I'm translating an isekai webnovel in real-time (SA-exclusive!)

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > VEGETA > I'm translating an isekai webnovel in real-time (SA-exclusive!)

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

tl'dr: I'm translating a webnovel in whatever size chunks I feel like, and formatting it in numbered chains of quote tags. And you can't stop me! (unless this thread gets gassed lol)

Longer explanation:

There's this isekai webnovel, right? And based on the first chapter it actually seems good and updates with a chapter every day. However since I can't possibly hope to keep up with translating a chapter per day, there's no way I'll post an actual serious translation of it, that I'd like... commit to and poo poo, instead I'll just post translations whenever I feel like it, even if I stop in the middle of a chapter I don't give a poo poo. Anyone who's familiar with me on these forums knows I can't help translating every fuckin thing for my own amusement, so here's another.

The way the story is written, it has these extremely short paragraphs, almost like the story is being tweeted out one post at a time. Which also simultaneously gave me the impression of poo poo like the bible, where every line is treated as this monumentally important gospel and it's separated as such. The juxtaposition between that overly-casual association of Twitter and the overly-serious association of scripture totally inspired me. It seems like the kind of pacing where it'd totally work in that format, so I thought why the heck not. And since this is just a casual translation, it'll be exclusive to this thread. I'm not gonna post it on any other sites. This is just gonna be for fun.

I'll wait to reveal the series title until the first chapter is done, since the title sort of spoils the end of the chapter.

Anyway, here's the first 3rd of chapter one!

Chapter 01 posted:

First I'm Blackout Drunk, Then I'm The Youngest Son Of A Noble Family

~Scene A~

01.01 posted:

"Young master? Is something the matter, young master?"
"...Eh?"

01.02 posted:

Someone was tugging on my sleeve.
My consciousness was all floaty for a moment, as if I had been falling asleep, then my surroundings came into focus.
"Eh?"

01.03 posted:

That "Eh?" was different from the first one.
How... did I get here?

01.04 posted:

I looked around.
It seemed like a banquet hall in some sort of mansion.
A bunch of people were around, presumably having a party.

01.05 posted:

Somehow I was there, when just a second ago I was getting drunk after work...

01.06 posted:

"Eeeehhhh!?"

01.07 posted:

This third "Eh" was spoken in a much more agitated voice than the other two.
I looked down at my own body, stared at my open palms.

01.08 posted:

I'm... a kid again?

01.09 posted:

I felt all around my face.

01.10 posted:

No wrinkles at all, and not a lick of facial hair!
Not even the slightest scratchy trace of an extremely close shave job.
Not to mention the silky smooth skin! Like velvet.

01.11 posted:

One second I'm getting drunk after work, and the next thing I know, I'm a kid again.

01.12 posted:

Even if I simplify it like that, I still can't wrap my head around it.

01.13 posted:

"What's wrong, Liam?"
A refined masculine voice called out from a short distance away.
For a moment, the chatter of the banquet quieted down.

01.14 posted:

Just as I was wondering if something had happened, a nearby woman -- must be a maid -- whispered into my ear.

01.15 posted:

"Young master, His Majesty asked you a question."
"Eh?"

01.16 posted:

I looked in the direction the maids were nervously glancing, and saw in the single most important-looking seat in the hall, a single nobleman.

01.17 posted:

The nobleman's cheeks were red, probably due to intoxication, and he was staring at me with much good humor.

01.18 posted:

"Oh, um... Congragulations?"

01.19 posted:

Not really understanding, I could at least guess that this was a celebration, so I started with a congragulation.
The nobleman seemed satisfied with that.

01.20 posted:

"Indeed, so you should enjoy yourself today too," he said.

01.21 posted:

I had survived my first encounter.
Left to my own devices, I quickly blended into the crowd.
Then, I took stock of my surroundings and eavesdropped enough conversations to gather some information.

01.22 posted:

After thirty minutes of that, here's what I figured out.

01.23 posted:

First of all, my name -- or at least the name of the kid I somehow took the body of -- is Liam Hamilton.
Fifth son of a noble family. Son of an earl.

