Purify "Portraits of Contemporary Students"/Story

Introduction

You came. Tainting due to those infamous gears has begun once again.
I believe you already are aware, but we will be having the writers collect these "distorted gears".

来たか。再び例の歯車による侵蝕が始まった
もう分かっているとは思うが、文豪たちにはこの「歪な歯車」を集めてもらうことになる

"Portraits of Contemporary Students" is one of the most important pieces of literature of all time.
Were this book to be fully tainted, the ill effects will be unfathomable.

『当世書生気質』は文学において最も重要な本の一つだ
この本が侵蝕されてしまえば、その影響は計り知れないぞ……

The situation seems to be more serious than we had presumed.

事態は我々の想定を超えたものになりつつあるようだ

We do not yet know whether these gears were created with intention or not.
Even so, the enemy's strength is impressive.

この歯車が意図的に作られたものか、そうでないのかもわかっていない
それなのに、敵は強大になるばかりだ

This is difficult for us to admit, but if these Taints with huge amounts of these gears keep popping up like this,
the day may be closer than we thought that the literature we've defended up until nyow will vanish.

言いにくいことだが、このまま大量の歯車を持つ侵蝕者が現れつづけるならば
これまで抑えられていた文学書の消失が再び起こる日も近いかもしれニャイな

Ugh, what a tough battle... If only we at least knew the true identity of these gears...

くっ、厳しい戦いだな……せめてこの歯車の正体がわかれば……

About that, we have figured something out regarding the gears. I'd like to discuss this again later.

それについてだが、歯車についてわかったことがある、後で改めて話したい

Chapter 1 - Masaoka Shiki & Cat

Hey, Mr. Cat, you finally got here. Do you still not have a name, yet?

やあやあ、ネコさんよ、ここまでついてきたんだな。まだ名前はないのか？

...There are many things I'd like to confirm about this book. What's with this world? It seems to be a really old book...

……ここの書物について確認したいことがいくつかある
なんなのだこの世界は。随分古い書物のようだが……

Oh, let me explain! This book used to be serialized in a magazine back in the days when I was still a student. At that time all of us students enjoyed reading this "Portraits of Contemporary Students".

お、その説明は俺に任せろ！　この本は俺が学生だった頃に雑誌に連載されてたんだ
当時の学生みんな、この『当世書生気質』を楽しみにしてたわけ

No wonder it seemed old, if it was when you were a student. Was it really that popular?

お前が学生ということは相当昔だな。そんなに人気だったのか

After all, it was basically a portrayal of our daily lives in novel form. Like how we would study like mad to avoid repeating a year, or how our parents would stop sending allowance and we had to do so much part-time work...

なんせ俺たちの素の生活がそのままストーリー仕立ての小説になってたからな
留年の危機に死ぬほど勉強したり、親の仕送りが途絶えてアルバイト三昧になったり……

Hmm. Does that Chief Librarian really think that highly of such popular literature...?

ふむ。館長のやつはそんな大衆的な書物を重要視しているのか……

Wouldn't he? It's because this popular book is the first piece of literature.

そう思うだろ？　その理由は、この大衆的な書物が一番最初の文学だからなんだ

First literature?

最初の文学？

That person was the first to call these "novels with a high degree of artistic quality", "literature". This "Portraits of Contemporary Students" is the first work of that description.

あの人は「芸術性の高い小説」というものに「文学」という名前を初めて付けた
この『当世書生気質』はその最初の作品ってわけなんだよ

Hmm, names are important. The name you are given is the first thing you share with others, after all.

ふむ、名前は大事だ。名を与えることで初めて人と共有できるものになるからな

Oh, speaking of a name, I was thinking about yours. How about "Wagahaigou"? *

Masaoka Shiki was known for giving other writers pseudonyms, notably Natsume Souseki.

あ、名前といえば、ネコってのもどうかと思うんだわ俺。「吾輩号」とかどうだ

Can you nyat give me a name that makes me feel like a house cat? *

Wagahai is the way the cat refers to itself in Natsume's novel "I am a Cat", and adding "-gou" to the end of pet or vehicle names is a common way to refer to them in Japanese.

いらん、飼い猫感覚で名前をつけニャイでもらいたい

Chapter 2 - Natsume Souseki & Cat

Natsume, I have something to ask you, too. What do you know about this book?

夏目、お前にも話がある。この書物について知っていることを聞きたい

Are you finally taking an interest in literature? I'm glad.

うれしいですね。君に文学に興味を持って頂けるとは

...It's for work, I need more information. I want to know about this work's value and the extent to which it has been tainted.

