Rin :: Argh, that was so stupid. And Kishinami of all people saw that disgraceful…!
It’s…Rin? She’s looking at the sunset, agonizing over something. I
cautiously take another step forward, and Rin notices our presence and
turns around.
Rin :: Kishinami!? W-why are you here…When
did you break in! There’s been absolutely no negligence or openings
left on this side, after all. I’m going to kick you out of the Labyrinth
right now —!
Sakura :: ! Be careful Miss Kishinami! She’s calling out her Servan…huh?
[What Rin calls out is in fact one of the standard enemy programs.]
Rin :: W, what! Why are you just standing
there looking let down…I’m the queen of the moon. I don’t need to fight
insects like you directly! So, you see, it’s…there’s no way I’m going
easy on you, okay!!
[She vanishes.]
Caster :: Ah, she ran away. But this enemy looks like kind of a pain! Master, please be careful!
[We fight it. Caster ruins her warning by complaining about having to fight something so weak in her battle opening line. I did oneshot it with my overleveled-ness though, so probably justified.]
Leo :: Good work. It seems you’ve gotten
quite used to battle. That behavior of Miss Tohsaka’s — I think we’ve
already got her secret.
Julius :: Still, though…isn’t that far too easy to figure out? It’s so conspicuous you can hardly call it a secret.
Leo :: Maybe secrets are actually more
that sort of thing than you’d think? I mean, it’s true that we don’t
have conclusive evidence. Sakura, where is Miss Tohsaka’s signal coming
from now?
Sakura :: Miss Rin’s signal ceases in the vicinity of the shield. From that point on, she became impossible to track.
Leo :: Then for now let’s go back to the
shield and aim for a reunion with Miss Tohsaka. Maybe we’ll be able to
expose another of her secrets. It’s possible Miss Tohsaka has might up
with Lancer without us noticing. Hopefully we can catch up with her
before that happens…
[So we head off that way. As we near the destination, Caster exasperatedly tells me to get ready to face 'that horned woman'.]
Unknown speaker :: Kyaaaaa—!
!? That scream came from the end of the path!
Unnamed girl :: No, nooo! Please, help! I can’t run anymore! Don’t stab me with that…!
Lancer :: Anymore? Anymore, is it? Only
humans get second chances. You know what, pathetic little rabbit? I’ll
teach you some words I really hate, just for you. Jailbreaks, mutiny,
and backtalk. All a rabbit should do is sit there like cute little
bunny, you know!
Unnamed girl :: I…noo, stop! I’ll disappear, I’ll really disappear this time…!
Lancer :: What’s that? Oh, there’s no way
I’ll let you go out so half-heartedly. I don’t let my sacrifices go so
easily. You’re livestock. Your fate is to be tormented in my
blood-tax hell until I get bored of you. Now, if we’re understood,
you’ll get right back in your pen.
…with a high-pitched laugh, the screaming stops. The scent of fresh
blood, at odds with this virtual reality. We rush toward the source of
the sounds, and I see that red Lancer before us. I don’t see the owner
of those screams. Did Lancer transfer her somewhere else…?
Leo :: Oh? Lancer, riding alone? Where’s Miss Tohsaka?
Sakura :: No sign of a Master! This is your chance, Miss Kishinami!
Lancer :: What could this be? I came out to catch an escapee, and I find unexpected guests? I’m so lucky, so cool!
Caster :: This is terrible luck on our side. We managed to get one out of Rin, and she seemed like she was about to lose another - of her marbles, that is.
I endorse Caster’s position. I expected Rin’s team to be looking
for ideal circumstances for our next in encounter as well, but this is
kind of anti-climactic.
Lancer :: What? You over there, refrain from whispering. You’re so rude. Where do you think you are?
Lancer points at us. It seems like she was asking me, not Caster.
