing himself.
His tongue stuck out like a starving dog. His great effort was brought to fruition, as light came back to him, little by little. It was as if the white membrane that covered his vision melted away.
Kurando spat out the pool of blood that had gathered in his mouth, and then coughed violently several times. [Bitabita], the sound of him vomitting against the hard stone could be heard*. He felt nothing but the worst feeling he had experienced until now. The tears spontaneously gathered in the corners of his eyes. [TLC *: びたびたと、吐瀉物が固い石を叩くような音がした。]
「O—i, Jii-san. Look, this fella finally woke up.」
「As I’ve said, I’m still yet to reach that age, you know?」 [TL : it means that he didn’t to be called old yet]
He could hear the high pitched young man’s voice and the low, deep voice of a man.
「Oi, have you woken up already?」
It was the voice of an old man.
He didn’t have any energy left to answer him. He gave his answer by forcibly moving his chin a little.
「Though you’re considerably young to come to this place, it’s all right.」 [TLC* : 「随分、参ってるみてぇだが、おまえは若い。]
It was a voice of baseless encouragement.
If possible, he wanted to do so*. Big, rough and bony arms lifted his body.*[ED: he wanted to feel encouraged.]
The upper half of Kurando’s body was supported by the man next to him. By mustering the power in both of his arms, he somehow was able to lean his back against the wall.
He slowly raised his eyelids and move his eyes. It was nothing but dimmed room. His nose was a.s.saulted by the stench, as if it was a mix between the smell of a beast in a zoo and mold that went bad. He was bewildered when he couldn’t see anything inside; naturally his eyes would adapt soon. It was dim and when he could see his surrounding and saw his companions, his conciousness almost froze*. [TLC* : 薄ぼんやりと、周囲の全景がはっきりしてくるに連れ、意識が凍結しそうになった。]
「What the h.e.l.l is this!」
The place where Kurando was, was made by a.s.sembling old stones; it was a room that look like a jail. It was a roughly 4 1/2 tatami sized room with thick stones covering its three sides. Because there was almost no traces of light, he couldn’t be sure whether it was already noon or night. The only source of light was the light of the candles that were extremely unreliable and were fixed on the wall along the corridor.
Something obstructed him and the pa.s.sage; it was boards with thick bodies like a chesnut tree. Those inside the dark and gloomy room received only the dim reflection of the candle light. They appeared to wear something slimy.[TLC : 通路と自分を遮る目の前には、栗の木で出来た身の厚い格子が組んであり、それらは薄暗い闇の中で、明度の低い燭台の照り返しを受け、ぬめりを帯びて見えた。]
「Is this jail?」
Kurando asked with trembling voice. He recalled that he was wrapped in a strange light, then he was already in this place when he woke up. That was it. It must be what they called, [bewitched by a fox]. It was only a moment, he felt that it was a good experience*. When he noticed, his upper body was naked. At least his lower body was wearing something to keep his dignity**. He was bare footed, of course. He gradually composed himself, but it became impossible for him to endure the cold air that flowed inside***. [TL : he will be invicible if he wear that shoes in a duel]
[TLC* : 一瞬だけ、いい思いをしたような気もする。] [TLC** : 気づけば、上半身は裸で、下だけは申し訳程度のモノを履かされている。] [TLC ***: だんだんと気分が落ち着いてくるうちに、差し込んでくる寒さに耐えられなくなりつつあった。]
(Right now, it’s december, right? Although it’s cold, it’s not the temperature of winter. Otherwise, it wouldn’t even be funny if I died due to cold. Though, the temperature inside the prison is not that bad.) [TLC : そうでなければ、凍死していてもおかしくないが、牢内はそこまで過酷な気温ではなかった。]
He was certainly bored with his life till now. Though, on the other hand, he also couldn’t can’t tell too much about it. He sneezed in a grand way, and an evil looking man threw a garment to him. As a common j.a.panese person, he quickly bowing his head in grat.i.tude. Though it had many holes all over the place, was covered with patches and had a foul odour, it was still better than nothing.
