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Still alive!

Still working back through older chapters and cleaning them up and adding more sound effects to them.

Just downloaded Chapter 23 Pt 1, which is also calling itself Final, so expect one more part there and possibly an epilogue? There's only one more scene of the movie to cover, which shouldn't take 20 pages, but I guess we'll see!

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Thank you all for the votes so far!!

For the record: some of these are MUCH lower effort than others. Each "Regret Message" (also (inexplicably?) called character poems) is less than a page, and I only have access to scans of Suzaku/C.C./Nunnally in addition to Kallen, so unless I seek out the CD on eBay and it turns out there are more of them, that's a max of 4 pages to translate.

The Complete R2 profiles for our main four characters are two pages each, and I already have initial translations for Suzaku and Lelouch's (I need to settle on a good translation for 罪, it's all over Suzaku's profile along with 罰 and two separate verbs that could both be translated as "atone") — so I really only need to translate C.C. and Kallen's, then polish it all up...

For the "main" novels, meanwhile, I have a good chunk of another chapter of Stage -3- Knight done, the "I order you to love me" scene, which the official translation made a real hash of, including skipping bits of narration and dialogue, not recognizing transitions to first-person in the narration, confusing metaphors for literal statements, and at one point just clearly not understanding a sentence about Suzaku's thoughts on Euphy, panicking, and inventing some of their own compliments for him to be paying her instead... this scene is exactly why I'm publishing my novel translations instead of keeping it the private practice it was supposed to be, back when I thought, "Oh, I can use the official translations to check my understanding! Training wheels before I try to translate the R2 novels!" ...sweet summer child, 2017!Li, who just assumed Bandai of America's translations of this series were always great......

Meanwhile, Lost Colors is waiting on my copy of the official Japanese game guide to arrive, and then I need to get my Japanese PS2 set back up, and then I need to get good footage of the game, which is a little trickier than you'd think; I wish I could rely on the game's own auto-advance dialogue options, BUT I CAN'T because even at its slowest, it goes too fast, frequently cutting off the vocal performances. 🤣

SO: if Lost Colors finishes first, I'll definitely start on it, but the second-place finisher is almost sure to actually come out first, just because I knew it would be much faster to publish. 🙂

(Also I have scans of Lancelot & Guren and Oz. I have scans of a bunch of data books, as well as my own physical copies of, say, Mutuality, which I meant to include in this poll, but forgot! For Renya, and anything to do with Roze, I need scans before I can make any progress.)

Oh, and I'm going to be opening commissions back up. I still need to translate a josei manga I was sent years ago, whose requester has been truly inhumanly patient, but once that's done, I'll be adding kofi links to posts going forward, and if your favorite doesn't win this poll, you'll have the option of ✨commissioning me ✨ and getting it to the very front of the queue!

(I should add a list of other "easy" fandoms to my header, like Kingdom Hearts and Tales of Vesperia, two games I'm super familiar with and which I have easy access to in Japanese. A good friend asked about how Sora and Riku talk to and about each other, and I'm just doing a close read for her basically for fun in a DM.

Meanwhile, the josei manga has few furigana and I don't even know the characters' names, so it's much much much more labor-intensive, and the ADHD just keeps bouncing off it, BOOOO.)

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(Shout out once again to @kattkriss! More Schnee here, and more broad references to what happened in Lancelot & Guren, but still nothing that I think you're missing terribly if you haven't read that story.)

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(Shout out once again to @kattkriss! More Schnee here, and more broad references to what happened in Lancelot & Guren, but still nothing that I think you're missing terribly if you haven't read that story.)

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(Only 22 pages? Is this really a whole chapter, or is it actually Chapter 14, Pt 1, and I'm missing something again... sigh!! Chapter 15 is properly long... a lot happens in these 22 pages, but hrm. Color me suspicious. @kattkriss sorry to bother you 😔🙏)

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(Only 22 pages? Is this really a whole chapter, or is it actually Chapter 14, Pt 1, and I'm missing something again... sigh!! Chapter 15 is properly long... a lot happens in these 22 pages, but hrm. Color me suspicious. @kattkriss sorry to bother you 😔🙏)

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Fixed the link here! Thanks to the folks who pointed out that it was to Chapter 5 instead of Chapter 12, for some reason!

(P.S.: Chapter 14 is in-progress. 😁)

(A longer chapter! Finally. :) And it's, perhaps appropriately, an entire chapter (Chapter 12) instead of merely Chapter-12-part-1...)