01.24 posted:

Also, this banquet was in celebration of the family head -- the nobleman I was just talking to -- finally heralding a daughter after five sons.

01.25 posted:

The family head's primary wife, as well as the concubine who'd birthed the daughter, plus the family's five sons were in attendance.

01.26 posted:

That's all I found out.
What I still don't know is... why in the world I became Liam Hamilton.

~end of scene A~

So, what's the typical twist that isekais usually pull here? Is it some kind of plot from a rival family to incapacitate the original Liam or what? I don't read/watch many isekai stories so I don't know what the cliches are supposed to be lol.

Also, please let me know if this format is horrendously headache-inducing for you, so that I can laugh and continue doing this the exact same way.

Mr. Steak fucked around with this message at 17:01 on Oct 4, 2019

# ? Oct 4, 2019 03:14

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 25, 2024 20:02

Emmideer: Oct 20, 2011; Lovely night, no?; Grimey Drawer

Eeeehhhh!?

# ? Oct 4, 2019 03:27

interwhat: Jul 23, 2005; it's kickin in dude

Jon Joe posted:

Eeeehhhh!?

# ? Oct 4, 2019 03:41

Nipponophile: Apr 8, 2009

Mr. Steak posted:

The way the story is written, it has these extremely short paragraphs, almost like the story is being tweeted out one post at a time.

Every time I think I've come across the absolute worst possible way to write a story, some jackass just has to go and prove me wrong.

# ? Oct 4, 2019 03:49

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Nipponophile posted:

Every time I think I've come across the absolute worst possible way to write a story, some jackass just has to go and prove me wrong.

lmao. it works for something like an ontological mystery i guess. anyway its good for my low-effort posting.

# ? Oct 4, 2019 03:56

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

~Scene B~

01.27 posted:

Even after the morning came, I was still Liam.
Figuring that I must be dreaming or hallucinating, I'd gone to bed as soon as the banquet ended, but even after waking up, I was still the twelve year old boy Liam.

01.28 posted:

Sitting up on my bed, I felt all over my face for a second time.
It made me just a little bit uneasy.

01.29 posted:

Facial hair is a man's badge of honor.
As a (former) babyface, I'd experienced workplace prejudice based on facial hair.

01.30 posted:

The best positions --- The sweetest jobs.
The promotion everyone wants... Unless you have flawless facial hair, you'll never get any of it.

01.31 posted:

Having lived my fair share of that life already, the feeling of having no facial hair again was pretty discomforting.

01.32 posted:

"Good morning, Master Liam."
A maid entered through the door.
She looked young, around twenty.

01.33 posted:

"M, morning."
"Which would you prefer today?"

01.34 posted:

The maid indicated the cart she'd been pushing.
On the cart were three outfits.

01.35 posted:

"Which would I... you mean I get to choose?"
"Yes."

01.36 posted:

The maid had a face like, why would you ask that?
I even get to choose what outfit I wear each day... This truly is royalty....

~end of scene B~

Mr. Steak fucked around with this message at 21:10 on Oct 4, 2019

# ? Oct 4, 2019 05:03

CountryMatters: Apr 8, 2009; IT KEEPS HAPPENING

This has some real creep vibes with the grown-man-in-child-body thing

# ? Oct 4, 2019 08:23

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

CountryMatters posted:

This has some real creep vibes with the grown-man-in-child-body thing

exactly, like this story better not have any romance in it or i might squick out haha. im mainly concerned with what happened to the original liam, and if the story never addresses that then it'll be really fuckin weird lol

# ? Oct 4, 2019 16:19

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Mr. Steak posted:

exactly, like this story better not have any romance in it or i might squick out haha. im mainly concerned with what happened to the original liam, and if the story never addresses that then it'll be really fuckin weird lol

e: im encouraged by the fact that none of the maids are referred to as sexy or voluptuous yet

e: oops that wasnt an edit! lol

# ? Oct 4, 2019 16:29

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

~Interlude~

01.37 posted:

Seeing no clues as to how I could return to my own body, I at least managed to get some information out of the maid by asking her indirect questions.

01.38 posted:

First, yesterday's party.

