Sion Astal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dreamsofahero) wrote2012-03-10 09:04 pm
dreamsofahero) wrote2012-03-10 09:04 pm
[OOC] [CFUD] Memory flower event
Since I already had this chunk translated and it's a good scene, if very bawwww.
Note: contains some spoilers for the early part of the series.
Excerpt from volume 2, chapter 1 of the Legend of the Legendary Heroes novels. Translation is my own. The anime version of this scene is in episode 5, about 10 minutes in. Linked video only good for US/Canada, sorry. :(
Just then. A young noble man Sion didn't know the name of, who up until now had quietly not uttered a single word, stepped forward undaunted by the other nobles and lowered his head to Sion. And as the usual introductions finished, he said, "By the way, Your Majesty, this is a most unfortunate thing on this occasion... But just now, I had heard..."
Hearing something like that so abruptly being said, Sion titled his head.
"Unfortunate? Well... what might that be? I don't quite comprehend your meaning..."
The man seemed to be surprised at that reaction, and fell silent as though caught off guard, then in a fluster...
"Ah... that is... c-could it be, you are not yet aware... p-please pardon me."
"No, there's no need to apologize. More importantly, what in the world is it?"
At that, the man's expression became troubled.
"Ah, for it to come from my mouth..."
But to that Beryl gave a wry smile, "If you've said that much you needn't hold back. It's gone too far."
"Th-that is true. Yet it's not a fitting topic for such a splendid place as this..."
Sion shook his head.
"I don't mind. Please tell me."
Again the man looked troubled, but presently he had a look as though he'd made up his mind.
"Understood... However the truth is, I only just heard it from the conversation between the nobles over there... They say that the one you'd recently appointed to highly responsible post, Fiole--something such as that, I've forgotten the name... that commoner you made personal secretary, was just recently found murdered..."
Instantly, Sion's eyes narrowed sharply.
Fiole had...
Been killed...?
At those words, for an instant his mind was thrown into chaos.
That boy who just a short while ago, had been happily conversing with Sion...
That boy who happily spoke of his sister?
It couldn't be. In any case, the rumor that Fiole had just been killed hadn't come from Sion's own people, but had been heard from the nobles...
"Well I say... that truly is bloody, and hardly a suitable conversation for this place. It truly is unfortunate... Well, but to speak of a single saving grace, it's fortunate that the one who was killed was a commoner," said Beryl.
Pearl continued with a smile. "Quite right, quite right. If it had been a noble who was killed, it would have been a major problem."
Lastly Ishulna, also smirking broadly, spoke. "Come, let's stop speaking of this, and enjoy ourselves. Meril, bring the King some wine."
"Yes, Father."
Meril detached herself from Sion and went to retrieve the wine.
At that, ".....I see. So that's how it is..." Sion muttered in a voice too small to be heard.
The nobles couldn't hear what he said, and asked, "Eh? What is it?"
But Sion shook his head, and...
He smiled. A smile that filled his whole face, without a single shadow.
A pleasant smile that said there was nothing more to this.
"No, that's true. It really is a good thing it was just a commoner who was killed. Just to think if it had been a noble makes me shudder. All of your words are a great comfort. Thank you," he said. And, smiling, looked around his surroundings. Just then, Sion saw various nobles who were watching him as he laughed thinly turn their faces away...
"..."
Even so, Sion didn't let his smile crumble. He knew. They were always like that. Since long ago, always, always...
Within his heart a desire to kill them welled up. A blinding hatred welled up within Sion, but it did not show itself in his expression.
Still smiling, Sion spoke.
"Then, let's enjoy ourselves tonight." Without a change in his expression, Sion grabbed Meril's hand, who had just returned with the wine. "My lady, may I ask you to be my partner for a dance?"
"Oh my, is someone such as myself acceptable?"
"Of course."
And.
Sion started walking toward the center of the ballroom.
Meeting the stares of the countless nobles with an clear, unshadowed smile...
* * *
It was a terribly modest room.
There was not a single thing that could be called a luxury, nothing but the minimum necessary for daily life.
A desk, a bed--
The light source was not from magic, but a candle placed on the desk...
In the center of that room...
The moment he saw what was there, "...dammit..." Sion muttered quietly. "...dammit... it's my fault..."
In the center of the room was Fiole.
Looking as though he were sinking into a great pool of blood, Fiole lay there mutilated.
As though to be put on display to Sion, he was hacked up needlessly...
"....it's my fault!" he said, and forcefully punched the wall.
He didn't feel the pain.
