#hakuoki manyo no shou

[glatisant-questing]

Scans of the two cards from the Hakuoki Manyo no Shou Ebten store bonus. I love the cat-chasing trio forever :)

[glatisant-questing]

Okita, Saito, and Yamazaki's Stories from the Manyo no Shou Stellaworth Bonus Booklet

The stories in this booklet are super short so I will post my translations of them in trios. The shared title of these stories is "To you who ended up sleeping in the same room with me".

This booklet can be read either before or after playing the Manyo no Shou game, so I will not place any spoiler alerts.

There's no writing credit at the end of the booklet so I don't know who wrote these stories.

Okita's Story

“Geez, it seems that I run out my luck today. I can’t believe I have to let you stay in my room.”

I casually said something mean in my usual manner, and Chizuru-chan, who is standing next to me, was clearly depressed. 

“…In that case, I’ll go back to my room.”

With that remark, she tried to leave my room, but– 

“What are you going to do if you go back? If I let you sleep in a room that leaks rain and the others find out, I’ll get scolded by Hijikata-san later, you know? No, even if I don’t mind getting scolded by Hijikata-san, I don’t want to disappoint Kondo-san.”

I said, and she stopped and turned to look at me, bowing her head slightly. 

“…I understand. If it is okay with you, I’ll be in your care for tonight, Okita-san.”

After saying that, Chizuru-chan started to lay out the futon politely.

And not only for herself, but also for me. 

(She’s going to be taken advantage of by the people around her if she keeps doing things like this. This girl is really, what do you call it, way too kind or something....) 

“Okita-san? Is something wrong?” 

She noticed that I was watching her and asked me curiously.

“Not really. I just thought you were strangely in high spirits, and wondered if you were that happy to sleep in my room.” 

“Eh…!”

At my words, Chizuru-chan’s cheeks turned bright red instantly. 

(She’s so easy to read. She doesn’t realize that this kind of reaction only makes me want to tease her even more.) 

She tried to say something desperately, but she seemed to be too embarrassed to choose her words.

For a while, her lips parted and closed like a goldfish, and then–

 “That’s not what I meant! I just, um, since you’re letting me stay for the night, I thought I had to at least do this…!”

 Her shouting with a flushed face was practically begging me to tease her even more.

I shrugged my shoulders and said so, while looking at her with a sulky gaze.

“You don’t have to deny it so desperately. …It hurts, you know.” 

“Ah…” 

Then this time, she looked genuinely sorry, her eyebrows drooling.

 (She’s really a hundred-faced girl. If I stayed by her side all the time, I’d never get bored for my whole life.) 

These thoughts made it hard to keep a sulky face…

“Um, Okita-san? You look like you’re having fun, but…” 

“Well, I guess I am having fun. I get to sleep with you, after all.” 

“Wha…!” 

Her face turned red again. But maybe she knew that reacting to every word I said would only make me lead her on—

 “We may sleep in this room, but we’re not sleeping together!” 

“Why not? Don’t you want to sleep with me?”

When I asked her frankly, Chizuru-chan’s face got even redder. 

“I-I don’t hate it, but…!” 

She seemed to be too embarrassed to say anything beyond that. Once again, she hesitated like a gold fish.

 “Whatever, Chizuru-chan, let’s just go to sleep. I fidget a lot in my sleep, so I might end up going to your futon.” 

“Wha…?” 

Chizuru-chan seemed to have finally lost her words. 

(It’s just us sleeping together, but she makes so many funny faces. That’s why I can’t stop teasing her.) 

I stifled a laugh and blowed out the candles.

 After that, every time I turned over in my sleep, Chizuru-chan would react with exaggeration. I found that amusing and I ended up not getting any sleep at all.

（The end.)

Saito's Story

 (Why on earth did it end up like this…!)

I wish this was a dream and I could wake up soon. I thought so to myself as I led Yukimura into my room. 

Yukimura was nervous, and her slender shoulders shivered. 

Yukimura’s room had a leaky roof, so she had to stay in someone else’s room for tonight. Souji suggested jokingly, “Why don’t you let him stay in your room?” and I was half-persuaded to agree.

 (What are they thinking, letting a young man and a young woman sleep in the same room! The Vice-Commander said, “Saito won’t make any mistakes no matter how”, but still…!)

Of course, I have no intention of doing anything that would betray the expectations of the Commander and the Vice-Comander, but that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous at all about spending the night alone with Yukimura. 

“Yukimura.” 

“Y-yes!” 

When I called out to her, Yukimura jumped up on the spot. Her face was as red as if she had just gotten out of a hot bath. 

“You can use this room. I’ll sleep in another room.”

 “Eh, another room? Where exactly…” 

“I’m sure Shinpachi or Heisuke or Sano will let me stay for one night. If not, I’ll sleep in the hallway.” 

As I replied, the look on Yukimura’s expression changed.

 “No, you can’t do that…! Even though the freezing weather outside has eased up a bit recently, you’ll definitely catch a cold if you stay outside.  I’ll sleep in the hallway instead!” 

“That wouldn’t make sense. I’ll get scolded by the Vice-Commander tomorrow.” 

“But if you catch a cold,  it will cause trouble to both the Shinsengumi and the soldiers of the third unit.” 

We both had reasons we just couldn’t give up and if we kept talking like this,  we would certainly end up staying up until morning.

Yukimura seemed to realize it too, and after a brief silence, she said, “… Actually…I’m fine, so Saito-san, shall we sleep together here?” 

“What…!” 

I knew very well that there was no ulterior motive in Yukimura’s words, but even so, that one proposal was enough to disable all of my reasoning. 

At that moment, my heart was beating so hard that it felt like it was going to burst, and I was worried if I could endure all of the the hours until dawn, but…

 (I can’t be rude to Yukimura’s good intentions.) 

Thinking so, I said, “…All right. Then let’s sleep here tonight.” 

“Thank you very much, Saito-san” 

(Why did she say that, as if we were a newly married couple...)

I thought to myself, but I didn’t show any of the anxiety on my face and turned off the light.

 (It’s okay…it’s okay. There’s no way I could make a mistake.) 

There was no way I could betray the trust of the Vice-Commander or Yukimura—or so I thought. But for some reason, I couldn’t sleep at all that night.

(The end.)

Yamazaki's Story

“Come in.”

 I said briefly, and after Yukimura-kun said “Excuse me”, she stepped into my room. 

“It might be uncomfortable to sleep in the same room with me… but please don’t worry about it.” 

“Thank you, Yamazaki-san.”

 Yukimura-kun said so, but compared to her usual self, she looked slightly stiff. 

(Is she nervous? Well, given the circumstances, it’s only understandable…)

The reason why I ended up letting Yukimura-kun sleep in my room tonight is this. 

The roof of Yukimura-kun’s room got a bad leak, and she couldn’t sleep properly. So we decided to ask for roof repairs tomorrow. But for tonight, she had to sleep in someone else’s room, and I was the one chosen. 

(The Commander and the Vice-Commander trusted me, so they gave the task to me. I have to do my best to live up to their trust, but…) 

With the way Yukimura-kun is right now, I wonder if she will be able to fall asleep at all due to the stress. If that should happen, it would be inconvenient for her if we ask her to help with other things tomorrow.

I wondered how I could help her sleep peacefully, and thought of something—

“Yukimura-kun.” 

“Y-yes! What is it?” 