*[ED: It’s an idiom; the number of people living/working in a place doesn’t tell you much about it. Can’t guess what inside/in store from apearances.]
[TLC* : いままでの人生には確かに退屈しきっていたが、かといって、いきなり塀の中で名前を奪われ番号で呼ばれたかったわけでもない。]
「Though it’s already spring, you can’t have your upper body naked. Though it’s not comfortable, it’s still better that way」
「Sorry. It really helps me a lot. Even if……..」
He looked at him with a shocked face. Because, though his companion was talking in j.a.panese language, he was clearly a caucasian. Kurando was bewildered; this man, that was pa.s.sed his thirties, was laughing in ironic way while prying at his spa.r.s.e beard*. [TLC* : 蔵人が、戸惑っていると、三十過ぎの男はまばらに生えた顎鬚をこじりながら、皮肉げに笑った。]
「Hmm. Is there something on my face?」
「N, no. It’s just, well, you’re extremely skillful in j.a.panese language」
「j.a.panese, what’s that？ Is that the language of your hometown? I’m born and bred in Romres. I don’t know about the language of another country」
「Nnnn. Well, whatever. For the time being, I understand what you just said. Come to think of it, why am I in this place?. Could it be, this place is jail?」
「Isn’t that obvious already and you still ask that. Are you an idiot? 」
A dark brown haired boy lightly said that. He resembled a typical american, with scattered freckles, that come out of a western movie cover from long time ago. For some reason, Kurando remembered about [Stand-By-Me], a movie that he watched once.
[TL : please give link to Stand-by-me] [ED: This one ? or this one ? ][TL : Not doraemon one, at least a movie around 60th-era]
「Oi, Martha. This guy was certainly pampered a lot. Don’t tease him since he doesn’t understand his situation」
「I, I’m not bullying him」
「Well, it’s alright since we’re sharing the same room, lad. So first, you need to get along with the guys in this place」
The thirty-ish man urged the tea haired boy, and the unknown age bearded man and a young man as thin as a line approached in the corner of the room*. Without knowing each other’s name, it was difficult to know what to call them; they were sitting in a circle and doing a simple self-introduction inside the jail. [TLC* : 焦げ茶の少年を三十男が促すと、部屋の隅にいた線の細い青年と、髭モジャの年齢不詳な男が近寄ってきた。]
The tea haired boy, Martha, wanted to become a blacksmith.
He was 17 years-old, the youngest one in the jail.
Despite being inside a gloomy jail, he didn’t waver even a bit. His white teeth seemed to extremely stand out in the darkness.
The man with a scar on his cheek was called, Goronzo.
He was 33 years-old; an authentic thief.
He told them that an authentic thief here ment that he didn’t steal from poor people and, when he would steal, he didn’t cause any harm. A part of it always given to the poor people; it seemed to be their iron law. [TL : please give link to Ocean Thief, that was a true masterpiece] [ED: couldn’t find it on IMDB, did you get the name right?][TL : found, they were still thieves after all. No matter how they tried to beautify it; it was still a muddy job. [TLC : だが、所詮は盗賊風情であり、内実はや
It was a d.a.m.ned work; that was what they called it. When they stole, they slaughtered the entire family; the woman was raped and thus it was called the lowest of the lowest way* to violating their belief. The man called Goronzo provoked unjustified resentment, due to a misunderstanding, when he was blamed for the cruel act of his friends. It seemed to the official that he was too old and unsuited for being a thief alone. It was only that, his face, when he told that, was mixed with embara.s.sment. It seemed like he wasn’t born to become a villain. Half-baked in everything. Also, no matter how he thought about it, that man wasn’t cut out to become a thief. [TLC *: 盗みに入って残らず家人を殺戮し、女は犯し尽くすという最低最悪のやり方をいう。]
The name of the man that was as thin as line was Yarmir; the so called, self-proclaimed revolutionary. [TL : Yarumiru[ヤルミル] have better idea?]
