EMLF - 4

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Sute Akuyaku Reijou wa Kaibutsu ni Otogibanashi wo Kataru

Book 4: “I am an Abandoned Villainess. I Don’t Bite, I Don’t Bark— I’m a Good Girl. Please Pick Me Up.”

☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

“—And that concludes all eight stories of The Water of the Grey Heron.”
"—Ijou, zen hachi-wa “Ao Sagi No Mizu” ni gozaimashita."

“Well done! As expected, anything you choose, Sylph, is a fine pick.”
"Gokurou! Yahari Shirufu no erabu monogatari wa atari da."

I felt a quiet sense of fulfillment as His Majesty applauded with an easy, generous air. The water clock in the room showed it was just before midnight. Since it was a collection of short stories, I could have split it across multiple days, but as the stories were connected, I wanted him to hear all eight in one sitting. Though he must be busy and tired, His Majesty never once nodded off. Seeing him listen with such keen interest all the way through made me truly happy.

“Rather than calling it a ‘fine pick,’ I think it’s simply that Your Majesty’s tastes and mine are quite similar.”
"Atari, to iu yori mo, Heika no konomi to watakushi no konomi ga nikayotteiru no da to omoimasu yo."

“Is that so?”
"Sou ka?"

“Yes. So, if you would, I would be delighted to hear one of Your Majesty’s recommended books as well.”
"Ee, desu no de yoroshikereba Heika no osusume no hon mo oshiete kudasaimase."

As I took a sip of tea to moisten my throat after speaking so much, I caught, at the edge of my vision, His Majesty’s movements coming to a halt for just a moment. Wondering if I had said something improper, I retraced my words in my mind—but nothing seemed amiss.

His Majesty, who always appeared brimming with confidence—more than enough to spare—seemed, for once, to hesitate. As though debating whether to speak or remain silent. I found myself widening my eyes in surprise. That hesitation was so unlike him, who was always so clear and decisive.

“…Your Majesty?”
"…Heika?"

Setting down my teacup, I gently prompted him to speak. He cast a brief glance my way. In his crimson eyes, there was a faint trace of unease. Seeing him so uncharacteristically unsettled made me lose my composure as well. King Dagenhelm was about to say something important—something that clearly mattered to him.

“…Sylph.”
"…Shirufu."

“Yes?”
"Hai."

“I can't recommend a book to you. I can tell stories, and I can recommend tales—but I can't recommend a book.”
"Watashi wa, omae ni hon wo susumeru koto wa dekin. Monogatari wo kataru koto ya susumeru koto wa dekite mo, hon wo susumeru koto wa dekin no da."

“Why is that—?”
"Sore wa—"

“…I can't read.”
"…Watashi wa moji ga, yomenai no da."

For a moment, it felt as though my breath had been stolen. I wondered if it was a joke—but judging from his expression, it was not. Otherwise, King Dagenhelm would not have spoken with such restraint, almost as though ashamed. That a capable ruler of a nation, a man who loved stories more than anything, could not read—it struck me like a bolt from the blue.

“What do you mean you can't read…?”
"Yomenai, to iu no wa…"

“…To me, writing is nothing more than a string of symbols. I can't recognize words as words. It has been that way since I was a child. No matter how many decades I studied, I never improved.”
"…Watashi ni wa, bun ga moji no raretsu ni shika mien noda. Tango wo tango toshite ninshiki dekinai. Osanai koro yori sou datta. Nan juu-nen benkyou shite mo, joutatsu shinai."

“But, are you not working on your official duties just fine…?”
"Shikashi, shitsumu wa futsuu ni nasatteiru no de wa…?"

“I have my subordinate read documents aloud to me. Once spoken, I can understand them, but since I read slowly and often make mistakes, I usually have my subordinate follow me around. …Writing is somewhat easier than reading. The content I write is fixed to a certain extent, so I’ve grown accustomed to it. But for long texts, I have my subordinate write them. As long as I can at least sign my name, there is no real issue.”
"Shorui wa kihon-teki ni buka ni yomiage saseteiru. Oto ni sarereba wakaru no da ga, yomu no ga osokattari, yomi machigai ga ooi koto kara, daitai wa buka ni tsuite moratte iru.… Kaku koto wa yomi yori mashi da. Kaku naiyou wa aru teido kimatteiru kara, nareta. Daga choubun wa buka ni kaite moratteiru. Saiteigen, sain sae dekireba, mondainai."

