#translation (thanks to deepl): what are you talking about?

[general-kalani]

"O chem vy govorite?- Fuck I did it again! Fuck it!"

Ignore him Raz, he's having a moment.

[dunium]

With my recent discovery of this concept sketch of Ky from the 10th Memorial Book, as well as discussion about it, I actually wanted to talk about some of the misconceptions had with Ky's eye and its relation to his Gear Cells.

Long story short, we know very little about it.

The first time we hear about any issues regarding his eye is in Sol's Overture Material Collection short story. The eye patch is mentioned once, but never directly explained. It's also stated to be on the opposite eye in this image and that his Dragon Install is on. There's a claim that Ky's short story mentions a training accident that explains the eye patch, but it doesn't. The eye patch is only mentioned in Sol's, with no explanation. (Thank you @solradguy for these translations!) The other main theory is what I kindly dub the "Eye Swap Theory." Basically, people believe Ky has one of Sin's eyes. This one is a bit weird in all honestly. The main reason people believe it is because of a line added in the English GG World text for Dragon Install

The Japanese text says pretty much the same as the first paragraph of the English text. A very very rough translation through DeepL:

"A technique in which Sol removes the Gear Cell Suppressor and activates the Gear's original power. It can produce extremely powerful power, but Sol hates using it in the dark because it makes his emotional suppression ineffective. Also, each time Sol uses this technique, the growth of the ‘seed’ that lies dormant inside him accelerates, and changes appear in his appearance and abilities."

Regardless, it does not have that second line about Sin or Ky that the English text has. I have no good explanation to why it was added only in the English localization. It is not present in the Korean text either. I haven't check other languages. In my personal opinion, it’s hard to say that this factually the cause due to it only appearing in some translations. The only actual reasoning we are given for Ky's Gear Cells is a vague answer from Daisuke in a Famitsu Q&A where he is specifically asked about Ky's Dragon Install, and specifically asked if Sin was involved. Daisuke responded: " この場でお話することはできないのですが……。ディズィーとカイの関係が影響しているのは間違いありません。これ以上はご勘弁を（笑）。"

Basically, he says he can't talk about it here, but "The relationship between Dizzy and Ky is definitely an influence." In conclusion...we really don't know much about Ky's Gear Cells or his Dragon install haha... We know he wore an eye patch prior to Overture. We know he exhibits a red eye, regenerative abilities, and inhuman strength by Xrd. We know by strive he has a partial Dragon Install and claims to have the "Blood of Juno." No exact reasoning for any of these is fully given and information is confusing. Honestly, it seems like many plans were changed, or rewritten, but its hard to say. The 10th Memorial book does not mention it to my knowledge. It's fun to speculate though!

[simowis]

Javik's past, and his former comrades.

I tried to draw the Protheans differently, they used to be all over the galaxy, and the citizens of each starfield should look different. head carapace, skin colour, markings and maybe other aspects.

and with a short episode:

______

They had just entered 'adulthood'. Nowadays, the age of 'adulthood' for citizens of the Imperial Era seemed to be 'juvenile' as defined in previous eras.

Javik had just been promoted. Now the three remaining protheans in the team were all his men.

"Share, share, share. No one should keep the good news to themselves. Fin' said and put his hand on, and 'Blade', of course, put his elbow on Javik's shoulder.

He didn't push back and immediately closed his eyes to relive all the passages of his promotion,  including the excitement he couldn't contain as he made his way back to camp.

"Ah~~that's nice, even better when it's me". 'Fin' grinned. Not at all like a subordinate facing a superior.

Javik winked: "Don't worry, I'll see what goodies this new rank can get later. Everybody will share it!"

'Blade' nodded at him: "Don't come back with food again. Get me the latest accessories for my lasergun!

"In your dreams". Javik didn't even look at him. There weren't many resources in this war zone, they often took the weapons of fallen comrades or enemies and dismantled them.

'Blade' nudged him as he flashed a small Echo shard. "Check it out, I've got contact details for some of your old comrades-in-arms."

…………

"She's checking in again, it's good she's on the home front." Fin' read the tiny bit of information in this fragment together with Javik.

Javik sighed in relief, "I'm glad she's all right, it's a pity we're getting further and further apart, it would be nice to see her again in the future."

'Fin' grinned wickedly, "You can wait until the season comes up to find her, yay~"

"Hush! What are you talking about?"

'Blade' threw the shard towards Javik, "Go tell her the good news about getting promoted."

Javik caught it in his hand. "Thanks, I'll check the accessories for you."

"Hee hee, cool dude." 'Blade' ran off to service his gun. He really liked guns.

*Translated by DeepL

_______

[niiix-ed]

self-projecting bc my music theory class is killing me (:

also, this is my first time writing on here so pls bear with me 🫶🏼

nerd!miguel x music nerd!reader (assumed that reader can understand spanish)

cw: maybe slightly suggestive if you squint, light swearing, spanish translated from the DeepL app

You sniffle softly, looking down at your notebook paper. You look back at your music theory textbook and groan, confused and frustrated by what is asked of you. Miguel turns around towards you, his eyes softening as he fixes his thick crooked glasses and gets up from the chair.

“Oh no, what’s wrong?” He asks softly, leaning down towards you, placing his warm hand on your shoulder and rubbing it gently.

“You wouldn’t get it” you groan, wiping away your tears from your cheeks and setting down your pencil. “Oye, háblame” He says, picking up your textbook and notebook and setting it aside so he can sit down next to you. “Honestly, I should not be crying over music. You know I absolutely love music, what you study is way fucking harder than me” You chuckle softly, while Miguel shakes his head. “No, no. Just like how you’re passionate about your music, I’m passionate about quantum physics. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get me frustrated, yea?” He whispers, kissing your forehead softly, making your face warm.

“I understand, thanks for listening” You hum, leaning your head on his shoulder. “Tell me about what you’re studying” Miguel says, picking up your textbook and looking at the page labeled ‘Two part writing & species counterpoint’. “Damn, where do I even start?” You laugh, looking over at him as you take the textbook from his hands. “Well, the assignment I was crying over was writing a counterpoint for the melodies that are given. I was crying because there’s so many restrictions I have to follow when writing it out” You huff out, about to start ranting about how boring the line you’re writing is. “Like, this time period of music is so damn boring but this professor doesn’t want us to repeat certain up and down notations so I have no idea what the hell I’m doing right now and when I go to sleep, I wonder at night why the fuck I chose to major in Music theory!” You chuckle, tears starting to well up in your eyes again.

Miguel pouts softly, unable to see you upset. “Por favor cálmate bebé, vamos a tomar un descanso, ¿de acuerdo?” He whispers softly, cradling your head as he clears your bed, putting your stuff on the floor and pulling you closer to his chest. You sniffle once more, closing your eyes as you listen closely to his beating heart. “Mig?” You whisper, your hand resting on his torso. “Yes?” He asks, his voice a bit shaky. You shift your body up, hooking your leg over his lap and sitting down on his thighs. “Could you hold me like this?” You ask shyly, lying down on his chest.

