Violant of the Silver Chapter 1 Part3

Hey guys.

Good news is, my j.a.panese is improving.

Bad news is, well, I still need to get a LOT better.

This will be the last part of chapter 1. The next release will be part 1 of chapter 2.

As always, please leave a like or a comment below if you enjoyed this. Please leave a rating/review on NU if you’re feeling especially generous.

Chapter 1: Part 3

He had thought that it was Erik.

When he had seen a person standing opposite to the window, Vio misunderstood the situation and grew dreadfully frightened.

He had been under the impression that that person had returned to kill him.

Out of reflex, Vio screamed while cowering.

Despite this, when Lil shakes his shoulder once more, he comes to his senses. The predicament is over.

“It is alright now, Vio-sama. I have brought down that foe with a kick.”

He smiles gently at her violent utterance.

“Eh? Brought down with a kick? What?”

Thinking that he heard wrong, Vio rises from behind the desk. It is precisely as Lil states; he sees a young man collapsed in the garden.

The young man’s physique is well maintained, his hair short and tawny.

Vio is relieved at the sight.

Erik’s hair is a dull shade of blond and when he is compared to this intruder, he is shorter and thinner. They are not the same person.

The trespa.s.ser is supine and unconscious; it seems to have been a little while since he fainted.

After groaning an “ugh,” he lifts the upper half of his body. Blood starts dripping from his nose.

“Are you waking up already after sustaining damage to this degree? You are rather st.u.r.dy!”

Lil extends and arm out, taking preparation. (構えを取る)

Vio is bewildered by the posture of her torso.

“L-Lil? Are you perhaps familiar with martial arts?”

“Yes! Of course. As a maid serving the Lesserhain family, I cannot protect you unless I excel in that aspect.”

She says this during a jump while paying no mind to her skirt, her right leg partway outside of the window frame.

There, Jill pleas loudly for her to halt.

“Stop it, Lil!”

“Jill-sama? Why should I stop? This person is an intruder, an intruder!”

She jabs a finger toward the young man sitting in the garden, arching her eyebrows. The butler bows his head at his master.

“I am sincerely sorry, young master. That person is Legion Salt-sama.”

“…Eh?”

Astonished, Vio casts another glance toward the man, who is struggling to deal with his nosebleed.

°•°•°

“Thank you for the bath, change of clothes, and other amenities, Violant-sama.”

At the sound of a knock, Vio s.h.i.+fts his attention from the orange-dyed sky to the door.

Legion Salt, cleansed of the filth from his travels, is changed into neat clothes. He bows his head with reverence.

Thus, with a neat appearance, Legion comes across as being a refres.h.i.+ng and agreeable youth.

He seems to have the fearlessness and honesty unique to a man of the military.

It is an unusual occasion for such an “upright” knight, with sun-kissed and healthy skin, to be around Vio. (まともそう)

His Siberian hazel¹-colored eyes are fox-like and dark, his hairstyle appearing inconvenient. Yet, it also suits his occupation as a knight. (はしばみ色の目元がきつそうに見えるくらいがパッと見た欠点で、それも騎士という職ならむしろ適しているだろう)

From his threatening glare, criminals will surely grow nervous.

Though he wears a black s.h.i.+rt, it is clear that his muscles are p.r.o.nounced.

He gives off a manly aura; for his sake, women of marriageable age may cause a fuss, squealing at and lionizing him.

Vio responds to Legion by nodding, inviting him to sit in an ottoman opposite of his hand. Legion’s long legs move with energy while he lowers himself into the chair. As Vio relaxes in the seat with Lil, she watches with a sword in hand.

Similarly, because Jill is on a couch horizontal to his, Vio can tolerate having a knight close by. This is a situation that usually proves hard for him to endure.

“I have heard the story from butler Jill. I apologize for mistaking you as an intruder.”

Because he is responsible for his servant’s error, of labeling Legion as a trespa.s.ser, Vio apologizes honestly.

“No, it is only natural to be vigilant. Therefore, can you please fault me instead of the butler?”

“Am I blaming Jill? I will not behave in such a manner. That is because I have always understood from his conduct his worry for me…Well,  I rather not trouble him often through my own convenience. (まあ、あまり勝手をされると困るけどね)

Jill drops to the ground as I stare at him, lowering his head substantially. (ちら)

“I am sincerely sorry for my impertinent behavior, young master.”

“Yes. Lift your head since I forgive you.”

Vio pardons Jill’s poor tact with a nod, turning around subsequently to examine Legion. (不手際)

Afterward, from his own mouth, Vio grants a dismissal.

“I believe that both my mother and Jill wish to appoint a new guardian knight to me. However, I do not require one. Oh, do not worry about the salary you have borrowed. Since you have come especially to a remote region, do not fret as it will be granted as your traveling expenses thus far. Besides, certainly it will be difficult to return at once. It is fine to rest in this residence for two to three days.”

“I am thankful for your tolerance and solicitude, Violant-sama. Despite this, I would definitely like to become your guardian knight. Can you please allow me to this honor?”

Vio tilts his head slightly.

He thought that Legion’s hopes were for his debts to be written off without a doubt.

Therefore, for the sake of not having future concerns, he declined to talk, with a proposal as an objective. Yet, Legion still proclaimed his desire to be his knight.

