Light Novel Vol 5 Epilogue - Fan translation
The notorious scene from vol 5 in the official English version contained multiple mistranslations.
This version was translated from the original Japanese version (no AI translation was used) and aims to clear up misunderstandings stemming from the official English version and to be a more faithful translation.
...
“It was His Majesty who told me to enjoy this trip.”
Said Jinshi, with a slightly crooked smile.
“And he told me to choose wisely.”
The choice he was referring to was probably choosing a bride, and for that purpose, maidens were gathered here. Whichever one he chooses, politics will be involved, which will affect the country’s direction. Strengthening ties with neighboring countries or which domestic forces to join hands with. Depending on who is chosen, his position will change. However, to hold this forum in the Western Province is a sign: to establish ties with the West. That’s why Uryuu brought his other daughter with him.
Who would he choose?
Whoever he chooses doesn’t matter. Maomao just intended to act as an apothecary. That’s what she intended, but...
Just as she felt a touch on her fingertips, her hand was grabbed. Her captured hand was pressed palm to palm, fingers entwined with his. His hand was large and rough, his long fingers pressed onMaomao’s hand, as if to prevent her from escaping.
“Could you please let go of me?”
“If I let go, won’t you run off?”
“What are you going to do that will make me want to run?”
“Sometimes, I want to hit you.”
Jinshi stared at Maomao like a beast hunting prey. He had the gaze of a starving dog that was neither of the eunuch Jinshi nor of the Emperor’s younger brother. It was the gaze of a completely different Jinshi.
“Not the face, please. Somewhere where it can’t be seen.”
“I won’t actually hit you.”
“I know.”
Jinshi was not the type to lay a hand on women or children. No, he did lay a hand on her every time she tried a poison to force her to throw up.
“At most, you held me in a headlock and forced me to empty my stomach.”
“That was your fault! Why did you eat poison!?”
“Even if you ask me why, I wouldn’t know.”
It’s easier to learn through experience than just by listening. Maomao’s interests deviated from those of ordinary people, and her knowledge in those areas made her appear smarter than others.
And in Maomao’s case, instead of knowledge, she lacked emotions compared to others. Although rarely, she still feels joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. But there are some emotions that others normally have that she still didn’t completely understand.
The sound of Jinshi’s pulse resonated through the palm of her hand, which was damp with sweat where they were touching. When she looked up, she saw long eyelashes lowered toward her, his dark obsidian eyes staring at Maomao. His face was so close that she could see her face reflected in those eyes.
The courtesans had a saying: once you experience it, it will be hell.
The men had a saying: they come here to find it. That 4-letter word that starts with L1 was sometimes said to be vulgar, sometimes dismissed as just a game, but there were also those who could not live without it.
Jinshi’s free hand reached out to Maomao’s head. He ran his fingers through her hair, stopping at the back of her head.
“You actually wore it.”
Jinshi had touched her hair that was pinned up by the hairpin. A hairpin with the motif of a silver moon and an opium poppy flower. She thought it was Lahan who prepared it, but it seems to be not the case.
No wonder people were interested in the hairpin.
“Was this from you, Master Jinshi? The moon is fine, but opium poppies ... I’m not so sure.”
She remembered the white lady. The opium poppy flower was a larger version of the common poppy flower, but it was used to make opium.
“Don’t say that. I had it made before the trip. To replace the one from before.”
Jinshi’s voice came from directly above. His chin resting on top of Maomao’s head. He toyed with her hair, twirling it around his fingertips, so close she could feel his breath. Any passerby would mistakenly think the two were sharing an intimate moment.
“Master Jinshi, please let go of me.”
“Why?”
“What would you do if someone saw us?”
There were probably others who strayed from the banquet venue, like Maomao. This may be a blind spot behind the trees, but it was possible that someone may come by. There was no way this man, Jinshi, did not know the reason the banquet was being held.
“Master Jinshi, Consort Lishu is not your niece. You do not need to worry about being related by blood.”
Maomao stated it as a fact. Jinshi’s expression tensed when he heard her words.
“Is she not the safest choice out of all the candidates?”
Let’s forget the scene she just saw of Lady Lishu and Basen gazing deeply at each other. Let’s forget it ever happened. Even if something were to blossom between them, it would be meaningless anyway. It would have been better if it had never happened.
“What do you mean safe?”
Jinshi’s voice cut like a cold blade next to Maomao’s ear. Fingers that were playing with her hair now slid down Maomao’s neck and circled her neck. His long fingers pressed on her neck.
“It hurts, sir.”
“Oh, it hurts?”
I’ve been telling you it hurts. However, Jinshi’s grip only grew stronger. He took his other hand, fingers still entwined with Maomao’s, and twisted it behind her back. This idiot is going to dislocate my arm. Maomao frowned in pain, choking, and with one arm on the verge of being dislocated. She turned her face upward, mouth half open like a fish, trying to gasp a little bit more air. Jinshi looked down on her silly expression and -
“......”