“Hell yea” He whispers, utterly whipped for you.

Translations:

Oye, háblame - hey, talk to me

Por favor cálmate bebé, vamos a tomar un descanso, ¿de acuerdo? - Please calm down baby, let's take a break, okay?

[an-aroaces-harem]

Ellis Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I just deepl and google translated my way through this because I wanted to know what’s going on, so there are definitely mistakes but I believe I managed the general gist of the story. Anyway, it’s just a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes. Ikemen Villains belongs to Cybird.

Another note: I know Ikemen Villains is set in victorian London, but I will use the japanese suffixes because I prefer them.

Ellis: Guard?

At the breakfast table, Victor was told of my unexpected first job as a ‘fairytale writer’.

Victor: Yes! Jude and Ellis protect Kate, so that our secret is safe.

Victor: Kate was able to observe and record Ellis and Jude up close …

Victor: She can also fulfill her duties as a ‘fairytale writer’, killing two birds with one stone!

Ellis: If it’s okay with Kate-san, it’s okay with me.

Ellis: I don’t know if something like yesterday will happen again, so … I want to stay close to Kate-san.

Victor smiles at Ellis-kun’s response and then looks to Jude-san.

Victor: Of course, Jude will take responsibility, right? You hate making loans, don’t you?

Jude: Tch …

(Although I think I’d feel safer if I stayed close to Ellis-kun …)

I was mistakenly identified as ‘Jude Jazza’s woman’, and my life was threatened just because I was with Ellis-kun …

I can’t help but be wary of Jude.

Jude: Don’t cry when you get scared, princess.

(I’m scared … but Victor made a good suggestion, so I can’t be timid here.)

Kate: Don’t worry, I’m surprisingly resilient!

Jude: … Hah!

Jude-san snickered at my best smile and looked down at the newspaper.

Ellis: Then, it’s decided.

Kate: Yes, thank you very much.

When I smiled at Ellis-kun, he smiled back softly, unlike Jude-san.

Ellis: Speaking of which, you can speak in a more informal manner.

Kate: Eh …

Ellis: A “yeah, thank you” would be nice.

Kate: U-um, yeah … thank you.

Ellis: Hmm, that’s nice.

The air of warmth that Ellis-kun exudes is soothing and relaxing …

Victor: Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s get right to the task at hand.

Victor’s words made my spine straighten.

(This is my first real job as a ‘fairytale writer’.)

I brace myself, thinking that the first step is the most important thing in order to earn people’s trust.

Victor: I actually want you to gather some information.

Victor: We’ve been talking about kidnappings all over London.

Kate: Is this … a kidnapping case?

The disturbing words brought back the nervousness that was etched into my skin when I first met the members of ‘Crown’.

Victor: Yes. The ages vary. From toddlers to teenagers, and, of course, adults.

Victor: The common denominator is that most of the adults are prostitutes and street performers.

Victor: The songstresses who were once popular at bars have disappeared … but there are many people who don’t have a fixed address.

Jude: The victims are not very nice people, and since they don’t have a permanent address, they can’t be reported missing.

Jude: And, as usual, the police refuses to act.

Sadly, as Jude-san says, those who work in the entertainment district are looked down upon.

Behind the salubrious world, they are treated as if they are being swept away.

Victor: So here’s the thing …

Victor: Did you know that there’s an art fair in London right now that attracts performers?

Kate: Yes. It’s not as busy as the social season, but it’s pretty lively.

Victor: I want Jude and Ellis to go out there and gather information.

Victor: They’re rootless, but they’re more connected horizontally than you’d think.

Jude: Why do I have to go, too? Such a pointless mission.

Victor: I’m wondering if it might have something to do with the human traffickers that you just took down in private.

Victor: You’re on board, right? And … I heard today is your first vacation in a while.

It was information that Victor couldn’t have known unless someone had told him …

Jude-san cursed right next to him.

Jude: … Ellis.

Ellis: He asked me, so I answered honestly. Sorry.

(Maybe the power balance between these two is more equal than you think …)

Victor: So, have a good day!

Victor’s cheerful voice sent us off on our way to our mission.

(It’s even more crowded this time …!)

Appetizing aromas waft from the gorgeous stalls lined up at the art fair venue.

It’s not just the food that makes people happy.

There were people painting on the streets and others performing on large stages set up on street corners.

Walking along the street, one can almost smell the lively and joyful atmosphere.

(I’m totally excited and need to focus on the task at hand.)

(Yes, let’s listen to them now.)

Kate: Ellis-kun, Jude-san, can you tell me about your curses?

Ellis: I don’t remember if we’ve talked about that yet.

Ellis: I’m cursed with the curse of ‘thorns’ and Jude is the ‘13th Fairy’.

Ellis: It’s the curse that became the motif of ‘Sleeping Beauty’.

(The curse of thorns and the curse of the 13th Fairy …)

The 13th Fairy is a villain who resents not being invited to the princess’ birthday and tries to kill her with a curse.

(I can kind of understand why the fairy is guilty, but …)

(What is the sin of ‘thorns’?)

As I was thinking about it, Jude-san stopped and looked back at me, unamused.

Jude: We three don’t have to get along with each other. You go gather information on your own.

Ellis: But, what about guarding Kate-san?

Jude: You alone are enough.

After saying this, he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Kate: … Does he hate me, even if he doesn’t have to?

Ellis: He’s like that to everyone, so maybe he doesn’t hate you.

Ellis: Maybe so Kate-san won’t be in danger if she’s seen with him again.

(Hmm, that’s not going to happen …?)

I swallow the words that are about to come out of my throat.

Kate: … If that’s the case, he’s a pretty kind person, right?

Ellis: I don’t think he’s nice. He loves to make people he doesn’t like suffer and hear them scream.

Kate: …

(I’m afraid I can imagine it …)

He is the complete opposite of Ellis-kun, who spreads kindness to everyone he meets.

As if to prove this point, after we left Jude-san, he was approached by people from all over the place.

Red-faced man: Oh, you! Thanks for taking care of me the other day!

Ellis: You’re welcome. Don’t drink too much today.

Kate: This person is …?

Ellis: He was drunk on the street, so I carried him home on my back. I don’t know his name.

Kate: Oh!

(Did you bring a stranger home and even take care of him?)

And that’s not all that’s surprising …

Furniture Craftsman: Ellis introduced me to people that helped me get my business off the ground! I’m so glad he did!

Student with glasses: Good to see you again! I’d like to thank you for helping me repair my bicycle, and I’d like to get your contact information …

Cat: Meow.

Ellis: You’re welcome.

(Even the cat thanks you …!?)

(I can’t believe so many people thanked him in passing …)

It just goes to show how many good deeds Ellis-kun usually does.

Kate: You know more people than me, who works as a postwoman …!

Ellis: I don’t know. I think it’s normal.

Seeing them smiling at him, Ellis-kun also smiled happily.

(I’m sure things like what you did for me yesterday are really ordinary things for you, Ellis-kun.)