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Quick housekeeping tip: "not a translation" is my tag for posts or reblogs that aren't (new) translations.

"this friggin post" is a tag for something that is being reblogged repeatedly in a conversation.

(I also think I'm probably done with reblogging that particular "friggin" post, because... yeah, that person is almost certainly just a troll, and wasting all of our time! But for the future 🙂)

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@inspectorpoe Uh-huh. Gosh, if only I had offered some sort of explanation for my translation of that line, like, maybe in this post you keep replying to, apparently without reading it...?

Idk, am I being trolled. Should I just stop responding. I should probably just stop responding, this has definitely crossed a line into disingenuous, and I doubt it's either fun or edifying for my followers.

Complete Best Regret Messages: Kallen

Read on Dreamwidth!

Extolling the Brave Chivalry of Youth[1]

Before I met you, I was really just irritated. I thought: "I want to change the world[2]," but though I lashed out, recklessly, I didn't actually believe I would be able to change anything.

When I lost my brother, it was like a heavy door had slammed shut behind me. I wasn't going to let that go. I'd fight to the bitter end. There'd be no going back, I decided. And then, someday, I'd die — just like my brother had. To the end, Kouzuki Kallen would follow no leader, serve no master[3]. Dimly, I'd thought that small, stubborn pride would be the end of me. But then: like a morning star coming into view, you called for me[4].

Whenever I was doing something for your sake, I felt lighter. No battle was too difficult. Whenever you directed us to a battlefield, I came running, wanting to be the first one there[5]. I wanted to become a lion, to rip your enemies apart with my teeth. To dirty myself with any amount of muck[6], so long as it cleared the way for you.

It's strange, really, if you think about it. It was supposed to be about loathing — and fighting against — Britannian despotism, but before I knew it, I had all this personal loyalty to you[7].

Hey, Lelouch. That last moment we had together, with that kiss… Well, if you'd said I love you[8] back then, it wouldn't have mattered if it was a lie — I still would have followed you all the way into your personal hell. But you already knew that, didn't you?

Not very characteristic of you, was it. Wasn't manipulating people by saying that sort of thing one of your talents…? Yeah, that was so uncharacteristically… gentle.[9] Is that what you were trying to say, when you told me to live on…?

Even though that sort of gentleness isn't at all why I fell for you[10], heh[11].

Translation notes below the cut. Original Japanese text for you to check yourself transcribed from the above image available at my Dreamwidth link.

[1] This is the title of the first ending theme; other regret messages similarly take their titles from theme songs. This was released as part of an Original Soundtrack CD, after all. [2] 現実=reality, to be more literal. [3] 支配者たちに従わなかった = serve/follow/obey no masters/leaders/rulers. IMHO this use of たち makes perfect sense in Japanese, but "serve no masters" sounds somewhat grammatically awkward. Importantly, given what Kallen is about to talk about, I think she's speaking somewhat ironically about how she'd made this small vow to herself, but was about to wind up following/serving/etc Zero. [4] The verb, 誘う, means to invite or to call for or to take someone along (and also to tempt/lure/entice/seduce); in this case, I think Kallen is referring both literally and metaphorically to Lelouch suddenly calling her on the radio in Stage 2 and guiding her to victory. [5] Sudden volitional form on this and the next three lines, indicating (in this context) Kallen's strong intention to do [whatever]. The switch here to present-tense isn't literal, but rather a common device in Japanese writing to add a sense of emphasis and immediacy, sort of like when an English sentence begins with "Suddenly…!" [6] Given the "title", likely a bit of a reference to the lyric 混濁の純潔この身は汚れても / Even if my purity is sullied and this self is dirtied. [7] だもの is a sentence ending that indicates a reason in a tone of protest, such as 14歳だものね = "You're fourteen," where the speaker is probably pointing out that the person they're talking to is too young (to stay out late, or whatever). In this case, the はずなのに + んだもの is definitely a complaint. She should have been focused on the larger war, but she wound up more focused on her personal loyalty to "Lelouch, ugh" — sort of a sentiment. (Though, I'm sure, affectionate now.) [8] Strong, dramatic phrasing here, because such strong dramatic phrasing would have swept Kallen off her feet and convinced her, as she elucidates, to follow him anywhere — even if it meant throwing away her morals and working for what she thought, at the time, was a mad tyrant. (Claims I've seen about this line, that Kallen wouldn't have even imagined Lelouch saying it hypothetically if she hadn't been completely sure he loved her — are extremely weird and based on nothing at all, lol.) [9] Again, the present-tense here adding emphasis. [10] 好きになった=to come to care about, to learn to like, to fall in love with. This phrase is used platonically as well as romantically (you can, for example, talk about developing a taste for beer this way). Kallen almost certainly means it romantically, of course, given all the givens — but she's not necessarily talking about deep love; this wording could very easily be a crush. [11] This and "Well" and a couple of other little flourishes have been added to the English in an attempt to convey the very casual tone of Kallen's entire message, which is full to the brim with ね: like she's talking casually, albeit in a heartfelt way, to a friend (or perhaps a boyfriend! if you want to interpret it that way!) — rather than writing a dramatic letter.