……仕事だ、報告に必要だからな。この書物の価値と侵蝕の影響範囲を知る必要がある

Hmm... Do you know about the era we lived in?

ふむ……君は私たちが生きた時代について知っていますか？

It was around when this country was just established...

この国ができたばかりの頃だな……

Yes, it was the so-called "Western civilization". Everyone was testing out how far they could go.

はい、いわゆる「文明開化」です、誰も彼もが背伸びしていた時代でした

To chase after and catch up with the West, I believe.

西洋に追いつき追い越そうとしていたと聞いた

It was the same for literature.
Tsubouchi Shouyou, who saw what the western world was like, said that Japan should also embrace the free style of the novel.

文学においても同じです。
西洋の世界を見た彼、坪内逍遥はこの国にも自由な小説があっても良いと言ったのです

He gave it the name "literature"... huh.

「文学」という名前を付けた……か

That's right. It was a peculiar opinion, but one could say this marked the start of Japanese literature.

そうです。異論はあるかもしれませんが、この作品はこの国の文学の歴史の出発点と言えます

That's why the Chief Librarian is so concerned.

館長が焦るわけだ

This work was the inspiration for many others.
As he said, its influence can be said to be immeasurable.

この作品は、多くのものに影響を与えていましたからね
彼が影響が計り知れないといったのは、そういうことです

Chapter 3 - Mori Ougai & Cat

...So you have things to ask me, too?

……俺にも何か聞きたいことがあるのか

That's right... the author of that book, Tsubouchi Shouyou - what kind of person was he?
According to what Natsume Souseki said, that guy's works marked the start of Japanese literature, apparently...

そうだな……この書物の作者、坪内逍遥とはどのような人物だったのだ？
夏目漱石の話では、こいつの作品は文学の歴史の出発点ということだったが

...Until then, the novels of the day all cheaply followed a single pattern.
The good guys would always win, and the villains would be punished. Ethical and trite plots...

……それまでの時代の小説は安っぽくワンパターンなものばかりだった
善は必ず勝ち、悪人は懲らしめられる。道徳的でお決まりの展開……

And that's why this work was so progressive.

だからこの作品が革新的だったのだな

Oh no, "Portraits of Contemporary Students" didn't overcome the bounds of old-fashioned writings, either. It just conveniently catered to what plots were popular.

いや、『当世書生気質』もこの前時代的な域を超えていない。ご都合主義で通俗的な展開だ

...This is different from what Natsume Souseki and Masaoka Shiki were saying, then.

……夏目漱石や正岡子規が言っていたことと違うが

I do agree with those two, but not entirely.

俺はあの二人とは意見を異にしている、全てではないがな

……

...Let me continue. Tsubouchi Shouyou said novels "stand alongside movies, music, and poetry as an art".
However, the works he wrote never measured up to the ideals he championed.

……続けよう。坪内逍遥は小説を「絵画、音楽、詩歌とともに並ぶ芸術とする」と言った。
しかしそう言って彼が書いた作品は、自分で掲げた理想に見合っていなかったのだ

How harsh...

手厳しいな……

That's right. You see, writers must be judged not based on their words, but on their works.
Nonetheless, he brought about dreams among people who looked up to those ideals of his, rather than through his works.
What do you think, is this enough of an answer for you?

そうだな。だが、作家は本来、言葉ではなく作品で評されるべきだろう
とはいえ、彼は作品というよりはむしろ、その理想によって多くの者に夢をもたらした
どうだ、質問の答えにはなったか

I see, well I'm a bit thrown off by the differing things I've heard, but I'm basically satisfied.
I took up a lot of time... Better get back to the report.

ああ、今までに聞いたものと違って少し混乱したが、おおむね満足だ
時間を取らせてしまったな……報告に戻ろう

(In any case, seems like this book is largely involved with the feelings of "ideals" and "dreams"...)

（どうやら、この書物は「理想」や「夢」といった感情が大きく関わっているようだな……）

Chapter 4 - Masaoka Shiki & Mori Ougai & Natsume Souseki

When we talk about Shouyou-san, it calls to mind those times.

逍遥さんの話をしていると、あの頃を思い出しますね

We had so many dreams. We'll invent new novels! Stuff like that.
Well, in my case it was the haiku.

夢がいっぱいだったよなあ。俺たちが新しい小説を創る！　って
俺の場合は俳句だったわけだけど

It was great that you were trying to become a novelist, but that you had no talent for it and ended up doing haiku.