“As you know, I pride myself on being an inspector for the Shinsengumi and having the unwavering trust of the Vice-Commander.” 

“Yes, I know that very well.” 

“It was the Vice-Commander who decided to let me have you stay in my room tonight. No matter what happens, I will not do anything to betray his trust.”

 “Yes…” 

Yukimura-kun seemed unable to grasp what I was trying to say. She blinked several times in confusion. 

Apparently, my intentions didn’t get across with my roundabout way of speaking.

"So, um... it means that you don't have to worry about anything and can sleep soundly until morning,"

I conveyed my meaning as candidly as possible. Finally, it seemed like she understood my intentions.

"I'm not worried at all... I'll entrust everything to Yamazaki-san. Thank you so much for your help."

"I see, that's good then. Since you’ll get up early tomorrow as well, you should get some rest."

“Thank you, good night."

After saying this, Yukimura-kun lay herself down on a futon placed a little apart from me. 

When the lights went out, the room was surrounded by silence and darkness. However...

(What on earth is going on?)

Despite feeling tired, I just couldn’t fall asleep. 

(That’s strange. I should be able to fall asleep right away as long as I need to. Could it be...)

As I thought so, I sensed Yukimura-kun turning over in the adjacent futon.

(Wha...!)

I thought my breath had stopped because of the shock.

(No, wait. Why am I so shaken just because Yukimura turned over in her sleep? Could it be that I...)

I felt as wide awake as if I had just gulped down some strong tea, and sleep wouldn’t come no matter how I tried. I sneaked a peek at Yukimura-kun. She was sound asleep, looking completely at ease and breathing softly.

Without realizing it, my heart felt warm at the sight of her. 

(I might as well give up on sleeping tonight and focus on guarding her. It won't matter if I stay up all night for just one day.)

That was what I was thinking in the stillness of the night.

(The end.)

[glatisant-questing]

Hijikata's Short Story from the Manyo no Shou Special Edition Booklet (Translation)

I think this story deserves a CG: It’s got that cinematic quality.

No one can survive Hijikata’s stare unless it’s Chizuru near the end of Edo Blossom:)

(As stories from this particular booklet can be read either before or after playing the Manyo no Shou game, I’m not adding spoiler alerts. If you need spoiler alerts in future translations from this booklet, please let me know.)

This story was written by Izumi Nagano (長野和泉）.

“Hijikata-san, I brought you some tea.” 

As usual, I was working on some documents in my room when I heard Yukimura’s voice from outside the shoji. 

“Yeah, come in.” I replied, still busy with the documents. 

I felt the shoji open behind me, and Yukimura came to my side of the desk. 

And then, as she tried to put the teacup on the desk——

 “Oops……！”

My elbow knocked against Yukimura because I was trying to write a character.

“Ouch…!” 

Yukimura slipped her hand and dropped the teacup on the tatami floor. 

“It's hot…!” 

“Hey, are you okay?” 

I quickly took Yukimura’s hand and checked the extent of the burn. 

“Ah, I’m fine. It didn’t get on my hand.” 

Yukimura said, trying to pull her hand back, but——

 “I’m just doing this to make sure that you are alright.”

 I grabbed Yukimura’s wrist and stopped her from pulling back. 

And then, I made sure that she didn’t get any burns on her hands.

 “Good, it looks like you didn’t get burned.” 

“Y-yes…” 

While I felt relieved, I noticed that Yukimura’s hand was trembling in my grip. 

Yukimura’s cheeks were turning red, and she looked embarrassed as she avoided my eyes.

(I’m in trouble. I thought it would be awful if she should get burned, so I forgot myself and grabbed her wrist, but Yukimura is after all a young girl…)

 I should have a proper sense of the subtle boundaries between men and women. 

“…Sorry, I suddenly grabbed your hand. I don’t usually do such a thing, but I just forgot myself earlier.” 

I apologized just in case, and Yukimura nodded, all blushing. 

“I, I understand. I’m…fine.” 

She said with a face that didn’t look fine at all, which made me more worried. 

But she just kept her head down and stood up. 

“I’ll get a rag for the cleaning. I spilled tea on the tatami.” 

“Go ahead. Sorry for making you go through the trouble.” 

“No…it’s my fault.” 

After saying that, Yukimura left my room as if to escape.

After that, Yukimura came back with a rag in her hand. She wiped up the spilled tea, and put the tea she just brewed on my desk. 

“…Please enjoy your tea. I’m sorry for taking so long.” 

“No, it’s not like I have any urgent work to do, so don’t worry about it…but it’s rare for you to make such a mistake. Is something wrong?..Huh?” 

When I looked at Yukimura’s face again, I noticed that she had an odd complexion, and there were dark circles under her eyes.

“You don’t look well, are you getting enough sleep?” 

“Ah…” Yukimura lowered her head awkwardly at my remark. 

“You’re not sleeping, are you? What were you doing? Did some of the soldiers tell you to do some chores for them or something?” 

“No, that’s not it…!” 

“Then why? You can’t  fall asleep?”

Her father was still missing and his whereabouts unknown. I thought to myself that it was understandable that she couldn’t sleep because of the anxiety. 

But Yukimura said, “Actually, the other day, I borrowed a book on medicine from Dr. Matsumoto to read and… before I knew it, it was morning.” 

“From Dr. Matsumoto?” 

“Yes. I thought that if I learned some medical knowledge, I could help treat the injuries and illnesses of the soldiers. It would be best if we could always get Dr. Matsumoto to visit us, but he is busy. ” 

“…I see.” 

I was somewhat amazed by her reasons. 

(She’s in a position where we’re holding her captive, and yet she says she wants to help us. How nice can she be?) 

But still, I couldn’t help feeling glad that she sincerely wanted to contribute to the Shinsengumi. 

 “I understand your feelings very well. But if you overdo it and end up like this, you may cause trouble for the Shinsengumi instead.” 

“…Yes.”

“From what I see, you are doing your job conscientiously. Just take it easy. Got it?” 

I regretted sounding like a moralizer. 

“…Yes, I understand.” 

Yukimura also seemed to think she was scolded, and looked down with a solemn face.

 (This is awkward, somehow…)

 As I was thinking so, I sipped the tea from the teacup. 

It was the same tea she always brewed for me, with just the right strength and temperature. After moistening my throat with the mellow bitterness of the tea, I said, “You can go now. And go back to your room and take a nap. Okay?” 

“But…” 

“If you have something to do, ask another soldier to help you. If you don’t learn to delegate work to others, you’ll never reduce your workload.” 

Then Yukimura looked at me with her eyes wide open, as if she had heard something surprising. 

“…What’s wrong?” 

“No… I just remembered that Sannan-san said something similar to Hijikata-san before.” (perhaps this is a flashback of one of the tsukikage no shou drama CDs...but the problem is Chizuru is not present in that story)

“You don’t have to remember unnecessary things. Just return to your room, okay?” 

“Ah… Yes! I will take my leave.”

 Yukimura said in a flustered manner, then bowed her head lightly and left the room. 

(True, I’m not in a position to nag Yukimura either.)

I thought I’d go for a walk for a change of air, and I stretched lightly. 

A few days had passed since that incident.

I was working in my room when Yukimura brought me some tea, as considerate as always.

 “Excuse me. Hijikata-san, I brought you some tea.” 

“Thanks. Just put it there.” 

