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Apothecary Diaries | WN Translation | Arc 9 - Chapter 19

Hi and welcome!

For a number of reasons I ended up here - I relay all that happens in the chapters, playing wine-aunt as I go about translating to the best of my abilities.

Hence, be warned: All the spoilers are down below. Want some but not all? My dm's/asks are open.

New here or missed a part? Feel free to check out the Masterlist!

Please note that there's a a lot of chars and some new ones in this and likely at least the next chapter. I'm pretty certain on the pronoun of one chars, but the owl is just a lil question mark.

Chapter 19 | The Wind-Reading Tribe

The chapter opens with Chue guiding Maomao to the suspicious person.

“That-is-why I told you it’s all a misunderstanding.”

Maomao hears a high-pitched voice - it was too harsh/sharp a voice to be called a woman’s. Looking at the figure, even Maomao understands.

“It’s a brat.”

Narrator-Mao thinks she’s about ten years old. Her eyes are narrow and her skin is yellow (not my wording choice). Rather than being a resident of Saito, she has more characteristics of a race in Hisashi-Shu… Her face looks like a boys but her long hair is tied up, so she’s probably a girl. In Saito (the western capital), boys - even children - will often wear a tight head scarf or have their hair in a long braid.

Since she wore a mask and had long hair flowing down her face, people probably mistook her for a woman.

“I’m not a brat.”

Narrator-Mao notes something about the kid lashing out - and that it pretty much confirms her being a brat.

Within the room there are: the sus child, Maomao, Taomei, Basen and one guard who is often seen around but whose name.. Maomao doesn’t know.

“Maomao-san.” - Taomei squints her differently colored eyes.

I’m not fully sure if Maomao asks why Taomei is there or something but she’s like “Why, Taomei-sama?”.

Taomei goes on ask-stating “I thought it was a girl, but my second son said he was interrogating a boy - what would happen if he realizes it’s a girl?”

Maomao’s like “Ah-” - agreeing.

As narrator stating that generally.. Basen doesn’t like women/isn’t good with them. When it comes to his bad skills, she’s worried that it’s gotten so far that he won’t be able to have kids in the future.

“Mother… …” - Basen looks uncomfortable.

Narrator-Mao notes that the girl still looks like a child - then wonders if it’s still no good.

Me and Chue-san seem fine though. - Mind-Mao thinks (reference to him not being into them hence having immunity)

Chue seems to be a rare breed, so it can’t be helped.. but perhaps she’s classified in the same way?

“Are your interrogations not going well? Shall we do it, Chue-san?”

Chue approaches with a smile and narrowed eyes.

“Chue-san, you don’t have to do it.” - Taomei stops her.

“I see. I’m good at handling children.” - Chue pulls out a flag from her sleeve.

“I’m sorry, but what is your current situation?” - Maomao steps between Chue and her mother-in-law. Noting as narrator that everyone from their family has strong personalities, so if you don’t express yourself properly you’ll likely be left behind.

“I’m very sorry. As for the current situation, the child is Kurumu (Krum).”

“Ku-ru-mu?”

“It’s written like this.” - Taomei writes it on the table and shows it to Maomao.

“Thank you.”

Narrator-Mao let’s us know that the atmosphere of the name is far from the general sound around the capital. If anything, it sounded like it was coming from the direction of Xiao (don’t ask me if that’s it or not, it’s none of the places mentioned so far)

“Please tell me clearly too/You too, speak up/louder. As you can see, I’m just a beautiful young girl that can be found anywhere/from anywhere. I was just wandering around here, trying to catch the bird that I used to keep!”

{Beautiful girl..} - all eyes are on Kurumu. She seems to have a very high self-esteem. However, if they (Maomao) complain they’ll go off-topic again.

“As you can see, there is no other intention than catching the bird, and of course there is no malicious intent. So, I’m/she’s telling you calmly to return the bird and release her.”

