- not the actual book cover pic, but it suited perfectly! This is a novel I am continuing from here: Do Machines Dream of Better Translations , , . I had hoped she'd continue from teasers to full translation but alas no. So I decided to throw my hat in. Hope everyone enjoys it. As per usual, running commentary - running through.
Encounter with James
‘Miss, what is your name? I have been watching you for a while and you don’t seem to be interested in the Duke at all. How come? You’re the only one, you know; the only woman not trying to attract Duke Magnaria.’ (Zuben: Das special snowflake, ya)
Ah...so I was noticed.
‘Well, that is because I am not interested in the Duke.’
‘So there are such women? I had thought that all women would be aiming for the Duke’s attention. He has good looks. He’s wealthy and has honours.’
‘I would prefer a man who loves me as I am. I would prefer a man who is sincere and never lies.’ (Zuben: Ah dreams, can they come true?)
He laughed, ‘You’re amusing. May I have a dance? I would like to chat with you more.’
He held his hand out to me. I had no reason to refuse, so I placed my hand in his. Perhaps, he was my destined one. When we reached the dance floor, we assumed the waltz and began to dance. Surprisingly, he danced very well and was a good lead. His feet moved lightly.
‘Duke Magnaria seems to have picked a three of the younger ladies to dance with tonight,’ he said, ‘Lady Isabel Bourbon, Lady Muriel Hilsalm and the Honorable Helmina Quesel. Although, there haven’t been any rumours with him and these ladies, do you think the Duke will really decide who he is going to marry amongst them?’
‘It is strange…’ I replied vaguely, what I found strange was this selection. I had attended a tea party given by Lady Muriel after my arrival in the kingdom. I wasn’t close to her but I noted her appearance is very neat and clean. She and Lady Isabelle were close friends, but their admirers divided the ladies of nobility into two camps because their families were of equal status. In contrast, the Quesel house is not so famous; they were lower aristocratic family rather like mine. I don’t know what Helmina looks like but she was an inconsistent choice. Moreover, it was strange for an elite man who was said to know his way with women to be choosing a woman to marry in such a way.
But these three women are very different. Despite thinking it over, I could not understand his choice.
‘What do you find strange?’ the gentleman asked. I turned to him; eyes the colour of the clear sea were very close to mine. My ruminations were interrupted. I had forgotten I was dancing with a gentleman I did not know and had not been introduced to. Although he had a good looking face, I felt crowded for a moment. THIS WEB NOVEL WAS MACHINE TRANSLATED BY
‘I believe that the Duke Magnaria does not intend to marry anyone of those women. He would not want to be bound by a single woman.’
‘That is interesting. Do you think that the Duke will overturn the purpose of this ball and not choose a bride? This grand ball has been created by His Majesty; if he does not choose a bride, he might lose favour with his Majesty.’
‘So that is why there is a selection. The Duke Magnaria is a real schemer. The rumour that he works for the Crown as a tactician must be true. By the way, you haven’t introduced yourself.’
The gentleman wanted to say something but stopped, I thought it was because the dance was over. The orchestra readied for the next piece and he asked for my hand again, so I took it. When the orchestra began, we started to dance again. But the man drew me close to him, holding my waist he whispered in my ear,
‘My name is James Nascaria. What is your name?’
Since I was drawn to him so suddenly, my heartbeat thud in my chest. I replied with a calm that I certainly was not feeling, I resented my lack of immunity to handsome men
‘I am Julia Hermiata, daughter of Viscount Hermiata.’
Nascaria was not a name I had heard much of, was he a nobleman? (Zuben: Don’t they have a Debretts in your land) His hands were clean and manicured so he was not a soldier. A merchant? But there are no ink stains. If he was a merchant rich enough to be invited to a royal ball, I would know of him. So, was it a pseudonym? Perhaps he was aiming to fool a simple country girl and play games; I should be careful. THIS WEB NOVEL WAS MACHINE TRANSLATED BY
‘You’re interesting, Julia. I like you. I can love you for you, Julia.’ James said.
Wow, so absurd. I can’t believe he just said with a straight face to a person he just met.
‘Pardon me sir, but you forgot “a man who is sincere and not a liar”. So I shall excuse myself after this dance. I don’t wish to waste my time.’
But the music had begun, and the dance had started but there will be no third time. Devoting my limited time to a strange man who is not my destined one is annoying. (Zuben: These Japanese writers really do love this ‘destined one’ malarkey) As soon as the dance was over, I made an attempt to leave, but I was drawn back by my arm. I opened my mouth prepared to remind him of proper etiquette, but James said,
‘Shall we go and meet the Duke Magnaria? I would like to see if things will happen as Julia predicts. That is, if he can do it - because he is the ultimate misogynist.’ (Zuben: What an annoying character – not the Duke, this James person)
Huh…? I had heard he was a consummate womaniser.
James noticed my skeptical expression and laughed.
‘Well, he is womaniser but he is also very distrustful of women especially when it comes to marrying them. It could be said he hates women in general. This time…I had thought he had a plan too.’
Is that it? Well, even if he hates women, he seems to the type that was a slave to his desires; the worst kind of man. I’m glad I did not get chosen by the Duke. (Zuben: One of these days, there would a character with a ‘wait and see’ attitude instead of jumping to conclusions)
‘Do you know the Duke personally?’ I asked James.
‘I will reply that with “no comment”, because you have a sharp intuition.’
[Hate]…would it be troublesome if I say I don’t want to go? True I would be letting go of a true gentleman here, but I wanted to find my fated man, and get along with him well. But then, I also want to know the true identity of this James Nascaria person.
So I went about the ball while holding hands with James. He searched through the various rooms without hesitation, I wondered if he was familiar with the castle. I got confused further.
It was impossible for a merchant to know this much about the castle layout, and it appears that he has also met the Duke Magnaria. Who the hell was this person?
As all these questions crowded my brain, we could not find the Duke.
‘Where has the Duke gone? He should have finished dancing with the girls. He probably is hiding in a room with one of them, but the chosen woman has to be finalized.’
Perhaps. But my suspicion was that the Duke will hide himself somewhere and wait for the time to arrive. THIS WEB NOVEL WAS MACHINE TRANSLATED BY
‘Mr Nascaria, I am going to find Helmina. If things have developed as expected she might be in trouble…’ I wildly pulled my hand from his and ran round a corner. I hid behind a large pillar so that he may not chase me. I did not have a good feeling about this man. That might be because my expectations might be off.
I could not shake the sense of foreboding. After leaving James, I went to search from the most likely place. It would not be the rest room because anybody could enter at any moment; it would be a rest area or a secluded terrace near a garden that didn’t see much traffic.