When he sees someone in need, he extends a helping hand to anyone.

A person who sprinkles happiness.

These words came to mind as I watched Ellis-kun happily chatting with the people of the town.

(I wonder if there’s any ‘sin’ I should write about such a person …)

(Or rather …)

(Why does such a kind person work for an assassination organization or in the company of someone like Jude-san?)

Even though I have witnessed so much of his kindness … the doubts that suddenly come to mind make my heart flutter.

Ellis: Kate-san, Kate-san.

Kate: … Oh, I’m sorry! I was thinking.

Before I knew it, Ellis-kun was tilting his head and peering into my face from nearby …

Ellis: You’re thinking about me?

Kate: … Eh!?

Like two lovers looking into each other’s eyes, my heart pounds as he stares at me, so close that we’re almost touching each other.

(Ellis-kun doesn’t seem to be aware of it, but … the distance between us seems to be very close.)

The same was true when he visited me in my room the morning after they took me to Crown Castle.

This is the second time I’ve been this close to his twilight eyes, and I look away as I feel a warmth radiating through me.

Ellis: Oh, I guessed correctly.

Kate: How do you know?

Ellis: Hmm … somehow?

Ellis smiles and hands me a mug with steam rising from it.

Ellis: While Kate-san was thinking about me, I got a milk tea from the store there.

Ellis: Thank you for helping me with the delivery the other day.

(… Ellis-kun, I’m afraid …)

Ellis-kun pushes away his curly hair and takes a sip of his milk tea with a sigh.

Ellis: If you have any questions, just ask.

Kate: … Yes.

Ellis: “Yeah”, right?

Kate: … Ellis-kun, why are you a member of Crown?

Ellis: Is it because Victor recruited Jude and Jude said yes?

(Does that mean that since Jude-san is a member, Ellis-kun is a member as well …?)

Kate: Why are you with Jude-san?

Ellis: You’re full of questions.

Ellis-kun smiles and wraps his hands around the mug.

Ellis: Before I met Jude, I was living from place to place.

Ellis: I happened to meet Jude when I came to London.

Ellis: A lot of things happened, and I made a promise.

Kate: Promise …?

Ellis: In exchange for working for him, Jude will do me a favor.

Ellis: So … until then, we’re in this together.

The feeling that something might happen when I listen to him makes my heart beat wildly.

Kate: What did you ask for, Ellis-kun …?

Ellis: It’s …

Performer with flashy hat: What!?

(Eh …!?)

I was surprised by the loud voice, and when I turned my head, it seemed that right behind me was the back of a special stage.

The performer was scratching his head in confusion.

Performer with flashy hat: Can’t you two come? … Oh god …!

(He probably means two other performers …)

Kate: Ellis-kun.

Ellis: … Hm.

… “The common denominator is that most of the adults are prostitutes and street performers.”

We exchanged glances and stepped toward the distressed-looking performer.

Kate: Um, excuse me.

Performer with flashy hat: Hmm? Yeah, I’m sorry, but I have to be onstage in 10 minutes!

Ellis: You just said two people couldn’t come …

Performer with flashy hat: The I was supposed to perform with have been out of touch.

Performer with flashy hat: How many people and days does this take … It’s been a bit strange lately.

(No communication and more than one person …)

(If we could talk to this person, we might learn something.)

Ellis: I’d love to hear more about it, if you don’t mind.

Performer with flashy hat: I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for this right now! I have to think quickly about what performance I can do on my own.

After waving us away … he stared at us again, as if a thought had just occurred to him.

Performer with flashy hat: Unless you guys are willing to help me stage it.

Performer with flashy hat: Haha! What a surprise. No matter how much we’re in need of manpower, we can’t just bring in a bunch of amateurs.

He shook his head as if to say it was a momentary distraction, and Ellis closed the distance between them lightly.

Ellis: Cooperation? What do I have to do?

Performer with flashy hat: Haha! What’s the matter with you? I’m just kidding.

Ellis: But if cooperate, you’ll tell me the details, right?

Performer with flashy hat: … What, are you just a couple of guys who are looking for something new?

He stared at us, his good-natured face twisted in puzzlement.

Performer with flashy hat: But, you know, selling information about your friends is a risky proposition.

Performer with flashy hat: I can’t even guarantee that you guys don’t have bad intentions. After all, we’ve never met before.

Kate: How do we get people to trust us?

Performer with flashy hat: I guess so …

Performer with flashy hat: If you’re not going to complain about being the target of a knife-thrower or being tied up and dunked in a tank, then …

Performer with flashy hat: I wouldn’t mind trusting you.

(Target of a knife-thrower …!?)

Ellis: No problem. I’m good at that.

Unlike me, who was perplexed, Ellis-kun proceeded with the negotiations without fear.

(As expected, having been involved in business negotiations with Jude-san, he is used to the situation …)

I thought that Ellis-kun had cooperated with the show and that negotiations had been concluded, but … reality wasn’t so sweet.

Performer with flashy hat: Tsk, tsk, tsk … you can’t do it alone, boy. You’ve got to help me out, too.

Kate: What …!

Ellis: … Why?

Performer with flashy hat: Of course, it’s for the show!

Performer with flashy hat: A tragedy that tears lovers apart, followed by an emotional finale! You’re sure to get a big cheer out of this one.

(Knife throwing … tied up … tank …)

Ellis-kun peeked at me with concern as I grew increasingly pale.

Ellis: Kate-san, you don’t have to do this.

(He was the target of Victor’s knife-throwing, and I’m sure Ellis-kun will be fine.)

I would never be able to duplicate his extraordinary physical abilities …

It’s up to me to get information from this person.

(In this case, I have no choice but to trust Ellis-kun and this performer …)

Kate: I understand. I will cooperate.

⤷ next chapter

[spanishskulduggery]

"It's like an empanada, but on bread." DeepL translates this as "Es como una empanada, pero de pan." Not "en pan" or "encima de pan", or even "con pan". Any idea why this would be "de"? What other things follow this pattern? Thanks!

This actually took longer to answer than I thought because so much of what I was thinking is just based on instinct and what I've seen

-

I think it's a limitation of the translation

First, empanada is hard to translate properly because empanado/a means "breaded", or it refers to something that is covered with bread or has bread on all sides like a dumpling, a pot pie, etc. All can come out as empanado/a

Secondly, I personally would not write it that way because empanada de pan kind of sounds like either you're specifically talking about the dough or that the bread is a star here. My instinct is like that reads as if you're talking about pan as an ingredient... OR I could maybe see it as meaning "made with wheat flour" rather than corn masa

Because third, de (algo) is typically how you describe food where it's the main star... like helado de cereza means "cherry ice cream" like that's the main taste; and if you said helado con cereza(s) "ice cream with cherries" I would assume that they were either mixed after the ice cream was made or there's a cherry on top

A lot of things will list the main ingredient that way like sopa de tomate "tomato soup" rather than a "soup with tomato", or caldo de res "beef broth/soup"

If I said empanada de pollo I would think "okay it's an empanada and the main ingredient is chicken", rather than something like empanada de cebolla y queso "cheese and onion empanada", or una tortilla de jamón y queso "ham and cheese omelet"

(But this does sometimes depend; I've seen arepa con queso more than I've seen arepa de queso but I think both make sense? And some specific foods are more one specific phrase like arroz con leche is literally "rice with milk" but it's the standard expression for "rice pudding")

...