“That’s quite brazen.” - Chue speaks for Maomao as Taomei explains (I think during this part Taomei is like a speaker for Kurumu)

“Alright! I raised this bird originally. Look at it. Look how friendly it is/Look, it’s attached to me like this!”

“It doesn’t look like it though”

The bird turned away from Kurumu without looking at her. Up close (owly) really had a strange mask like/look on its face.

“I’m telling you, look!” - Once Kurumu puts on the mask, wearing all black the owl finally approaches her.

“Hehe. The owl hatched from an egg. I’ve been taking care of (owly) like this for a long time.”

“In other words, if you dress like that, the owl will react no matter who the person wearing this is. Even if it’s not you”

“?!” - Hearing Maomao’s words, Kurumu looked like her jaw would fall off.

“No, it’s true! Believe me! Believe in this precious child!” - Kurumu looks like she’s about to cry.

“Look, I know that this is (owly's) favorite food.”

“He’s cute, isn’t he? Here, it’s chicken.” - Taomei handed the owl a piece of chicken with her chopsticks. The owl hopped around in the cage, approached and ate the chicken.

“?!”

“It seems like (owly) will take the food, even if one doesn’t wear black clothes (and the mask).”

At this point Kurumu makes a stuffy nose sound - that sounds like something I can’t quite figure out, it’s something about wearing the mask while scratching something, sometimes I get head, other times nose.

Speaking of, since his mother is in charge, Basen just stands there without saying anything. He’s a little similar to Gaoshun, who reached the state of nirvana.

“I-I raised (owly) properly……”

Maomao(?): “If you say you raised (owly), please show me the proof.”

Kurumu(?): “Even if you say evidence-” (i’m not 100% but i think the kid tries to bring across that she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to do)

Chue: Maomao-san, you are ruthless, even with children.

Chue says this as if it’s someone else’s business while offering Taomei an extra piece of chicken.

Narrator-Mao notes that it seems like she’s being careful about her mother in law. Although she seems to be free when it comes to her father-in-law and brother-in-law. (free as in doing as she likes)

Maomao: Even if you say it’s ruthless, even a child can light a fire. It would be normal for even children to be punished if they are acting strangely in the villas of Saito’s powerful people.

Chue(?): That’s right

Maomao(?): Ah, Chue-san. Raw chicken is dangerous, so please heat it before eating.

Chue: Oops, excuse me/sorry

Chue was naturally trying to put the chicken in her mouth. No matter how much of a picky eater she is, Narrator-Mao doesn’t recommend eating raw pig or chicken. (real lesson, my people)

Kurumu: Pro-Properly. I-I raised (owly)…… (owly) hatched from an egg, too

Maomao(?): Is that so. If, how did you get the egg? And how did you hatch it? Please explain why the bird you raised ran away

While sniffing (nose runny) Kurumu begins to speak.

Kurumu: I got the e-egg. Ah, the hunter who knows my dad said he didn’t want it. My father didn’t want it either.

Maomao: Hunter?

Kurumu: When you hunt a hawk or something - if you find a nest, you get the eggs. Father will buy the eggs, raise them and sell them to the rich/nobelman.

Maomao: I see

This bird turned out to be an unsold egg - Narrator-Mao notes.

Maomao: So, how did you hatch it?

Kurumu: ……Oh. Father always keeps the room warm. You burn a lot of fuel, ventilate when it gets too hot, and turn the eggs about five times a day. I wasn’t allowed to use the room, so I put the egg under my arm. I think the parent birds kept it warm for a long time, it hatched in about five days

Maomao: Hmm

Maomao knew that Kurumu was telling the truth. She only had a rough idea of how birds hatch, but she doesn’t think Kurumu is wrong.

Basen: Hey, what’s going on?

Basen, who was in the Gaoshun reserve army, asked Maomao. (let’s be real for a sec he totally napped)

Maomao: I don’t think there’s anything strange about it. I don’t think she could say this much as a quick lie

However, there was something that bothered her.

Maomao: Did you raise this owl with the intention of selling it?

Kurumu: N-No!

