Translations of Lunar 2 Novelist's Short Stories

[Shiva Indis]

I noticed a while back that Hiromi Hosoe, author of the Lunar 2 novels, has some Lunar-related short stories up on her website and I have done translations for a couple of them. Your feedback is most appreciated, especially since it has minimal proofreading.

A Half Year on the Blue Star

I found I couldn't stop writing after the books were published, and I suddenly wrote this on a Lunar fansite message board. It's a comedy.



Ghaleon once said, "Humans always surpass my expectations. I should have known, but still you surprise me."

At this particular moment Hiro was reflecting on these words in his heart of hearts, but from a different perspective.

***

At the conclusion of a great many efforts, Hiro made it to the Blue Star and awakened Lucia. Together, they decided to become the first married couple on the Blue Star on the verge of its rebirth. Which was well and good, but...



"Um, Lucia?"

"What is it, Hiro?"

"Shouldn't you put on some clothes?"

"Why?"

"It's cold outside, and, well, it's kind of hard not to stare..."

"That's alright, it will warm up soon, even though it's just in the vicinity of this shrine right now. And anyway Hiro, you really wanted to see me without any clothes just recently, didn't you?"

"That true, but..."

"And besides, we're married now, aren't we? There's no one else here -- it would be strange to be embarrassed."

"I suppose, but still..."

Hiro succeeded in getting Lucia into some clothes, several hours later...

Lucia turned up with both arms full of small animals, and said, "Look, Hiro! These are our children, aren't they adorable?" as she beamed at the creatures with a smile of absolute motherly affection.



For all of Hiro's awkwardness where "that" is concerned, he is a normal young man nonetheless. For example, being that humanity has been lecherous since it's earliest days, even among the artifacts of the noble science of archeology there are records of the nighttime activities of ancient people. Hiro used to embarrass Ruby by reading these avidly, but those days were distant memories to him now...

"Hiro, what is on your mind?"

"Oh, uh, it's just... L, Lucia? Did you... give birth to them?" As soon as he said it he felt like an idiot for asking. But...

"Why, of course. Who else could have done it? Look everyone, it's your father."

Hiro's head was spinning.

The creatures within Lucia's embrace were not human babies. Even though some beastfolk blood did flow in Hiro's veins, they were not beastfolk babies either. They appeared to be a bundle of kittens who had yet to even open their eyes.

There were four of them; white, pink, aqua and grey in color. The long, thin protrusions on their backs surely were wings.

"Say, Hiro, won't you pick their names? ...What's the matter, Hiro?"

"You... You bowled me over."

"Oh, is that how happy you are? Hiro, for you, I'll bear lots of children."

Another hour later, Hiro discovered that he and Lucia had been miscommunicating. (Again, Hiro's habit of getting too wrapped up in things prevented him from escaping the chaos.) He knew now that Lucia had not 'given birth' to the creatures, she had 'given life' to them through freed magic power; and that he had, in fact, had a lot to do with it. These new lives were intimately connected to him.

All the plants, trees, insects and animals spilling out across the Blue Star were created in this way each time Lucia freed more magic power, or so Hiro understood. Furthermore, once Lucia finished creating - that is to say, once she had given life to every last creature and her magic power was expended, she would become human, to the best of Hiro's knowledge. And the four dragonlings that were living in Lucia's shrine and growing rapidly on a steady diet of Lucia's magic power were special magical beings that had to do with the awakening of the Blue Star. That was as much as he had been make sense of in such a short amount of time.

So, Lucia took six days to create the world, and on the following day she rested. That's really how it went.

***

When Lucia awakened the next day, she abruptly said, "Hiro, let's do the one thing that only married couples can do."

"Huh?" Hiro stammered as his cheeks flushed red.

"Well, let's get started," Lucia said, smiling sweetly.

"Wha?" A sinking feeling overtook Hiro...

Smack! Right out of the blue, Lucia slapped Hiro across the face. It didn't particularly hurt, but it left him in complete confusion.

"Lucia...?"

"You ungrateful cheat!

"Um, what's going on...?"

Lucia smiled again. "A marital quarrel. They even make the family dog run for cover, right?"

"...Lucia, who around here could I cheat on you with?"

"I'm sorry... I just wanted to have the full experience of being married."

"It's all right, Lucia."

"Next time, I'll bring real proof!"

"O-of what...?"

After that, their comedy of marital errors continued on the Blue Star for weeks.