01.39 posted:

The status of nobility can be passed down for three generations.
Until that third inheritance takes place, the family must provide esteem to the country in order to extend the inheritance, otherwise the name will return to commoner status starting with the fourth generation.

01.40 posted:

The current family head, "my" father Charles Hamilton, is the third generation.
If he doesn't achieve something of merit during his reign, the next generation will be commoners.

01.41 posted:

Apparently, one of the most esteemed services you can do for your country is to have your daughter chosen as the imperial princess.
With that as his goal, Charles had despaired at rearing five consecutive sons, so when the concubine finally bore him a daughter, it's no wonder yesterday's party was so lavish.

01.42 posted:

And therefore, Charles had only two things on his mind; his eldest son and his daughter.

~Scene C~

01.43 posted:

"Eh, we're still nobility either way."

01.44 posted:

Liam's older brother, the family's fourth son Bruno, laughed cynically.
When I considered that he's only a year older than me at thirteen, it came across as rather endearing.
Boys at that age tend to say things they don't understand to try to look cool.

01.45 posted:

I was with Bruno at a tutor in town.

01.46 posted:

In the morning I'd changed my clothes, eaten my breakfast, then came to class with Bruno.
Having already discerned enough about the subject from the maid, I'd asked "What do you think about our little sister?" to which the previous quote was in reply.

01.47 posted:

"As soon as we're finished with school, it'll be open seas ahead for the rest of our days."
"Open seas, huh?"
"Hah, the feeling of total freedom will bring you to tears. The fact that we're even able to be so relaxed while we're at school is yet another privilege of nobility. Which is 'cause we hold the title of Oldest Noble."
"Oldest Noble?"
"We've got the biggest number of generations, which means we've got the biggest honor."
"I see."

01.48 posted:

After another moment, I pieced it together.
The oldest noble... So it'd be a natural choice to extend their inheritance. That must have contributed to yesterday's festivities too.

01.49 posted:

If the emperor or an imperial prince falls in love with a woman of lower status, that woman's entire family also raises in rank. That's standard fare in books and plays.
As an ex-commoner... I know the stories well.

01.50 posted:

I learned a bunch of stuff.

01.51 posted:

I figured stuff out, but...
Seriously... Why the heck did this happen to me?

01.52 posted:

What's happening to the real me? When can I go back?
And what if I can't ever go back......?

I wonder if this is going to get super political in the background. Or like, if this baby daughter is going to be at all relevant to the story it can't actually happen until a ton of years pass story-wise, so I wonder what's the point of those details lol. Also Bruno seems like a bro. It's literally in his name. BRunO the BRO.

This is so classic isekai insofar as i understand what standard isekai tropes are. I don't think you're gonna be going back home anytime soon, so just make like a Zac Efron i guess and live with being 12 again.

# ? Oct 5, 2019 03:24

Paracelsus: Apr 6, 2009; bless this post ~kya

Mr. Steak posted:

The way the story is written, it has these extremely short paragraphs, almost like the story is being tweeted out one post at a time.

Sounds like it's a cell phone novel more than a webnovel. Those were/are actually sent out as text messages.

# ? Oct 5, 2019 04:23

A_Account: Nov 29, 2016; by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

The premise is interesting, I'll probably check in to see where thos goes. Dont let it stop you doing NEET or I will :neet:

you to death!

# ? Oct 5, 2019 15:21

Ruggan: Feb 20, 2007; WHAT THAT SMELL LIKE?!

A_Account posted:

The premise is interesting, I'll probably check in to see where thos goes. Dont let it stop you doing NEET or I will you to death!

# ? Oct 5, 2019 16:01

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

01.53 posted:

"Ho ho ho..."
Accompanied by a laid-back laugh, an elderly man entered the room.
He seemed completely good natured, like if someone badmouthed him, he'd play right along.
He seemed like that kind of old man.

01.54 posted:

"Good day, you two. Let's begin the lesson for today."
"Save the effort, gramps. It won't make a difference no matter how hard you teach me," Bruno replied with a cynical air, acting like he knew everything in the world.

01.55 posted:

"Is that so?"
"Yep, I was born the fourth son of a noble family, so from this point on I can just enjoy life to the fullest."
"......"

01.56 posted:

From now on, enjoy life to the fullest...