正岡の場合は小説家になろうとしたはいいが、才能が無かったので俳句にしたんですよ

Who told you to put it that way, Natsume! Well, it's the truth, though.

そういう言い方はないだろ夏目！　事実だけどさ

Wow, first I've heard of this.

ほう、それは初耳だな

Haha, actually though, I've sent Kouda-san a novel I wrote before, asking him, "Please criticize this."
But when I read the critique he wrote for me, it said, this is no good, turn it into a haiku...
Ah, this is a secret!

はは、実は幸田さんに書いた小説を送ったこともあんですよ、「批評してください」って
でも書いてもらった批評を見て、こりゃ駄目だな、俳句にしよ……と
あ、秘密ですよ！

No worries, I won't tell anyone.

もちろんだ、他言はしない

I trust you. I've been a straight-arrow haiku poet the whole way through!
Is how I want to come off as.

お願いします。俺は俳句一筋、初志貫徹！
ということになってるんで！

Haiku poet the whole way through... Huh.

俳句一筋……ねえ

What is it, Natsume?

何だよ夏目

No, it's nothing.

いいえ、なんでも

Chapter 5 - Masaoka Shiki & Mori Ougai & Natsume Souseki

Souseki-dono, you wrote novels way after our time, huh.

漱石殿が小説を書いたのは、俺たちよりもずっと後のことでしたね

That's right. The novel I wrote in jest ended up garnering good reviews, I suppose.

そうですね。戯れに書いた小説が、思いのほか評判が良かったことがきっかけです

Kyoshi-dono encouraged you to write it, I understand. *

Takahama Kyoshi (real given name Kiyoshi - this nickname was given by Shiki, who was his mentor)

虚子殿が書くように薦めたと聞いた

Yes. Of course, even before that I had been thinking I wanted to try my hand at writing novels......
Well, I suppose it's one of those things where my dream came true because I didn't give up.

はい。もちろん、それ以前から小説を書いてみたいという思いはありました……
まあ、諦めなかったら夢がかなった、ということですね

You never know what'll happen in life.

人生何があるかわからないものだな

Jeez, you all going and becoming big hit authors. In any case, "I" was the one who introduced Kyoshi to you, so be thankful!

全く、売れっ子作家になりやがって。そもそもだ、「俺が」虚子を紹介してやったんだぞ、感謝しろよな！

There's no reason for you to act all important just over Kyoshi-kun, so I refuse.

虚子君ならともかく君が偉ぶる理由はないでしょう、お断りです

Glare...

がーん………………

Now that you mention it, Mori-san, you debuted quite fabulously at such a young age.

そういえば、森さんは若いのに華々しく小説家デビューしていましたよね

Oh, no... Enough about me. It's nothing I have enough confidence to talk about.

いや……俺の話はいい。そんな自信を持って語るようなものではない

...What could you mean?

……どういうことですか？

...Just before I disavowed this book of Tsubouchi-dono's, but I was the same way, myself.
At that time, I exalted my ideals in search of true literature, but... After everything was said and done, it ended as a half-baked attempt.

……先ほど坪内殿のこの書を否定したが、俺も同じようなものだったということだ
俺はあの時、理想を掲げて真の文学を模索したが……結局、中途半端に終わってしまった

Chapter 6 - Masaoka Shiki & Mori Ougai & Natsume Souseki

I always had to hold a trembling balance between the dream I had to invent new literature and the dreams entrusted to me by the people around me.

俺は文学を創るという夢と、周囲に託された夢の間でずっと揺れ動いていた

...The weight of the words said by someone who carried the country on their shoulders sure carry a different heaviness to them.

……さすが国を背負っていた森さんの言葉は重みが違いますね

It's because "What I wanted to do" and "What I must do" didn't line up...
I was acutely aware of that fact. So that's why I gave up my dream of creating literature's first generation.

「やりたいこと」と「やるべきこと」は一致しないものだ……
その事を、俺は重々承知していた。だから、文学の最初の時代を創るという夢を諦めた

I have nothing to say back to that...

返す言葉もないですね……

…………

...Well, instead of lingering in the past, let's focus on the present!
Fortunately... the thing we have to do now is both "What we want to do" and "What we must do", so there's nothing to deliberate over!

……まあ過ぎたことより今を見ましょう！
幸運なことに……俺たちは「したいこと」と「すべきこと」は同じです、何も悩む必要はないですよ！

"To protect literature"... Huh, you're indeed correct.

「文学を守る」……か、確かにそうだ

When you think of it like that, don't your passions from when you were young come bubbling right back up?

