читать дальшеReturn of Kings ~ Prelude
Red chapter
Nickname
Yata: Hey! Yo, guys! You’re here early.
Bandou: I said, it gotta be “Queen”!
Akagi: No, that’s totally weird, San-chan! She’s not old enough yet!
Bandou: Her age has nothing to do with it! She succeeded King, so she’s “Queen”!
Akagi: King’s successor is “Princess”! Ah, now that I think about it, your English grades were always F, no, San-chan?
Bandou: What d'you wanna say by that?!
Akagi: What’s your problem, man?
Yata: Hey, hey…
Eric: *sigh* Yata-san, stop these two. They’re so loud, I can’t take much more of them.
Yata: What are you two even fighting for?
Bandou: Yata-san! Anna’s nickname gotta be “Queen Anna”, right?!
Akagi: No, she should be “Princess Anna” obviously!
Yata: Huh…?
Yata: Uhh, so, in other words, since Mikoto-san was King, we need to come up with a similar nickname for Anna, too, is that it?
Akagi: Yeah.
Bandou: That’s right!
Eric: Stuff like that couldn’t matter less.
Bandou: As if! Depending on Anna’s nickname, the bonds uniting us will change greatly!
Akagi: Right, right! “Princess Anna” has this vibe to it that we have to care about her and protect her, you know?
Bandou: Idiot! She’s “Queen Anna”, and we’re her servants!
Yata: Don’t fight over something like that, guys.
Eric: Yata-san, give them an earful.
Yata: Geez… If you’re fighting over that, lemme join in too!
Eric: Ehh?!
Bandou: Alright, then you, too, have an idea, Yata-san? Let’s hear it!
Yata: Hold it, hold it. First, let’s hear the image you picture to go with the nickname you came up with, Bandou.
Bandou: Fine by me! My image of “Queen Anna goes like this.
Kusanagi: Next sinner, step in!
Kamamoto: Please forgive me!
Anna: For starters, let me hear what kind of crime this man committed.
Kusanagi: Yes, ma'am. This man, Kamamoto Rikio, committed the crime of eating too much without working any and, in addition, snitching food from our bar. He truly is inexcusable.
Kamamoto: M-Mercy, I’m begging you, Queen Anna! With my body like this, if I don’t eat twice as much as others, I can’t work! Because of this year’s heavy taxes, I’ve been leading a hard starving life, and even thought that at this rate I was gonna starve to death, so I couldn’t help myself…
Anna: Hoo? Are you saying that your deed was a result of the system I established?
Kamamoto: No, I didn’t mean it that way…
Anna: To think that the likes of a sinner would be expressing dissatisfaction with my rule… It makes you all the more unforgivable. *gong* Off with his head!
Kamamoto: Ehhh?! N-Nooo!
Kusanagi: Do it!
Homura rank'n'file: Yes, sir!
Kamamoto: Save meeee!!! Spare my life!!!
Kusanagi: Next sinner, step in!
Akagi: She’s a total tyrant.
Bandou: Eh? That’s what’s good about it!
Yata: Who do you think Anna is?!
Bandou: Well, like I said, the Queen?
Eric: Maybe you’re not wrong about the image of the Queen, but, uh…
Akagi: Geez, that’s always the case with you, San-chan. There’s no way Anna’ll become a scary person like that, y'know? She may be the Red King alright, but she’s still only a little girl.
Bandou: What?! Then, what about your image of her?
Akagi: Well, that… will be something along these lines.
Anna: *hums*
Kusanagi: Allow me to greet you, my princess.
Anna: Oh, sir Kusanagi! I greet you, too.
Kusanagi: I was looking for you in the castle. I cannot say I approve of you going to the yard all alone like this, hime-sama. I do not ask you to take guards with you, but please at least let one maid accompany you.
Anna: Good grief, sir Kusanagi, you are always scolding me, like an old man.
Kusanagi: Oh, then I beg your forgiveness. By way of an apology… please take this.
Anna: What a pretty hair accessory! Are you giving this to me?
Kusanagi: Of course. I happened to see it at the castle town’s marketplace and bought it without thinking. Then I thought a lovely hair accessory would certainly suit such a lovely princess.
Anna: Thank you very much, sir Kusanagi!
Kusanagi: There is one caveat, however.
Anna: Caveat?
Kusanagi: Will you let me be the one to put this hair accessory on you, Milady?
Anna: You, sir Kusanagi? But…
Kusanagi: Please hold still, princess, or I will not be able to put it on right.
Anna: Ah…
*running steps*
Yata: Hold it!
Kusanagi: Wah!
Yata: The moment I take my eyes off her, this happens. I gotta be constantly on my guard with you, huh, Kusanagi-san!
Anna: Sir Yata, I greet you.
Yata: Oh, Anna… hime-sama. Yo there.
Kusanagi: Why now! It was just getting good. Don’t interfere. You’re a disgrace to all knights.
Yata: Heh! Someone who tries to get a head start behind the others’ back is even less of a knight, Kusanagi-san.