“As for my mother, she will not worry because I will talk to her.”

“It is not like that. I wish to serve you. I have been searching for someone to serve for myself. At last, I have found one!”

Legion declares with a face full of joy, his eyes that are the hue of Siberian hazels glittering and sparkling. Vio scrunches his eyebrows, candid in his actions.

“Legion Salt, you should have heard in the town of Nada—no, from elder brother, father, and everyone in the lord’s manor, the rumors surrounding me. Do you want to serve an ‘incompetent younger brother’ or a dullard’? I was given the rural Leca town because I had been driven from the lord’s manor. I cannot produce a salary of my elder brother’s magnitude, and I cannot leave the residence. As time pa.s.ses without doing anything, your sword will rust and it will definitely end.”

“Young master.”

Her raises his right hand in this case to control Jill’s unintentional interjection.

“Speak no more. Return and enter the Royal Knight’s order without complaining. In any case, my residence will be destroyed for certain. (るだろうし)

“Violant-sama!”

Lil raises her voice into a scream. Tears spill in large drops from her red eyes.

“Please do not say such terrible things.”

“Lil, you will also experience the brutality that will be inflicted on our home. Currently, no one can interfere with the duke’s family, but eventually heaven will punish us. In that situation, you will be convicted along with me. If you serve as my knight, you will also be involved.” (そうなったら)

Legion watches with surprise in his eyes.

“For a thing like conviction, where do your errors exist? In my view, the people of Leca town are calm and your servants adore you. Excuse me, I do not believe that here lies Lesserhain territory. In short, that is the response.”

“So. Do the entirety of the townsfolk live calmly? Because I cannot leave the residence, I have not seen such a sight. You seem to have selected a good inspector.”

Vio smiles from the unexpected good news at hand.

The current Vio holds a position similar to Leca town’s town mayor. Thus, Legion selected an inspector for the tax bureau, overall town management and state of affairs at Amade village, which belongs to Leca town. He hired a hardworking man with a wide face, but he appeared to have good judgment.

Additionally, he kept an eye on the flowers in Leca that contained a great deal of magical power, along with magic circle ink and magic supplies businesses, by making and selling candy. That was because there were no special products like those mentioned elsewhere. (他にも、これといった特産品が無かったので、魔力を多く含むレカの花に目を付けて、魔法陣用のインクや魔力補給用に飴を作らせて売らせてみたりしていた)

That profits have risen gradually is a recent occurrence. Since taxes have decreased as well, people in the village and town are working hard.

“You are a splendid ruler. What is strange about my desire to serve and believe in such a person?”

“No, I am not speaking ill of your intention.  Mind you, I cherish this town because it is mine, but that is it. The next lord will be my elder brother. As I cannot leave here, I cannot do anything. The crimes of one’s family that one cannot stop are also one’s own.”

“It cannot be helped if you are ill. G.o.d will surely understand!”

Vio breathes a sigh.

“You are a stubborn individual. Anyway, I do not require a guardian knight. Please refrain from wearing a sword during your stay here. I rather not see one.”

Vio, who gives up on the conversation, says this unilaterally and rises from his seat.

“Lil, please bring my meal to my room.”

“Certainly².”

Nodding to Jill, who bows reverentially, he turns toward the door.

“I will not give up, Violant-sama. Um, please call me Legi.” (うだ)

“…Legi?”

Wondering if he should ignore that, Vio stops his foot in an instant and turns around.

“Yes!”

Legion responds by giving a broad and happy smile. No, he did not mean to call out in this way. He looks as delighted as a dog.

(Saying Legi is familiar. It comes from ‘Princess Dances with the Night.’ He is an absurdly strong knight. That is correct; he serves elder brother Rupheus but is treated in a harsh manner. Then he is headhunted by the hero’s knight, becoming comrades with them.) (レジって、聞き覚えがあるぞ)

Unbelievable. He has a pretty good supporting role in “Princess Dances with the Night.” Vio did not realize this until he had uttered the nickname.

“Hehe. So, Legi, is it? You should depart from here to the neighboring country of Ruslan. Because the succeeding queen is a wonderful person bursting with talent, she will treat you well undoubtedly.”

“You jest. I wish to serve Violant-sama!”

Violant waves his hand, with the room behind him. (ヴィオはひらひらと右手を振ると、部屋を後にした)

(Elder brother, I am crueler than so in the comic…Although Legion is supposed to be a key figure within the story, I have already dismissed him.) (兄上、漫画より酷い我が儘ぶりなんだなあ)

From strange directions, this Vio is admired. (変な方向から感心してしまうヴィオだった)

Ending notes: Legion really wants to be Vio’s guardian knight AND he gave himself  a NICKNAME that he wants Vio to call him. LEGI!!!!

Also, I’m tired. There’s plenty of blue text because my j.a.panese is simply not advanced enough to understand everything being written. The last two blue lines I just grasped at straws.

If someone has pity to spare…

Siberian hazel¹: Corylus heterophylla.

Certainly²: 畏まりました. I know that this is a very humble and polite form of 分かる, but I’m not sure how to write it more humbly. Maybe “your servant understands”? “Understood”? I don’t know…

Here are two questions for you guys:

When does preserving the literal translation trump maintaining fine English grammar, and should it ever?  When is it okay to be liberal in translating, if ever?