Volume 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)
This is the English translation of the last part (of four) of the first story (“Stargazer”) of the series of short stories titled “Final Days of Suotten per, and he is very excited about his work being translated to English
While this first short story ends with this part, there are several more short stories already written that continue “Final of Days of Suood, with the second having a strong tie to this one (I’ll let you guess where it is set…) I’d really like to start translating that, but I have a few other co, so it et back to this
As always, any feedback on this story will help ies You can vote for this story on my survey , or even better you can leave a comment on this post, or like it
Thanks to Niji this chapter
contains this work’s synopsis and other translated portions You can see the entire first short story in its original japanese
Story 1: Stargazer (Part 4)
At long last, the day of the meteor shower had arrived
Under a clear sky as if yesterday's rainstore youth bustled about in preparation for the star festival Although only visiting, I was no exception, busyingchairs
Had Naladly participated in the festivities But his place was at that beach which meant my destination was decided I intended to sneak out as soon as the festival began
……that was, until I heard about that
It was in the evening, when the festival preparations were nearly over Thewere busying the catch”, ”We strike once the s for a ; I i and sprinted hard towards the beach
Once a year, on the day of the suathered in the shalloater at the beach The dolphins, nor to a place where they could easily be trapped There was no way that the fishermen would miss such a chance
(Dolphins have no need for legs, right?)
Nameless was definitely not a dolphin His tales weren't anything but figination I knew that I really knew that, but……an to throb painfully Until I knew for sure he was safe, this ache would not subside
I prayed that it wasn't true I prayed that everything he had said-especially about being a dolphin-was all a lie
Holding htly, I finally reached the beach, only to discover a co I'd seen there before The shadows of fishi+ng boats loo this way I went to the usual rocky place and gasped as I saw Nas stretched out before him
”Nameless!”
I rushed over to him
Fro out of thick sleeves, to his bare feet……his body was covered in fresh injuries: ugly bruises and cuts still damp with blood
When I shook Nanized me and a smile slowly blossomed on his face
”I'ht you were probably already dead I should take care of your wounds……”
”Naoyuki Do you really believe the dolphins are your friends?”
I paused, bewildered by Nameless's unexpected question
The dolphins had waited for the stars together with us the entire time I'm not sure if I would call them friends, but I did feel some type of kinshi+p with them However, the reason I rushed here was not for them, it was for Nameless-a man who claimed to be a dolphin
”I consider you a friend An irreplaceable, dear friend”
Naain, a soft sadness in his eyes ”I already knew that,” he said
”I'm sure you came here to save me-a dolphin-because you believed what I'd said……”
He was coht
The only reason I had ran here, pushi+ng my body to its limit, was because I hadn't doubted Nameless There was no reason for me to make excuses and say I wanted to see the meteor shower or check if the stars really became shells I had believed in Nahtly so it wouldn't escape
”I wanted to protect the dolphins I kneas crazy, but I charged directly into a huot injured and had nearly given up all hope……until I remembered you”
Until I ht with you
Water dripped from Nameless's face Whether it was the spray of some whale, or water that spilled from an ocean on the other side of the sky, I couldn't say He san talking again, his voice hoarse
It was about the day of the o-the last day in the journal I'd kept as a boy
”On that day, the fishi+ng boats had coerously close, just like today Before the dolphins kneas happening they were surrounded on all sides, withnowhere to escape to Naoyuki, just when I thought it was all over, you……”
……raised your ared froht into the ocean
Na of rock that jutted out over the water
Even though the water beloas shallow, I'h so that my feet couldn't touch the ocean floor I'd dived into that when I was still just a young boy While the fishermen hurriedly tried to pull me out of the water, all the dolphins escaped from the nets to safety Of course, Nameless was one of them
”I-we-are alive thanks to you I know it's a little late, but thanks”
Many years later, ere all here again on the same white, sandy beach, on the same day Despite the fact I didn't remember any of it, Nameless's words resonated somewhere deep within me
At that veryhard fell from above I went to pick up the object that had struck ht red shell shi+ftingalong the surface of the ocean on the other side of the sky
The un
Shells began falling to the ground in quick succession, as if following the example set by the first one Beautiful ones, plain ones, cracked ones, oddly-shaped ones……all sorts of shells fell onto the shore, tucking the water all around, the dolphins cried out joyfully
It was true Everything Nameless had said was true
”Unfortunately, it seeer move Naoyuki, could you pick one out for me? Find the most beautiful shell-the one you feel is the most beautiful”
His voice eak, like his battered and bruised body
I wanted to tend to his wounds first But, knowing him, Nameless would never let me The meteor shoould be over before we even finished There was little time left for this brief event that he and the other dolphins had waited for so long
I reluctantly left Naan to search the sand
The rain of shells struck parts of round Their number multiplied even as I searched; how could I ever find the most beautiful shell? But just as I was nearly overwhelht my eye