His age was 26 years-old, and wore pointed, black rimmed gla.s.ses. He gave off an air similar to that of someone running away from debt collectors. His eyes didn’t give an intelligent feel. His slit eyes and slender build could be compared to a woman’s; Kurando instinctively kept it in his mind to keep his vigilance*. [TLC* : ほっそりとしたマスクと切れ長の目は、比較的に女に好まれそうであり、蔵人は本能的に警戒感を覚えた。]
「What’s wrong, Jii-san?. It’s your turn now」
「No, I want to hear more about you」
The old man of unknown age that was called jii-san’s eye stared sharp and bright, like gold, while stroking his white beard that extended to his chest. When he did that; his age become even more incomprehensible*. Whether it was his pupils, or the colour of the skin that peeked from his beard, though he didn’t seem young, he retained a charm that couldn’t be seen from an old man. His rough and bony skin peeped out from his plain prison uniform and looked like it was still greasy with vitality; as anyone could see, it was still too early to call him an old man[jii-san]. [TLC* : 髭があると、存外男の歳はわかりにくくなるものである。]
「What, your face is too close. I’m Shimon Kurando」 [TLC : 「なんだ、顔が近いぜ。]
「Simon Cland?. Simon, your name isn’t that rare, right?」[TL : this in katakana, while Kurando said his name in kanji, I guess I will keep it as “Shimon Kurando” no matter who said called him]
Goronzo nodded with a know it all air, with his hands in his pockets.
「No, Shimon is my family name……」
The moment Kurando corrected Goronzo’s mistake, the man called jii-san suddenly stood up, and firmly grabbed Kurando shoulders. His eyes stared at him, as if licking him from head to toe, and raised a strange howl.
—-
「Oi, Jii-san. What’s matter!? 」
「Uooo, oioi, what’swrongwhatswrong」
Martha and Goronzo become confused because the one called jii-san shaking both shoulder of the man. The eyes of the relatively calm and collected Yarmir also opened wide.
「After how many years now, to think I will meet my brethren……..！」
「Brethern？ Oi, what do you means! You s.h.i.tty oldman!！ 」
Martha that holding jii-san shoulder shouted near his ear. His high pitched voice echoed inside the narrow room.
「I’M NOT THAT OLD YET！ You said your name is Kurando, right. Your name is so old fashioned. Just like a samurai in the olden days」
「Did you say samurai？ Don’t tell me, you too—」
「that’s right. Your guess is right. Name is Koizumi Kotaro. Full-fledged j.a.panese, I’m a great veteran that already stayed in this country for 30 years. To think that I will encountered you in this place, I can’t help but think that this is pre-destined. I fear that you’re summoned to become a pitiful sacrifice. Well, Welcome to Romres Kingdom」
The unknown old man that called jii-san was a j.a.panese, he’s 52 years-old this year.
Koizumi that finally met a same j.a.panese person after 30 years, look strangely in high spirit, he then told Kurando about general outline of his history in this country.
From what Kurando brain managed to understand, it’s as followed. Koizumi is a j.a.panese, though he was born and raised as full-fledged j.a.panese, one day during his 4th years as university student, he was guided to a mysterious light, and summoned to this Romres Kingdom as a hero, he then putting his effort in national affairs. [TL : I already said this before, the MC of this WN is stupid or better known as muscle headed]
In this country that resemble western europe, was once a huge kingdom, due to circ.u.mstance the royal family lose it’s power as the right successor, the lords revolting, caused it’s dominion divided into six. The culural is roughly at the same level of europe in 15th century. it can be seen that in some parts there’s places that different from earth. Neither gun powder or gun barrel developed, primitive weapon and horse still have it’s presence, of course, speaking of different part is the rise of the existance of magic.
Magic. That sound really mysterious indeed.
However, the human who can use magic are limited, they’re also not omnipotent.
Even if someone have excellent personal technique, it’s only a power to turn over the great number but can’t hold on to, that was the common sense. [TLC : それだけで大勢をひっくり返すほどの力は持ち得ていないとされるのが常識であった。]
Addition, Magic is generally divided into earth, water, fire, and wind element, magic that not included in those elements are organized as the 5th element, Void element. [TL : it’s written with kanji [Mu/無], which means nothingness, zero, I change it into void]
As a basic, each humans have one element and only given that one, someone with magical attribute of earth element, can’t use fire attribute.