Lancer :: …come on. You, the plain one,
why are you staying quiet. I’m asking you a question. Answer me! …I
said, answer me. Don’t ignore me! What is it, you have some problem with
me!? Argh, the pet’s poor behavior is the master’s responsibility, you
know!? Answer me already! You, completely harmless-looking squirrel
Master! Where, what kind of place do you think this castle is!?
> This is the arena…the Sakura Labyrinth.
[>] The scene of a murder…?
> You told me to refrain from whispering, so…
Lancer ::Haah? Are you dumber than a squirrel? I'm the only human here. How could there be a murder? What I just ripped into shreds was a cute little rabbit. It's unbelievable for something that only exists to be eaten to run from me. So I punished it.
...What should I do here? This is a type of Servant I've never seen before. I'm not sure whether we should be trying to fight or standing back. This mission was to observe Tohsaka Rin. There's no point trying to fight when she's not here. But--
Lancer :: Enough of this. Rin told me not
to kill “Hakunon” without her permission, but this is getting annoying.
And what’s that “Hakunon” supposed to mean anyway? What language is it?
Is it the name of a food? A place? A magic word? A pet name? Argh, Rin,
if you’re going to use words I can’t understand, you’re not allowed to
be my attendant anymore! I feel sick, so I’m going to cut you two into
eight pieces!
What a hot-tempered person…! This Servant gets angry whether you speak to her or not, she’s basically a time bomb…!
Caster :: Master, stay strong! If we lose on the battlefield of words, we can't even begin the real fight! If it smells, cover it. If it causes pain, set it alight. Things should be decided in that manner - simply!
Lancer :: Oh, well said, you’re not my
type, but you’ve peaked my interest, low-grade Servant! I’m play with
you gently, then kill you. Come on, I’ll retire you in a second,
third-rate!
[We fight for a round! It's funny, I actually have more HP than her this time around.]
Lancer :: Ahahahaha! Oh my god, you’re so weak! Is the Caster class really that lame!?
Caster :: Wha- this is Idiot Power on a never-before-seen scale! And- damn it, that spear's blunt! Even I'm surprised!
Lancer’s attack power surpasses ours. And she’s this powerful with
her Master absent. If Rin were here, we wouldn’t even be able to
survive…!
Lancer :: Ahh, I can’t stop…such a lovely
face you’re looking up at me with, human. It seems you’ve come to have
more respect for my noble lineage.
Caster :: ...What? Noble? Where? Wait - you? Dejima?
[Dejima seems to be a *tiny* trading port in Nagasaki.]
Lancer :: Yes, precisely! You’re a
third-rate in battle, but you’re so on cue with your responses, you’re
first-rate as an audience.
Lancer:: Are you curious?
Lancer :: You’re curious, aren’t you?
Lancer :: You want to know, right!? Good call! Very well, if you want to know so
badly, I’ll tell you! I am a high-class Dragon-child! Super-sonic,
gifted with beauty and intelligence, my spirit and my favorite tea are
both first brew — the roaring thunder descending from Jánoshegy, singing
songs of fresh blood! I am Hungary’s famous E—
[She says "Nice call" in English.]
Rin :: Stupid stupid stupid, stop right
there Lancer! What are you thinking, revealing your true name!? You know
how angry I’ll be if you do that!?
…Rin! With this our opponents’ battle power has gotten even higher.
Currently Caster and I can’t even oppose Lancer alone, if her Master
Rin is with her, forget winning, I’d despair even of getting away…!
Lancer :: …so, I can’t, my true name is
secret information, right. When I made a contract with my manager, I was
told not to give my own name.
Rin :: Not just your true, all of your abilities are secrets! You didn’t go an blab anything else important, did you!?
Lancer :: Huh, other things? Um….....................yep. I
didn’t blab anything at all, no ma’am. It was perfect. Perfect silence!
It was at the point where I didn’t even talk to them at all.
["Perfect silence" was also in English.]
Caster :: "Daughter of dragons." Annnnd, a slippery reptile tail. Mmmmm, I suppose there are some lizard women that come into the world as apparitions and spirits and such.