Me personally the way I'm reading it is that you're trying to say that it tastes like the filling of an empanada [el relleno is "filling"], but on bread

In which case I would say es como (el relleno de) una empanada sobre pan because sobre "on/on top of" is more generally how you talk about sandwiches on a menu

You can also then specify some people say like sobre pan de trigo "on wheat bread", so a menu might be like pavo y queso sobre pan de trigo "turkey and cheese on wheat bread" or un reuben sobre pan de centeno "a reuben on rye bread"

...

This may be my own personal understanding, but when it comes to food de + algo is like "that's the main flavor", con + algo makes it seem like something comes with it or it accompanies it... And I'm not sure I would use encima "on top of"

encima makes it seem like it was placed on top, rather than "it is on" the way like una cereza encima del postre "a cherry on top of the dessert" or con una cereza encima "with a cherry on top"... it feels more like I am actively pointing out its position, and with food specifically it reads as "this is a garnish" to me but that could just be me

So if I saw empanada con pan I would think "this is an empanada and they're giving me bread too", but if I saw empanada de pan my instinct would be thinking it's like a Thanksgiving bread stuffing inside of fried dough

[inferiorbeing]

Being this time of year, I wanted to share my translation of Oz's letter to Echo from the 15th anniversary event and her response because I haven't seen it anywhere else and frankly I need to finally scream over it publicly.

DISCLAIMER: I do not know Japanese. I ran these through Google Translate, DeepL, and a website or two. But, as you can see, I used multiple sources on multiple occasions months apart, which adjusted the results due to the updates the tools had gotten. I've chipped away at this for about 18 months. Also, I really focused on specific research for a few words, which I note below. I hope this makes it as accurate as it can possibly be.

I apologize for the image quality, my scanner is broken.

To Eko-chan, ……Writing a letter to Eko-chan is….kind of nerve-wracking. Sorry if there are any typos. That day when we went to see the St. Bridget’s Day festival together, you said that you were “just an echo”. When I first met you, I might have said, “That’s not true!”, But now I think, “That’s fine.” Whether or not it’s a reverberation, Eko-chan is the one and only beautiful sound to me. ……This is second-hand from Gil. I was happy when he said “There’s nothing wrong with being fake” to me. When I’m with you, it’s different from when I’m with Alice or Gil. It makes me feel kind of uneasy. I want you to show me different emotions such as “happiness” or “joy”. Like the fireworks we saw that day, I want to go look at the sights you don’t know about together. Hehe… So, at that time, ———will you let me take your hand again? “Echo.”

To Oz-sama, Thank you for your letter. No one has ever sent a letter to me personally. I was very surprised. I was even more surprised by the content. Oz-sama, a lot of the sentences you wrote were embarrassing to read. Do you know how many times I had to stop reading because my face got hot? The rest is not well-explained. You said when you’re with me, “it makes me feel kind of uneasy,” but what does that mean? It’s a strange coincidence, but when I’m with you, I also feel “uneasy” and it's something I can't even describe, so please tell me the true meaning of that word next time.

NOTES:

唯一 無二 [Yuiistu Muni] — I invariably got this as "one and only" until recently. While that's what I see listed as the translation first in most cases, I also see it means "unique" or "irreplaceable" and the like. So it could also be something like "uniquely beautiful".

むず痒い [Muzugayui] — This word has become my arch-nemesis. The main translation I find is "itchy", which just does not make sense in English sentences. I've also found it can mean "creepy" or "uneasy feeling", and a friend who looked into it for me saw someone say it can mean an indescribable state of mind. I went through several options before I settled on "uneasy".

君 [Kimi] — After learning about the various words for "you" and their meanings recently, I revisited this just to see which ones I saw here. I kind of lost it when I found this at the end of Oz's letter. Now, this can be used in several circumstances (in another letter, I saw him use it in a quote from Break), but it can be used by a boy talking to his girlfriend. I will also note that I have no reference to the Japanese text in the manga, so for all I know this is what he normally says to her and I'm overreacting.

エコー [Echo] — I just wanted to note that these were actually voiced at the events apparently. So I like to think about that at the end of his letter...

私 [Watashi] — Because it's noteworthy, Echo uses a first-person pronoun, which she only does after that "I am" moment in the story, I'm told.

Now, some background. I was ordering various things from the event, including the booklet which contains the Letters From Oz to the main cast, and a few of the random pack responses, which I was extremely lucky to get Echo’s from.

I actually got the responses first, which meant I was left guessing on what Oz wrote. Without context, I really couldn't decipher the results very well. I thought there might be a vague reference to the ship, which is Word of God confirmed canon, but neither of them had any clue yet.

But, then I got Oz's letter. I think I literally screamed when I was reading the first pass through Google. It makes me so upset that you see next to nothing of them in canon, and literally nothing in the official artwork. The fact that you only get to see Echo with her abusers just enrages me.

"But Noise is feeling better." NO. It's not okay, it's not nice. She deserves so much better both inside and out of canon. Don't even get me started on Vincent...

Anyway, I'm very happy because this is the closest there is to having Something for them in the midst of that literal nothing.

EDIT: WOW THANKS TUMBLR, apparently my draft posted when I wasn't actually finished getting this together. There may be a few other changes. Sigh...

EDIT 2: Okay, this is the final version. Sorry about that.

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

About This Account...

Hi, I'm gayuu and I post translations on otome games that are not localized. Mainly Ikemen series, but I also wouldn't mind posting about games from other companies if I enjoy it. This account in particular is for Ikemen Villains.

My translations are not 100% accurate because I use translators. The apps that I currently use for translating my stories are: Google Translate and DeepL translator

The stories that I post here are mostly NSFW because...you know. So if you're a minor, be an honest person and don't follow my blog. I have no energy to go around, asking people their age and block them individually.

I used to be very open about my thoughts and opinion of game stories and its characters and I love to poke fun at them with my sarcasm and dark humor. I have to say this out LOUD and make myself clear just in case anyone finds me annoying and insensitive. If even after saying all of this, you're still offended, then @ga-yuu is my main account, go block that account too.

I have decided to focus on only translating stories and not do anything else. That includes, answering your 'asks', messages or if anyone tags me for something, route reviews, opinions etc. You are only allowed to reblog, like and reply on my posts if they are good or if they are shit. I'll only accept feedbacks to improve on my translations.

I don't want to be a trigger to anyone's mental damage, so being anonymous is best for me and everyone. So don't talk to me no matter what, even if it's to encourage me or scold me.

I hope I made myself clear, if not read again

Thank you.