But, Void attribute is the only exception for this. With magic of void attribute as basis, that can be considered as populaer type for support*.[TLC* : 無属性の魔術は基本、補助的なものと考えられるのが一般的であった。]
「Wait a minute, jii-san. The thing is, I also summoned as a hero, can I also use magic? In this way, like creating a fire to coiling my fingertip, I didn’t feel like to become teriyaki like guy**」[TL : he burn himself] [TLC** : こう、指先からくるくるって火を出して、気に入らないやつをブリの照り焼きみたいにしたり」]
「Eeeee！ Amazing！ Kurando’s amaziing!！ 」[TL : don’t ask me what he mean]
Martha innocently surprised while waving both of his hands. He clearly casted away Koizumi.
「You can’t use it. Kurando, you will understand when you’re looking at the crest on your chest. That’s a carved seal, because of that you can’t use it」
Kurando looking at the crest on his bare chest. It’s faint, but his chest carved with strange pattern. Raised his eyes to look at Koizumi before him.
「It’s because of that Crest of Immortality(Immortality Red), it will made physical ability related leaped to the highest limit*. Because I, once possessed Wisdom(Tactical One), it was a crest that raised intellegence ability of the person. According to the legend, the person who possessed thw previous two with the third Magical Power(Majorical Mana) are the true hero of the legend. You who only have Crest of Immortality(Immortal Red), it’s only natural that you can’t use magic, since you’re already defect since the very beginning」 [TL* : I personally feel that “Immoral Crest” it him the most, for the ark after prison ark] 「
「Defect……….！ Seriously? Then I can’t even start my story in hollywood movie level from now」
「It can’t even start. Hey Kurando, according to the story of the warden. It seems, you must pay your crime for insulting royalty, with death penalty. You’re unexpectedly a rascal」
「Wha-that’s misunderstanding！I didn’t do anything at all!!* maybe」[TLC *: 俺はなんもやってない！]
Kurando then recalled about that hal-naked beautiful girl that he saw just before he lost consciousness. Certainly, though that was a situation that will definitely inviting misunderstanding, that’s definitely the so called an act of G.o.d*. [TL : something that happened automatically without one knowing it, some says, it’s G.o.d playing with you]
「Wait, Koizumi-san. Then, that will made you the hero of the previous generation. Why are you inside this jail? 」
「That, well. Isn’t that also okay?*」 [TLC* : いいじゃねえか」]
「No, it’s not good at all*. Completely not good at all. Because the stories of yours will also affecting my future plans after this」
[TLC* : 「いや、よくねえよ。]
「Kurando. That future plans is d.a.m.ned already. Kekeke, in addition, There’s no other way. Whichever you choose, all of them are useless
「Kurando is hopeless–」
Martha that somehow not completely understand tilting his head toward Goronzo.
「Well, though the truth won’t changed, you’re unusually unlucky to be thrown in a place like this during this time*」[TLC* : 「ま、真実がどうであろうが、こんなところにぶちこまれた時点でついてなかったことには変わりはないだろうな」]
「According to my memory, violation and disrespect toward royalty resulting in death penalty or life imprisonment, without omission」
Yarmir corrected the position of his gla.s.sess with index finger and muttering as reference.
「Oioi, you’re also in life imprisonment you know」
Goronzo added killing blow and laughing in a really strange way. [TLC : ゴロンゾがさもおかしそうに笑いを咬み殺す。]
Yarmir snorting and sticking out his lightly his lower lip, staring dagger at Goronzo.
「Oi Kurando, that was dangerous. You will be killed, you know! 」
Martha shaking both of Kurando shoulder while his expression changing due to various reason.
Although, as a result of pressure free education Kurando didn’t lose his composure till the end.
