It might be pretty late but Happy New Year everyone! As the year has turned, I’ve also started translation of volume 3. Though, I’ve contracted a bit of a flu at the moment so I might be delayed on releases (add to the fact that work still requires my attention). I’m also pondering if it’s better to still release the actual chapter parts or just refrain until I’ve finished the whole chapter. Well, I suppose this is something I’ll consider again as I go, but for now, I’ll stick to releasing the stuff per chapter parts to give myself time to look it over as well.
To be completely honest, I would really like to jump into translation of volume 5 (and as a consequence 6). Since I’ve just finished reading volume 8 in advance, I’d have to say, the contents in 5 and 6 are really great stuff compared to the previous volumes (especially regarding Segawa and Ako & Mizuki). Volume 7 also has a great development in the group (also, it focuses quite a bit on Master and Nekohime) so it would be something to look forward to.
I could also really use help with the editing and references, but I’m still procrastinating on getting a discord channel up for this. I’ll try to get it done soon just to have a convenient place of discussion for those references I missed/don’t know.
Anywho, please enjoy.
Netoge no Yome Volume 3 Volume Cover and Colored Illustrations Prologue HISUNTranslation: Yamaking
TL note: Probably a reference to the MMO, Soul of the Ultimate Nation (SUN). Though I could be wrong about this since I didn’t look too much for other possible references.
After the disaster where I seriously proposed to a GIRL (Guy In Real Life), but before the time I was proposed to by my current wife, Ako, I was against anything related to marriage in-game.
While the biggest reason for that was due to the great shame that I had experienced beforehand, the troubles plaguing everyone around me regarding that matter also added to it.
One such story is this.
Even though I was completely averse to the idea of marriage, if a friend tells me that they're going to get married, I'll of course celebrate their ceremony with them.
And then, after celebrating said ceremony with a friend, a chat from him comes flying out a few days later.
Yuyun: That person was just playing with me!
It was that kind of chat.
Rusian: I don't really get it but this isn't a story I'd like to hear from guy.
Well for now, let's just settle it with that. I'm busy after all.
Yuyun: Come on, hear me out here!
Rusian: Even if you tell me that…
That time, I was still solo-farming. Yuyun looked pretty hopeless that I remember going back to town for his sake.
Rusian: So, specifically what are we talking about here?
Yuyun: Well you see, it's really cruel! It's about the one I just married, Sara Sarchan…
Rusian: Yeah?
I remember being invited to their wedding ceremony. I remember his partner being a blue-haired female mage named Sara Sarchan.
As I was very critical of female characters at the time, I held no other opinion in my mind except the idea that 'that's a GIRL (Guy In Real Life)'.
Yuyun: Sara Sara… You know Sara Sara, she…
Rusian: What happened with her?
Yuyun was crying his heart out (using the in-game emote functions), and after wiping those tears away (using the in-game emote functions), he looked up at the sky (using the in-game emote functions) and said,
Yuyun: She got married to another guy with her other character!
Rusian: …Oh, is that so?
Yuyun: Just what's with that reaction Rusian?!
Even if you ask me that, I don't know what to say. I have no idea how to react after listening to other people’s' woes about their marital affairs. It can't be helped that my reaction would just be 'Oh, is that so?' right?
LA's wedding system binds a character to another character in marriage, not an account to another account. Also, it doesn't apply any sort of deep bond between the couple like combining their item inventories into one conjugal property.
By this logic, it's not like Sara Sarchan violated any rule. Actually, I haven't seen anyone marry all of their extra characters to another person exclusively.
Though that kind of lip service won't get across to Yuyun.
Yuyun: She cheated on me you know, that cheater! I should be charging her reparations for this!
Rusian: Even if you call her a cheater, you're still married to her aren't you?
Yuyun: It would be better to just have us be divorced instead!
Yuyun cried out as his character was overflowing with the anger emote.
Yuyun: Marrying another character while she was still married to me… It seems she was only after my body and my money after all!
Rusian: You mean tanking and EXP right.
Your choice of words is really deplorable.
But honestly speaking, I think the part about marrying just to get bonuses was the truth.
Or to put it in words more fitting for this conversation, if the marriage had any feelings of love behind it, then they wouldn't have married another person with their other character.
Rusian: To put it simply, Sara Sarchan only thought of you as her handy partner when she's using her long ranged attacks.
Yuyun: That's right. She didn't love me at all.
In contrast to that, this guy loved Sara Sarchan.
Rusian: I get it now… That's pretty tough.
Yuyun: I want to quit already.