そう考えると、若い時分のようにパッションが湧いてきませんか？

What are you even saying, Natsume! "from when you were young", we're young right now!

何言ってんだ夏目！　「若い時分」って、今だって若いぞ！

Not in that sense, Masaoka.

そういうことではないです、正岡

Haha, sorry, you guys must have felt awkward because of me.

くくっ、すまない、気を使わせてしまったな

Oh no, don't worry about it.

いえ、気になさらないでください

No, let me thank you. I feel a lot better thanks to my close friends.

いや、礼を言わせてくれ。仲が良い君たちに元気づけられた

...Well, it's one of those complicated but unbreakable bonds.

……まあ、腐れ縁というやつですから

Alrighty, now we're all pumped up again, let's go!

よっしゃ、気を新たにしたところで行きますか！

Talking About the Old Days I - Masaoka Shiki & Natsume Souseki

Oh, right, I read "Portraits of Contemporary Students" around the same time I met you, Natsume... How nostalgic. I remember that time clearly.

そういや、『当世書生気質』を読んでいたのは夏目と会った頃だったな。……懐かしいなあ、よく覚えているよ

It would be hard for anyone to forget their student days.
I could go on all day about what a glutton you were that time.

学生の時代というものは、誰だって忘れがたいもの
僕だってこの頃の君の食い意地の張った話を上げれば枚挙にいとまがないよ

Jeez, you always remember the most pointless things.

やれやれ、どうでもいいことばかり覚えてるんだな

It's not pointless! Don't you remember how much you dragged me around?

どうでもよくないだろう。いやだね、君はどれだけ僕を振り回していたかは忘れたのか

Natsume, you've got guts now!
I'm so sad, where did that gentle you of that time go... Oh, how much you've changed!

夏目、お前やっぱり態度でかくなってないか？
俺は悲しいよ、あの頃のやさしいお前は一体どこに……こんなに変わっちまって！

...A lot of things happened, you know. Quite a lot.

…………いろいろあったのだよ、いろいろと

...Yeah, you always have a lot of things going on.

……そうだな、お前はいつだっていろいろあるんだからな

Me aside, are you saying you haven't changed at all since that time?

僕が変わったのではなく、君があの頃から少しも変わらないというだけのことでは？

Yes, yes... I kinda get what you're trying to say.

わかったわかった……お前が何をいいたいかは何となくわかるさ

...... Yeah, I suppose I really might've gotten a little more callous, too.

……そうだね、今のは僕も意地が悪かったかもしれないね

Talking About the Old Days II - Mori Ougai & Masaoka Shiki

Man, to think we'd be discussing Tsubouchi-dono in this place...

やれやれ、ここで坪内殿の話をすることになるとはな……

Now that I think about it, Mori-san, you had that huge fight with Tsubouchi-san.

そういえば森さんって、坪内さんと大喧嘩したことがありましたよね

...It wasn't a fight, it was a debate.

……あれは喧嘩ではない、議論だ

Eh, was it?

えっ、そうだったんですね

"The Non-Idealism Controversy"... it was the first time a name had been put to such disputes over literature.

「没理想論争」……文学についての論争に名前が付いたのはこれが初めてだったな

Uh... it was about... whether there was a need for idealism in literary criticism, was it?

えーと……確か……文学を批評するのに理想が必要か？　という話でしたよね

Yes, I criticized his position, saying that one cannot do literary criticism if he is not grounded in reality.

そうだ、確固たる自己がなければ批評し得ない。俺はそういう批判を彼にしたんだ

I'm kinda curious... Did you dislike Tsubouchi-san?

俺、ちょっと気になってたんですけど……坪内さんのこと嫌いだったんですか？

...I know what you're getting at, but that wasn't the case.
I was still immature at that time... That was all.

……言いたいことはわかるが、断じてそういう話ではない
あの頃の俺はただ未熟だった……それだけのことだ

...I probably struck a nerve, huh. I'm sorry, let's leave it at that.

……いらぬ詮索をしてしまったようですね、すみません。この話は終わりにしましょう

Talking About the Old Days III - Natsume Souseki & Mori Ougai

Mori-san, what do you make of this tainting?

森さんは、今のこの侵蝕についてどう思っていますか

Let's see... Even if we purify this book, it doesn't solve the tainting phenomenon itself.
I can't help but feel vexed from being unable to take preemptive measures and having to clean up the mess afterwards.

そうだな……この本を浄化したとしても、この侵蝕現象自体が解決するわけではない
後手に周るしかないこの状況には歯痒い思いをしている

It sure is hard to be fighting in a battle without end.