「Oioioi, isn’t that only enforcement of death penalty.」
「Simple, right」
Yarmir sighed as if he really tired from the bottom of his heart. Kurando feel a little uneasy.
「By the way, Martha right, what about you. No matter how I look at it, you’re not the type that will be ended in a place like this.」
「Un？ Me. I also wondering why?」
「Wait a minute, Kurando. This fellow story is complicated, it’s unreasonable. I will do that instead of him」
Goronzo appeared before him and pushing Martha aside, he told Martha story while playing with his beard.
「So, going along with Kurando question, Martha didn’t choose to become a felon by his own choice. Well, that often happen, it will immediately following a countryside b.u.mpkin that just come to capital to made a name for himself, he half-killed 5 person at once, those nasty men’s picking quarrel with a woman in downtown*. No, this young man is scary, he shouldn’t go easy at all. However, it’s amazing that he only half-killed his opponent. Even in capital he’s known as the infamous delinquent young master. Because of that, by omitted most of the story, his father who is a duke come in, the matter settled**. Bribing the woman to not spoke with money, also cajoling the judge of law academy rewrote the basic of the case itself. As a result, this Martha one-sidedly turned into the bad-guy. As a hodlum that comitted violence to a young n.o.ble in broad daylight. They made the story to a very convenient to themself. Though I myself didn’t hate such hoest fool, the society didn’t think so」 [TLC *: ま、よくある話で、山出しの田舎モンが一旗揚げようと都に出てきた直後、街中で女に絡んでたタチの悪い男たちを五人まとめて半殺しにしちまったんだ。]
[TLC** : んで、オヤジが公爵と来たらもう話のオチは決まったようなもんだ。]
—-
「I only saved that woman from the bad man！」
「A-ra-arara. I wonder what my CUTE bird-CHANS chirped so loudly about, it turned out to be the same as usual; a useless topic」
Though it was a voice that resembled the death throes of an occasionally mashed toad, the hidden meaning behind those words was clearly understood by them*. The men in that room simultanously faced their head down. Kurando, who didn’t completely understand, had his sleeve pulled by Koizumi, along with his frightened face. He turned towards the direction of that voice**.[TLC** : 蔵人は不審に思い、声の方向に顔を向けると怯え切った古泉の声と共に、袖を引かれた。] [TLC* : ヒキガエルを磨りつぶしたときに上げる断末魔にも似た耳障りな声が、重低音で蔵人たちの腹を打った。]
「Don’t look at him. You will die」
That was a man outside of the genetic pool of humanity.
Kamarovich
His height far exceeded two metres. His height was to the degree that he could reach the ceiling of the corridor, simply by hopping. From his silver helmet, that looked like dragon’s head, came his long wavy blonde hair that reached the side of his shoulders.
It might have been because of his tempered pectoral muscles that he look manly, like a rock. A breastplate was put on bare his body, that was covered with dense body hair. His upper arms were as thick as a woman’s hips.
His pupils were hoisted from his face with prominent cheekbones*. [TLC* : つり上がった瞳に、頬桁の張った顔。]
He was combing his moustache with his long tongue to a sorry degree*. He was obviously indecent. [TLC* : 申し訳程度の口髭を長い舌でペロペロ撫で付けている。]
Royal family chief warden, Kamarovich*; the G.o.d that ruled the prison. [TL : have better name? カマロヴィチ]
「Ara, isn’t that the newcomer-CHAN. With that kind of injury I believed that you wouldn’t last till morning. I haven’t enjoyed this for a long time*. My name is Kamarovich. The one with the highest authority in this Romres prison. Please treat me well after this」[TLC* : これは久々に楽しめそうじゃないの。] [TL : he use atashi, which disgust me]
「Target Lock-On」
Jotting down a note beside Kamarovich, was an awfully fair-skinned, plump warden that muttered. The eyes of that man were obviously filled with hostility toward Kurando. . [TLC : カマロヴィチの傍らに控える、やけに色白で小太りの獄卒らしき男が卑屈そうにつぶやく。]
「A-rara, Morino. Why are you looking at him like that, non. Could it be, you’re jealous?」 [TL : Yameteeeee~~!]