Yukimura heard my reply and was about to leave after putting the tea down. 

I suddenly remembered what had happened the other day and stopped writing. 

“Wait a minute.” 

As I turned around, I saw Yukimura’s face and she looked surprised.

 “Don’t move.” 

“Y-yes…” 

I ignored Yukimura’s trembling reply, brought my face closer, and stared into her eyes. 

“Hmm… You don’t look like you stayed up late last night... You can go now.” 

“…Y-yes!”

 Yukimura’s cheeks turned red in an instant, and she ran out of the room after this strained reply.

 “Ah…” 

I realized that I had made the same mistake as the other day, but it was too late. 

While sipping the tea that Yukimura had brought me, I absent-mindedly wondered what I should do. 

(The end)

[glatisant-questing]

Saito's Short Story from the Manyo no Shou Special Edition Booklet

Saito’s story is simply hilarious and I greatly enjoyed translating it. Have fun reading this one! 🥰 (All the emoji/kaomoji are my own additions. They are not in the original text.)

(This is… What should I do?! 〣( ºΔº )〣) 

On a certain afternoon, I was asked by Vice Commander Hijikata to summon Yukimura  Chizuru. I went to her room and called out to her through the shoji. Since there was no answer, I called out again just in case, and opened the door. And then there was the sight of Yukimura sleeping with an innocent, baby-like face.

 (Why is she sleeping when it’s still bright outside?) 

She never napped at this time of the day, at least not since she started living at the Shinsengumi headquarters.

 (She must be tired from all the hustle and bustle recently, with the moving of the headquarters and the new recruits joining the Shinsengumi. But how defenseless she is, falling asleep like this. There are many soldiers in this headquarters who don’t know her true identity…) 

Anyway, since the Vice Commander told me to summon her, I have to wake her up. 

(She looks so comfortably asleep. I feel a bit sorry to wake her up) 

“Hmm… cough.” 

I coughed first and waited for her to wake up, but——

“zzz…” 

She didn’t seem to wake up, and just kept breathing, relaxed in her sleep. 

In that case—

“Hmm… cough.”

I decided to cough louder than before. But still, I couldn’t feel any sign of her waking up.

(Why won’t she wake up? If it was the usual Yukimura, she would wake up right away. Could it be that she is way too exhausted?) 

If that’s the case, I am reluctant to force her to wake up and take her to the Vice Commander. 

(Then, what should I do…? Should I go back to the Vice Commander’s room and report the situation as it is?) 

But I immediately dismissed that idea. 

(No, I can’t do that. If I tell the Vice Commander the truth, he might say “What is she doing, sleeping at this time?” and scold Yukimura.) 

But still, even if I did make a sound, she didn’t seem to wake up. 

(Then… do I have no choice but to shake her awake?)

I thought that and reached out to her, but…

“Hmm…” 

Yukimura stirred slightly with her eyes closed, so I hastily backed away and kept enough distance to avoid being misunderstood. 

“S-sorry! I’ll have you know, I wasn’t thinking of anything shady. The Vice Commander told me to come and get you!”

I hurriedly tried to explain why I was here, but… 

“Hmm, hmm…?” 

At that moment, Yukimura’s eyelids twitched slightly. I realized that I had woken her up because I was loud and couldn’t help but regret it inwardly. 

Soon, Yukimura’s eyes opened and she looked at me with a dazed gaze.

“Ah, Saito-san? Why are you here…” 

Yukimura’s big eyes blinked several times. 

Driven by the urgency to explain why I was here, I blurted out. 

“I never meant to intrude here with ill intentions! I apologize for entering your room without permission, but I called out to you once from behind the door—no, twice. But since there was no reply, I just opened the shoji to check on you! Do you understand what I’m saying?🥺” 

“Y-yes! I understand. I’m sorry for not noticing your presence sooner.” 

Yukimura bowed her head in embarrassment.

Seeing her like that, I felt rather guilty instead. 

“No… you don’t have to apologize.” 

“No, that’s not…” 

Yukimura just bowed her head and the conversation came to an end.

 (This is bad. This is not Yukimura’s fault. Why can’t I handle this situation well? At least, I have to tell her that she’s not to blame.) 

As I muttered words of self-reproach in my mind, I noticed that Yukimura was staring at me. 

“What is it?” I asked.

“Ah… Saito-san, you had something to tell me, right?” 

With that question, I finally remembered why I came here.

“Ah, the Vice Commander said he had something to tell you. Probably, he wants to hear about the progress of the treatment of the soldier who was injured the other day.” 

“I see. Then, I’ll hurry over. Thank you for letting me know.” 

Yukimura said that and bowed her head slightly. 

“I’ve delivered the message. Well, I’m going now.” 

I said that and stood up. 

But just before leaving the room, I thought to myself.

 (Isn’t it too unsympathetic to leave the room like this?)

Even though I had to do what I just did, it’s a fact that I entered Yukimura’s room without permission. I apologized earlier, but I don’t know if my apologies have been conveyed properly.

“…Saito-san?” 

Yukimura’s voice came from behind me, as if she felt something was wrong with me standing still at the door and not moving.

I glanced back and saw Yukimura’s face looking up at me with a worried expression. I told her this.

 “It’s fine to take a nap since you must be very tired recently, but in that case, you should at least cover yourself with a haori or something similar. You’re the one who’s responsible for the health of the soldiers now, so it would be bad if you caught a cold.” 

The moment I finished speaking, I was tormented by regret, thinking that I should have said something nicer. 

But Yukimura…

“Yes, thank you, Saito-san. I’ll be careful from now on.” 

She said that with a sincere expression and bowed her head.

“Uh, um… well then. See you.”

I left that one word behind and finally left Yukimura’s room.

Then, as I was walking down the hallway– 

“Hey, Hajime-kun? What are you doing there?” 

I heard Souji’s voice from behind and froze on the spot. As I turned around, I said. 

“Souji… I just came to deliver a message to Yukimura.” 

“Oh… it seems to be a pretty long message, though😏.” 

I don’t know how much he saw what happened, but I swear, I… 

“Let me tell you, what I did just now was only to convey a message from the Vice Commander to Yukimura. There was nothing suspicious about it at all.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll let you have it your way.” 

He said in a tone that sounded like he was snickering, and then started walking. 

“Wait!! It’s not ‘letting me have it my way’! I’m simply telling the truth! Listen to me, Souji!” 

After that, I explained the situation to Souji in detail, but it was of no avail. 

(The end.)

[glatisant-questing]

Kazama's Short Story from the Manyo no Shou Limited Edition Booklet

CW: Allusion to sexual assault

I believe that when Kazama says he made an oath to take Chizuru away, he means an Oni's oath.

This story was written by 長野 和泉

(Why has it come to this? I, Kazama Chikage, have never felt such anger in my life.) 

My clenched fist trembled uncontrollably. 

In front of my eyes was Chizuru, the survivor of Tōgoku’s Yukimura family. 

She was leaning against a pillar in the outer corridor of the Nishihonganji temple, which was Shinsengumi’s headquarters, and she quietly breathed in her sleep. 

(How can a young girl sleep in such a place, exposing her defenseless sleeping face in front of everyone…?  If those stray dogs at the Shinsengumi should come up with some funny ideas, what can she do? Even if she is a female demon, she can’t fight against several men at once.) 