Three months later, the area around the shrine was wrapped in the green of leaves, and small streams flowed to form a lake nearby. Hiro was in the forest, gathering fruit for Lucia - fragrant fruit with a tart flavor.

That's when he realized:

"Oh no! There's no one here for our kids to marry!"

A half-year later... Hiro and Lucia were on Lunar.

"So you see, we're recruiting emigrants, and Lucia wanted to come home for the holidays as much as I did, so we decided to put in an appearance." Hiro laughed. A smiling Lucia stood next to him. She appeared to be pregnant.

Unfortunately, the Star Dragon trial was so difficult that they never did get very many neighbors.

Did anyone make it all the way down here? Thanks for reading! Now I have a dilemma - this story is the shortest by far so I don't feel weird about posting it, but the next one is substantially longer. I really do want to hear your thoughts on it though, so how should I make it available?

[Sonic#]

Hah! I actually laughed a lot aloud when reading it. She really loves playing with the sexual tension, doesn't she?

So, Lucia took six days to create the world, and on the following day she rested. That's really how it went.

I love this. I guess I'm just in a mood for a funny Biblical allusion.

"Oh no! There's no one here for our kids to marry!"

This is the funniest moment of all for me, because I thought of the little dragons, and them going kitty hunting back on Lunar. But that's my own random association.

For all of Hiro's awkwardness where "that" is concerned, he is a normal young man nonetheless. For example, being that humanity has been lecherous since its earliest days, even among the artifacts of the noble science of archeology there are records of the nighttime activities of ancient people. Hiro used to embarrass Ruby by reading these avidly, but those days were distant memories to him now...

That's the only obvious error, but I'm in no proofreading state of mind.

Otherwise, if you were to translate more, I'd definitely read it, if it's on par with this. Since they're longer, and it wouldn't be good to commit to a big project all at once, maybe you could do it in pieces and post to the board? Sort of like a weekly serial or something in posts? Then you could ask G1 or Kizyr to post it on the website once you're finished in full, and after the several readers have helped you proofread and revise on the board.

[Alunissage]

They seem to be a bit in the vein of the Lunatic Parade comics, with Lucia ingenuously saying and doing things that completely confuse everyone else.

Near the beginning, Lucia says "alright" instead of "all right". I know a lot of people consider that OK, but I can't stand it.

Thanks for translating this! I look forward to the other one, whenever you have the time. ^_^

[Kizyr]

Shiva, you're awesome. Thanks {^^}. KF

[GhaleonOne]

I just noticed this. Was on vacation and missed a bunch of posts. This was a really great read. I'd love to read more of them if you do them Shiva!

[Shiva Indis]

Here's the first 1/3 or so of the next story. It's very different from the first story and it was quite fun and challenging - for one it's set in Pentagulia and that makes it extra dramatic practically by default, and it took me a long time before I was sure I wanted to use 3rd person.

Leo And Althena

I couldn't stop writing after I finished the Lunar 2 novelization. I'm letting my imagination run wild, writing things that I couldn't put in the professional work. A serious piece.



- White Knight Leo -

He personally threw an unconscious Hiro into the prison cell in the White Tower, the center of his authority.

"What will you do?" He asked Hiro's pink, winged cat, Ruby.

Ruby entered the cell without a word and sat down next to Hiro.

He locked the cell and returned to his quarters.

It was a stifling place. No matter how long he stayed in Pentagulia's White Tower, he could never grow accustomed to it. When he received his commission aboard the Destiny he felt at home there from the very first moment; why then did the White Tower - another gift from the Goddess Althena, given on same day - seem so desolate?

...No, Pentagulia was an oppressive weight on him no matter where he was in the city. Until yesterday - actually, until he decided to take Hiro and Lucia to Pentagulia - that weight had seemed like nothing more than pleasant sense of anticipation...

Perhaps it was simply that there were no familiar faces around.

Strangely, his men on the Destiny were not given permission to come ashore. He could easily get that permission with a wave of his hand, of course, but as proud as he was of his men, he did not give them special favors. Even if he acknowledged that the efforts of the crew of the Destiny were worthy of permission to come ashore, it would only mean defying the will of the Goddess Althena.

...They themselves wouldn't want that from me.

They would say down to the last man that they were not there out of admiration for the Chosen, but admiration for him - for Leo, who boldly fought monsters and devils in order to protect the people. And that was precisely the reason why they didn't rise in the ranks.