Just blinding anger, as though the inside of his head was being painted pitch black. The nobles' smiles surfaced in his mind. Thin smiles that thought nothing at all of peoples' lives, that thought nothing at all of peoples' feelings...
Once again, he moved to punch the wall, but Claugh, who had followed him, stopped him.
"Stop it. Sion."
At that Sion turned...
Then looked at his own bloodied fist... and narrowed his eyes.
"...sorry. I won't do it anymore. However, could you leave the room for a little while?"
However Claugh's expression darkened at that, and he said nothing.
Sion asked once again. "Please."
"....all right. Calne, let's go."
"But Claugh."
"We're going."
"...all right," Calne said, and the two left the room, closing the door.
Within the room, a darkness fell, even greater than before.
In the darkness, the light of the candle shone on a letter that had been left on the desk. Sion picked it up. On it this was written:
Eslina, thank you for the letters as always. I'm sorry I haven't replied to them very well, but it relieves me that you seem to be doing well.
It looks like you're doing well in school, and since it seems you're working hard, when I get your letters it encourages me to work hard too.
Besides, I'm blessed to have my boss. Lord Astal... the King is a wonderful person. He treats commoners like us equally, and thinks of the country more than anything. I'm really glad he became king of this country. I feel proud of this country that he's king of. Just once, I'd like Lord Astal to meet you, Eslina...
Ah, that's right, Lord Astal is giving me a holiday this weekend to go see you. See? Isn't he kind? So we can see each other this weekend. It's been a while. Be sure to make you-know-what when I come. Mother's special stew. You have the same talent for cooking like mother. You'll certainly be a good wife. If you could marry Lord Astal... Though that's not something people of our status should say~
But anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing you this weekend.
Fiole Folkal
There the letter ended.
It told of how Fiole had really looked forward to seeing his sister on the coming weekend, and that he was glad from the bottom of his heart to work for Sion. The letter was full of hope for the future. And yet that letter was stained...
Here and there stained with blood...
Sion finished reading the letter...
"You idiot... I told you not to get yourself involved in anything foolish, Fiole..." he muttered. Then turned his eyes to the pool of blood. Any ordinary person might faint just from the sight... but he approached the mutilated Fiole...
And Sion embraced him.
"You're a fool. Don't praise me so highly... I'm so powerless... I can't protect anything..."
For an instant, his gold eyes, glittering from the light of the candle in the darkness, twisted with sadness...
And then immediately narrowed sharply.
Note: contains some spoilers for the early part of the series.
Excerpt from volume 2, chapter 1 of the Legend of the Legendary Heroes novels. Translation is my own. The anime version of this scene is in episode 5, about 10 minutes in. Linked video only good for US/Canada, sorry. :(
Just then. A young noble man Sion didn't know the name of, who up until now had quietly not uttered a single word, stepped forward undaunted by the other nobles and lowered his head to Sion. And as the usual introductions finished, he said, "By the way, Your Majesty, this is a most unfortunate thing on this occasion... But just now, I had heard..."
Hearing something like that so abruptly being said, Sion titled his head.
"Unfortunate? Well... what might that be? I don't quite comprehend your meaning..."
The man seemed to be surprised at that reaction, and fell silent as though caught off guard, then in a fluster...
"Ah... that is... c-could it be, you are not yet aware... p-please pardon me."
"No, there's no need to apologize. More importantly, what in the world is it?"
At that, the man's expression became troubled.
"Ah, for it to come from my mouth..."
But to that Beryl gave a wry smile, "If you've said that much you needn't hold back. It's gone too far."
"Th-that is true. Yet it's not a fitting topic for such a splendid place as this..."
Sion shook his head.
"I don't mind. Please tell me."
Again the man looked troubled, but presently he had a look as though he'd made up his mind.
"Understood... However the truth is, I only just heard it from the conversation between the nobles over there... They say that the one you'd recently appointed to highly responsible post, Fiole--something such as that, I've forgotten the name... that commoner you made personal secretary, was just recently found murdered..."
Instantly, Sion's eyes narrowed sharply.
Fiole had...
Been killed...?
At those words, for an instant his mind was thrown into chaos.
That boy who just a short while ago, had been happily conversing with Sion...
That boy who happily spoke of his sister?
It couldn't be. In any case, the rumor that Fiole had just been killed hadn't come from Sion's own people, but had been heard from the nobles...
"Well I say... that truly is bloody, and hardly a suitable conversation for this place. It truly is unfortunate... Well, but to speak of a single saving grace, it's fortunate that the one who was killed was a commoner," said Beryl.