As I thought so, I looked at her black and glossy hair, her white skin like fine porcelain, and her supple cheeks.

 (She may have some rough personalities, but she seems to have enough charm to capture my eyes…) 

If I let other men see her like this, I don’t know what kind of mistake will happen. 

Thinking so, I looked down at the girl from the Yukimura household and called out to her. 

“…Wake up, female demon. It’s not proper for a young girl to sleep in such a place. If you want to sleep, go back to your room.” 

But Yukimura didn’t seem to notice me, just keeping on breathing peacefully in her sleep. 

(You…! What are you thinking? In this day and age, don’t all young girls learn at least some self-defense skills? She doesn’t even notice my presence, let alone my voice. What’s wrong with her?)

Irritated, I put my hand on Yukimura’s shoulder and shook her lightly. 

“Can’t you hear me telling you to wake up? It’s me. Open your eyes.” 

“Mm, mm…?” 

The girl uttered something, and her eyelids trembled. 

After blinking several times with a dazed look, she finally seemed to take in the situation and her eyes widened. 

“Kazama-san…! Why are you here?” 

I held the startled Yukimura down, who tried to back away, and covered her mouth. 

“Don’t make a sound. If those stray dogs come running, there will be problems.” 

“Mm, mm…!” 

Yukimura tried to push me away, but there was no way she could do that with her strength. 

She seemed to realize that too, and gradually her resistance became weaker. 

“I won’t do anything rough if you promise not to make a loud noise. Can you promise me?” 

When I questioned her, Yukimura glared at me as if she didn’t trust anything I said. 

“What’s with that look? You’re practically asking me to take you away and discipline you right here. Well, I don’t mind that at all.” 

“…”

Although she glared at me courageously, I could see a hint of fear in Yukimura’s eyes. 

“I’ll ask you again. Don’t make any loud noise, and just answer my questions quickly. Can you do that?”

I lowered my voice more than before, and this time I didn’t interrogate her, but prompted her. 

Yukimura hesitated, but eventually nodded slightly. 

After making sure of that, I removed my hand from her mouth. While looking down at her, I asked. 

“Why were you sleeping at a place like this? You have a room, don’t you?” 

“Why…? Well, today the weather was nice, and I just dozed off…” 

She answered reluctantly, as if ashamed of being scolded of letting others see her asleep like this. 

“That’s not what I’m asking.” 

After shouting at her, I continued. 

“There should still be some time before you go to bed, right? And yet you sleep in the middle of the day like this. Does that mean that you are ordered by those stray dogs to work until late at night, and you don’t even have time to sleep?” 

“No, that’s not…” 

Yukimura attempted a hasty denial, but suddenly she looked at me as if she realized something. And then… 

“Um… I’m sorry if I’m wrong, but…” 

“What is it?” 

“Could it be that Kazama-san, you’re worried about me…?”

Being asked a question with such a self-evident answer, I feel a bit irritated.

“It’s only natural for a husband to worry about his future wife.” 

As I answered, Yukimura turned red to her ears. 

“Wh-who is your future wife? I have no intention of marrying you…” 

“It’s already decided, regardless of your will.” 

“It’s not decided!” 

“…You’re a stubborn girl. In that case, I think I’ll have a lot of fun disciplining you after we get married.” 

Yukimura looked at me with a sincere expression and said. 

“Kazama-san… I don’t really know if you’re worried about me or not… And… Why do you care so much about me?” 

She wouldn’t be convinced even if I answered her question. She still didn’t understand that she was the head of the Yukimura household. If she didn’t know that, someone should tell her and convince her. The best way would be for Yukimura Koudou to explain it to her. But… I couldn’t make that happen unless I could get a grasp of his intentions. 

“I can’t tell you yet. But it should not be a bad thing for you.” 

“But I can’t believe a word you said if you don’t tell me.” 

“Hmm… That’s good reasoning… But you’re going to be my wife. That’s the only thing that’s certain and non-negotiable.” 

“Wh-why do I have to be your wife or… marry you? I’m not going to get married!” 

“You don’t have any plans to marry anyone else in the future?” 

“Uh… Someday… I think I will, but…” 

“Then that person you are going to marry is me.” 

“I don’t understand what you’re saying!” 

As we were talking like that-- 

“Ow, ow, ouch…! My bad. I cut my finger while taking care of my sword.” 

“You should get Yukimura to treat your wound. I saw him over there earlier.” 

Along with footsteps, I heard the voices of the Shinsengumi’s stray dogs. 

(Tch, bad timing huh?)

 It was annoying, but if I fought them here, I would get complaints from Satsuma-han once they knew.

“I guess I have no choice but to back off. But if they keep making you work so hard that you don’t even have time to sleep, I’ll take you away anytime. Tell them that.” 

“I can’t tell them that!” 

With Yukimura shouting behind me, I disappeared from her sight. 

(I shouldn’t leave that girl in this lodging of stray dogs. It’s hard to do it right now, but someday, I’ll have to take her to my village.) 

I made that oath again in my mind.

[glatisant-questing]

Short Stories from the Hakuouki Manyo no Shou Stellaworth Bonus Booklet (Part 4)

This is the translation of the last part of the Manyo Stellaworth Bonus Booklet! All three stories (Kazama, Iba, and Sakamoto's stories) take place in Edo Blossoms and may contain some mild spoilers, so be sure that you are okay with them to continue reading ;-) As always, the icons/banners come from the game's website.

Kazama's Story

"May the two of you find repose in this room" the innkeeper said graciously, and escorted us into the room. However, the moment we stepped through the door, both I and the young girl from the Yukimura family stood still in surprise. "…!" The two futons in the room were nestled side by side, a placement suggesting that the innkeeper might have mistaken us for a wedded couple. "As such, may you enjoy your stay." With impeccable manners, the innkeeper left the room. After the disastrous culmination of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, we pursued the Shinsengumi back to the Eastern provinces. Since it was getting late, we decided to stay here for the night.

"Um, Mr. Kazama…" Calling my name, Yukimura Chizuru's face was not only red but her neck was also crimson. (Does she think I'm going to do something to her?) Back when we were still in Kyoto, I had made multiple raids on Shinsengumi's headquarters and clashed in conflict with their soldiers. While I could empathize with her insecurities about what I may do… "Don't worry. I'm not the type to lay my hands on a woman before she was wedded to me." "Truly?" The young girl from the Yukimura family cast an uncertain gaze at me. "Of course. I also made an agreement with the female Oni of Hachisuka, remember? Oni never breaks their promises." "Yes, I do remember…" Upon hearing my words, she finally seemed to let down her guards a little, and the tension in her shoulders relaxed. "But, I am a man of reason. If indeed, you find yourself wanting to marry me, I wouldn't rule out the possibility." After I added that, the young girl from the Yukimura family retreated and stood with her back against the wall. "N-No, I never promised anything like that!" With that, she tightly clutched the small dagger that she carried with her. I thought to myself, this was undoubtedly a young girl inclined to react excessively. (At first, I was only interested in her because she is a descendant of the Yukimura family of the oni clan in the Eastern provinces, but…) Gradually, I found myself attracted by her charm. Like how she would take each of my little pranks with earnest, how attentive she was to others' needs, and how she always seemed to intuitively comprehend the way things are.