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@inspectorpoe You're just embarrassing yourself at this point. I'm sorry Blottyparchment lied to you about this message — whether for internet clout or because they didn't think an accurate translation was shippy enough, who can say, but given their other translations were awkward but fine it's unlikely to be an honest error — but that's not actually my fault.

Complete Best Regret Messages: Kallen

Read on Dreamwidth!

Extolling the Brave Chivalry of Youth[1]

Before I met you, I was really just irritated. I thought: "I want to change the world[2]," but though I lashed out, recklessly, I didn't actually believe I would be able to change anything.

When I lost my brother, it was like a heavy door had slammed shut behind me. I wasn't going to let that go. I'd fight to the bitter end. There'd be no going back, I decided. And then, someday, I'd die — just like my brother had. To the end, Kouzuki Kallen would follow no leader, serve no master[3]. Dimly, I'd thought that small, stubborn pride would be the end of me. But then: like a morning star coming into view, you called for me[4].

Whenever I was doing something for your sake, I felt lighter. No battle was too difficult. Whenever you directed us to a battlefield, I came running, wanting to be the first one there[5]. I wanted to become a lion, to rip your enemies apart with my teeth. To dirty myself with any amount of muck[6], so long as it cleared the way for you.

It's strange, really, if you think about it. It was supposed to be about loathing — and fighting against — Britannian despotism, but before I knew it, I had all this personal loyalty to you[7].

Hey, Lelouch. That last moment we had together, with that kiss… Well, if you'd said I love you[8] back then, it wouldn't have mattered if it was a lie — I still would have followed you all the way into your personal hell. But you already knew that, didn't you?

Not very characteristic of you, was it. Wasn't manipulating people by saying that sort of thing one of your talents…? Yeah, that was so uncharacteristically… gentle.[9] Is that what you were trying to say, when you told me to live on…?

Even though that sort of gentleness isn't at all why I fell for you[10], heh[11].

Translation notes below the cut. Original Japanese text for you to check yourself transcribed from the above image available at my Dreamwidth link.

[1] This is the title of the first ending theme; other regret messages similarly take their titles from theme songs. This was released as part of an Original Soundtrack CD, after all. [2] 現実=reality, to be more literal. [3] 支配者たちに従わなかった = serve/follow/obey no masters/leaders/rulers. IMHO this use of たち makes perfect sense in Japanese, but "serve no masters" sounds somewhat grammatically awkward. Importantly, given what Kallen is about to talk about, I think she's speaking somewhat ironically about how she'd made this small vow to herself, but was about to wind up following/serving/etc Zero. [4] The verb, 誘う, means to invite or to call for or to take someone along (and also to tempt/lure/entice/seduce); in this case, I think Kallen is referring both literally and metaphorically to Lelouch suddenly calling her on the radio in Stage 2 and guiding her to victory. [5] Sudden volitional form on this and the next three lines, indicating (in this context) Kallen's strong intention to do [whatever]. The switch here to present-tense isn't literal, but rather a common device in Japanese writing to add a sense of emphasis and immediacy, sort of like when an English sentence begins with "Suddenly…!" [6] Given the "title", likely a bit of a reference to the lyric 混濁の純潔この身は汚れても / Even if my purity is sullied and this self is dirtied. [7] だもの is a sentence ending that indicates a reason in a tone of protest, such as 14歳だものね = "You're fourteen," where the speaker is probably pointing out that the person they're talking to is too young (to stay out late, or whatever). In this case, the はずなのに + んだもの is definitely a complaint. She should have been focused on the larger war, but she wound up more focused on her personal loyalty to "Lelouch, ugh" — sort of a sentiment. (Though, I'm sure, affectionate now.) [8] Strong, dramatic phrasing here, because such strong dramatic phrasing would have swept Kallen off her feet and convinced her, as she elucidates, to follow him anywhere — even if it meant throwing away her morals and working for what she thought, at the time, was a mad tyrant. (Claims I've seen about this line, that Kallen wouldn't have even imagined Lelouch saying it hypothetically if she hadn't been completely sure he loved her — are extremely weird and based on nothing at all, lol.) [9] Again, the present-tense here adding emphasis. [10] 好きになった=to come to care about, to learn to like, to fall in love with. This phrase is used platonically as well as romantically (you can, for example, talk about developing a taste for beer this way). Kallen almost certainly means it romantically, of course, given all the givens — but she's not necessarily talking about deep love; this wording could very easily be a crush. [11] This and "Well" and a couple of other little flourishes have been added to the English in an attempt to convey the very casual tone of Kallen's entire message, which is full to the brim with ね: like she's talking casually, albeit in a heartfelt way, to a friend (or perhaps a boyfriend! if you want to interpret it that way!) — rather than writing a dramatic letter.