Maomao greedily inhaled the air she was given.
The scent of flowers tickled her nostrils.
Maomao thought the breath2 of a celestial nymph would smell of peaches, but it was jasmine.
His thin lips felt hot and a bit dry.
The hand that had constricted her neck now held the back of her head; the other hand now drew her waist closer.
She couldn’t tell how long they stayed like that. Maybe he thought his breath circulated through her whole body; he looked down at Maomao with a somewhat victorious expression. He wiped away the tears on Maomao’s face from when she was struggling for breath.
Maomao flared in irritation.
“...... I told you to use poison if you wanted to kill me.”
“I won’t let you do that.”
Jinshi responded while tracing Maomao’s lips.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t realize that you were one of the candidates. I can tell you’re trying to feign ignorance.”
Jinshi continued.
“Who was that man? You’re not one to dance.”
So, he was watching her.
“That’s payment for a cheap drink.”
Maomao tried to look away, but he held her head in place. Thoughts of how to escape from this situation raced through her mind.
“How could I be of any use to you?”
“Everyone here thinks that Lahan accompanied you here.”
Maomao understood what Jinshi was implying. This could also be what Lahan intended from the start.
How irritating. He is going to get his toes stomped on later for this.
The bloodline of the La clan is unique among that of the named clans. They did not belong to any faction, so [she] could also be considered as a safe option. It was as Rikuson said, with the exception of one thing.
“That man will become your enemy.”
That man referred to the monocled weirdo. If he were here today, what would have happened? There’s no doubt he would cause a commotion the likes of which letting a lion loose from its cage would pale in comparison. As expected, Jinshi’s face twitched, if only for a moment.
“... I said we’d continue this later.”
Once again, Maomao was restrained and pushed down on the bench, crushing her hair arrangement.
She could feel something other than his breath enter her mouth from his lips3. She gazed into his beastly obsidian eyes up close. They shone brighter than any star; yet, they were also dim. This man should be living a life of luxury, without want; yet, occasionally, there was a hunger for something he was trying to sate.
He should choose someone else.
Surely there was someone out there who could give Jinshi what he was searching for. There were plenty who wanted to. There was no need to seek it from a living creature who lacked it.
She wanted to run away. Something more troublesome and worrying is going to happen. She wanted to avoid trouble, but the piercing gaze of the stray dog would not allow her to escape. He was seeking something that didn’t exist to devour it. Maomao could only stare back at him blankly. This only exacerbated the stray dog’s anxiousness, and he continued to press down on Maomao more.
I’m going to get crushed to death.
A man twice Maomao’s weight was on top of her. At times, courtesans had to handle customers three times their weight. Doesn’t it hurt? If she were to complain about it, how would Pairin, the most experienced of the courtesans, respond?
“Even though they are the customer, you can’t let them take the lead.”
Maomao remembered her saying that in a sultry manner back when Maomao was being taught the ways of the courtesans.
“......”
Truthfully, it may be better if she remained still, like a doll, and accepted it. Or maybe it wouldn’t. But all that could be said for sure was that thinking of Pairin reminded Maomao of the tricks of the trade she taught her. She remembered that she wasn’t allowed out of the room until she could perform it to her satisfaction, and at that point, she had been half in tears. She trained until it became a natural reflex. Therefore, it was to say, Maomao had no fault in this.
In other words, it meant ...
Maomao gulped down the saliva that pooled in her mouth. She parted her lips, as if to invite him, then instead, slipped [her tongue]4 into his mouth.
Jinshi had a look of surprise and joy, but it didn’t last long. His body twitched5 as a reaction, and his grip on Maomao loosened.
Once again, Maomao was not at fault; it was out of her control. Maomao only presented Jinshi with the most exquisite skills of a professional of the red-light district.
Translation notes:
- Originally Maomao refers to a character with a radical 心 heart = 恋 “koi” which means (romantic) love.
- In the official English version, breath 吐息 was omitted 天女の吐息は、桃の香りがしそうだと思ったが、これは 茉莉花 ジャスミン だった。and should have described Jinshi’s lips as dry and hot. This is their first kiss in this scene.
- He french kissed her with his tongue but it is vaguely described by saying something other than his breath. 唇から吐息の他に入ってくるものがある。
- She french kissed him with her tongue. The Japanese version omitted the subject [her tongue]. In the official English version, it was wrongly translated to “and then, again instinctively, she slid closer to him.” 薄く開けていた唇を広げ、相手を誘いこむようにして、そして、反対に自分が相手側へと滑り込んだ。
- In the official English version “soft spasms” was used ぴくっ、ぴくっと身体が反応し
This was initially created as a pdf, I struggled with reddit formatting.
No AI translation was used.
This has been checked by another who is fluent in Japanese as well as another using the official Traditional Chinese version of the light novel, and an editor.