"Um, Mr. Kazama?" "I won't lay a finger on you. If I break my word, you can use that little dagger of yours to kill me, or do as you please. But speaking of that, I won't make it easy for you to kill me." With that, I extinguished the light and lay down in the futon. Yukimura Chizuru seemed to hesitate for a moment, but before long, I felt her get into the futon too. Judging from the way she breathed, it seemed that she still had not completely let go of her vigilance. (That's okay. There's plenty of time. As long as she keeps on traveling with me, a day will come when she eventually falls in love with me. It's just a matter of time, so there's no need for haste.) While musing over these thoughts, I realized that the sound coming from the neighboring futon had gradually become the soothing breathing of deep slumber. (She still seems a bit guarded, but she must be really tired, too.) I recalled her nervous look from earlier and couldn't help but smile in amusement. (If this girl becomes my wife, life among the oni clan will certainly be anything but dull.) With these thoughts I closed my eyes, leaving the world to the realms of dreams.

☄︎fin.☄︎

Iba's Story

"My apologies. I heard that my servant's family has encountered an unfortunate circumstance, and it appears he must hastily return to his hometown," I said with regret as I arranged Chizuru's futon in my room. "It's… It's quite all right. There's nothing to be done about it," Chizuru replied. She had been lodging in my home in Edo for several days now. Just as we were beginning to grow accustomed to life here, the servant who had been looking after us decided to return to his hometown for a few days. Moreover, with Chizuru attracting the attention of many who might be chasing after her, I couldn't bear the thought of her sleeping alone. "I will place the futons. Please wait for a little over there," I said, intending to lay out her futon first. "Wait a moment, let me do it. In gratitude for Iba-san's hospitality, please allow me to do what I can." Chizuru replied. "You needn't trouble yourself…" "It's no trouble; please let me." With these words, Chizuru quickly began to lay out not only her futon but also mine. In the blink of an eye, the futons for the two of us were ready. (It's almost as if… We're a married couple.) As I looked at the two futons that were placed side by side, this idea involuntarily crossed my mind. I stole a glance at Chizuru, who was standing beside me. "…" It seemed that she was thinking along similar lines. Her cheeks gradually took on a rosy hue. "Let me guess what you're thinking right now," I said, inquiring. She shivered nervously. "No, I… I wasn't… I wasn't thinking of anything!" Though Chizuru responded otherwise, her adorable reactions were easy to read, always betraying her feelings. "Really? You don't feel like we look like a newly married couple?" I asked, half in jest. "…!" I had hit the mark. Even the tips of her ears were in blush. She bashfully lowered her head and hastily slipped under the covers. "How can you say that…! How could I ever match Iba-san if we were married…" She seemed to have managed to express this thought after some effort. "Is that so? But if you were truly my wife, I would be quite honored," I said. "…" I sensed her holding her breath beneath the covers. "I don't say such things lightly; I've always been sincere." After those words, I extinguished the lamp. The room immediately darkened, allowing us to feel each other's presence even more keenly. (I don't want to rush things… Will that day truly arrive? The day I take you as my wife…) With these thoughts in mind, I, too, pulled the covers over myself to sleep. ☄︎fin.☄︎

Sakamoto's Story

"Oh, this room looks gorgeous! Staying here, we would surely rest well. Chizuru?" "Y-Yes…" After the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, as we followed the trail of the Shinsengumi all the way to Edo, Chizuru and I traveled to the Eastern provinces, intending to spend the night at an inn along the way. If we couldn't reach the inn before nightfall, we would definitely end up spending the night outdoors. However, luck was on our side today. "By this time, it's likely that the pub is already closed. We can dine tomorrow. "Y-Yes, that sounds reasonable…" Chizuru's response was strained, and her expression was also rather awkward as she constantly avoided meeting my gaze. (Well, it can't be helped. It's the first time we've shared a room like this. I don't think this girl has ever been in a romantic relationship before.) "Rest assured, I have no interest in imprisoning a woman who doesn't desire my company. I won't lay a finger on you," I reassured her, though it seemed she was not entirely assured. "……In that case. Here, take this." I withdrew the pistol from my pocket and took hold of Chizuru's wrist, placing the firearm in her hand. "Ryoma-san, what is this for?" "In case something unpleasant happens, just use this to pierce my heart. It has silver bullets, right? Those can actually kill me." I said, but Chizuru turned pale at my words. "How can you say such things…!" Her expression also grew tense. "… Even if it's a joke, please don't say things like that. How could I ever harm Ryoma-san…" Indeed, I had taken my joke way too far, especially considering Chizuru had lost her important companions in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. "I'm sorry; I was too thoughtless. I only wanted to put your mind at ease, but it seems I did just the opposite. "It's alright…" Chizuru quietly shook her head. Then, she picked up the pistol and handed it back to me. "Although you say that, I'd still prefer you to hold onto it. It might make you feel safer, after all." I said. "It's alright… I trust Ryoma-san, so please take this gun back, Ryoma-san." Seeing Chizuru looking directly at me, this time I was the one taken aback. "I'll go change into my nightgown." Chizuru said, and she was ready to leave the room. "No, I'll step out for a moment, and you can change your clothes here. Just let me know when you're done." "Oh…" I left Chizuru in the room and went out into the corridor. (Chizuru is as resolute as ever. Her straightforwardness only makes me like her even more.) Even though I was being led on by a girl much younger than me, it was a rather pleasant feeling. (Despite the numerous frustrations, as long as I'm with her, this journey seems like it'll be an enjoyable one.) I contemplated this as I waited for Chizuru to finish changing. ☄︎fin.☄︎

[glatisant-questing]

Hijikata, Sannan and Souma's Stories from the Manyo no Shou Stellaworth Booklet

Souma's story takes place in Ezo!

----

(I can’t believe this is happening…) 

I secretly sighed as I beheld a nervous Yukimura Chizuru standing right next to me. 

Yukimura’s room had a leak, so she had to stay in one of the soldiers’ rooms for the night. Souji found it amusing, and he said, “Why don’t you let her stay in your room, Hijikata-san? She’s your page, after all”. In the end, I couldn’t refuse and agreed to let her stay in my room. 

“Um… Hijikata-san, are you sure this is okay? I don’t mind sleeping in my room, actually…” 

Yukimura said that hesitantly, but… 

“If I send you back to that room now, who knows what Souji will say. My room may be a little cramped for two people, but just bear with it for one night.” 

“N-no, I don’t mind the space…! I’ll lay out the futon.”

After her swift denial, she started laying out the futon that Yamazaki brought here earlier. 

“Hey, I can do the futon myself…” 

Before I finished my sentence, Yukimura already laid out both of our futons. She’s always good at this kind of thing. 

“Well then, let’s go to bed, then.” 

“Y-yes!” I heard Yukimura’s nervous voice. 

“…Just so you know, I’m not going to do anything weird just because we’re sleeping in the same room. I’m not that desperate to lay my hands on you.”

I said that to reassure Yukimura, but…

“I-I understand…” 

Yukimura’s reply sounded like 70% relief and 30% disappointment. 

(Wait a minute. Why does Yukimura sound down after what I said? I only said that to make her feel better.) 

As I was thinking, I realized something and said, “…And don’t get me wrong, it’s not like you’re not attractive or anything. I said that only because of my current position and how the situation is.” 

“A-ah… Yes! I understand.” 

The voice that answered me sounded a little relieved. 

(Why does she feel relieved by my words, anyway? Does she somehow want me to see her as a woman? ……No, she would not think like that.)