01.57 posted:

Maybe I... should try doing that too.

~Scene D~

01.58 posted:

"Magic?"

01.59 posted:

Bruno, having just breezed through our tutoring, responded to my question with a puzzled expression.

01.60 posted:

"Yeah, I want to study magic."
"You're being weird."

01.61 posted:

Despite Bruno's confusion, I had an obvious reason for saying that.

01.62 posted:

Magic is something I knew about prior to the tutoring lesson.
And what I knew was that it was used almost exclusively by the imperial family and nobles, as a weapon.
As an ex-commoner I knew of the existence of magic, and had even seen it used by nobles before, but how to actually use it, or even learn it in the first place, I had no idea.

Ok lol so this is the point where I realize it's not an actual isekai and I totally hosed up the thread title hahaha. At least vanilla fantasy body-swap is a better concept than being isekai'd into a child.

01.63 posted:

When I'd heard Bruno talk about "enjoying life to the fullest," the thing I instantly thought was that I want to learn magic.

01.64 posted:

"Am I not allowed?"
"Nah, you are. The mansion's got an archive, right?"
"Right."

01.65 posted:

Not really understanding, I agreed anyway.
Liam would naturally know about the archive's existence, and I could always get the location later by asking the maids indirectly.

01.66 posted:

"There's grimoires in there, so you can read 'em all you want. Heh, well there's only a one in a hundred chance of mastering it, so I think it's just a waste of effort," Bruno said, befitting his constantly cynical persona, then left the classroom.

01.67 posted:

Having become aware of the archive, I headed straight back to the mansion.
It was a town I'd never been before, and there were lots of sights to see, but my mind was set on the magic.
With that as my motivation, I walked directly to the mansion without distraction.

I like that the writer is only focused on moving the plot along, even when it makes the writing kind of super bare at times. I'm *hoping* that means he has a good idea where the plot is going past the first couple days of updates (which was like 7 chapters), instead of completely stalling out just past the first arc. We'll find out together!

Mr. Steak fucked around with this message at 06:24 on Oct 6, 2019

# ? Oct 6, 2019 06:00

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

01.68 posted:

When I entered the mansion, I was greeted by a maid.

01.69 posted:

"Welcome home, master Liam."
"Where's the archive?"
"Um..."

01.70 posted:

She had an expression like "You don't know?"

01.71 posted:

"Forget it, just take me there."

01.72 posted:

I must have gotten overly excited at Bruno's implication that I can explore wherever I want.
I wasn't able to ask an indirect question at all, and just blurted "Where's the archive" like an idiot.

01.73 posted:

The maid was puzzled, but I was still one she called "master", still the son of a noble despite being only the fifth.

01.74 posted:

She timidly guided me to the archive.

This is so drat silly haha

# ? Oct 6, 2019 07:07

Shadow0: Jun 16, 2008; If to live in this style is to be eccentric, it must be confessed that there is something good in eccentricity.; Grimey Drawer

I hope the first spell he casts swaps his mind back.

# ? Oct 6, 2019 08:55

90s Cringe Rock: Nov 29, 2006

gently caress this mansion!

Oh, sorry, wrong thread.

# ? Oct 6, 2019 09:30

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

01.75 posted:

I was lead to a room with a grand wooden door.
I opened the door and went inside.

01.76 posted:

As soon as the door was opened, a bizarre smell washed over us.

01.77 posted:

"What's that smell?"
"The smell of books, Master. When lots of books are packed together in an enclosed space, this smell happens."
"I see."

01.78 posted:

I quickly realized that this strange new smell of a "book room" was only unfamiliar to be as a commoner, and I entered the room.
The bookshelves were full with the spines of various books.

01.79 posted:

Then I started looking for a certain book.

01.80 posted:

Then I saw it, a book with the title "Elementary Flame Magic".

01.81 posted:

I took it down and opened it.
I started reading from the first page.

01.82 posted:

It started with a wordy, circuitous preface.
Opening with a description of flame magic itself, going on to state that raising temperatures is relatively simple, so one in a hundred people are able to master it.