There had been men in his command that swore loyalty not to him, but to the order, but those soldiers were promoted into Pentagulia as Temple Knights. And while the Temple Knights were technically his subordinates, he did not command them directly.

They were devoted to duty, highly skilled, and they never made mistakes.

When he walked by with Hiro flung over his shoulder, they stepped up to assist him right away. Still, he always sensed an invisible wall between himself and the Temple Knights, even those who had been on the Destiny for a time.

...I am being absurd.

Even if they did not work to together directly, they were still his men, weren't they?



Nevertheless, Leo turned them away and climbed to the top floor of the tower carrying Hiro himself, as if hoping to distract himself through the exertion.



...What was troubling him so? That he had not succeeded in carrying out Althena's orders? Was it his own error in bringing Lucia the Destroyer into Pentagulia? And that he had not been held to account for it?

"No!"

He surprised himself with his own outburst. If not that, then what? What else could it be?

...Perhaps I should go back to the Destiny?

Once that thought occurred to him, it gave him a sense of unease. The White Tower was his fortress, a place given to him by Althena. Where did he get the idea that he couldn't feel at home here, that he should go back to the Destiny?

Why did he feel so uncomfortable in the White Tower - no, in Pentagulia altogether?

His two sets of subordinates - those that serve in Pentagulia and those that work with him on the Destiny.

It was only natural that he felt closer to the men who were alongside him every day on the Destiny, but he felt too strongly that the men who served in Pentagulia were not really his men. Whether or not he was absent from Pentagulia too often, whether or not he gave orders the Temple Knights, it...

Hiro...

A courageous young man. Like he must once have been.

He was entertaining freeing the boy under the pretext of impressing him into service on the Destiny once the excitement died down. He had promise, but given the circumstances he would not be allowed into the Chosen. Oh, well...

...Why am I thinking like an old man? In fact, I'm not very old at all.

He inadvertently lowered his eyes to his desk, where he spotted Ronfar's name on a paper in the middle of a heap of correspondence and picked it up. The scrap of paper plainly stated that all of the unexpected guests that he brought to Pentagulia that day had been imprisoned on various charges.

"What is the meaning of this?" He felt more confusion than he did surprise.

No... this was the same sense of unease he had been feeling all along. Until that very moment he had dismissed it as the work of his imagination, but he was only burying it deep down in his heart. He stood up, and then sat down again.

Why on earth did I just stand up? What did I think I was going to do?

...If it were that boy and his cat - Ruby - what would they do? If it was Hiro - so courageous, too courageous, daring to raise a sword against Sir Ghaleon with no chance of victory - if it was him...

He shook his head in denial of his own thoughts.

What am I thinking! This is a decision I must make for myself! ...But a decision about what?

He paced circles around the room, completely absorbed in thought.

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter."

"Pardon the intrusion; I've brought your meal and fresh lights." It was the attendant Temple Knight appointed to him. He realized that the room was surprisingly dim.

"Very well."

"Do you require anything else?"

"I have a few matters on my mind. Inform the staff that I am not to be disturbed until morning."

"Understood." The Temple Knight saluted, and then took his leave.

A solitary meal.

It was impressive. But it was tasteless.

Even on the Destiny, it was not uncommon for him to eat alone. When the ship was on alert no one had the luxury of gathering in the refectory for a meal. And even when he ate alone, he always knew his men were there.

...But here, there was nothing of the sort.

Even though Althena was here. Even though he was surrounded by people specially recognized from among the faithful. Despite all this, he was alone.

...Perhaps it was not just for Mauri's sake that he wanted Ronfar to return here, perhaps it was for his own sake too.

Ronfar had been in Pentagulia before. At times he couldn't visit Mauri, busy as she was, but Ronfar would adjust his schedule and wait for her.

"Damn it, why am I wasting my time on this reverie!" he howled and struck both fists against the table.

Plates danced on the tabletop and soup splashed into the air.

He glared at the dishes for a moment and almost seemed to snarl at them before gathering them up in his arms in one motion. Now that he was finished eating he remembered the Hiro had not been given anything to eat. He considered having his subordinates bring the boy something, then remembered that he had sent them away.

He could make arrangements if he went to the Temple Knights' guardroom.

But for some reason, he hesitated.