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@inspectorpoe

Torn between trying for the, like, sixth time now to explain to one of you folks that my objection to this particular kiss being called a "farewell kiss" is a semantic issue with the order of operations in the scene, and just being... completely exasperated that this is the hill we have all apparently chosen to die on, when it's almost the least of the problems with the original translation of this Regret Message.

As I have said now, twice, if the original translation had just included the word "When" in the sentence, that tiny fragment of their translation would've been fine. Inaccurate, in my opinion, to the scene, but not blatantly inaccurate to the Japanese, because yes, AS I HAVE REPEATEDLY SAID, 別れのキス by itself could be translated as parting/farewell/goodbye kiss. Or as "breakup kiss", because 別れる also means that sort of separation.

But:

ねえ、ルルーシュ。あの別れのキスの時、 Lelouch, about that parting kiss...

continues to be inaccurate, because it omits multiple words from the Japanese, changing both Kallen's tone and how this part connects to the rest of her sentence.

If for whatever reason you really need the sentence to contain "parting kiss", instead of how I translated it, which was "That last moment we had together, with that kiss...", then I would suggest: Hey, Lelouch, when we shared that parting kiss...

Or something like that.

Now, the original Regret Message translation would still have had half a dozen other problems, like translating イラついている as "plastered with thorns" instead of "being irritated"; like the strange editorializing about 嘘でもいいから and the stranger footnotes about 愛してる and わかってたでしょう？...

...but at least if they'd put a "when" in the right spot, their version wouldn't have confused people into thinking Kallen was talking about two separate instances, when she is clearly, in this Regret Message, talking about a hypothetical version of events where, after she asked him what she was to him and kissed him, Lelouch had said 愛してる — how if he'd done that, Kallen would have done anything for him, including participate in all the awfulness that led up to his public execution, which she would then have to live with, and which Lelouch not saying those words spared her from.

Are we done now, or am I going to get more replies on this post from people trying to get me to """admit""" that 別れのキス could be translated as parting kiss, lol, something I have never actually denied.

Complete Best Regret Messages: Kallen

Read on Dreamwidth!

Extolling the Brave Chivalry of Youth[1]

Before I met you, I was really just irritated. I thought: "I want to change the world[2]," but though I lashed out, recklessly, I didn't actually believe I would be able to change anything.

When I lost my brother, it was like a heavy door had slammed shut behind me. I wasn't going to let that go. I'd fight to the bitter end. There'd be no going back, I decided. And then, someday, I'd die — just like my brother had. To the end, Kouzuki Kallen would follow no leader, serve no master[3]. Dimly, I'd thought that small, stubborn pride would be the end of me. But then: like a morning star coming into view, you called for me[4].

Whenever I was doing something for your sake, I felt lighter. No battle was too difficult. Whenever you directed us to a battlefield, I came running, wanting to be the first one there[5]. I wanted to become a lion, to rip your enemies apart with my teeth. To dirty myself with any amount of muck[6], so long as it cleared the way for you.

It's strange, really, if you think about it. It was supposed to be about loathing — and fighting against — Britannian despotism, but before I knew it, I had all this personal loyalty to you[7].

Hey, Lelouch. That last moment we had together, with that kiss… Well, if you'd said I love you[8] back then, it wouldn't have mattered if it was a lie — I still would have followed you all the way into your personal hell. But you already knew that, didn't you?

Not very characteristic of you, was it. Wasn't manipulating people by saying that sort of thing one of your talents…? Yeah, that was so uncharacteristically… gentle.[9] Is that what you were trying to say, when you told me to live on…?