01.83 posted:

On the other hand, ice magic (though this book pertains to flame magic), that is, the lowering of temperatures, is quite difficult, so only one in a thousand can master it.

01.84 posted:

I started skimming at that point, flipping to the page that talks about how to practice it.

01.85 posted:

First, how to produce a candle-like flame from your fingertip.
How to focus on the task, how to breath, how to move your body... et cetera.
...All that was written in the book.

01.86 posted:

I put them into practice one after another.
I closed my eyes and concentrated just as it had described, breathing in a way I never had before.

01.87 posted:

Then, just as it had described---- energy shot into my fingertip!

01.88 posted:

"Ah! That was magic!"
"Amazing, well done!"
The maid who'd brought me here gave a round of applause.

01.89 posted:

Quivering at the tip of my outstretched finger, was a small candle-like flame.

01.90 posted:

Then I looked up at the bookshelves, overflowing with other magical tomes ---- grimoires.

01.91 posted:

I don't understand a single thing that's happened up until now.
But I just learned magic. And I'll be able to learn a lot more.

01.92 posted:

Even though my life as a noble started out with some stuff I don't understand, I'm getting really excited now.

~End of chapter 01~

Title Card posted:

My Noble Family Is Predicted To Fall Soon, So I May As Well Study Magic

Coming soon: Chapter 02: Flame Magic, Begin

Mr. Steak fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Oct 7, 2019

# ? Oct 7, 2019 02:52

blastron: Dec 11, 2007; Don't doodle on it!

This is the worst possible way to do this and I am very much here for it.

# ? Oct 7, 2019 03:41

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Whoops, I got bored and did the entire second chapter. Here it is.

Chapter 02 posted:

Flame Magic, Begin

~Scene A~

02.01 posted:

Uh, um...

02.02 posted:

The study.
"My" father, Charles Hamilton, was writing something on his elegant workdesk.
Since I'd entered the room, he hadn't once risen his head, constantly writing.

02.03 posted:

"Liam, is it? What do you want?" Charles said, head still lowered.

02.04 posted:

"Um, about the grimoires..."
"The grimoires? Did something happen to them?"
"No, I just wanted to ask if I could borrow one of the grimoires in the archive."

02.05 posted:

I had just perused the book the previous day.
Having become a noble so suddenly, I didn't understand how manners worked or how to speak politely, so I had a very hard time asking permission from Charles.

02.06 posted:

"Borrowing a grimoire, huh? So you want to read it?"
"Yes."
"Do whatever you want."
"Ah, okay. Thank you very much."
"Was there anything else you needed?"
"No, that was all."
"Then please leave. I'm busy."
"Y, yes sir."

02.07 posted:

I turned around and started to leave the study.
I looked back at Charles one last time, still looking down at his desk and writing, never looking this way.

02.08 posted:

I left into the hallway and shut the door behind me.
I went in, we spoke, I left.
And during that time, Charles hadn't once raised his head.

02.09 posted:

He hadn't rejected me though.
He had merely been apathetic.

02.10 posted:

"I think I understand Bruno a little better now."
The pubescent delinquent, with no hope for the future and zero motivation to study... I can empathize with that just a bit.

~Scene B~

02.11 posted:

Having received permission, I took the book from the archive and went out to the mansion's lawn.

02.12 posted:

Since the Hamilton family controlled a large region of land, the residence was more akin to a castle than a mansion.
There was a small forest beyond the gardens, at least big enough to hold a small village or two.
Speaking of which, before I'd left the building I'd flagged down a maid and asked "How far does the Hamilton family own?"
To which the maid gave the incredible reply "As far as the eye can see."

02.13 posted:

Nobles really are incredible, huh.
If the family happens to become commoners, not just all this land, but the mansion itself would be repossessed by the country.
I'd be desperate to keep it too, I thought.

02.14 posted:

I walked straight into the Hamilton-owned forest, found a suitable open space, sat on the ground, and opened the "Elementary Flame Magic" grimoire.

02.15 posted:

Holding the book open with both hands, I studied the contents closely.

02.16 posted:

I concentrated, practicing the breathing methods described, picturing it in my mind.
After about three minutes of continuous concentrating, it appeared before my eyes, one meter in length... a long, thin flame.