[ga-yuu]

About This Account...

Hi, I'm gayuu and I post translations on otome games that are not localized. Mainly Ikemen series, but I also wouldn't mind posting about games from other companies if I enjoy it.

My translations are not 100% accurate because I use translators. The apps that I currently use for translating my stories are: Google Translate and DeepL translator

The stories that I post here are mostly NSFW because...you know. So if you're a minor, be an honest person and don't follow my blog. I have no energy to go around, asking people their age and block them individually.

I used to be very open about my thoughts and opinion of game stories and its characters and I love to poke fun at them with my sarcasm and dark humor. I have to say this out LOUD and make myself clear just in case anyone finds me annoying and insensitive. If even after saying all of this, you're still offended, then @gayuu-the-necromancer is my 2nd account, go block that account too.

I have decided to focus on only translating stories and not do anything else. That includes, answering your 'asks', messages or if anyone tags me for something, route reviews, opinions etc. You are only allowed to reblog, like and reply on my posts if they are good or if they are shit. I'll only accept feedbacks to improve on my translations.

I don't want to be a trigger to anyone's mental damage, so being anonymous is best for me and everyone. So don't talk to me no matter what, even if it's to encourage me or scold me.

I hope I made myself clear, if not read again

Thank you.

[ao3feed-clexafic]

A new world

Read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/58845961 by Camille26 Clarke doesn't have the life she'd hoped for, but what happens when it all makes sense, only to fall apart right behind? They start talking about an epidemic, something highly contagious, but nobody really takes it seriously. But maybe they should have, because the whole world is about to change... I'm sorry if everything written is not accurate. English not being my native language, I translate with Deepl. Thank you for your understanding :) Words: 2267, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: The 100 (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con Categories: F/F, Multi Characters: Lexa (The 100), Clarke Griffin, Abby Griffin, Luna (The 100), Raven Reyes (The 100), Anya (The 100), Ontari (The 100), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Indra (The 100) Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa Additional Tags: Zombie Apocalypse, Clarke Griffin and Lexa in Love, Lexa Has a Penis (The 100), Smut, Bisexual Clarke Griffin, Protective Lexa (The 100), Clarke Griffin & Raven Reyes are Best Friends, Anya Has a Penis (The 100), Survival, Betrayal, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pictures Read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/58845961

[true-blue-sonic]

What exactly is Silver's dynamic with Blaze? Specifically in Sonic 06, Colors and Team Sonic Racing?

I gave this some thought last night, because I feel like their dynamic between games is actually a bit different. Let's see!

Starting with Sonic '06, there is a bio that mention Blaze sees Silver as a 'younger brother': a Japanese bio for '06 has the term 弟 or otouto in it, which is a way to refer to a younger brother. Specifically, the translation from DeepL I get says "Blaze is strict with [her]self and shy around other people, but [s]he has feelings for Silver, whom [s]he works with, as a companion and like a younger brother." In general, Blaze seems to be the calming factor to Silver's more impulsive and hot-headed nature. She tells him to calm down when he expresses frustration about Iblis' undefeatability after the first battle with it, in the boss battles she's the one who comes in with warnings and tips on how to defeat monsters (e.g. telling him Iblis' weak spot is his head, or that Silver can destroy the armoured parts of the Egg-Genesis), and generally she's just a focused presence that motivates Silver to stick to his mission to save the future.

So generally, in '06 they are shown to have a close bond: for example, in the Test of Friendship Silver needs to undergo, Blaze is the one captured, and she gives him a very genuine-sounding "Silver, thank you." when she is freed again. She furthermore has clear trust in Silver, following him without a doubt when he presents to her a final plan to defeat Iblis that he is sure will work. Similarly, Silver is stated to be "young and somewhat immature" in an interview with Nakamura: he benefits from Blaze's calm demeanour and the fact she helps keep him on track. He is furthermore clearly distraught at the prospect of Blaze sacrificing herself to save the world, doubtfully asking if she is his friend (which Blaze doesn't answer directly, but I think the sentiment is a clear yes, she is, and she likes his naive nature. They say approximately the same in both Japanese and English, though Japanese does not state anything about Silver 'not knowing what to do' without Blaze.). Whether Silver sees Blaze as an older sister or just as a close companion, I cannot say exactly, though. But one thing is for certain: Silver benefits from having Blaze nearby him to keep him focused, and Blaze is similarly fond and trusting of him in turn.

And then the events of '06 got basically wiped, with Silver and Blaze's history alongside it. The first time they are shown meeting again in the games is Sonic Colours DS (where I'm not counting Mario & Sonic Winter DS). And in this game, their dynamic is actually a bit different! What happens is that Orbot and Cubot challenge Blaze and Silver to a fight in Eggman's amusement park, and promptly get trounced. Silver and Blaze lament that it wasn't a challenge in the slightest, but interestingly, in both the Success and Triumph endings, Blaze and Silver almost begin one-upping each other for a bit:

Succes:

Tails: I almost feel bad that those robots picked a fight with you two. Sonic: Heh, talk about unlucky. Silver: Right? Blaze: Don't exaggerate. I merely defended myself. And it was soon obvious how weak they were. I pulled my punches. Sonic: THAT was pulling punches? Yeesh.

Triumph:

Sonic: I'm still just surprised at how persistent those robots are. Tails: You're sure you guys are all right? Blaze: I could handle the likes of those two all day. Silver: Seriously. I could take care of those two myself, easy. Blaze: I could handle them by myself as well! Tails: Easy, guys. We're all friends here, and you work together well. Sonic: Yeah, you guys were in perfect synch. Blaze: Hmph. I suppose it was an easier fight with your help. Silver: It almost felt like we've paired up before. Tails: Wow, maybe you guys were partners somewhere, some time. I guess anything is possible!

Especially in Triumph, we see that Silver begins to almost brag ("Seriously" and "easy") about how he could have taken care of the robots himself, causing Blaze to defensively react that she could have done so by herself as well. I could be entirely wrong, but I do not recall an instance in '06 where the two of them were so competitive together, or almost disregarding of the other's efforts for a second. In other words, in Colours DS they do not seem to think that they needed the other there to help out... but the very moment an indication comes that they were fighting well together, Blaze relents and says that Silver's help was valuable to her all the same. In a kind of gruff, not very flattering way ("I suppose it..."), but definitely there. And Silver is the one who proceeds to point out that they feel familiar to the other, in a clear reference to '06.

What I think can be concluded from this game is that the alleged brother-sister relationship '06 stated they had, or at least their sense of close companionship, is not really there anymore. At least not to the levels it reached in '06. Blaze and Silver are effectively strangers who just happened to stumble across each other, and who are left only with a vague sense of familiarity and none of the memories explaining why that is the case. Silver says it almost felt like they've teamed up before, which to me does not express a clear sentiment of him being sure it actually happened. It seems more like a vague, odd-sense-of-deja-vu kind of musing. And yet, they are still noted to be in perfect sync with each other when it comes to their fighting, even if their statements about said battle might clash with each other somewhat. They're clearly alright with spending time together and are to be feared in battle, but the very tight-knit companionship they once had has been undone along with the events of '06, I think is accurate to say.