Kamarovich moved like a mollusk and acted flirtatiously with his slimy tongue. [TL : G.o.d SAME MEEEEEEE~!!!]
It was a scene that would definitely cause endless disgust.[TL : Stooo~p!!!]
「Because, Kamarovich-sama. Will do something, since that person is your type」[TL : HEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!]
The plump warden called Morino pointing HIS finger secretly toward Kurando and jerked his chin like he was sulking. Dense hair covered him to his fingertips and he was restlessly fidgetting. It felt unpleasant, just like a chimpanzee scoffed at him
「N, MO~U. Since Morino is a little jealous toward someone, ran. Then it can’t be helped, let’s show our love once again in this place now」[TL : thanks G.o.d I’m fasting and didn’t have to bear with translating this h.e.l.l scene while eating] [ED: I might very well be wrong, but isn’t thanking G.o.d the point of the fasting?]
Kamarovich’s face approached Morino’s greasy face.
(Don’t tell me, no, it’s certainly)
Kurando wished strongly to G.o.d.
「Everyone, endure it as much as you can. Geez, I don’t want to scrub your barf」
That was the despaired voice of Koizumi.
G.o.d was dead.
(This Must be Lie, Right! STOP THIS, PLEASE STOP THIS ALREADY!)
「N, Morino. Just as usual, in this place is a difficult little wild kid」[TL : I really didn’t want to know what’s that mean]
「Kamarovich-samaa」
He couldn’t stand the lovers talk between those two middle aged men penetrating his ears.
Though Kurando strongly shut his eyelids, it wouldn’t make the sounds of weird moaning and highly viscous fluids vanish from near him.[TL : YameteEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!, my will sapped already]
「AAAA, Kamarovich-samaa, it feels good. SOOO GOOD」
「Morino. My, my strong Morino」
The two middle aged men sweating profusely; doing a french kiss while embracing each other.
Kurando, at that moment felt that this must be a trial imposed by G.o.d.
He covered both his ears with his hands and push them strongly to block that sound from entering his ears.
He was convinced that he would certainly die if he opened his eyes.
「BLERGH」
「Ah, HEY! Martha, how dare you barf. …………Blergh」
「GORONZO！ Even you also barfed. Wa, wait a minute don’t show me that, that, BLEEEEERGH! ！ 」
Martha, Goronzo, and Yarmir began to vomit in turn.
Koizumi faced his head to the wall. Though he was also vomitting, nothing but yellow gastric juice come out from inside his stomach.
「KAMAROVICH-SAMAAAAN！!」
With the scream of Morino, Kurando spilled tears from the corners of his eyes, enduring himself from vomitting. Kamarovich wiped off his lips like he had already finished a job.
There was a sense of superiority, that was hard to understand, in Kamarovich eyes*. That torture caused an extraordinary sense of powerlessness. His knee naturally collapsed, and made him kneel. [TLC* : カマロヴィチの目には、どうだとばかりの理解しがたい優越感が漂っていた。]
Kurando’s eyes opened wide, his hands held his mouth. He forcibly pushed out from the slot of his intercerebral memori and switch down that recollection.
When he thought that, those two were already satisfied.
While he loosened both his hands, their figures retracted and they could be seen, slowly leaving the room.
「That was dreadful！ Those guys, they’re always showing their flirtatious att.i.tude during mealtime! Are you kidding me! 」
Goronzo’s lamented voice resounded.
「But, this is just a theory from my point of view, expect that there will be next time」[TLC : 「しかし僕の確率論からいえば、今回は隣のはずだったのに」]
Yarmir fixed his gla.s.ses and said with that with blank face. He wiped his mouth with worn out towel.
His eyes had already lost its spirit.
「BLEEEEERGH, ERGH」
「Oi, that’s dangerous. Martha, don’t spew your barf, hold your barf like this! 」
Koizumi nervously pointed at Martha and made a face gesture like fish.
Goronzo was at his wit’s end. He scratched off his hair.
「ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Oi, Kurando, fetch that tree branch, I want to sc.r.a.pe myself.」
「Oi, that is a huge one, are you really alright」
「Unless you want to die*！ Maybe you better not cause something strange inside this place**」[TLC** : やってもあんま変わんないかもしれないがよ」] [TLC* : 「やんなきゃどうせ死ぬんだ！]
Martha’s words rescued the desperate Goronzo.
Nevertheless, they still didn’t know what to do beyond that point*. [TLC* : だからといって、この先どうなるわけでもないが。]
Kurando motionlessly stared at empty s.p.a.ce with gloomy face, and the nearby room began to become noisy.
「It’s dinner. This place only gives two meals, morning and night. Eat properly.」
Goronzo’s body, that was covered with a rag blanket, wearily woke up, and leaked out a big yawn.
「Inside the jail, even the food isn’t enjoyable. Haa」
Yarmir sighed, it seemed that he completely didn’t like this.
「What is it, though I can’t see it as other than that you’re unusually delighted with this」
「The thingg is—-. The meals in this place is as bad as s.h.i.t–」
「AH, don’t spoil something like that. Martha, step aside」
Goronzo seized Martha and hit his head with his fist*. Those two get along really well, like two brothers that were separated for so many years. Kurando stood before the bars, as the voice from the surrounding room become louder. It seemed the excitement wasn’t only from the food alone. He turned towards the little shadow that pushed the trolley that contained the food. [TLC* : ゴロンゾがマーサを捕まえると、頭を拳でたたき出す。]
「What was that. that’s rather bad, isn’t she unexpectedly popular」
「Ah, I that’s Maggot」
—-
Yarmir was not interested in jerking his chin towards the page that controlled the distribution of the meals to the prisoners.
「Maggot is the flower; the only female slave in this place. Though, no one ever sees her face, since it’s hidden by her mask」
Goronzo’s nostrils flared, immersing himself in inserting his face inbetween the the bars while breathing roughly*. Martha was somehow not too interested in the woman herself; he was looking at the gigantic pot with food in it, his eyes shining like a starving, stray dog. [TLC* : ゴロンゾは鼻毛を抜くと、フッと息を吹きかけ壁に植える作業に没頭している。]
「Since there’s no female presence in this place, anything will move them; even if it is only the vague trace of a woman*」[TLC* : どんな、女でもその名残くらいには触れてみたいんだろうよ」]
「So, that was the cause of the prisoners foolish noise just now?」
「It seem’s they’re fine with it as long as it was an empty hole. 。 Kekeke」 [TL : Hole in lecherous means, you know it’s begin with “V” and ended with “A”]
「You, are you already moving on from women?」
「Ah？ Me?, I’m……* I have diabetes**. This here, I prefer this more than women」 [TL : Diabetes and ED]
「Sake over women, huh?」[TLC : 「女より酒か」]
Goronzo was mimicking the pose of tilting a cup and drinking, while giving out a lonely laugh. [TLC : ゴロンゾはクイとコップを傾ける真似をして、寂しそうに笑った。]
Looking at the slave through the bars, that was wearing unusual mask, her body was wrapped in a big robe.
Her age also couldn’t be completely grasped from outward appearances.
But, from the thin and fleeting wrists that held the bowl, were definitely that of a woman.
The pet.i.te Maggot used all her power to push the heavy cart, that already creaked.
Before long, she stopped and turned her eyes immediately.
Kurando, the newcomer, did something tactful to get as much as everyone else, and stood before the small window. [TLC : 新入りである蔵人は気を利かせて皆の分を受け取ろうと、小窓の前に立った。]
「EXCUSE MEEE!」
Kurando greeted her.
Maggot stood upright on the spot, like she was. .h.i.t by an electric current.
The bowl toppled on her hands and caused a big sound.
Rice gruel with a thin colour, like vomit, scattered in the vicinity.