02.17 posted:

Blade of fire, one of the beginner flame spells.

02.18 posted:

This magical tome was referred to as a "grimiore" for reasons beyond its use as a mere guidebook.
While holding the grimiore, one can use magic they haven't yet learned, as the tome provides support to the user.

02.19 posted:

However, until you take the time to learn it properly, you can't use it without the grimoire.

02.20 posted:

To test it out in real life I dropped the grimoire, and the blade of fire I'd made instantly vanished.

02.21 posted:

"If I train with this every day, I bet the time it takes to perform the magic will get shorter and shorter, until eventually I've mastered it enough to use it without the book."

02.22 posted:

I read the next page of the grimoire.
I felt like a toddler learning to walk for the first time and relying on a walker.

02.23 posted:

I would keep practicing magic with grimoire for as long as it takes, until I'm able use it freely.

02.24 posted:

The magic I've admired for so long was shockingly easy, so I could understand why the nobles would want to keep such an important asset to themselves.

02.25 posted:

I continued practicing the flaming blade ---- Flame Cutter ---- with the grimoire.
I did absolutely nothing else.

02.26 posted:

Before I'd changed into this body, I had to go to work every day, but Liam doesn't have that problem.

02.27 posted:

Let alone that, he's also the fifth son of a noble.

02.28 posted:

I've always considered hard work to be a shameful thing.

02.29 posted:

Now, with no more need to work, I spent that time practicing magic instead.
I was so happy to be studying the magic I'd yearned after my whole life, so I was out there all day every day practicing.

02.30 posted:

The time between holding the grimoire and making the blade grew shorter each day.
I could feel the sensations clearly, so I could tell the practice was cementing the magic into my body.

02.31 posted:

With each passing day, I continued to practice magic.

~Scene C~

02.32 posted:

"Ah, there you are. So you were playing in a place like this, eh?"
"Huh? Oh, Bruno nii-san."

02.33 posted:

One day, while I was practicing in the forest like always, Bruno showed up.
It had already been a month since I'd become Liam, and I was fairly used to living in the Hamilton family, for better or worse.

02.34 posted:

I was even calling the pubescent Bruno "nii-san" without a hint of discomfort.

02.35 posted:

Bruno put on a mocking expression and swaggered over to me.
"So you're actually practicing magic."
"Yeah, I got Father's permission to use the grimoire."
"Yeah I know that, obviously. That guy's only got one thing on his mind, and that's turning his daughter into the new imperial queen. He doesn't care what happens to us."
"Ahaha..."

02.36 posted:

Bruno was exactly right.
He had been the same since I'd asked for the grimoire.

02.37 posted:

Had never looked me straight in the eyes, and even when I talked to him he brushed me off.

02.38 posted:

"So? What've you learned so far? Show me."
"Okay sure."

02.39 posted:

I placed the grimoire on the ground.
Incidentally, the grimoire had a special material coating that protected it from all damage or soiling except from strong magical attacks.

02.40 posted:

After putting down the grimoire, I closed my eyes, concentrated, and materialized a flaming blade ---- Flame Cutter ---- before our eyes.

02.41 posted:

"And that's pretty much it."
"...Huh?"
"What's wrong, Bruno?"
"Y... you can use magic... without the grimoire?"
"Eh?"
"N, no way. Perfectly learning magic enough that you don't need a grimoire is supposed to take at least a year... And you were able to learn in just a month?"

02.42 posted:

Bruno was overwhelmingly surprised.

~End of chapter 02~

Next: Chapter 03: A Glimpse of Talent

Mr. Steak fucked around with this message at 04:37 on Oct 7, 2019

# ? Oct 7, 2019 04:26

Android Blues: Nov 22, 2008

Weirdly into this story's musing on how wage slaves are unable to enjoy intellectual pursuits to the extent that the idle rich can. You chase your dream, displaced fantasy salaryman.

# ? Oct 7, 2019 08:44

Shadow0: Jun 16, 2008; If to live in this style is to be eccentric, it must be confessed that there is something good in eccentricity.; Grimey Drawer

Android Blues posted:

Weirdly into this story's musing on how wage slaves are unable to enjoy intellectual pursuits to the extent that the idle rich can. You chase your dream, displaced fantasy salaryman.