In Generations they are shown hanging out together somewhat at the end, but they don't talk, so that indeed brings us to Team Sonic Racing. In here, I feel like they have a closer bond than in Colours DS. Blaze genuinely compliments Silver at the end of a race, telling him he did a good job out there. She is also the one picking up that there's something on Silver's mind, which she asks about directly and gets an honest answer in turn to. And lastly, she very blatantly states she trust him, which I think for Blaze is a big deal: she's certainly less withdrawn than she was at the start of Rush, but she's still not one who makes friends very easily or who is excessively jovial and embracing of the power of teamwork. Laying out her trust so obviously is not something I think she'll do with every character. Overall, Silver and Blaze seem like better friends to me than they were in Colours DS, which makes sense considering they might simply have spent more time together.

So to conclude, I think we can say that Blaze and Silver are good companions. Blaze is the one with the level-headed nature that Silver can discuss his troubles with, and Silver in turn is someone Blaze appreciates for his honest, naive-ish and determined nature. I think it can be argued that Blaze regarding Silver as closely as a little brother is something that was mostly the case in '06 alone, due to them apparently growing up together (the wiki says Silver accepted Blaze for who she was even when other people were teasing her for her fire powers, but I feel like they're muddling Rush and '06 there. There also is no source linked, so I am not sure how reliable that statement is. But Silver clearly did not fear Blaze and her pyrokinesis despite the fact a fire monster is the one who'd destroyed his world, so I can see merit in the statement all the same.). With '06's story never happening in the first place, their close bond has been removed as well, but they seem to be rebuilding it to an extent in the later games. And what is also of note is that in a recent Sonic Channel story wherein everyone's memories were wiped, Silver and Blaze start out gruff and dismissive towards each other also, but it takes very little for them to begin appreciating each other once more. Also there they are in perfect sync in the end when it comes to their battling.

So tl;dr: good companions with mutual trust between them, where Blaze is the more supportive and level-headed one and Silver is the one who relies on her for guidance, but where she appreciates his nature. Arguably not as close as they were in '06, especially not in Colours DS, but I feel like it can be reasoned they are building towards that again with the time spent together in later games.

[karayage]

😑

(The following text was translated by DeepL. Sorry for any linguistic inaccuracies.)

I have been running my own unofficial fan site for Outer Wilds since August 2020. A beginner's guide, a page with data about characters and timelines, and a collection of news. A collection of links to concept art and interviews and information on merchandise, a comparison of translations in various languages, my poorly done fan art, and more. And the main content "雑談考察"(idle talk-consideration), is a section where I write about my theories and discoveries about the game.

Unfortunately, my site has been the victim of plagiarism on several occasions. For example, a video created by copying and pasting my web page has been uploaded to Youtube without my permission, and a page I researched and compiled about the origin of a character's name has been stolen, including my comment, "I didn't understand this part".

But what hurts me the most is that there are people who present my musings and findings as if they were their own. I am also very disappointed that such posts exist on Tumblr. My site has a warning on every page that says "please stop plagiarizing". There is no way that person did not read it. I don't want to interrupt your fun, so I won't point that out directly, but if the person who did the plagiarism has any conscience at all, I don't want them to act like that at all in the future. I am truly angry and saddened.

This is not relevant to most of you. Thanks for reading.

[etherfabric]

Olá, como vai? Gostaria de solicitar uma leitura de tarô porque tenho me sentido tão sobrecarregado ultimamente e gostaria de ter luz na minha cabeça e pensamentos. Pode ser qualquer baralho de sua escolha ❤️

Hi there. Thanks to the wonders of technology I didn't need to understand Portuguese by myself, and translated your message with DeepL. Feel free to use similar means to translate the reading, if necessary.

Let's see what cards want to shine their light to you:

10 of Cups, Page of Wands

You have access to a whole world of emotional fulfillment as soon as you take your inner child's wishes seriously. Inner child work often has a very serious, responsible air around it, that is certainly dignified due to its large impact on healing wounds of the soul. But what we often forget is that a large part of what we rightfully attribute to children - not so rightfully *don't* attribute to our adult selves, but I'm kinda interrupting my own point here - is the playfulness of it all.

What would have made child you happy? Not through a clinical, mature perspective like "Yeah, if I would've gotten that regularly, I would be happier now". I don't mean needs that belong to truths like "Dad never listened, I wish he cared" and the quiet confidence you could already have if that had happened. I am talking about Losing-your-mind-can't-sleep-the-night-before-because-I'm-so-excited kind of happy. Pure giddyness. I imagine someone telling a child "Tomorrow we'll go to Disneyland!" and what reaction they would have then. That is what you should aim for.

Maybe it's not even something that big and expensive. Maybe you crave a certain dish that used to always make you happy, but don't allow yourself to indulge nowadays. Maybe you want a toy, but fear being judged, mostly by yourself. Maybe you would love to dress a certain way you have heard some people call "not age appropriate" for you, and now are hesitant to buy clothes in that style. Maybe you sometimes have the urge to skip down the road instead of walking boringly, but don't want to be the weirdo.

Whatever anxiety or shameful judgement may arise inside of you or come from outside sources - take these as the challenges this wish fulfillment is worth succeeding in. Be the Santa Claus/Papai Noel you always dreamed about. Before stepping into action, you need to hone your talents of persuation, first and foremost with yourself. Find the counter arguments that just click, and then your already present wishes can flow freely into actions without much additional effort.

"That's silly and embarrassing." - Well, to me it's worth it, because my happiness is a deep need, and that's what it's calling for. I love myself enough to risk being seen as stupid by people who wouldn't even put half the effort in for me to be this happy.

"That is a waste of time/money/whatever." - I am investing in my willingness to be alive, in my health, in my experience of what it means being me in this reality. The happier I make it within my power, the easier the hard parts will be, because I can draw from the joy and love I got while doing what I truly wanted.

"You don't deserve this." - I am just as worthy as every other human being. In fact, me taking care of my honest needs and developing the bravery to do so can inspire others to do the same, and it nourishes me in a way that enables me to extend that love to others who struggle to do it themselves.

Those are just examples. Your obstacles might sound completely different, or even if they are similar, the words to disarm them could be completely different. This requires you to sit with your fears long enough to examine them, so you know what you are working with.

These cards also read as a reminder to stay closer to the people that already naturally encourage you going after your joy, and keep the naysayers at a distance as much as possible. You deserve to experience whatever joy is available to you. Life has enough limitations we have to come to terms with as it is - why add artificial ones that are purely in our mind?

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

I hope this reading was what you were looking for. Feedback is always highly appreciated, and I thank you for approaching me with your trust 🙏

[e-adlirez]

So here's a thing I found in KoF book 1

Once again, it's Scholastic cutting out the meaningful things that have absolutely no business being cut out of the book. In this particular instance, I'd like to bring to you the last chapter of the first Kingdom of Fantasy book:

If you were like me when I first read the book (digitally because I didn't have a physical copy), you were probably thinking "what's the correlation of the last page to the previous two?