The Temple Knights performed dutifully no matter how they were treated, but they were a part of the sterile, tightly regulated environment of Pentagulia. The thought of calling them back after dismissing them for the night, then ordering them to prepare food for a prisoner gave him pause.

On the Destiny, there was an exception to every rule, but...

...There was only one choice.

He would transfer Hiro to the Destiny ahead of schedule. Given the circumstances, he couldn't rule out the possibility that the boy would be troublesome and start demanding that Lucia be freed, but better the holding cells aboard the Destiny than the holding cells in the White Tower.

To be continued!!

[Alunissage]

Wow. I *really* like that. A great look at Leo's character, and well in tune with his characterization in the game. It also points up a reason why Leo would be so different from the rest of Althena's Chosen -- not just because he wasn't in on the plot, of course, but because he spent so much of his time out and about, with his loyal men and on his ship. So he'd have few ties to the Chosen, and far more to actual people, staying aware of true loyalties rather than the power-grubbing of the priesthood. Also how he'd maintain faith in justice and the idea of Althena, not having the Pentagulia population in his face all the time.

Thanks again for translating this. I really look forward to the rest of it, even if I disagree with some aspects of the writer's novelization.

[Shiva Indis]

Leo and Althena, part 2 of 3. Hosoe said at the beginning that this story wouldn't fit in the novelization, and now you'll know why...

- The Goddess Althena -

As Leo was finishing his meal in the White Tower, Althena, too, was seated at a lonely dining table. However, she was not alone. She was dining with Lunn, Borgan, and Mauri. Ghaleon waited at her back.

...Leo had not been invited.

Althena's seat was at the head of the table, of course, but she did not feel like she was truly in a place of honor.

Each time these meals were held she was reminded of times in her childhood when she felt small and miserable. Of times when she had to pass whole meals in silence at the foot of the table-full of unknown adults, forbidden from speaking or leaving her seat. If she made a mistake and attracted their attention in some way, the adults would say nothing to her.

They would simply stare at her with cold expressions. None of them even heeded her apologies.

Borgan and Lunn were chatting about something in low voices. Mauri was silent. And Ghaleon did not waste his breath on small-talk.

No one spoke to her. No one noticed her.

Suddenly, Althena announced, "I think the time has come to call Leo to this table."

Their gazes gathered around her in an instant, but she could detect derisive laughter in their expressions.

"As you wish - I would not dare oppose divine will."

"Yet..." Mauri began, and then she laughed thinly.

"Yet what? Speak your piece."

"I was only wondering... Should my brother learn the truth, would he remain as reverent toward you as he is now?"

Before she realized what she was doing, Althena threw a glass she had been holding at Mauri. She knew what Mauri was suggesting.

You want a pet that will love you unconditionally, don't you? But if Leo knew what you really are, he would never love you...

Mauri made no attempt to dodge the assault and continued the meal as if nothing had happened, red wine dripping from her like blood.

If it were up to Althena, she would have preferred to be surrounded by believers at all times. By her believers, who looked only at her and who honored her alone. But Ghaleon did not permit it, because her control over her impulsive tendencies slipped too frequently.

Now she had no opportunities to interact with her followers outside of choreographed ceremonies and routine audiences. Even if she were to go among them, once she knew that the meaning behind their worship of her as a literal goddess - their praise of her beauty and their words meant to please her - was that they wanted her to answer their prayers for divine aid, it would enrage her. She would not forgive such wishes taking precedence over their devotion for her, not even prayers for relief from terrible suffering.

Leo was not like them. Leo gave of himself and sought for nothing more. From the very first moment he always looked on her with reverence and adoration. He was grateful to her, he worked on her behalf, he praised her.

But Zophar hated Leo. Zophar hated Leo's crew on the Destiny equally, as did Zophar's acolytes who shared in his will.

Leo believed in Althena.

However, the ultimate motivation for his actions was a desire to protect the weak, so the Chosen gladly allowed him to continue on with his arduous, dangerous job of ranging the world in search of monsters to kill.

Leo was appointed one of the Four Heroes simply because he was good for the public image of the Chosen. He went everywhere, the public found his work helpful and very easy to grasp; even his physical presence drew attention. No one could ignore the fact that among the Order of Althena he closely followed -- no, he surpassed -- Althena in fame and popularity, at least in the sense that he was familiar.

...Althena was still partly a being of legend. It was an intentional effect meant to give her an air of mystery, but...

Leo did not serve Zophar's will, but he was a superb propaganda figure. He directed more believers and donations into the Chosen than anyone else.