He also gets the benefit of being a child too. Youth is wasted on the youth.

Starting with fire magic in a library had me really worried.

Also, what's keeping the fallen nobles from revealing magic to the other commoners?

# ? Oct 7, 2019 12:10

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Chapter 03 posted:

A Glimpse of Talent

~Scene A~

03.01 posted:

"How the heck did you learn it so fast!?"
"What do you mean, how?"

03.02 posted:

Bruno was furious and astonished.
Feeling insecure, like I must have done something wrong, I reflected on everything I'd done.

03.03 posted:

"I just came out here every day and did what the grimoire said..."
"So then... that grimoire must be really special, right? Oh wait, don't answer that, it's obvious. We're the Oldest Noble, so naturally we'd have such an awesome treasure in our archive."

03.04 posted:

Bruno started mumbling to himself.
I was feeling pretty awkward from being interrupted, so I just watched him silently for a bit.

03.05 posted:

"Yo Liam, gimme that."
"Oh, okay. Sure"

03.06 posted:

Faced with Bruno's threatening aura again, I handed over the grimoire on Elementary Flame Magic.
Bruno opened it, reading the same pages I'd been reading for a month, and doing the same things.

03.07 posted:

If he's about to practice magic, I should probably--- I started to think.
"Hey Liam."
"Huh?"

03.08 posted:

Bruno stopped me as I was starting to leave.
I turned around, surprised.
What I saw was Bruno staring down at the book with a look of extreme annoyance on his face.

03.09 posted:

Keeping that expression, he began to speak.

03.10 posted:

"All this hard work... You're trying to become the next family head, aren't you?"
"Family head? How?"
"'Because you're the same as Dad."
"...?"

03.11 posted:

The same? As Charles...? As Father...?
In what way were we the same?

03.12 posted:

"You seriously don't know? The reason Dad's been so frantic lately?"
"There's... a reason?"
"I mean, it's common knowledge that once a noble reaches a certain age he picks a successor, right?"
"Right."

03.13 posted:

I actually hadn't known that.
Bruno, having perfectly guessed those thoughts, said "Man, you really don't know? Well, that's in-character for you. Head in the clouds, and all that. Basically, if you wait until you're dead before passing on the headship, that can cause complications. So instead of doing it that way, it's better to hand it down while you're still alive and have political influence, in order to manage whatever complications arise."
"Wow..."

03.14 posted:

I had no idea.
Being a noble sounds like it has its fair share of troubles.

03.15 posted:

"That way there's less conflict among the nobility. Well, also you and I would get to keep living carefree lives."
"I see."
"But yeah, there's just one problem with all that. The moment Dad passes down the headship, we'll become fourth generation, give up our nobility, and fall to common status."
"......Oh."
"Normally, passing on the headship means he'd get to relax having all the decisions made by someone else, but keep all the benefits of his political influence. But now he won't get to do any of it, which is why he's so desperate to change that."

03.16 posted:

I see......
Seriously, now that I think about it, having your family under threat of losing their nobility in the generation after you, that's a difficult situation to be forced into.
You could sort of say that Father's unfortunate situation is similar to my own.

03.17 posted:

I see, so there was a reason after all----

03.18 posted:

"Ahh geez, this is too annoying!"
"Huh?"

03.19 posted:

Bruno was suddenly throwing a tantrum.
Just as I was wondering what happened, he threw the grimoire at me.

03.20 posted:

"No way I could do something so annoying! See ya!" he said, then swaggered off.
"..."

03.21 posted:

I smiled awkwardly.
He hadn't even practiced for ten minutes before giving up.

03.22 posted:

Well anyway, the grimoire was back in my possession.

03.23 posted:

Now I could practice more.

~Scene B~

03.24 posted:

A few days later, I went to the archive.
Since I'd already learned everything in the "Elementary Flame Magic" grimoire, this time I took out "Elementary Ice Magic".

wow ok, ya cocky bastard. it's like the dude knows he's a mary sue lol.

03.25 posted:

Without even waiting to go to the woods, I started practicing immediately.

oh my god.