Pearl continued with a smile. "Quite right, quite right. If it had been a noble who was killed, it would have been a major problem."
Lastly Ishulna, also smirking broadly, spoke. "Come, let's stop speaking of this, and enjoy ourselves. Meril, bring the King some wine."
"Yes, Father."
Meril detached herself from Sion and went to retrieve the wine.
At that, ".....I see. So that's how it is..." Sion muttered in a voice too small to be heard.
The nobles couldn't hear what he said, and asked, "Eh? What is it?"
But Sion shook his head, and...
He smiled. A smile that filled his whole face, without a single shadow.
A pleasant smile that said there was nothing more to this.
"No, that's true. It really is a good thing it was just a commoner who was killed. Just to think if it had been a noble makes me shudder. All of your words are a great comfort. Thank you," he said. And, smiling, looked around his surroundings. Just then, Sion saw various nobles who were watching him as he laughed thinly turn their faces away...
"..."
Even so, Sion didn't let his smile crumble. He knew. They were always like that. Since long ago, always, always...
Within his heart a desire to kill them welled up. A blinding hatred welled up within Sion, but it did not show itself in his expression.
Still smiling, Sion spoke.
"Then, let's enjoy ourselves tonight." Without a change in his expression, Sion grabbed Meril's hand, who had just returned with the wine. "My lady, may I ask you to be my partner for a dance?"
"Oh my, is someone such as myself acceptable?"
"Of course."
And.
Sion started walking toward the center of the ballroom.
Meeting the stares of the countless nobles with an clear, unshadowed smile...
It was a terribly modest room.
There was not a single thing that could be called a luxury, nothing but the minimum necessary for daily life.
A desk, a bed--
The light source was not from magic, but a candle placed on the desk...
In the center of that room...
The moment he saw what was there, "...dammit..." Sion muttered quietly. "...dammit... it's my fault..."
In the center of the room was Fiole.
Looking as though he were sinking into a great pool of blood, Fiole lay there mutilated.
As though to be put on display to Sion, he was hacked up needlessly...
"....it's my fault!" he said, and forcefully punched the wall.
He didn't feel the pain.
Just blinding anger, as though the inside of his head was being painted pitch black. The nobles' smiles surfaced in his mind. Thin smiles that thought nothing at all of peoples' lives, that thought nothing at all of peoples' feelings...
Once again, he moved to punch the wall, but Claugh, who had followed him, stopped him.
"Stop it. Sion."
At that Sion turned...
Then looked at his own bloodied fist... and narrowed his eyes.
"...sorry. I won't do it anymore. However, could you leave the room for a little while?"
However Claugh's expression darkened at that, and he said nothing.
Sion asked once again. "Please."
"....all right. Calne, let's go."
"But Claugh."
"We're going."
"...all right," Calne said, and the two left the room, closing the door.
Within the room, a darkness fell, even greater than before.
In the darkness, the light of the candle shone on a letter that had been left on the desk. Sion picked it up. On it this was written:
Eslina, thank you for the letters as always. I'm sorry I haven't replied to them very well, but it relieves me that you seem to be doing well.
It looks like you're doing well in school, and since it seems you're working hard, when I get your letters it encourages me to work hard too.
Besides, I'm blessed to have my boss. Lord Astal... the King is a wonderful person. He treats commoners like us equally, and thinks of the country more than anything. I'm really glad he became king of this country. I feel proud of this country that he's king of. Just once, I'd like Lord Astal to meet you, Eslina...
Ah, that's right, Lord Astal is giving me a holiday this weekend to go see you. See? Isn't he kind? So we can see each other this weekend. It's been a while. Be sure to make you-know-what when I come. Mother's special stew. You have the same talent for cooking like mother. You'll certainly be a good wife. If you could marry Lord Astal... Though that's not something people of our status should say~
But anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing you this weekend.
Fiole Folkal
There the letter ended.
It told of how Fiole had really looked forward to seeing his sister on the coming weekend, and that he was glad from the bottom of his heart to work for Sion. The letter was full of hope for the future. And yet that letter was stained...
Here and there stained with blood...
Sion finished reading the letter...
"You idiot... I told you not to get yourself involved in anything foolish, Fiole..." he muttered. Then turned his eyes to the pool of blood. Any ordinary person might faint just from the sight... but he approached the mutilated Fiole...
And Sion embraced him.
"You're a fool. Don't praise me so highly... I'm so powerless... I can't protect anything..."
For an instant, his gold eyes, glittering from the light of the candle in the darkness, twisted with sadness...
And then immediately narrowed sharply.