Doubtless he would be overjoyed to receive an invitation to a place at Althena's table. But only those who knew the truth were allowed to attend - only those who knew the truth and opened themselves to Zophar.

Leo could never truly accept Zophar. And of course, the same applied to her. Leo loved her because she was Althena, and as Althena, she had saved his sister's life.

...But that was a lie.

She did have the option of subjecting Leo to baptism. As a baptized servant of Zophar he would remain at Althena's side, but he would no longer be the person he was. He would no longer look at her with the expression she longed to see.

...You want a man, don't you? You aren't really the Goddess - you could never honestly move my brother's heart.

So Mauri's words echoed ever more mocking in Althena's mind.

"I feel unwell!" Althena announced. She rose from her seat and left without so much as a backward glance. Ghaleon smiled coldly on edge of her vision.

Fleeing to her bedchamber, she sat down in front of her vanity. She felt somewhat more composed upon seeing her own beautiful reflection.

...Indeed, nothing suits me better than a smile.

Althena imagined Leo standing over her shoulder in place of Ghaleon.

...Surely if I pray to Master Zophar, Leo can serve me as he is now.

Leo loved her and believed in her -- unlike the others, who looked down at her, ignored and scoffed at her. They refused to acknowledge her beauty. They thought of her as nothing more than a pretty, powerless puppet. But what of the truth? Could the Althena's Chosen exist without her, in all her beauty? The oaths and the offerings were given to her, were they not?

If she smiled, Leo could know no greater happiness. If her expression was unhappy, he would wring his hands in concern and work to take away her melancholy.

...But he was not at her side. The others kept her isolated from him.

She wanted Leo.

Master Zophar, I want Leo. I want my faithful. I want those who look only at me, who believe only in me, for whom no sacrifice for my sake is too great, like Leo.

(Seek your desires.)

Althena heard Zophar's voice and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

(Seek all that your heart desires. Take everything that you want. Do you not believe that with your beauty, Leo will stay at your side, even if knew the truth?)

...Precisely.

Leo carried out one dangerous mission after another because she was beautiful, did he not? What else could it be if not that?

I am beautiful, thus the faithful gather to me.

I am beautiful, thus the donations pour in.

I am beautiful, thus Leo is mine.

I am beautiful.

I am beautiful.

I am beautiful...

Thanks to everyone for your comments and support. <3 If you have any criticism please don't hold back. ^_^

[Alunissage]

Now, that's a perspective I never expected to see. But again it fits in with what we see of the dynamic in EB.

One thing I remember seeing in EB or EBC or both is that the one glimpse you get of "Althena's" chambers show rather a lot of bottles, suggesting that she's a bit of a lush. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a screenshot. Anyway, I was reminded of that with the throwing the glass at Mauri.

[GhaleonOne]

Wow, no kidding. That really is something I never expected. But like Alun said, it does actually fit. You know, I'd love it if she wrote some of these sort of short stories about Ghaleon's time on Lunar in EB/EBC and his thoughts on things. In fact, these short stories would be awesome for all the characters.

[ilovemyguitar]

Well, this is just awesome.

The most compelling characters in fiction are those who desperately want something. The author has written the false Althena as someone who wants love, no matter who else it hurts. She's selfish, shallow, and not particularly bright, and yet I'm dying to see what the author will write about her next. The "nothing suits me better than a smile" line is particularly heartbreaking; this is a woman who has been utterly convinced, likely by a combination of Zophar and her own clearly messed-up childhood, that her sole form of worth is her appearance. That is so unbelievably sad.

[Shiva Indis]

Conclusion of Leo and Althena!

- The White Tower -

Leo wandered through the inner rooms of the White Tower aimlessly. He had convinced himself he was checking that nothing had gone amiss during his absence, but his feet kept straying in the direction of the holding cells on the top floor. He had resolved to transfer Hiro (and Ruby) to the Destiny earlier, but his heart wavered.

He seldom hesitated on account of anything. If while exterminating monsters he stormed a labyrinth where he couldn't tell right from left, both left and right were equal. He made swift decisions and took swift action because the only time truly lost was lost to hesitation. The more complicated situations he settled by asking himself, "where does justice lie?"

...He had left Hiro's judgment in the hands of the Goddess. To leave him imprisoned or take him to the Destiny was now his choice to make.