03.26 posted:

Flame magic can be used by an average of one out of a hundred people, but since lowering temperatures is harder than raising them, ice magic can only be used by one in a thousand.

03.27 posted:

That explanation was easy to understand.

03.28 posted:

It's rather simple to make a fire without the use of magic, but making ice is impossible.
Unless you wait until winter, that is.

03.29 posted:

So naturally, being more difficult, fewer people can use it.

thanks, sherlock.

03.30 posted:

Which is why I was so excited.
Not just the magic I'd yearned for, but difficult ice magic to boot.
It'd be super fun if I can do that too.

03.31 posted:

I walked into the hallway while practicing the ice magic.

03.32 posted:

Like with the flame grimoire, I could stand right there practicing a bunch of spells if I wanted to.
Apparently, since the grimoires are used as auxiliary power, they are most effective when the magic is channeled directly through them.

03.33 posted:

That's also probably why the grimoires all had magic-resistant coatings.

03.34 posted:

So I had no worries when I tried my first spell, but----

03.35 posted:

"Uwah!"

03.36 posted:

I did it wrong, and the grimoire burst into flames.
I was trying to do ice magic, but accidentally set off a fireball on the grimoire.

03.37 posted:

The flaming grimoire shocked me and I dropped it.

03.38 posted:

Then I frantically picked it up and put the fire out.

03.39 posted:

"Who is setting fires in my hallway? Liam?"
"Father!"

03.40 posted:

I began to panic even more.
I looked in the direction of his voice.
Father was speaking to his attendant while heading this way.

03.41 posted:

He was probably on his way somewhere.
I thought that because, as always, Father's eyes were not looking at me.

03.42 posted:

"Don't use fire in the hallways. ...Is that a grimoire?"
"Yes."
"Elementary Ice Magic... Hm? Wasn't that fire just now?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. Ice magic is hard, so I accidentally released flame magic."
"I see... Wait, what did you say?"

03.43 posted:

Father, who had just walked past, stopped and looked at me.

03.44 posted:

This was the first time our eyes had met.

03.45 posted:

"You are... studying magic?"
"...Yes."

03.46 posted:

Unsure of which answer he'd prefer, I decided to agree.
After all, he did give me permission to use the grimoire... Had he forgotten?

03.47 posted:

Father stared at me for a short while.

03.48 posted:

"If you used it without the grimoire, that means you've mastered flame magic? When did you start your studies?"
"A month ago."
"One month!?"

03.49 posted:

Father was astonished.

03.50 posted:

"You're telling me you learned magic in a single month?"
"Yes."
"Could this be... latent talent?"

03.51 posted:

Father stared at me.
Those were eyes I hadn't seen since the night I'd first woken up as Liam, the night of the banquet.

03.52 posted:

They were almost exactly the same as the night his daughter was born.

~End chapter 3~

theres still no clear sign of where this is going... but here's more setup i guess.

# ? Oct 14, 2019 02:37

Gwyneth Palpate: Jun 7, 2010; Do you want your breadcrumbs highlighted?

~SMcD

yer a wizard liam

# ? Oct 14, 2019 03:04

Ruggan: Feb 20, 2007; WHAT THAT SMELL LIKE?!

So basically a teen magic fantasy

# ? Oct 14, 2019 13:38

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Ruggan posted:

So basically a teen magic fantasy

you might be on to something!

btw im gonna be disappointed if bruno doesn't end up tempted by dark magic or something and becoming the villain

# ? Oct 14, 2019 13:51

Mr. Steak: May 9, 2013; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Liam: Yay, my distant fake-dad loves me now because he can use me for political gain!

# ? Oct 23, 2019 22:48

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 25, 2024 20:02

k4kk01: May 6, 2013

I really want to believe he'll combine his magic obsession with his facial hair obsession and either:
A. set his (eventually acquired) beard on fire
or
B. create a beard for himself out of ice.

Excited to watch his dad ham-handedly use him as a pawn in some ridiculous scheme (arranged marriage to acquire power?).

# ? Oct 24, 2019 04:06

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > VEGETA > I'm translating an isekai webnovel in real-time (SA-exclusive!)