It was something I could not comprehend—and something I could hardly believe.

To put it plainly, I had thought of King Dagenhelm as a man of near perfection. He was exceptional—his commands precise and clear, his actions decisive, his confidence and charisma overflowing. He had a knack to properly distinguish and employ both the carrot and the stick. He kept a careful ear to the state of his country and listened to the voices of his people.

They say that heaven does not bestow two gifts upon one person. And so, King Faber Dagenhelm, who possessed every conceivable gift, was deprived of the ability to read—despite loving stories more than anyone.

“…I see. I'm glad that it does not hinder your work.”
"…Sou desu ka, oshigoto ni shishou ga nai no nara, yokatta desu."

“Sylph—”
"Shirufu—"

“In that case, if you don't mind, would you tell me a fable you know?”
"De wa yoroshikereba, Heika no shitteiru guuwa wo oshiete itadakemasu ka?"

“A fable?”
"Guuwa?"

“Yes. Many fables and regional folktales are never written down. If they are not recorded in books, I have no way of knowing them. Especially those rooted here in Dagenhelm—there is no way to learn them except by hearing them from someone.”
"Ee, guuwa ya chiiki tokuyuu no minwa wa moji ni shirusarete inai koto ga ooi desu. Hon ni sarete inakereba, watakushi wa shiru koto ga dekimasen. Toku ni Dāgenherumu ni netsuita you na koto wa, donata ka ni kiku shika shudan ga gozaimasen no de."

Come to think of it, His Majesty had never once said he loved books. He had always said he loved stories.

And indeed, there are many stories in this world that are never committed to writing.

He looked at me as though caught completely off guard—but after a moment, he began to laugh.

“—Heheh… fuh, hahahahaha! As expected of you, Sylph! This is exactly why I like you so much!”
"—Kuku… fu, hahahahaha! Sasuga da, Shirufu! Kore dakara watashi wa omae ga suki na no da!"

“Thank you very much.”
"Arigatou gozaimasu."

“Very well. This time, I shall be the one to tell you something. A tale passed down from mouth to mouth in this country—one that those of other nations closed off from us could never know.”
"Ii darou, kondo wa watashi ga nani ka omae ni kikasete yarou. Tojirareta, takokumin de wa shiru koto no dekinai, kono kuni no kuchi kara kuchi e to tsutawaru monogatari da."

His Majesty laughed loudly—so loudly it felt as though the room itself might shake. He had just shared something important. And yet, he himself turned it into laughter, into delight.

Perhaps… this, too, had been one of his tests.

And by some twist of fate, I had managed to give answers that pleased His Majesty twice in a row.

“Um, there is something I would like to ask…”
"Ano, kikitai koto ga aru no desu ga."

“Hm? What is it?”
"N? Nanda?"

“If I may be so bold—if you can't read, why did you pick me up?”
"Shitsurei nagara, moji ga yomenai no deareba, naze watakushi wo hirotta no desu ka?"

From within the cage, I had written on the ground with a branch, wishing that some kind person would find me.

It was only a natural question. If His Majesty Faber, who was neither kind nor benevolent, had not understood what was written, I doubt he would have picked me up at all. A woman locked in a cage might have been unusual, but not enough to stir his curiosity.

“Hahaha, if I recall, it said, ‘I am an abandoned villainess. I don’t bite, I don’t bark—I’m a good girl. Please pick me up,’ didn’t it?”
"Hahaha, tashika “Sute akuyaku reijou desu. Kamanai, hoenai ii ko desu. Hirotte kudasai” datta ka?"

“Yes. I was waiting for someone to save me.”
"Ee, watakushi wa dareka ga tasukete kureru no wo matte orimashita."

“It was as if you're an abandoned cat or dog. That was amusing. I rather liked it.”
"Marude sute neko ya sute inu no you datta na. Are wa omoshiroi. Warukunakatta."