But what about the others? Ronfar, Jean, Lemina... Those three were arrested by his peers - Althena's chosen heroes. Doubting their judgments was tantamount to doubting Althena herself.

But...

But unlike Althena, humans can err, as I did in guiding Lucia the Destroyer to Pentagulia. In that case their imprisonment may be a mistake. I can talk to Mauri, and to Sir Lunn and Sir Borgan... No.

He shook his head roughly. In a hierarchy like this, if an outside group interfered the whole organization went awry. Too many commanders can lose even an easy battle. He could not meddle in their affairs.

So if nothing else, I should transfer Hiro... But my conscience asks me, can I neglect the others? ...and why can't I answer that question?

At the moment, even if he did take Hiro to the Destiny all the more he could do was let the boy go free in some hinterland where the Order had little influence.

Leo went to the storeroom. Not much was stored there. He started gathering up Hiro's travel gear and a few other items that were there.

A sword to protect oneself, a blanket for camping in the field.

A tinderbox.

An assortment of herbs and bandages.

He recalled the days when he was a new recruit, before the Destiny or the subordinates, when he wandered the land alone, pursuing monsters that tormented the people in the name of the Order.

He found a pack - still full - in the corner of the storeroom, emptied its contents onto the floor, and stuffed the items he had gathered in their place. Once he was done shoving all the pocket money in his wallet into it as traveling expenses, his eyes met the mask rocking on the floor.

It stared at Leo, unblinking, half buried in miscellaneous junk.

He remembered putting the mask in the pack himself some time ago, along with the other odds and ends. When he left Raculi Village with Mauri and Ronfar, determined to offer his life in service to the Goddess Althena, he had intended to bring it as an offering. It had been in his house, and when he was still a boy they used it in games of pretend. Ronfar wore it to play the evil Magic Emperor, and then he would chase after Mauri, who played Althena. Leo played Dragonmaster Alex and fought with Ronfar, but he always took it too seriously and hit Ronfar too hard, eliciting complaints from his friend.

Sometimes Ronfar say that it wasn't fair that Leo was always good and he was the villain, and they would switch roles. But as they played, Ronfar would pick on Mauri for some reason, and the Magic Emperor would become a champion of justice to combat him.

His confusion years later when Mauri told him "I wanted to be the Dragonmaster or the Magic Emperor sometimes," was another fond memory.

Now brother and sister both served the Goddess.

And Ronfar was in a prison cell...

The mask was a magic item after a fashion, and he had brought it as an offering, but when he started rising in the ranks it has been returned to him as a part of his personal effects - that was how it came to be there. It was never fit for much beyond use as a toy by children in the first place.

I had forgotten that it was shut away in here all this time.

He held the mask up to his face absently. The surroundings he saw through the mask's eyes was different than what he ordinarily saw.

A peaceful White Tower. When they had played with the mask a shed was a grand castle, a tower. A time when there was no doubt, when that which was just was just, and what which was evil was evil.

Evil was all that caused Mauri to feel fear or sadness.

I want to protect Mauri.

That was the root of all justice.

...The possibility that Mauri and justice could be at odds with each other never occurred to me.

But...

"Can I live with this?" He voiced his own thought aloud without realizing it.

"I can. I am not White Knight Leo. Probably ever again."

...Am I betraying Althena? As Sir Ghaleon did, when he took up the mask of the Magic Emperor?

But I have no intention of causing harm to Althena. I will cut down anyone that means her harm. My feelings on that count are unchanged.

Nonetheless, it is a betrayal of another sort -- that I failed to measure up as one of the Four Heroes...

There was no particular meaning to be ascribed to it, but Leo ran to the top of the White Tower, to the cell where Hiro was held, without a second thought.



- The Goddess Tower -

Althena was at the foot of the Goddess Tower. She knew that Leo had lent a hand in the escape of Lucia and her fellows mere moments before. That knowing the truth, he had launched the Destiny and was gone. And now, his sister had let Lucia slip through her fingers.

"You incompetent!" She screamed as she attacked Mauri.

Blood flowed and gathered into a puddle; but even once Mauri collapsed at last into the pool of her own blood she felt no better.

"Ghaleon! Where is Ghaleon! Come here at once!"

Ghaleon could have captured Leo. But he let him go.

"You demanded my presence, so I gave up on him and came to you." That was Ghaleon's reply.