「Uwaaa. Wha-What, what happend. Are you hurt! ?」
Maggot was just paralyzed in place, without answering Kurando question. Suddenly she ran from that place, leaving the cart as it is. Inside the jail became noisy*. [TLC* : 牢内にざわめきが走った。]
「OiOi, what the h.e.l.l happened?」
「Well, I also don’t know. What just happened again? 」
Kurando answered Goronzo question with question, he continued to stare dumbfoundedly at the back of Maggot, who run away. A little while later, someone subt.i.tuted her to distributing the meal. Kurando sat crosslegged in that place, as if bewildered by something. Five men huddled their faces closely in that small and narrow place. They couldn’t go outside, so they couldn’t do anything but wait patiently*. [TLC *: Since no one distributed the food– ひたすらむさくるしいが我慢するしか他はなかった。]
「Kurando, eat it even if it’s impossible. This place is different from j.a.pan. Since you at least have something to put in your stomach, everything is okay」
Koizumi lifted the old wooden spoon in depressed mood. Inside the prison calmed down. As if there was no previous uproar, the sound of someone slurping their meal from here and there could be heard.
Kurando got his own, then knitted his eyebrows, looking intently at the ‘something similiar to light brown rice porrige’.
He brought it near his nose and sniffed it’s smell.
The aroma, that was as if it was a boiled extremely dirty old dust cloth, drifted in the air. Looking at the others slurping intently with furrowing eyebrows, maybe it was actually harmless to human*. [TLC* : ゴロンゾたちが眉間にしわを寄せて啜りこんでいるところを見ると、たぶん食して害のないものなのだろう。]
「Oi, it seems inedible, this thing is」
「Can’t eat it, edible?*. Kurando, are you stupid?」 [TLC* : 「食えんのかよって、食ってるだろ。]
Martha, that seemed like he was forgetting that he was about to die* just some time ago, was laughing cheerfully while drinking the contents of the bowl. [TL : I think you already know the main cause for that]
「”I think Kurando, more than me, a man dying from vomiting, is an idiot for not wanting it (the food).」
「Just shut your eyes and gulp it in one go. I think that is the way to enjoy your meal. That’s the secret to having a long life」
Goronzo’s eyes were filled with grief.
Kurando was playing with the contents of the bowl, that resembled filth, with his spoon. Then, as if he resolved himself, he scooped the contents and swallowed it. Putting something that smelled like worn out socks inside his mouth caused him to have teary eyes.
「OEEEEEE」
「OI, you’re a man, right. Just endure it」
「Kurando, this is a test desu」
「Just think of it like that. Though it’s only showing just how wealthy your country is*」[TLC* : あの国がどれだけ豊かだったかってことが」]
Koizumi drank all of the contents of the wooden bowl, looking bored while he furrowed his nose.
「Oi, I also can’t eat it, but I still forced myself to eat it.」
He emptied the contents of the bowl under the cheering of everyone.
Applause from everyone came spontaneously, giving a sense of unity.
「Na~, come to think of it, Koizumi-san, sometime ago your story was disturbed, you know. It was something like, ‘just in the middle of your story’. Tell us again; why you ended up in this place?」
「Are you still insisting on hear that story. There’s no other way I guess. It will be long, is that fine? Since it’s not a story that happened when those fellas were in this place*」[TLC*: ここにいる奴らにも話したことがないからな」]
Thereupon, Koizumi looked at the faces of everyone present with a distant look. The eyes of everyone present were filled with curiousity.
「Oi, it’s fine, just skip the introduction, jii-san」
「That way we can have something to waste our time on」
「I see, now listen everyone, this is my story past」
All the present ones couldn’t help but be immersed in his story.
Though it was filled with some light pa.s.sion, he didn’t dare to abuse it.[TLC : と軽くむかっ腹を立てながらも、あえて罵倒はしなかった。]
Inside the prison was filled with leisure time.
「Well that’s it, since it’s boring, let’s sleep」 [TLC : 「さっさとしろよ、つまんなかったら寝るからなー」]
Koizumi started to lean himself against the wall and gave a nihilistic smile towards the opinions of the ones inside the room.
Though, his lips that were buried by his long white beard, made a dry sound.