Anna: Um, please refrain from fighting, you two.
Kusanagi: N-No, we are not fighting, please perish the thought.
Yata: That’s right, that’s right. Me and Kusanagi-san are what’s called amiable pals. These jabs are just us messing around, Anna-hime.
Anna: Oh, is that so? Then I do not need to worry.
*more running steps*
Kamamoto: Himeee! Oh, this is where you were.
Anna: Oh, sir Kamamoto, I greet you.
Kamamoto: I greet you there, too, yo! Hime, please take a look at this. I bought it at the marketplace.
Anna: Oh, what deliciously looking sweets! Are you giving them to me?
Kamamoto: Of course! But, uh, please share with me some, too.
Anna: Certainly! Thank you very much, sir Kamamoto!
Kamamoto: Oh no, it’s not worth your gratitude, heheh!
Kusanagi: You’re not half-bad, for lowly Kamamoto, that is.
Yata: Damn! I should’ve bought something for her, too!
Anna: Now then, let us have a tea party with these sweets!
Kamamoto: Eh?
Anna: After all, we all are amiable pals, are we not? So we should all share the delicious sweets. Is that not right, sir Kamamoto?
Kamamoto: U-Ugh, y-you are quite right, my princess.
Anna: Then let us prepare for the tea party! Sir Kusanagi, sir Yata, I hope you would be willing to help me, too.
Yata: S-Sure!
Kusanagi: With pleasure.
Anna: Heheh. Thank you.
Akagi: How d'you like it? This is what my image of “Princess Anna” is like!
Yata: Creepy!
Bandou: And anyway, how come they all are totally head over heels for Anna?!
Eric: “The airhead princess amidst the weird knights”? [t/n: probably a reference to this manga]
Akagi: Huh? My idea got strong negative response?
Eric: Well, it’s only to be expected.
Akagi: Why? Why not? “Princess Anna” is cute, you know?
Bandou: In the first place, Anna’s personality is totally different! What you thought up is a delusional Anna!
Akagi: San-chan, you sure you’re the one to talk? In your mind, Anna is a merciless tyrant and people’s heads roll on her orders just like that, yeah?
Bandou: I-I never said that! It’s just that since Anna is a king, I thought she can be that lordly and commanding!
Yata: No dice, just no way! Geez, you’re not making sense, guys. Where were your eyes all this time?
Bandou: Th-Then, what about your idea, Yata-san?
Yata: Ain’t it obvious? Homura is one big family, and there’s only one way to call the central person of that family!
Akagi: And that’s?
Yata: Anego!!! [t/n: big sister, also doubles as a term of address to a female gang boss]
Kamamoto: Trouble, Kusanagi-aniki! Yata-aniki, Yata-aniki was…! [t/n: big brother, also doubles as a term of address to a higher ranking gang member]
Kusanagi: Yata! What are these wounds, what happened?!
Yata: Heheheh. Sorry, aniki, it ain’t looking good for me.
Kusanagi: Dammit! Hold it together, Yata! Your wounds are shallow. What’re you standing around? Get a doctor, quick!
Homura rank'n'file: S-Sure! Right away!
Kamamoto: I’m so sorry, aniki. It’s my fault. Because I let those bastards from Scepter 4 gang catch me, Yata-aniki had to sacrifice himself to save me…!
Yata: Kamamoto! I’m always telling you that a man can’t show his tears easily!
Kusanagi: Don’t talk, Yata. It’ll only worsen your wounds.
Anna: What is this ruckus about? What happened?
Kusanagi: Anego! Yata was beat up by Scepter 4 gang.
Yata: Sorry, Anego. Because of me, the gang’s reputation was stained.
Anna: *lights up a cigarette* I see.
Kusanagi: Anego, where are you going?
Anna: It should be obvious, no? One of my underlings says our reputation is stained. As the one on top, I need to remove that stain.
Kamamoto: A-Anego?! You can’t mean…?!
Anna: Kamamoto! Assemble all our brothers! We, Homura gang, are going to wage war on Scepter 4 gang!
Kamamoto: A-As you wish, ma'am!
Yata: Anego… all that for me… thank you…!
Anna: Fool. Don’t get full of yourself. I always hated that 4-eyes. I’ll make it so that he can only wear contacts for the rest of his life!
Yata: A-Anego… you’re going that far, for me…
Kusanagi: OK, guys! Get psyched up! Anego’s serious about this war! Show ‘em you’ve got balls!
Kamamoto: Yeah!
Homura rank'n'file: No blood! No bone! No ash! No blood! No bone! No ash! No blood! No bone! No ash! No blood! No bone! No ash!
Bandou: You’re making us into yakuza!
Akagi: We’re “family”, but not in that sense!
Yata: Heheh! How d'you like it? That’s my ideal Anna.
Akagi: Why are you proud of something like that?!
Yata: What d’you have a problem with?! She’s cool, no?
Bandou: Well, she’s overflowing with toughness, yes, but… Anna’s not like that at all!