Well, let the Spanish translation of the book answer that for you, translations provided by yours truly, through DeepL. Everybody say thank you to the internet Archive for the non-English copies to fuel my hyperfixations, and thank you to DeepL for lighting that fuel on fire for me to read properly in English

In Praise of Fantasy

I read the book in one sitting and concluded, "So ends this adventure, but remember... the beginning of each new story is a Gateway to the Realm of Fantasy!"

"Uncle, what's the difference between magic and fantasy?" asked Benjamin?

I hugged him warmly. "MAGIC is when you use a power to change reality. But it's only an illusion; it's not enough with a touch of a magic wand to transform things you don't want to accept! Fantasy, on the other hand, is the ability to look at reality with different eyes and find that which others do not know how to see: Harmony where there is Disharmony, Good where Evil seems to triumph, Light where Darkness seems to prevail!"

I stretched out my arms, as if to take flight. "The wings of Fantasy are important to fly high, higher and higher. Each one must have the courage to take flight. Talk about your dreams and your ideals with the people you love, you will discover that together you can make beautiful dreams come true, like a better world, full of love and peace for everyone!

All dreams that come from the heart have wings!

I've heard from a friend that the Chinese translation of the book has the same speech and ueueueuEUEUEUEUEUE

Dammit Scholastic

[an-aroaces-harem]

Xeno Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I just deepl and google translated my way through this because I wanted to know what's going on, so there are definitely mistakes but I believe I managed the general gist of the story. Anyway, it's just a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes. Morganatic Idol belongs to Cybird and ABC Frontier, Inc.

He is the strongest shining star. A jewel of cold and frozen mystery.

I feared its brilliance and was attracted to it at the same time.

Yes, I'm sure that from the moment we met, I couldn't resist.

I would soon learn that the lonely gem of ice had a passion that was more intense than any other.

I'm trapped, and I have no choice but to be burned by those thoughts--

The next day, I received an unexpected and shocking proposal from Sakura-san.

I took a sudden paid day off and looked up at the high-rise apartment building that loomed before me with a sense of disbelief.

(I can't believe I'm living here with exe Creed from today onwards ... ...)

I have done as I was told, but I am full of anxiety.

(But this is for the success of the presentation. Now that I've decided to do it, I have to do my best ...!)

Clasping my hands, which had grown cold with nervousness, I stepped into the apartment.

Rina: I'm looking forward to working with you from today on.

Sakura Eito: Yes, it's nice to meet you, Kawanaga-chan.

Sakura Eito: That's a lot of luggage. I told you to come with just your clothes.

Rina: No, that's not how it works ... ...

(I have a lot of luggage, even if it's just the bare minimum of clothes and work stuff.)

Sakura Eito: I have a lot to explain, but first, let's go to the lesson room.

Sakura Eito: The apartment has its own training and lesson rooms.

Sakura Eito: We're in the middle of a dance lesson. Some members are away on business, but can you say hello to everyone first?

Rina: I understand.

Sakura Eito: Follow me. Oh, your luggage is probably heavy, so you can leave it somewhere nearby.

Rina: Eh!?

(Even if it's said to be okay, I feel uncomfortable leaving about leaving my luggage just here.)

Lost in thought, I put my luggage in the corner of the room and followed Sakura-san with only a small bag in my hand.

Sakura Eito: Hey you three! Look over here.

Three people: ... ...

As soon as Sakura-san called out to them, their gazes turned to me ...

Sakura Eito: This is Kawanaga Rina from Aegis Public Holdings!

Sakura Eito: As we agreed yesterday, she will live here with you from today on. Be kind to her and get along.

Rina: I-I'm looking forward working with you!

I bowed my head vigorously.

Ivy: I'm sorry things got so weird. If you have any questions, just ask.

Rina: Thank you very much!

Ivy-san says this to me as if to ease my tension.

Hugh: ... ... ... ...

Hugh-san looks away and remains silent. What is he thinking? I can't tell from his expression.

And ...

Xeno: ... doesn't matter.

Xeno-san seemed completely indifferent and spat that coldly at me.

Sakura Eito: Hey, Xeno, can you not talk to her like that?

Xeno: At least for me, it's not worth giving up practice.

Xeno: We don't have time for this. If you're done talking, get the hell out of here.

Xeno: Hey, let's get back to practice. We don't have time for idle chit-chat.

Hugh: Yeah ... ...

Ivy: Sorry, I have to go, I have to practice.

With that, the three quickly returned to their practice.

Sakura Eito: Good grief ... you're not very sociable.

Sakura Eito: They are like this. Don't worry too much if they say something.

Rina: Y-yes ... ...

Even so, I was filled with anxiety.

(I wonder if I can really work here ... ...)

We returned to the living room for an explanation.

Sakura Eito: Yes, I have to tell you this first.

Sakura Eito: This presentation extension is a special deal just for you, so don't tell anyone about it.

Sakura Eito: Of course, no matter what others say at work, it's a secret. Can you keep it?

Rina: Yes. I won't say a word.

Sakura Eito: Yeah, that's good.

Sakura-san smiled at my response.

Sakura Eito: Well, let's talk about the specifics of the job right away. First, what being a housekeeper means.

There are several housekeepers working in this condominium, and they seem to share the responsibility of cleaning the common areas.

In addition, each member was assigned a room.

Sakura Eito: I'd like to put you in charge of one of them, but do you have a preference as to whose room you'd like?

Rina: I'd like ...?

I couldn't reply to Sakura-san.

Sakura Eito: You can choose someone with whom you feel comfortable talking about your presentation, or you can simply go with someone who is interested.

Sakura Eito: You can choose anyone, but I want you to have a good relationship with the members in charge first.

Sakura Eito: The impact of your interaction with the members ... that's what I'm looking for.

Rina: Umm ... ...

(What should I do? I'm not sure if I can decide for myself ...)

Sakura Eito: If you're not sure, why don't you pick one of the three who were here earlier?

Sakura Eito: I think it's easy to talk about things with Ivy.

(It's true that Ivy-san is the leader and was the nicest to me among the three.)

(He might even listen to my presentation.)

Despite my mind's desire, I couldn't help but think of those icy, piercing eyes.

(The one who remains strongest in my heart is that man ...)

As if drawn by that strong light, I opened my mouth.

Rina: I ... would like to be in charge of Xeno.

Sakura Eito: What? Really?

Rina: Yes.

Sakura-san opened his eyes in surprise.

(A natural reaction, I know. I was surprised myself.)

I couldn't talk to him much earlier, and he's been saying a lot of harsh things to me ever since we met.

(I know it's going to be hard, so why not? That cold gaze burns into me and won't let me go.)

Besides, there are other reasons to choose him.

Xeno-san is the absolute center of exe. He is always perfect and precise. His singing ability is highly appreciated worldwide.

