some translations of some dr novels

Book 1, Chapter 7: Normal life

After the incident, I missed 3 days of school so that I could process the events. However, since I stay in the school dormitory, schoolmates, dormmates and the girl from the crafts club as small and as active as a squirrel were extremely worried, so they came out of their way to visit me. I have always felt that I neither have very close friends nor friends that I can trust, so I didn’t expect people who cared so much for me. Maybe this is a blessing. I have re-experienced the greatness of daily life.

Reportedly, Kyoko Kirgiri returned to school on the second day after the incident. I heard Kyoko Kirigiri’s name on the school’s broadcast system because she had been called to the middle school staff room. I couldn’t help but think that it is an incredible coincidence that she studies in this school. That incident was really far-fetched, and so when I met Kirigiri again, she seemed surreal, almost as if she didn’t really exist. And yet, she unquestionably exists on this world as a middle school girl of similar age to me.

The fifth day after the incident ended, I used my lunch break to go to the middle school section to take a look. I found out which classroom Kirigiri was in by asking a homeroom teacher.

The classroom was filled with the bright smiles and young faces, and Kyoko Kirigiri’s was among them.

She was sitting by the window, propping her chin on her hands and gazing out of the window. The students around her have pushed their tables together and were eating their bento lunches together, and some students were as talkative as birds. In comparison to them, Kyoko Kirigiri’s figure seemed lonely. But it can also be said that she was like an inconspicuous shadow and had melted away into the classroom.

A commotion began when the students noticed me looking into the classroom. This commotion rippled until it reached Kirigiri, and that was when she finally noticed me.

Our eyes met.

And yet, she continued gazing outside as if nothing happened.

S: “Hey, don’t act like you didn’t see me.“

I walked into the classroom and stood beside Kirigiri, standing akimbo and looking down on her. Now, all eyes were on us, and even the talkative students fell silent.

S: “It’s not convenient to talk here, let’s go outside.”

I essentially dragged Kirigiri our by force. After this, we most likely became the main topic of discussion in the classroom.

Kirigiri and I walked to the entrance of the building where no one was in sight. We huddled together, hiding into the shadows of the shoe racks. Kirigiri leaned on a shoe rack, crossing her arms.

K: “What is it?” Kirigiri said, looking up at me. Even though she spoke with an indifferent tone, she didn’t seem to be in a bad mood. I guess that is how she’s normally like.

S: “Did you hear that Asakura died? The newspapers reported that it was an accident.”

K: “Knowing that he was taken by the Committee, I expected that. He must have been very clear about his punishments.”

Kirgiri’s line of sight fell on the floor, and she sighed.

S: “Do all losers of Duel Noirs get killed by the Committee?”

K: “Who knows? But if they cannot return the funds used to purchase the illegal skills, that may happen.”

S: “How could this happen…”

I put a hand on the shoe rack and lowered my head. Kirigiri’s small brain was right in front of my eyes. I inadvertently looked to the side and found students wearing middle school uniforms watching us. When they noticed me looking at them, they quickly hid.

The incident caused us to virtually become celebrities. The press reported that we were normal people who were innocent victims in this incident, and never mentioned that we played the roles of detectives in it.

S: “I think, Kirigiri, that this shouldn’t be the end?”

K: “What do you mean?”

S: “The Victim’s Catharsis Committee —— how could we let them remain above the law? Based on the tone with which Asakura was talking, it seems that many similar games are in progress. If this is real, then that is equivalent to ignoring an illegal organisation.”

K: “I’m gradually feeling that… you really want to be a hero, Yui-onee sama.”

It made me happy that she was still calling me onee-sama. I had imagined that after leaving the crime scene, our relationship was over, but apparently not.

K: “People say that heroes die young.”

S: “That means that they have put their lives on the line.” I puffed out my chest with pride. S: “As a detective, I’ve been prepared to sacrifice my life years ago. You didn’t patent that.”

K: “Is that so…”

Kirigiri raised her head and looked at me. Her eyes were very close to me.

S: “What’s wrong? Do you feel uneasy?”

K: “No.” Kirigiri immediately shook her head. After some hesitation she continued, “After that day, I kept thinking about Inuzuka-san as a detective.”

S: “That horrible detective who solved crimes he committed is just despicable.”

K: “To me, detectives are purveyors of the undoubtable truth. So having the role of detective has always made me proud. But…”

At this point, it seems like she felt she spoke too much, and suddenly shut her mouth.

S: “Don’t worry, you can continue talking.”

Once I said that, her vision drifted for a while, then she looked at me again. Her look of uneasiness expressed unprecedented levels of weakness and helplessness.

K: “Detectives are not absolute… this assumption, I’ve never thought about it. Upon discovering this I was slightly taken aback, that’s about it.” She said so and lowered her head. Those girls secretly watching us seemed to have something to say. I acted as if I didn’t see them and placed my hand on Kirigiri’s head.

S: “To me, you are an angel of truth. Only because of you was I able to return to living a normal life.”

K: “A normal life……”

As if she did not recognise that phrase, Kirigiri repeated it like a parrot learning to speak. Then, she stopped talking.

S: “Are you free after school? I’ve a place I want to go to, do you want to come with me?”

K: “A place you want to go to?”

S: “The Detective Library. Maybe we can find the essential key to unlocking the mystery of the Victim’s Catharsis Committee there.”

After a long period of silence, Kirigiri nodded.

S: “Then we’ll meet here after dismissal.”

Even before she agreed, I left through the front door. The girls from middle school parted and let me through.

S: “We were just dating, just dating.” I told them in a casual manner, causing them to squeal. As I walked back towards my school building, I could still hear their high-pitched voices.

After dismissal, when I reached the front door, Kirigiri was sitting at the corner of the stairs reading a book.

I couldn’t help but stand there and observe her. Kirigiri was scanning the words on the book with concentration and enthusiasm, her face from the side looking impossibly innocent and pure, especially for a detective who could solve that bloody mystery case. The silhouette of her silently reading amidst students in a flurry to return home was a perfect artwork.

Kirigiri felt my stare and looked at me.

K: “You’ve stared for very long?”

S: “Yeah, sorry.” I ran to her side. “I got entranced by you because you’re cute.”

K: “Stop teasing me.”

S: “What were you reading? Ah, I know, is it Soji Shimada’s new book?”

K: “No, it’s my notebook.”

Kirigiri let me let me see her black covered notebook. Ah, I have seen that notebook before. She lightly patted the back of her skirt and stood up.

K: “It contains everything about detectives Grandfather taught me.”

S: “I’m astonished that you can still do research at a time like this.”

K: “I have always been like this.”

S: “Is that so? Ah, considering where we are going next, being cautious and alert is probably for the best.”

The two of us exited through the door, walked through the school and walked out of the old-fashioned school gate. We didn’t have much to talk about, and so, side by side, we quietly walked. The street of shops playing Christmas songs was, to us, just an unrelated and insignificant scene.

We were waiting at the bus station.

Some snow beneath my feet had not melted, but when I softly kicked, they dispersed. While waiting for the bus, I continued kicking snow, but Kirigiri never joined in.

The bus came, and I sat next to Kirigiri. The other passengers probably thought that we were a high schooler and a middle schooler with a close relationship. I hope for that to be true.

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Translator Notes:

Many translations were taken from previous resources. duelnoir.dreamwidth has translated this as well as the chapters before this. I also consulted the wikia/fandom page for some translations.

Honorifics were dropped unless reference was made to them. 

I tried colouring the names of people so that it is easier to recognise the characters. Do tell me your opinion of this.

Wishing everyone a happy Lunar New Year.