戦っても戦っても終りが見えないというのは、なかなか辛いものがありますね

Yes, even more so when the purpose for it all is so abstract and unclear.

ああ、原因が目には見えないものであればなおさらだ

Those who, in ignorance, tear down what people put their hearts and souls into building up horrify me.

人々が自らの感情で築き上げてきたものを自覚のないまま壊すというのは、恐ろしいことです

...You're completely right.

……全くその通りだな

...I'm concerned about the way this nation is headed.

……私はこの国の行く末が不安になります

Souseki-dono, overthinking is not good for your mentality. Especially in this place.

漱石殿、あまり考えすぎるのは精神衛生上よくない。特にこの場所ではな

Yes... We have our own roles we must fulfill.

はい……我々は我々の仕事をするべきですね

That's right, Souseki-dono, you're too serious. You should loosen up your shoulders.

そうだ、漱石殿は真面目すぎる。少し肩の力を抜いたほうがいい

To be called too serious by Mori-san, of all people... Thank you for your advice.

森さんに真面目と言われるとは……ご忠告ありがとうございます

Chance Meeting - Masaoka Shiki & Tsubouchi Shouyou & Natsume Souseki

So honored to be able to meet you, Tsubouchi-san!

お会い出来て光栄ですよ坪内さん！

So you're Shiki-kun, oh, and it's Souseki-kun.
I still feel fuzzy on my memories of whether to say "Nice to meet you" or "I feel bad for not contacting you earlier", but... I'll be in your care from now on.

君は子規君だね、それと漱石君
「初めまして」か、「ご無沙汰しています」かメモリーが曖昧ですが……これからお世話になりますね

Oh no, we're the ones who've impinged on you by awakening you because we want you to lend us your strength.

いえいえ、こちらこそお目覚めのところ申し訳ないのですが、坪内さんの力をお借りしたいのです

Yes, I understand. If it's something possible for me, I will gladly cooperate.
...Now that I mention it, is Ougai-kun not around?

ええ、わかっていますよ。私にできることであれば喜んで協力します
……そういえば、鴎外君はいないのかな

He was just now, I thought...

さっきまでいたと思ったのですが……

It seems various things went on between him and you, Tsubouchi-san, so maybe he's just feeling awkward.

坪内さんとは色々あったようですから、照れてるんじゃないですかね

Hey Masaoka, that's rude.

こら正岡、失礼だよ

Hahaha...... Well then, I'll be the one to break the ice with a greeting later.

はっはっは……では、後でこちらから挨拶することにしましょう

Cat's Report

So, what have you figured out?

それで、何かわかったのか？

Yes, so apparently, those distorted gears vary according to the type of Tainted Book they're found in.
I believe they will be found to have different powers this time, too.

ああ、この歪な歯車だが、得られる有碍書ごとに種類が異なるようだ
今回のものも違う力が込められているだろう

So even though they all cause negative emotions, they will stimulate different types of those emotions?

同じ負の感情でも、違う感情を刺激するということか？

We are not sure, with just our current technology, it would be difficult to glean any more information than this. However, we have posed a hypothesis.

わからん、今の技術ではこれ以上の分析は困難だと言える。しかし、我々は仮説を立てた

What do you mean, hypothesis?

仮説だと？

If the emotions brought about by the distorted gears and the violent behavior of the Taints have some kind of correlation,
then the literature targeted by the Taints must hold some sort of clue. So in this case, it would be "Portraits of Contemporary Students."

歪な歯車がもたらす感情と侵蝕者の暴走に関連があるのであれば
侵蝕者が向かった文学書に手がかりがあるはずだ。今回の場合は『当世書生気質』だな

Indeed, it would make sense if the Taints followed some pattern for which particular books they're attracted to.
If we can figure out the background behind the books, we may be able to come closer to figuring out the true identity of the emotions brought about by the distorted gears.

確かに、侵蝕者が特定の有碍書に惹かれるのには理由があるはずだ
書物の背景がわかれば、歪な歯車がもたらす感情の正体に近づくことができるかもしれないな

That's why I need the report from this book to include all the nitty gritty details. I actually plan to go question the writers directly, too.

だからお前たちにはこの本の詳細な情報をまとめておいて欲しい。吾輩も直接文豪に聞くつもりだが

I see, looks like you're actually getting up off your butt and doing work, huh.

なるほど、珍しく働いてくれるようだな

Hmph... I did promise.

ふん……約束したからな

Any clue at all would be a huge help, so I'm really counting on you two.

今はどんな手がかりでも欲しい、二人とも頼むぞ