Maomao: Guessed so

Maomao goes on grabbing the black costume.

Maomao: It looks like you raised it with the intent of returning (owly) to the wild.

Kurumu: …… Yeah (this is not the usual hai). I taught (owly) how to catch insects so (owly) could hunt

Maomao: But do you think (owly) was sold?

Kurumu: …… Yes/That’s right. My damn old man

Kurumu balls her fists.

Kurumu: (Owly) had an interesting face and a unique color, so he sold (owly) while I was gone. Without discussion, on his own. Since there was no mate, I was supposed to return (owly) to the forest. That’s why I raised (owly) in such hot clothes and with the mask on!

Kurumu feels angry, but it’s nothing unusual. The head of the household is in charge of the belongings of women and children. That’s the general view in Li.

Maomao thinks that it feels near paralyzing for strong women to live in a place like this(?)

Going on as narrator that it’s not uncommon for daughters to be raised as instrument for a polotically motivated marriage, or marriages in general.

Maomao: I understand. Well then, can I continue speaking? This is just a prediction, so correct me if I’m wrong

Kurumu: Y-Yeah

Kurumu sniffs and nods.

Maomao: Is your father’s occupation not falconry, but selling falcons to rich people? For falconry and as pets

Kurumu nodded.

Maomao: This is the mansion the owl was sold to. To the daughter of Gyokuou-sama, right?

Kurumu: That’s not it. To be exact, she’s an adopted daughter. There’s no daughter of this age from Nightingale-King

Kurumu seemed to have stopped sobbing and was now talking in a much clearer voice.

Maomao: Nightingale King?

Maomao asked back at the unfamiliar words. Adopted daughters aren’t particularly unusual, and she expected it, so it doesn’t really bother her.

Kurumu goes on to explain that there’s a main character in a play with that name. He defeats his enemies as if.. he were a swordmaster. The story is based on the old lord and the nicknames, Gyukuou and Nightingale King, came about as people in moments of mischief tried to say them. (ik it’s a mess, i’ll explain the kanji in the notes)

As narrator Maomao tells us that while Kurumu looks pretty young, she thinks Kurumu is quite intelligent and notes the high vocabulary Kurumu has for a kid her age.

Maomao’s like “Gyokuou-sama seems to be popular among people.”

Kurumu’s like “Oh well. He’s the eldest son of Gyokuen-sama, the king who brought the city to life, and he is friendly and even talks to commoners.”

Maomao only gives back an “...... I see/Is that so”

She’s honest as narrator that she doesn’t know much about Gyokuou and has other things she needs to hear right now.

Maomao: Are you saying that the owl was sold to Gyokuou's daughter, but the owl really ran away and ended up living in the mansion?

Kurumu’s like “Sort of” and Maomao asks how she knew that the owl ran away. Kurumu explains that “the person themselves” looked apologetic as they told the news and apologized.

Maomao’s like “the person themselves?” - Maomao turns to look at Chue, who’s next to her. Both Taomei and Basen have strange looks on their faces.

Kurumu goes on explaining that despite what she looks like, she’s known the people from the Jade house for a long time, they even taught her how to write.

Chue’s like “Yeah, you’re a little dirty.” and Kurumu snaps back at Chue's murmuring “Who’s a little dirty, I’m a beautiful girl!”. Narrator-Mao notes that the child’s tear stained face seems to be entirely gone.

“What do you mean? You don’t look like someone who goes in and out of a mansion.”

As narrator Maomao says that while Taomei changed the wording, what she says to Chue is the same (as what Chue had said about Kurumu)

Kurumu goes goes on explaining that she was good friends with Kaa-Chan, the wife of Gyokuen and mother of the Nightingale King. The lady was a relative of her father(?), and was the one who sold birds to rich people and that's how she got the news. Kurumu met her daughter several times when delivering goods. But when she asked to get the owl back, the daughter(?) was troubled. Kurumu concludes this part by saying “I guess you can’t just give back something your father gave you.”