Rusian: I understand how you feel but…
I wonder which would be tougher to swallow? That, or finding out the target of your affections was actually a man? I've already experienced such a thing before so I can't exactly pass off his shock as a joke.
Rusian: People have different stances on in-game marriage after all…
There are people who would get married for purpose of making their farming more efficient, so they would just pick the one they get along the most in their group of friends and go with that. Though there's also people who would marry someone because they really love the other person.
There's plenty of people using the in-game marriage system that have differing views on this which is why tragedies like this occur.
Rusian: So, what do you plan to do? Are you going to divorce her?
Yuyun: …Yeah. I'm done with Sara Sarchan!
Rusian: But forcefully divorcing your partner by yourself costs a lot of money right?
Yuyun: Why did the admins design such a shitty system?!
Rusian: Why don't you just honestly tell her that you want a divorce?
Yuyun: If I have to reveal to someone just using the system for their benefits that I really loved them, I would rather die! I'm going to kill myself!
Rusian: …Ah yeah… I get you…
If it was me, I would have wanted to go back to the time before I confessed to Nekohime-san… If only I could…
Yuyun: And so, I just can't accept that I'm the only one suffering right now.
Rusian: Yeah… huh?
Isn't the direction of the conversation getting a little strange?
Yuyun: In order to get you to suffer along with me, I interviewed Nekohime-san on why she rejected Rusian's proposal to get married.
Rusian: Hey, what did you just!? I don't want to hear that kind of thing!
Yuyun: Reason number one!
You're ignoring me!? Are you really just going to ignore what I said!?
This guy just doesn't listen to other people does he!?
Yuyun: 'I'm not really interested in marrying anymeowne in-game.'
Rusian: Guooooo!
Yuyun: Reason number two! 'It's not like Rusian is the only meowne I especially get along with.'
Rusian: Gyaaaaaaaa!
Yuyun: Reason number three! 'Anymeow, it's impossible for me to marry another guy.' —is what she said.
Rusian: Please… Please stop it already…
Why did you have to involve my past scars into this mess…
True, without considering the other person's feelings and their stance on in-game marriage, I mindlessly proposed to someone, so I couldn't laugh at this guy.
But that means you shouldn't be doing this to me as well.
No, that's not it. This guy didn't do anything wrong. He's also just one of the victims.
It's all the GIRLs' fault. It's all the fault of those people who made in-game marriage possible!
Rusian: I'm never going to get married ever again!
Yuyun: That's right! Like hell I'm going to marry again!
We both said that as we raised our fists in protest.
But from then on, Yuyun had divorced two times and is now in his third marriage.
And the person he is currently married to is a guy in real life.
During that last wedding ceremony, as I witnessed the sight of her —his? —and Yuyun's passionate exchange, I felt like saw the creation of a sorrowful memory.
Rusian: And that's what happened.
Ako: I'm not going to divorce you, you know?
Ako was silently listening to me talk up to that point, until she suddenly cut me off with such vigor as if to reply to something I didn’t even say.
Rusian: Yeah, I'm not going to do that either.
Ako: Thank goodness—
Ako said that, feeling a bit relieved.
Even though it's really nothing to think about, being a worrywart about this kind of thing is just a bad habit of hers that she can't get rid of.
Rusian: That's not the main point here. What I wanted to tell you about was that people have different stances on marriage.
Ako: Huh…
What's with that reaction that shows like you don't get it? This is important in evaluating our in-game marriage isn't it?
Rusian: If our stances on this matter were different, it would be a huge problem. You know, just getting married and not giving it any deep thought is no good.
I tried saying this to force Ako to get the point of what I'm saying, but she didn't show any signs of giving it any thought.
Ako: Eh? But I love Rusian you know?
Rusian: …I love you too.
Ako: Right?
'Then why tell me that in the first place?', is what Ako seemed to ask as a question mark appeared above her head.
True, Ako may have a point here. I've never once doubted Ako's love for me in-game.
Rusian: Then could I ask you something?
Ako: Okay.
Rusian: ……
Ako: …?
Rusian: …A, as if I could ask that—!
"As if I could ask thaaaaaaaaat!"
Rusian and I both blurted that out at the same time.
As if— I could ask— something like THAT!
Ako: Eeeh!? Why are you suddenly getting mad by yourself!?
Rusian: You're being noisy! I'm heading off to sleep, night!
Ako: O, okay. Good night.
After I said goodbye to the confused Ako, I grabbed my head in my hands as the client closed. I have to apologize to Ako tomorrow.
But you know, no one in their right mind could ask such a thing.
Hey Ako, do you…
Love the real me too? Was the question I could not dare ask.