Even though that sort of gentleness isn't at all why I fell for you[10], heh[11].

Translation notes below the cut. Original Japanese text for you to check yourself transcribed from the above image available at my Dreamwidth link.

[1] This is the title of the first ending theme; other regret messages similarly take their titles from theme songs. This was released as part of an Original Soundtrack CD, after all. [2] 現実=reality, to be more literal. [3] 支配者たちに従わなかった = serve/follow/obey no masters/leaders/rulers. IMHO this use of たち makes perfect sense in Japanese, but "serve no masters" sounds somewhat grammatically awkward. Importantly, given what Kallen is about to talk about, I think she's speaking somewhat ironically about how she'd made this small vow to herself, but was about to wind up following/serving/etc Zero. [4] The verb, 誘う, means to invite or to call for or to take someone along (and also to tempt/lure/entice/seduce); in this case, I think Kallen is referring both literally and metaphorically to Lelouch suddenly calling her on the radio in Stage 2 and guiding her to victory. [5] Sudden volitional form on this and the next three lines, indicating (in this context) Kallen's strong intention to do [whatever]. The switch here to present-tense isn't literal, but rather a common device in Japanese writing to add a sense of emphasis and immediacy, sort of like when an English sentence begins with "Suddenly…!" [6] Given the "title", likely a bit of a reference to the lyric 混濁の純潔この身は汚れても / Even if my purity is sullied and this self is dirtied. [7] だもの is a sentence ending that indicates a reason in a tone of protest, such as 14歳だものね = "You're fourteen," where the speaker is probably pointing out that the person they're talking to is too young (to stay out late, or whatever). In this case, the はずなのに + んだもの is definitely a complaint. She should have been focused on the larger war, but she wound up more focused on her personal loyalty to "Lelouch, ugh" — sort of a sentiment. (Though, I'm sure, affectionate now.) [8] Strong, dramatic phrasing here, because such strong dramatic phrasing would have swept Kallen off her feet and convinced her, as she elucidates, to follow him anywhere — even if it meant throwing away her morals and working for what she thought, at the time, was a mad tyrant. (Claims I've seen about this line, that Kallen wouldn't have even imagined Lelouch saying it hypothetically if she hadn't been completely sure he loved her — are extremely weird and based on nothing at all, lol.) [9] Again, the present-tense here adding emphasis. [10] 好きになった=to come to care about, to learn to like, to fall in love with. This phrase is used platonically as well as romantically (you can, for example, talk about developing a taste for beer this way). Kallen almost certainly means it romantically, of course, given all the givens — but she's not necessarily talking about deep love; this wording could very easily be a crush. [11] This and "Well" and a couple of other little flourishes have been added to the English in an attempt to convey the very casual tone of Kallen's entire message, which is full to the brim with ね: like she's talking casually, albeit in a heartfelt way, to a friend (or perhaps a boyfriend! if you want to interpret it that way!) — rather than writing a dramatic letter.

[raintranslated]

Also, unironically:

the real victory here is the friends you made along the way.

I met my current partner because we were both Code Geass fans back in the day, and that first conversation, which lasted for hours, was absolutely about our shared favorite ship. Now we've been living together for years, and our interest in the fandom itself waxes and wanes — but it will always be special to both of us because it's literally how we met.

So, I declare myself retroactively the real winner of this particular ship war. Anyone with a similar story is welcome to share my crown. 😌

(And yes, lifelong friends absolutely counts.)

Man the ship wars for this anime that ended almost twenty years ago really are alive and well, huh.

Anyway, here's your friendly reminder that it literally does not matter what was "most canon", there isn't a Fandom Police Force that's gonna come to your house and arrest you for liking a different ship than the one that became "endgame".

It's okay. I promise. You can just like what you like without it needing to be The True Couple.

[raintranslated]

And don't forget Lost Colors, the officially licensed tie-in game that predated Lost Stories, where your (male) silent protagonist can date him, albeit in a heavily-subtextual,-it's-2008 sort of way.

Man the ship wars for this anime that ended almost twenty years ago really are alive and well, huh.

Anyway, here's your friendly reminder that it literally does not matter what was "most canon", there isn't a Fandom Police Force that's gonna come to your house and arrest you for liking a different ship than the one that became "endgame".

It's okay. I promise. You can just like what you like without it needing to be The True Couple.

[raintranslated]

Man the ship wars for this anime that ended almost twenty years ago really are alive and well, huh.