His strong influence on the other members can be felt in their conversations.

Rina: Xeno-san is the toughest, but if I can convince him, it will be a shortcut to a successful presentation.

Sakura Eito: I see ... yes, that's true. It makes sense, considering what you're trying to do.

Sakura Eito: I'll put you in charge of Xeno, then. He's a very strict man, so be careful.

Rina: Yes!

And then ...

Xeno-san and the others returned from the lesson room, perhaps having finished practice.

Ivy: Phew. Just a break.

Hugh: I'm tired ...

Xeno: ...

Sakura Eito: Xeno, from now on Kawanaga-chan will be in charge of cleaning your room.

Xeno-san halted and looked at me expressionlessly.

Sakura Eito: The two of you will get along well.

Xeno: What's the point of getting along? ... Hey, Aegis.

Rina: !?

(Does he mean me with Aegis? Is it because the name of the company is Aegis Public Holdings?)

I was at a loss for words because of his attitude of not even trying to remember my name. Xeno-san looked at me sharply.

Xeno: Your purpose is none of my business and none of my interest.

Xeno: But since you are going to be a housekeeper, you have to do it perfectly. I will not tolerate half-heartedness.

Rina: I understand. I'll aim for perfection.

Xeno: I'm telling you to be perfect. It's not enough to just aim for it.

(I'm still afraid of this guy ...)

The words were harsher than I had imagined, and I broke out in cold sweat.

(I have to be firm. It's my decision.)

I looked up at him with a resolved smile on my face.

Rina: I will do my job to your satisfaction, Xeno-san!

(For my dreams, too ...)

Rina: I will make it happen. Please take care of me!

Xeno: Prove it with your actions. If you don't, I'll kick you out immediately.

With that, he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and left again.

Rina: ... Did I offend you?

Ivy: No, he's just going back to the lesson room. It seems he wasn't satisfied with the practice earlier.

Hugh: I did the solo part many times.

Sakura Eito: And again, no breaks ... none at all.

Ivy: Xeno is the main vocalist, and the new song is difficult, so I guess he wants to make sure of a lot of things.

Rina: Really?

Hugh: New song ... The theme song for 'strange game' ...

Rina: Eh? That popular foreign drama series!?

Ivy: Yes, I wrote it after receiving the offer.

'strange game' is an international drama in which exe sings the theme song.

It was a very popular original that was distributed exclusively through a global video distribution service.

The series is also famous for being directed by a well-known filmmaker, and for its unbelievable production budget.

Although the sheer scale of the event may surprise some, it does not seem to be particulary surprising to them.

Xeno-san says that the fact that he spends all his time practicing without taking any days off is "normal thing" that has nothing to do with the size of the job.

Ivy: I don't have a choice. I told him to take a break, but he wouldn't listen.

Sakura Eito: I like his seriousness, but he should take a break at least.

The sighs of Sakura-san and Ivy-sa echoed heavily in the living room.

Late at night that day. I wake up suddenly.

(I was supposed to be organizing my luggage, but I fell asleep before I knew it. I guess I was tired from all the tension.)

The guest rooms are splendid, just like a luxury hotel.

(But it's unsettling ...)

When I'm alone in a room, I feel crushed by anxiety.

(Maybe I'll watch the news on my phone. Come to think of it, I've been so busy that I haven't had time to watch it at all.)

(Huh? It's not here!)

I rush to my bag. I look in my jacket pocket and everywhere else I can think of, but my phone is nowhere to be found.

(Did I drop it somewhere? I have to look for it!)

I was too uncomfortable to turn on the light, so I searched for my phone in the darkened living room.

(I can't find it, what should I do? Any other places I can think of ... where I went today?)

(Oh, I went to the lesson room, too ... I really hope it's there!)

When I arrived at the lesson room, a few lights were leaking from the room.

(Who's there?)

I gently open the door and peek inside.

(Is that Xeno-san over there? You've been practicing till this late? It's been hours since then.)

Xeno: ...

He was staring at the smartphone in his hand.

For a moment, I thought it was mine, but it wasn't. It was more likely his.

(What's wrong with that stern expression?)

I was so curious that I leaned forward and heard a small creak coming from the door.

Xeno: !

Immediately, I was confronted with a sharp, hostile look.

Xeno: You ... why are you here?

Rina: Ah, I ...

Xeno-san approached me swiftly.

Rina: Ah!?

He roughly grabs my hand and pulls me closer.

Rina: ...ng

Xeno: What are you up to?

A cold voice chastised me. I was held down by a strong force, and there was nowhere to run.

Rina: X-xeno-san! Please let go of me.

(Why are you looking at me like that? I'm scared ...!)

His eyes had been frozen, but now they were burning with an emotion I had never seen before.

(I can't believe this person hus such strong feelings.)

As much as I want to run away because I'm scared, I'm blinded by the intensity and drawn to him.

Xeno: Answer my question!

A handsome face approached me. I just gasped and stared at the cold, intense fire ...

[spanishskulduggery]

"It seems more like a prayer." This got translated as "Parece más bien una plegaria." Is that a valid use of "bien"? I thought "like" in instances like that would be "como". DeepL said the same thing, but also suggested "Parece más una plegaria," which is also missing a "como". What's the rule here? Thanks!

I would say that the como isn't totally necessary. I don't think it's wrong, but maybe more of a hypercorrection. It doesn't really impede understanding, just feels a bit off in some situations but that could be a regional thing

[note: a hypercorrection is the technically incorrect use of a word/phrase based on a false analogy... like when people misuse "I" and "me" or "who" and "whom", the "false analogy" there is its status as a subject or an object. Most hypercorrections don't impede your understanding, they just aren't always considered grammatically correct]

I'm used to seeing parecer without a como

This is one of those cases where it's likely the verb and not you. It's that parecer is "to seem like", and parecerse (a) is "to look like" or "to resemble", so the como isn't really needed since the verb implies it

The verb itself sort of comes out like "to have the appearance of" where any "prepositional quality" is kind of implied a lot of the time

The same kind of thing exists for the verb esperar where non-native speakers want to add a para as "to wait for"... but esperar by itself is "to wait for" so the additional preposition isn't needed

In your case parece una plegaria "it seems like a prayer", or parece más una plegaria "it seems more like a prayer" make the most sense

I don't think the como is necessarily incorrect though. And if it is incorrect it's not so out there that people won't understand what you mean

And you do see a como when you use como si + subjunctive to be "as if it is" or "as if it were" to mark your impressions/opinions or describe a hypothetical situation, but that's different from normal como as "like/as" for comparisons

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más bien is "more like" in the sense of a qualifying thing. It reads as "more accurately" or "more closely resembling". People will sometimes say más bien in other contexts like o sea "in other words"

You'd consider más bien more like... "rather" in a way... It feels like you're narrowing down your thoughts which can narrow something down or pinpoint it

The third one reads to me like "it seems more a prayer (than something)", where it feels like it's talking about the appearance, like "it comes across as"

But at least to my ears all three sound viable