 I thought so to myself and said, “I’m turning off the light.” 

“Ah, yes!” 

After hearing Yukimura’s reply, I blew out the oil lamp. 

The room was enveloped in darkness and became very quiet. 

After that, I got into the futon, but it was still the time of the night when I usually worked, so I couldn’t fall asleep, but tossed and turned all the time. 

“Um…” 

From the other side of the darkness, I heard a hesitant voice. 

“What is it?” I asked.

“Are you really glad to let me stay in your room, Hijikata-san? If I didn’t stay, you could have focused on your work.” 

“Well, while that is true, it’s okay to have a day like this once in a while. Yamazaki and Shimada also tell me to go to bed early sometimes.” 

“…I see.” 

“Yeah. So don’t worry about it and just go to sleep. I’ll arrange for the leak to be fixed tomorrow.” 

“Thank you very much.” 

After hearing her words of gratitude, the conversation came to a halt and only the sound of her breathing could be heard. 

(Even though she kind of lives in confinement, she’s always concerned about us.) 

As I thought so, I finally felt sleepy and closed my eyes.

(The end.)

“Sanna-san, are you awake? I've brought your meal."

Hearing the voice from outside the shoji door, I paused the writing that I had been doing.

"Yes, I'm awake. Please come in."

In response, the door quietly slid open, and Yukimura Chizuru-kun stepped into my room.

"I'll leave your meal here…” she said as she placed the tray with food in the corner of the room.

At that moment, a small yawn escaped from Yukimura's mouth.

"You seem tired. Did Hijikata-san give you a lot of errands to run again today?"

"Uh, I'm sorry! Actually, Hijikata-san didn’t ask me, but I volunteered. After all, I'm always grateful to all of you for your help."

"I see. You're still as kind-hearted as ever."

I spoke what was on my mind while continuing with my writing. She seemed slightly puzzled, tilting her head in wonder.

"Kind-hearted... you think so?"

Yukimura didn't seem entirely convinced, but then she seemed to think of something.

“If you don’t mind, please have your meal before it gets cold.”

"I'll have it once I finish this paragraph. Don't worry."

I replied without turning around, continuing with my documents.

It seemed that Yukimura-kun was sorry to disturb me, and she fell silent.

Time passed, and after a while, I thought, "Shall I take a break now?"

Setting my pen aside, I turned around.

"I apologize for making you wait. Shall I have the meal now? ...Oh?"

Perhaps tired of waiting, Yukimura had fallen asleep while leaning against the wall. She was breathing softly.

(If she was sleepy, she could have gone back to her room... Unless she wanted to hear my thoughts on the food?”

For a fleeting moment, I considered waking her up, but I was reluctant to do so when I saw how peacefully she slept.

"I can't let her catch a cold, and maybe I should cover her with something."

With that thought in mind, I draped my robe over Yukimura's body.

Then, I began to eat the meal placed on the tray.

Although the food got cold for a bit, Yukimura's cooking was still impeccable.

"It would have been better to eat it while it was still warm."

As I pondered, Yukimura’s eyelids slowly opened, and our eyes met.

After a brief moment, she seemed to have finally taken in the situation.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I just fell asleep..."

"It's okay. You can go back to sleep. I'll wake you up when I'm done."

"But..."

“Just have some rest. Is that okay?”

"Yes, thank you, Sannan-san."

She said bashfully and closed her eyes again, beginning to doze off.

Looking at Yukimura-ku peacefully asleep like some kind of small animal, I continued with my meal.

(The end.)

“It's snowing again today. I can't help but feel gloomy thinking that I'll have to shovel snow again tomorrow."

As I gazed at the silently accumulating snow outside the window, I spoke.

"That's right. I was prepared for this, but I didn't expect that winter in Ezo could be this harsh."

It had been nearly half a month since we had come to Ezo in pursuit of Vice-Commander Hijikata. While the bitter cold and the snow confined us indoors, which could be frustrating sometimes…

(Still, it's been a while since I've enjoyed such peaceful days.)

Just as I was thinking so, something caught my attention.

"Huh?"

I noticed something and paused.

"What's wrong?"

“Senpai, your hands..."

Perhaps due to the usual chores, Yukimura-senpai's fingertips were bright red from frostbites.

"Oh, this? Don't worry about it. It'll heal if I apply some medicine," Senpai replied with a smile, but I took Senpai's hand in mine.

"Souma-kun?"

Senpai seemed a little surprised, but I held Senpai's hand in both of mine and rubbed it between my fingers.

However, since my own hands were cold, Senpai’s hand wasn't warming up.

"I-It's fine, Souma-kun. I'm okay."

Perhaps out of concern for me, Senpai said that, but...

“Please let me take care of you, Senpai. I've been causing you trouble all along."

"..."

Senpai seemed bashful.

After rubbing our hands together for a while, warmth finally returned to Senpai's hand.

“I think I’m fine. Thank you."

Saying that, Senpai let go of my hand and turned away shyly.

"I should go back to my room soon. I need to get up early tomorrow.”

Senpai began to leave the room.

"Wait, Senpai!"

I inadvertently grabbed Senpai's hand to stop her from leaving.

"Um... could you stay a little longer? I... I would like to be with you a bit more, Senpai."

Senpai seemed a bit surprised by my words, her eyes blinking.

"Oh... Of course, I didn’t mean anything weird! I mean, I just thought it would be nice to chat more and spend time together! Of course, if it's inconvenient for you, I can understand..."

As I stumbled over my words, Senpai gazed at me with a somewhat bashful expression, but...

"Is that so..."

Senpai murmured. I thought I detected a tinge of disappointment in her tone, or perhaps it was just my imagination?

But before I could voice my doubt, Senpai smiled and said...

"Well, I felt the same way, actually. So, let's chat a bit longer, shall we?"

With a gentle smile, Senpai said those words.

(The end.)

[glatisant-questing]

Heisuke's Short Story from the Manyo no Shou Limited Edition Booklet

Since Manyo no Shou stories can be read either before or after playing the game, I will not add spoiler warnings.

Heisuke's a sweetheart in this story:)

This SS was written by 長野 和泉

“Todo-kun, sorry, but can you go and get Yukimura-kun for me?”

 I was asked by Gen-san when I passed by the kitchen. 

“Chizuru? Sure, but what do you need her for?” 

“I was thinking of buying some sweets for the guests, because I couldn’t find any in the kitchen. I want to consult with Yukimura as to what to buy.” 

“I-I’ll have you know, I didn’t eat them!” 

I knew that Shinpachi had secretly eaten those sweets, so I answered in a panic, and Gen-san looked at me in amazement.

“…No one said you did, Todo-kun. Anyway, that’s the situation, so please help me call Yukimura-kun here.” 

“Okay, got it!” 

“Hey Chizuru, are you there? Gen-san has something to ask you.”

 I stood in front of Chizuru’s room and called out to her from this side of the shoji. 

But there was no reply. 

(Maybe she went out somewhere? Or maybe she’s cleaning or doing laundry…)

Although I was thinking about leaving, I called out once again just in case.

 “Hey, are you there? If you are, please answer me.” 

 Finally, the door opened. 

“Sorry, Heisuke-kun! I didn’t notice you.” 

“N-no, it’s fine, but…” 

I noticed that Chizuru, who poked her head out of the room to answer me, looked somewhat sleepy.