Althena grieved. Leo's reverent love, his passionate loyalty to Althena - it all vanished like mist once he knew the truth. Her beauty had not compelled him to stay. She had resolved to keep him at her side even as a puppet, but Ghaleon did not give her the things she wished for.

Amidst a false goddess, a false Dragonmaster, and false heroes, Leo alone was real, and so she had hoped beyond hope that Leo's love for her was also real.

There was nothing left to her.

...I can no longer put stock in the faith of the believers. They would never love the real me. No one cares for me.

No one but Master Zophar.

Only Master Zophar acknowledges both me and my beauty equally.

She wept and looked into the heavens, calling for Zophar's aid.

There was nothing else she could do.

There was nothing else left to her.

Pretty good, right? I've started translating some material associated with Lemina in Training, but that's a long way off yet.

[Dark_Fairy]

Thanks for taking the time to translate all of that. I enjoyed reading it. ^_^

[GhaleonOne]

I really enjoyed these Shiva. It was great insight into Leo and the fake Althena. Again, it'd be awesome if she did more characters like this (Ghaleon and maybe Nall would be wonderful to get into their thoughts!)

[Alunissage]

I'd meant to comment on this but ended up navigating away from the page or something. I wonder how much of the story was inspired by Mauri's Bromide in which she's dressed up in the mask. I like that she told Leo that she would've liked to play one of the active roles rather than the gender-mapped passive one, and am not surprised that Leo would be confused by that.

Thanks so much for translating these. It really makes me want more. I wonder if we could post them on the site, and/or if Rune at the Shrine to Ghaleon would be interested, if you were willing of course.

[GhaleonOne]

Yeah, I'd love to post them on the site somewhere if you don't plan to put them anywhere, Shiva. I know you have the Lunar Goods Archive that could house them though. But if you wanted them on LunarNET, I would certainly love to have them up.

[Kizyr]

Likewise. It'd be great to have them incorporated into the Novels page.

...would you be all right with that? If so, let me know how you'd want to present it there. KF

[Shiva Indis]

I'd love to post them on the site somewhere if you don't plan to put them anywhere, Shiva.

Actually that's just what I had in mind. ^_^

It'd be great to have them incorporated into the Novels page.

...would you be all right with that? If so, let me know how you'd want to present it there. KF

I agree, the novel section seems like the place for them. I guess they'd need a little bit of explanation (they're extra stories Hosoe wrote after finishing the Lunar 2 novelization, for instance) - and I suppose that would fit in pretty well after the links to the existing summaries and translations. Not that I want to dictate how you should organize your site, of course.

BTW, I noticed something on the novel page you might want to correct - the 4th SSS novel listing says Funato did the interior art, but it's actually Kaori Naruse.

[Kizyr]

I'd love to post them on the site somewhere if you don't plan to put them anywhere, Shiva.

Actually that's just what I had in mind. ^_^

It'd be great to have them incorporated into the Novels page.

...would you be all right with that? If so, let me know how you'd want to present it there. KF

I agree, the novel section seems like the place for them. I guess they'd need a little bit of explanation (they're extra stories Hosoe wrote after finishing the Lunar 2 novelization, for instance) - and I suppose that would fit in pretty well after the links to the existing summaries and translations. Not that I want to dictate how you should organize your site, of course.

BTW, I noticed something on the novel page you might want to correct - the 4th SSS novel listing says Funato did the interior art, but it's actually Kaori Naruse.

Oh wow, I never even noticed that (that Kaori Naruse did those illustrations). I just C&Ped over without even checking the title page for the credits, since I didn't figure on them changing artists midway. KF

[Kizyr]

I'd love to post them on the site somewhere if you don't plan to put them anywhere, Shiva.

Actually that's just what I had in mind. ^_^

It'd be great to have them incorporated into the Novels page.

...would you be all right with that? If so, let me know how you'd want to present it there. KF

I agree, the novel section seems like the place for them. I guess they'd need a little bit of explanation (they're extra stories Hosoe wrote after finishing the Lunar 2 novelization, for instance) - and I suppose that would fit in pretty well after the links to the existing summaries and translations. Not that I want to dictate how you should organize your site, of course.

BTW, I noticed something on the novel page you might want to correct - the 4th SSS novel listing says Funato did the interior art, but it's actually Kaori Naruse.

Oh wow, I never even noticed that (that Kaori Naruse did those illustrations). I just C&Ped over without even checking the title page for the credits, since I didn't figure on them changing artists midway. KF