Yata: I don’t wanna hear that from a guy with delusions about “Queen Anna”!
Akagi: As expected, my “Princess Anna” fits the bes–
Yata&Bandou: Yours is the biggest “hell no”!
Eric: Agh… I’ve had enough. I was asked by Kusanagi-san to do some shopping for him, so you just can decide by yourselves, but I’m out of here.
Bandou: Hold on a sec.
Eric: Eh?
Akagi: Come to think of it, we haven’t hear Eric’s idea yet.
Eric: Huh?
Yata: Ahh, right. All you’ve been doing is complain. So if you’re that unhappy with us, tell us what’s your idea for her nickname?
Eric: No, wait, like I said, I couldn’t care less about stuff like nicknames…
Bandou: You won’t get out of this with just a “I don’t give a damn”. To us, our king’s nickname is directly related to what we are as a team. Besides, at first, when you heard our idea, you looked deep in thought yourself.
Eric: N-Not really…
Yata: That’s right, Bandou’s right. Eric, don’t lie to yourself! If you’re a man, having a nickname is a dream and a must!
Akagi: Ahh, that’s why “Yatagarasu”.
Bandou: C'mon, be honest with yourself, Eric. C'mon, c'mon.
Eric: Ugh… Well, um, I only came up with it on the spot, I didn’t give it any serious thought…
Yata: Yeah, so what is it?
Eric: How does “Scarlet Lady” sound?
Yata&Bandou&Akagi: C-Cool…!
Kusanagi: Hiya, we’re back.
Anna: We’re home.
Yata: That’s totally it! Nothing less from you, Bandou! Let’s append that too!
Bandou: Always at your service!
Akagi: Hold on a sec please. What about the phoenix, then? If we make it too long, each individual part will lose its finesse and value.
Eric: Yeah, I agree with Akagi. The more is not always the better.
Yata: Yeah, but I wanna squeeze that one in no matter what. It’s just too cool sounding!
Akagi&Eric: True.
Kusanagi: What is it? You’re all fired up.
Yata: Oh, Kusanagi-san, yo! Anna, good to see you back!
Anna: Y-yeah… I’m home.
Bandou: You’re just in time! We’re just about finished with thinking up a nickname for you!
Anna: Huh?
Akagi: Yata-san! Please tell it to her, that nickname!
Yata: Hehe, don’t rush me, I’m about to.
Kusanagi: What are you talking about, guys?
Yata: About a nickname for Anna! Anna, starting today you’re… La Pucelle du Flamme, Crimson Maiden clad in Divine Blaze!
Anna: Huh…?
Kusanagi: Wait a sec. I don’t get what you’re trying to do here. Start explaining from the beginning.
Bandou: Well, we just thought that as the new Red King, Anna needs to have a fitting nickname, so we took it upon ourselves to come up with one.
Akagi: It wasn’t easy, you know! We’ve searched through many foreign language dictionaries on the internet.
Eric: But we all worked together and finally found an appropriate name!
Yata: Now, take the name and our red-hot feelings, Anna - no, La Pucelle du Flamme!
Kusanagi: You guys…
Anna: Izumo, what should I do?
Kusanagi: Uhh… Just say what you think frankly, Anna.
Anna: OK, I’ll do that then. Well, Misaki, Shouhei, Saburouta, Eric.
Yata: Yeah, what is it?!
Bandou: You don’t have to thank us.
Akagi: Do you want to also hear the name for your special attack we came up with?
Anna: Umm… *inhales* I don’t want to be called by that embarrassing name, ever.
Yata: Eh…?
Eric: Wh-What did you say…?
Anna: If you start calling me by that name, I’ll be too embarrassed to show my face outside ever again.
*collective groans*
Anna: I want you all to grow up at least a little.
Kusanagi: A-Anna, you can stop there. You’ve said enough.
Anna: But I still have a lot to say.
Kusanagi: Uhm, yeah, you must have, and I understand it, but, uh, you’ve got your meaning through to them, it seems, so spare them now.
Anna: All right.
Bandou: *groans*
Eric: How can it be… How can it be…?
Kusanagi: C'mon, guys, quit looking so disheartened already and just get over it. I told you to get some cleaning done before I open the bar, didn’t I? So get up and get to work!
Bandou: Right.
Akagi: Understood.
Kusanagi: Gosh, no matter how much time passes, they remain kids.
Anna: Izumo, are nicknames that important?
Kusanagi: Ah, you don’t have to concern yourself with that. Stuff like that only matters to guys.
Anna: To you, too, Izumo?
Kusanagi: Me? Hahaha. Well, let’s see. 10 years ago, I might’ve been crazy about it.
Anna: But didn’t you come up with the “Heartless Woman” nickname not all that long ago?
Kusanagi: Ugh…!
Anna: Izumo?
Kusanagi: H-Hey, you guys! I’m always telling you to be careful when polishing the counter! Geez, you never learn. I’ll show you by example how it’s done. Ha, hahahah.
Anna: He dodged my question.