His Majesty only laughed, offering no proper answer. As I struggled with a puzzled expression, he finally calmed and pulled a small notebook from his pocket.

“That night, I couldn't read what you had written. It being dark was part of it—but I could tell something had been written there. That piqued my interest. I wondered what a despairing girl locked in a cage could possibly have written on the ground… I copied it into a memo on the spot, and later had a subordinate read it to me.”
"Ano ban, watashi wa omae no kaita ji ga yomenakatta. Jimen ni kakareteita, kurakatta to iu no mo youin no hitotsu datta ga, nanika ga kaite aru no wa wakatta. Sore de ki ni natta no da. Ori no naka ni hairerareta zetsubou ni kureru musume ga, ittai jimen ni nani wo kaita no ka to.… Naiyou wa sono ba de memo ni kaki, sono go buka ni yomaseta."

Saying that, he handed me a note. Written there were the words: “I am an abandoned villainess. I don’t bite, I don’t bark—I’m a good girl. Please pick me up.” The balance and strokes were slightly off, giving it a strange impression, but it was still readable. Likely because he had written it while perceiving it as a single unit, it looked almost more like a drawing than a sentence.

“…But now that I'm looking at what I had written like this… I don’t quite know how to feel. Was I desperate, or was I just messing around…?”
"…Shikashi, ima kou yatte watakushi ga kaita naiyou wo miru to, nan to mo ienai kibun ni narimasu. Hisshi na no ka, fuzaketeiru no ka…"

“Hahaha, that’s why it's good! That's what makes it delightful. Even in that situation, you didn't lose your sense of humor. If you had simply written something like ‘Please help me’ or ‘I don’t want to die,’ I would have tossed you aside without a second thought.”
"Hahaha, sore ga ii! Sore ga yukai na no da. Ano joukyou demo yūmoa wo ushinawanai. Kore de moshi, tanjun ni “tasukete kudasai” to ka “shinitakunai” to ka deareba, tekitou ni houridashiteita darou."

It seemed even my muttered thoughts had pleased him. Thinking back, I almost wanted to praise myself for writing those words—half in resignation, half clinging to a sliver of hope.

“In any case, you're an interesting person, Sylph. You're very good at entertaining me.”
"Nani ni seyo, omae wa omoshiroi ningen da, Shirufu. Omae wa watashi wo tanoshimaseru no ga umai."

“Your Majesty also always says things that bring me joy.”
"Heika mo, itsu mo watakushi wo yorokobaseru you na koto wo osshaimasu."

“I figured. You are quite easy to read.”
"Darou na. Omae wa totemo kao ni de yasui."

Just like before, he grasped my chin. It was the first time anyone had ever said I was easy to read. In aristocratic life, having one’s emotions easily discerned is a fatal flaw. I instinctively touched my face, only for him to chuckle softly.

However, I do have an idea why. Back in the Kingdom of Luxborn, I was rarely stirred by anything—perhaps only when reading, or at the time of my condemnation. But since coming to Dagenhelm, I have been thrilled and overwhelmed by many things. This country is full of new, beautiful, and wonderful things.

“This place—this country—is filled with such marvelous things. That's why I can't help but be moved by them.”
"Koko ni wa, kono kuni ni wa suteki na mono de michiteimasu. Dakara, watakushi wa kokoro wo ugokasazu ni hairarenai no desu."

“…Do you like this country, Dagenhelm?”
"…Omae wa kono kuni ga, Dāgenherumu ga suki ka?"

I did not understand why he would ask such a thing.

“Yes. I love Dagenhelm very much. It is a place of happiness for me.”
"Ee, watakushi wa Dāgenherumu ga daisuki desu. Koko wa watakushi ni totte shiawase na basho desu kara."

Unlike his earlier loud laughter, His Majesty now smiled quietly—yet with clear satisfaction.

Author's note: Faber is 'fable' in German.

Translator's note: In German, it's actually 'fabel' but the official English translation of the manga spelled it 'Faber' so I'm also using that for the sake of consistency. Personally I prefer Faeber tho. It adds to the aesthetic.

☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

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