“…Were you sleeping?” 

Then she lowered her face in embarrassment. 

“I was up late last night, so I just… I thought it would be okay if I dozed off a little.” 

“Haha. You’re surprisingly careless sometimes, aren’t you?” 

I said what I honestly thought, but Chizuru shrank back even more. 

“…I’m sorry.” 

“No, I didn’t mean to make fun of you or anything… It’s just that, I thought you have always been pretty reliable, so when I see you being careless like this, it’s… it’s…” 

(It’s cute.)

I almost blurted out, but stopped myself in mid-sentence. 

“When you see me being careless… what?” 

Chizuru asked, not quite understanding my meaning, and urged me to continue. 

I answered, looking away from her a little.

 “It’s… it’s kind of reassuring, or relaxing, you know.” 

Then Chizuru pursed her lips a little, looking even more unconvinced. 

“…That sounds hard to take as a compliment…” 

“I’m not saying it in a bad way, you know (╥ω╥)”  

“I know, but…” 

She still didn’t seem convinced, a disgruntled expression on her face. 

(Even this slightly sulky side of her is cute, but there is no way I could say that out loud.)

(If it were Harada-san, he would just say what’s on his mind without worrying about such things, right?) 

Chizuru seemed to have regained her composure, and asked me, “By the way, Heisuke-kun, did you have something to tell me?”

At those words, I realized that I had completely forgotten to tell her the reason why I came here. 

“Oh, right! Actually—” 

I told her that Gen-san had asked me to call her. 

“So, he said he wanted to hear your opinion… Is that okay?” 

“Okay? What do you mean?” 

“I saw you were napping just now, so I thought you might be tired.” 

Then Chizuru answered with a wry smile. 

“I’m fine. I just took a nap because my errand ended sooner than I expected.” 

“Really?” 

Chizuru tends to overwork, so I can’t help but worry about her… 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me, Heisuke-kun.” 

Seeing Chizuru say that bravely, I felt that it would be worse to keep her here for too long. 

“I see. But don’t push yourself too hard, okay? If you’re tired, you need to tell everybody honestly that you need rest. Otherwise, no one will notice.”

Then Chizuru smiled lightly at me and answered. 

“I’m fine. Even though I’m busy, I’m not as busy as the other soldiers. Besides-”

As she was about to say something, Chizuru stared at me intently. 

When our eyes met like this, I felt uneasy. 

But Chizuru seemed unaware of my inner feelings… 

“If I am tired, Heisuke-kun, you’ll be the one to notice it, right?” 

She said that with a lovely smile. 

“Wh…!” 

At that moment, my heart beat as if it was punched hard, and I couldn’t look at Chizuru’s face properly. 

Of course, Chizuru must have done it unconsciously, and she probably didn’t notice at all how flustered I was by her words. 

But I couldn’t act calm, and I turned my face away involuntarily. 

“I…today I just happened to notice that you are tired, but I surely can’t always pay attention! So, don’t… don’t push yourself too hard! If you have trouble telling Hijikata-san or Gen-san that you need a break, I can tell them for you!”

I blurted out those words to hide my embarrassment, and Chizuru listened to me with a smile. And then… 

“Thank you, Heisuke-kun. If you say so, I’m counting on you.” 

She said so, and it was hard to tell whether she already knew my feelings or not.

“I need to go and find Inuoe-san, is that right? Is he at the kitchen? I’ll be back soon.” 

“O-Okay, see you then.” 

After Chizuru left and the sound of her footsteps could no longer be heard… 

(Ah… damn it! I should have said something different. It sounded like I was criticizing Chizuru! Why do I always do this!) 

I scratched my head and struggled with my sense of unease. 

As I was doing that, I heard light footsteps coming my way, and Chizuru, who was supposed to have left, came back. 

“Ch-Chizuru?! What’s wrong?”

 I asked her in a panic, and she quietly approached me and stopped in front of me. Then, she brought her face closer with her blushing cheeks… 

“Heisuke-kun… my sleepy face must have looked terrible, so please forget about it…” 

With that, she turned around and left again. 

As I watched her going away… 

(There’s no way I can forget about that.) 

I thought to myself.

(The end)

[glatisant-questing]

Yamazaki's Short Story from Hakuoki Manyo no Shou Limited Edition Booklet (Translation)

This story is sooo cute that I got to translate it. I often wondered if Yamazaki and Chizuru are of the same MBTI type. The two of them are just perfect together.

(As for the Chinese herbal medicine, it seems that there is no need to buy more for the time being… The problem is the tools and medicines used for treating wounds and Western medicine…) 

I am completely ignorant about the tools and medicines for medical arts and Western medicine. I have no choice but to consult with Yukimura-kun.

As I was thinking about these things, I looked for Yukimura-kun, but I couldn’t find her. 

When I went out to the courtyard, I saw Shimada, who was about to go somewhere, so I called out to him. 

“Shimada-kun, have you seen Yukimura-kun? I have something to ask her.” 

“Oh, Yamazaki-kun. I saw Yukimura-kun hanging kimonos in the courtyard.” 

“The courtyard, huh? Thanks.” 

I thanked Shimada-kun and hurried to the courtyard. 

As Shimada-kun said, Yukimura-kun was in the courtyard, hanging kimonos. 

“Yukimura-kun.” 

When I called out to her, she quietly turned around. 

“Ah, Yamazaki-san, hello.” 

“Are you hanging kimonos?” 

“Yes, it’s almost the season to change clothes. I want the other Shinsengumi members to wear them comfortably.” 

“…I see.”

It is said that women tend to notice the details more than men, and I strongly feel that when I look at Yukimura-kun.

 (I also pride myself on being attentive, and I often receive compliments from the Vice-Commander, but still I can’t match Yukimura-kun.) 

As I was thinking about that– 

“So, Yamazaki-san, do you have something for me?”

 I came to my senses when Yukimura-kun asked me. 

“Ah. Actually–” 

I asked Yukimura-kun for advice on buying medical tools and Western medicines. 

“…So, if there is anything missing, I thought I would buy it on the way.” 

“I understand. I will check our backlog as soon as I finish this.”

 Yukimura-kun said so and tried to resume her work.

 “I’ll help you. It will be faster if we do it together.” 

“But… are you sure? Yamazaki-san, don’t you have other work to do?” 

“It’s not that I don’t, but it’s not so urgent that I have to do it right now. Besides, it would be better if you come with me for shopping. And we might be able to find Koudou-san on the way.” 

“Yamazaki-san…” 

Yukimura-kun looked at me with a grateful expression… 

(When I’m looked at like this, I feel… uneasy. I know she doesn’t have any ulterior motives, but still…)

 She bowed her head, expressing her gratitude. 

“Thank you for your kindness. I’ll take your word and go with you.” 

“Don’t mention it. After all, we are the ones who are forcing you to live in inconvenience. Rather than that, let’s finish this quickly. You also would like a bit more time looking for Koudou-san, don’t you?” 

“Yes, I understand–”

The moment she finished speaking, a small yawn escaped from her mouth.

 “Ah… I’m sorry! I was up late last night.” 

She apologized, looking away in embarrassment.

 “Didn’t you sleep well?” 

“I was reading the book on Eastern medicine that you lent me the other day.” 

“…You don’t have to rush to read it. I told you that you can return it anytime when I lent it to you.” 