[Lancer and Caster really are similar - they both use a ton of English. Among other more noticeable similarities.]
Rin :: You went and revealed something didn’t you!
Lancer :: You’re wrong, it’s not my fault. It’s just that squirrely Master’s leading questions approach master-level.
Rin :: There’s no way Hakunon….Kishinami has the kind of ability! She’s a good person to the core and her idiocy is bottomless!
Lancer :: Oh my. Well then, I don’t see
the problem. If she’s that dumb, we don’t need to be afraid of her
knowing one or two secrets, do we? And anyway, look at them, Rin.
They’re not strong at all, are they? I just danced with them a little,
and they’re in that state. Couldn’t I just kill them here? I’d like more
sacrifices, but disobedient lambs are just in the way. We get rid of
everyone who tries to leave the far side of moon. That’s our rule, isn’t
it Rin?
Rin :: ——.
The agitated atmosphere completely changes. Rin Tohsaka wordlessly accepts Lancer’s suggestion —
Lancer :: Come on. Your orders, my queen.
First we crush the Servant and put him in the torture chamber. Then we
pluck off the Master’s limbs and leave them at the entrance to the
Labyrinth. And then, when the other survivors in the school building
come to save her, we can catch and kill them all one by one! Oh, how
lovely! My headache goes away just imagining it! This is, what do they
call it, neglect play, isn’t it!
So that’s what that Servant is thinking of…! Daring to leave her defeated opponents alive, as bait to lure in the next victim —
Rin :: — That’s true. You could do that.
This girl is the type who’ll turn the tables on you eventually if you
just let her go. And I wouldn’t mind making her kneel at my feet like
the other Masters we’ve caught.
Rin, that’s…! …I can’t believe it. I don’t know what happened to make
her become a queen. But still, even though she’s my enemy now, I
believed that her true character hadn’t changed, and yet —!
Lancer :: Leave it to me! Now then, starting from your weak little Servant, I’ll make some mince pie with this spear —
Rin :: But that would be boring. It’s not
worth fighting an opponent this drastically down-leveled. A Tohsaka is
always noble and elegant. It went out of use long ago, but it’s a family
precept. Go home, Lancer. There’s no need to fight small fry like this.
Lancer :: Seriously? …well, I guess it is your castle. If that’s how it’s going to be, I’ll go have a look.
Lancer leaves immediately following Rin’s order. Most like she
transferred to their headquarters. …and there’s no mistaking it, Rin
just indirectly saved us. Somehow, that speculation freed me from the
corner I was trapped in.
Rin :: Hm, hmph. What’re you looking at me
like that for. What? I just said I’m not interested in bullying the
weak. It’s not like I was concerned for you or anything. If you haven’t
learned your lesson and creep in here again, then I really will exploit
you for all you’re worth.
So Rin declares coldly, turning her face from me. As she does so, a
strong electric current runs through my left hand. My left hand lefts on
its own, as if drawn to Rin’s heart —
Rin :: W-what is it, why do you look so
sad all of a sudden. S-so, stop it! I told you I’m the queen, didn’t I!?
So, call me queen! Understand? This is just the nature pity of a queen!
It would be boring to just finish you off, so I’ve made an exception
and overlooked this! Don’t you DARE misunderstand! I don’t think
anything of you!
Caster :: Uwaaah, there it is.... As expected of Rin...
Leo :: This is —
Julius :: …there it is.
[Flower petal burst, like when Kiara kissed Hakuno before.]
Gawain :: ?? What is it? Wasn’t it just a normal declaration based on a chivalrous spirit?
My left hand throbs. The program Kiara transferred to me is rumbling.
My eyes can see something taking root in the blood vessels in the
center of Rin’s chest. Ahh — then, this is,
Rin :: Eh? What’s going on? I’m the one letting you go, why are you looking at me like you’re pitying me?
[Then the center of her chest totally starts shining.]