Anyway, here's your friendly reminder that it literally does not matter what was "most canon", there isn't a Fandom Police Force that's gonna come to your house and arrest you for liking a different ship than the one that became "endgame".

It's okay. I promise. You can just like what you like without it needing to be The True Couple.

[raintranslated]

Exactly! And thank you for the kind words 🙂 And.... yeah, the original translation is something else, heh. Nunnally's doesn't look anywhere near as odd to me, but I haven't read it closely yet. So many back chapters of Re;surrection manga to go, and data books, and Lost Colors and the novels...! But I'll come back to these, for sure.

Code Geass Complete Best Regret Message // Nunnally & Kallen // Canon

The Complete Best Regret messages, also known as character poems, are message left from various characters to Lelouch, after his death through Zero Requiem. Those are available within the Complete Best OST Which gathers some of the best OST of the show.

They offer us a nice last view of their thoughts and feelings directed to Lelouch, after his tragic end. Each of the letter are written and illustrated with a rough sketch of the character in their predominant color, and the first page of the booklet is a very nice sketch of Lelouch.

Each of the message have a title taken after a Code Geass opening or ending, Let's start with Nunnally.

Nunnally Lamperouge / vi Britannia - Mozaiku Kakera (Mosaic Shards) // Ending 2

I have been thinking about the many things that you have given me.

They can’t be counted on my fingers, for each and every one that I count, a stone is left. Lining them up, the stones can be pieced together into a mosaic. But, I will not do that. I don’t want to. (1) I will continue to count them piece by piece, always remembering their shape, their color and their touch. (2)

Even these dreams, that kindness, our rendezvous, those lies, mistakes…. Even that voice, the warmth in those hands that grasped mine, even the loneliness, the twistedness, the pain in my chest. Even that silence. Even those eyes.

Everything, I will hold dear.

Even if you had not given me many things, I could not give you anything in return. You gave me everything and you ended up leaving.

In those happy days, we did not even say “Thank you” nor “I’m sorry” between us. Those words would only invoke sadness. Your heart would grow far away. Just like that, you were myself, and I was you.

However, that day, the words you have told me still remains in my ears. You didn’t even let me reply. That’s why, while hearing your voice ringing in my ear, I will answer you from the bottom of my heart.

I love you too. (3)

(1) Lit.: I do not want to bring them (stones) together. (2) Lit.: One by one, I will continue to count them; their shape, color, and touch, I will continue to feel throughout. (1) Broken up into two sentences in the original Japanese: Aishiteru. Anata wo. (I love. You.) Translation by Blottyparchment.

Kallen Kozuki / Stadtfeld - Yuukyou Seishunka (Extolling the Brave Chivalry of Youth) // Ending 1

Until I met you, I was only merely plastered with thorns. I wanted to change this truth. I seethingly and recklessly acted. But then, I didn’t believe that anything would come out of it.

When my brother was gone, I heard the sound of the heavy doors closing behind me. I cannot allow it. I will fight to the bitter end. I decided that I would not go back. Then, someday, I would have died like my brother.

Until the very end, Kouzuki Kallen would not abide by authority. That bit of willpower I was carrying with me, it slipped away from me, and I can feel it faintly. At that moment, I envisioned you as the star at the break of dawn, inviting me.

If I would think that this is for you, my body would feel light. Whatever struggles there were, the pain would go away. I would be the first to come rushing to your battlefield, raging like a lioness, crushing your enemies. I would stand being muddied so that I could create a path for you.

Looking back, it’s mysterious. Even though I should have loathed and rebelled against Britannia’s tyranny. Without knowing it, I held personal devotion only for you.

Lelouch, that parting kiss, even if it was a lie, if you had said, “I love you,” (1)(2) I would even follow you to hell. You knew that, didn’t you?

It’s not like you. You’re good at manipulating people just by your words. Really, it’s not like you to be kind. Is that why you told me to 'live on’? I fell in love with you (3) not just because of that kindness.

(1) Kallen uses the word 'aishiteru' here. It is a word that carries strong weight in Japanese and is not simply used to express love. You may say 'suki' and mean love, but 'aishiteru' is used between two intimate lovers, and within the show, only between Lelouch and Nunnally. (2) In japanese you emphasize on the end of a line; the "Even if it was a lie" is there to show how great her love for him was, the "wakatteta deshou" means Kallen was quite sure the "Aishiteru" would have come, had he not been kind with her. (3)The love here is 'suki ni naru' Translation by Blottyparchment & Lie

Hope you enjoyed.