Maomao tries to check/confirm: That means she/they let the owl escape on purpose.

Kurumu: I don’t know about that. However, I received a message saying that it was trouble because (owly) escaped. In other words, I understood that they were asking me to catch (owly). I’m innocent, right?

Maomao: No, that’s no good because you unnecessarily startled the residents of the mansion.

Kurumu lets out a growl like an animal “Ugh.”

Chue: “For the most part, I was able to understand the situation. Maomao-san”

Kurumu(?): “Yes, but”

Chue: “I think Maomao-san would like to ask you something else.”

Chue was right.

Narrator-Mao let’s us know that her main issue wasn’t figuring out the reason why Kurumu was wandering around the mansion - because that part was largely predictable for her.

“Then, would you mind if I asked you to answer some of my question in exchange for the inconvenience fee?”

“Sure, go ahead.” - Taomei speaks on Kurumu’s behalf again. Maomao was looking at Taomei as she asked the question

Maomao’s like “I understand that your family raised birds, but did you do anything to use them as means of communication?”

Kurumu explains that they don’t do that at their home - however, in her great-grandpa’s time, it seems that her relatives did, but she doesn’t know about it (happening) now.

Narrator-Mao’s like “Hmm” and crosses her arms.

Maomao then asks if her family used to do falconry, back in the day.

Kurumu admits that they(?) did that - her dad just started selling them to rich people instead because he thought it’s a lucrative business. They still hunt rabbits and sometimes foxes, but the reason she was told that they didn’t need the owl eggs is because unless it’s a hawk or eagle, it won’t be able to catch large prey. They’re more convenient to use for hunting than as a pet.

Narrator-Mao agrees that this owl seems to be able to, at most, catch a mouse or small rabbit.

“Then, can you make a bird that you raise catch only certain creatures?”

Kurumu furrows her brows.

Kurumu: I’ve never done it, but I can’t say it’s impossible. If you continue to feed only certain foods from the time they are chicks, they may/can become picky eaters. Or, when hunting, you could change their bait depending on the prey. When falconers bring in the prey they have caught, they exchange it for (animal) food. Once they learn what prey they can exchange for their favorite food, they may pick and choose their prey.

Maomao thinks again that Kurumu is smart after all. Except for the high-pitched voice, Maomao feels like she’s talking to a much more grown-up person than Chou’u, who is the same age as Kurumu.

Maomao: Then it might be possible to create a bird that only targets flying locusts

“Flying locusts?” - Basen catches on.

Kurumu: Flying locusts. Then it would have to be a bird that’s not very big, like this one. And since they prefer meat, it might be more realistic to switch the meat and the prey.”

“I see. Then, the last question.”

Maomao took a deep breath, then exhaled.

Maomao: Are you part of the wind-reading clan?

For a moment Kurumu just blinked.

Kurumu: How do you know that name?

Maomao clenches her fist.

Notes | Chapter 20

A couple things, once again!

Owly is not the owls name, I just used it as a stand-in instead of pronouns because they're constantly changing in my translators and there's a ton of he's and she's as is.

The part where Maomao refers to Chue as a rare breed in context of Basen's shyness immunity towards Maomao and Chue it's a kanji that's used for rare animal species xD

As always, Kurumu's name is up in the air, it's what I get most in my translations. However, there's no character fitting her in the wiki - which is awefully behind/lacking detail and characters anyway

To get to the names 玉鶯 is Gyokuou's usual spelling. Nightingale King is this spelling 鶯王. Basically, the kanji are flipped and in Nightingale King a little line is missing. As people tried to play about, the nicknames happened. In the wiki the faux title is “King Ou”. I went with the more literal translation because it's pretty much what you usually get translating his name - like how Chue is Sparrow. A tiny translator easter egg while also making it easier to keep track, plus it's so play/theatre coded xD

Maybe there's more notes, but here's the key points. I hope you enjoyed, stay safe and I'll see you with the next one!

#kusuriya no hitorigoto #the apothecary diaries #hekates apothecary

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