Rin :: O, ow!? Wha, what is this!? Suddenly, my chest, hurts —
+
Sakura :: SG, identified! That is the “secret” that will bring down Miss Rin’s shield!
[So a glowing pink orb burst out of Rin’s chest.]
That’s right…! The moment I reach that conclusion,both of my feet
kick off the ground. I shoot throw the air like an arrow. As if my body
doesn’t belong to me.
[Now please imagine Hakuno leaping into the air, and driving her hand into Rin’s chest in a burst of light and flower petals. It's majestic.]
Right, I haven’t been fired at Rin, rather, drawn toward her. As if
following some innate understanding, my left hand merges into Rin’s
defenseless chest —
[The screen goes white, declares “Secret Garden 1,” and Hakuno falls past Rin, and crushes the pink orb in her hand.]
An instant.
The preference concealed inside Rin’s chest runs through my mind like a flash of light.
[And the shield shatters like glass.]
Rin :: Ugh…w-what, that —
Rin’s body is vanishing. No way…did I just do lethal damage to her
with that contact!? But she doesn’t seem to have any wounds or bleeding —
Rin :: Kk…I can’t, maintain this
offshoot…the ego should be invincible, yet you have a secret measure to
eliminate it…I should have expected it…I underestimated you, Kishinami.
You really are the greatest obstacle in my path to becoming queen…!
Er…no, um. I’d prefer not to be looked at with such open resentment. And I’d like you to not overestimate me.
Rin :: But, the fight is still to come! This me is no more than one quarter. This much doesn’t even hurt.
No more than one quarter…? What the heck is Rin talking about…!?
Sakura :: A quarter…? ! Could it be that
the signs of life I’ve been picking up since we entered the Labyrinth
are — It is! Those signs of life originate from the Labyrinth itself,
but they ID as Miss Rin! If we count back from their numerical values,
that Rin is one piece of consciousness emitted from her main body! She
is a quarter of the Labyrinth, capacity-wise!
Leo :: Miss Tohsaka’s life signal, from
the Labyrinth…? No, isn’t it possible that spirits were originally
discharged, and then began to live independently?
Rin :: Heh, it would be impossible for the
likes of you, but I know the secrets of the Moon Cell, so I can do it.
Anyway. I don’t really know how I lost to you, but I’ll take the loss
for now. But, I’ll tell you this much before I go. I’m going to
disappear here for my own reasons! It’s absolutely not because of you!
[So she vanishes in a burst of tsundere.]
Sakura :: …umm. Anyway, the signal from
the present version of Miss Rin has more or less vanished. The life
signs from the Labyrinth are the same as ever, so I don’t think her life
has been seriously endangered. Also, the data obtained by Miss
Kishinami confirms Miss Rin’s hidden feelings. SG01, that’s the name of
this preference, is…
Leo :: Wait. Let’s keep it with only
Hakuno knowing that. For the sake of Miss Tohsaka’s honor. Well, we know
what this one is even if you don’t tell us. It was so utterly according
to template, I’d like to put it in a textbook.
Julius :: …extremely so. To even make the listeners flush…It was on the level of some traditional performance art.
Gawain :: To my regret…I can’t seem to understand your modern culture even slightly.
Leo :: That’s just fine Gawain. Anyway, Sakura. What does “SG” stand for?
Sakura :: It’s short for Secret Garden.
That’s the name that has been registered in the Moon Cell’s libraries,
but from now on I’ll shorten it to SG. Also, I’ve detected a
comparatively stable structure just past the shield. I should be able to
establish a short cut from the cherry tree to there allowing direct
movement to that point.
Leo :: Very good. That should make further
exploration easier. Hakuno, head for the area past the shield. After
that, return to base. As we’re deciding on our policy going forward,
relax for a while, and when you’re rested, let’s convene in the student
council room.
Original translation here: https://tsukinoura.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/entry-35-thats-not-a-real-secret/.
Please support the original translator.