“That’s true, but…” 

“If you’re sleepy and tired–”

 I was about to suggest canceling today’s outing, but I stopped myself. 

For Yukimura-kun, who was allowed to go out alone, she couldn’t miss the opportunity to look for Koudou-san. 

“You should take a nap over there. I’ll take care of the clothes.”

 “That’s-- too much!” 

Yukimura-kun immediately refused my offer… 

“If you go out with me like this, it will be more troublesome if you collapse on the way. Just follow what I said.” 

She showed a sad expression on her face. 

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” 

“No, I didn’t mean to blame you… Sorry, I chose my words poorly.” 

“No, it’s not like that…” 

Seeing Yukimura-kun’s expression become more depressed, I regretted my earlier mistake. 

“I know very well that you’re working hard for the Shinsengumi. It won’t hurt to take a nap. I’ll call you when I’m done, so rest over there.”

 I secretly worried that she would take my words in a bad way again, and waited for her reply. 

A smile finally appeared on her lips.

 “I understand. Then I’ll take your word and rest for a while. Thank you always, Yamazaki-san.”

 She bowed her head slightly and sat down on a bench nearby. She closed her eyes and began to doze off. 

(I didn’t do anything worth thanking me for. What is it… How nice is she?)

 I thought so, but I felt relieved by talking to her. 

(She’s good at medicine, of course, but maybe she also has the power to heal broken hearts without knowing it.) 

I thought so as I started working on the clothes that I took over from Yukimura-kun (somewhat forcibly).

Before long– I was in trouble after I finished hanging all the kimonos.

The problem was when to call out to her and wake her up. 

Probably, if I call out to her now, it would be too short a time to be called a nap.

 But if I go and do other work and then wake her up, it might be too late. 

But more than that, I can’t leave Yukimura-kun sleeping here. 

(Well, what should I do…) 

I was thinking about these things as I stood next to her. 

When I am looking at Yukimura-kun sleeping defenselessly, I feel somewhat sorry to wake her up.

 Or rather, I feel like I want to keep looking at her like this——. 

As I dwelled on these thoughts, a gust of wind began to blow.

 “Hmm… Ah… Um, how long have I been sleeping? The kimonos?” 

Yukimura-kun woke up and asked me, looking around at me and the surroundings. 

“O-oh, I’m glad you’re awake. I finished hanging the kimonos and was about to wake you up.” 

“Is… is that so… I’m sorry. I really left it all to you.” 

“Don’t worry about it. Come on, get ready to go out.” 

“…Yes!”

 She left a cheerful reply and went away.

As I watched her back, I wish I could have seen her sleeping face a little longer…

---fin---

[glatisant-questing]

Shinpachi's Short Story from the Manyo no Shou Limited Edition Booklet

Shinpachi is cute!!! I love the detail about how the other soldiers from the 2nd division would like to help him when they see him doing the cleaning.

As usual, there's no spoiler alert since the story can be read before or after playing the game/the FD and has little to do with the major plot.

This SS was written by 長野 和泉

“Wow, I’m good! I’m good! Thank you for the meal, Chizuru-chan. Today’s breakfast is delicious as always!” 

I said, stretching my limbs and lying down on the floor. The time after eating to one’s heart’s content is truly what they call “a moment of bliss”. 

“Thank you for your kind words, Nagakura-san. I will take care of the dishes, so please have some rest.” Chizuru-chan said. 

“Okay, thanks! It’s my day off today, so maybe I’ll take a nap or something…” 

I said, trying to get up. That’s when it happened. 

“Hey Shinpachi, come here.” 

Suddenly, Sano grabbed me by the collar. 

“What? What do you want? Hey, don’t pull so hard, ouch–” 

I was dragged out of the hall by Sano. When we got to the corridor, Sano pushed me against the wall and said. 

“…You didn’t notice anything, did you?” He asked. 

“Huh? Notice what?|ʘ‿ʘ)╯” I asked.

“It’s Chizuru’s complexion. She looked unwell, didn’t she? How can you ask her to do chores like that?” He said. 

“Now that you mention it, she did seem a bit less energetic than usual…” I said. 

“If you noticed it, then you should have cleaned up the dishes yourself. You have nothing to do today, right? So take over her chores for her. Got it?” 

He said, and then went back to the hall. 

“What do you mean by nothing to do? Sure, I don’t have any errands, but…” I said. I was annoyed because I didn’t notice Chizuru’s situation until Sano pointed it out, but I did feel worried about her too. 

With that in mind, I decided to go back to the hall. 

“Oh, Nagakura-san. Did you finish talking with Harada-san?” Chizuru-chan greeted me as I came back. 

“Hm? Yeah, sort of. Listen, I’ll take care of the dishes, so you can go back to your room and rest.” I said. 

“Eh? But, cleaning up is my job…” She said. 

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Just leave it to me.” I said, and started cleaning up the dishes. But– 

“Oops–!” 

Trying to carry too many dishes at once was a bad idea. I dropped them all on the floor with a loud clash. 

“Are you okay, Nagakura-san?!” She asked. 

“O-oh, yeah, I’m fine…” I said. 

“I knew it, so please let me handle it! Please go back to your room and have some rest.” She said. 

“But…” I felt bad letting her do it after what Sano told me. 

“Alright then, then I’ll wash the dishes! I’ll be done in a flash, so wait for me!” I said, and snatched the dishes from her hands. 

Then I headed to the well. 

“I’m sorry. I wanted to help you out, but instead I made things worse.” 

After that, I tried to wash the dishes, but she took them away from me again, saying “just let me handle this”. 

“Don’t worry about it. I know very well that you intend to help me.” She said, deftly cleaning up the bowls one by one. 

“But are you really okay? Sano told me earlier that you looked pale…” I asked. 

Then she looked away from me shyly. 

“I’m fine. It’s not that I’m sick or anything. It’s just that I didn’t have enough sleep last night.” She said. 

“Not enough sleep?” I asked. 

“Yes. I was reading a book on medicine that I borrowed from Matsumoto-sensei and before I knew it, it was morning.” She said.

“A book on medicine, huh? Chizuru-chan, you’re very studious.” 

I said, impressed by her determination to learn more about medicine, even though she already has a lot of knowledge that has helped many of our comrades. 

At the same time, I felt that I need to do something for her. 

“Alright, I’ve decided! Chizuru-chan, do you have other chores to do later? I’ll do them for you.” I said. 

“Eh, no, that’s–too much!” She said.

 “It’s fine, it’s fine. You can just have a rest. Or you don’t trust me?” I said. 

“That’s not the case, it’s just that I feel bad to let others do what I should do…” She said, looking downcast. 

But I insisted, “Come on, let me handle it for you. You are always taking care of me. It is a big brother’s duty to look after his little sister, right?” I said. 

She hesitated for a while. But then she smiled like a tiny flower in bloom. 

“…Alright. Then I’ll accept your kindness.” She said. 

“Yeah! Today I’ll do all the troublesome chores for you, so just relax.” I said. 

“Okay, I get it.” She said. 

Just hearing her answer lifted all the heaviness from my heart.

 (Chizuru-chan’s an incredible girl. She makes me feel like I want to do anything just to make her smile.) 

(For now, I will go and do the things she usually does…)

 I made sure she went into her room before I started moving. 

“First, I’ll do the cleaning.” I said, beginning to wipe the floor of the hall and the long corridor with a cloth. 

The other off-duty soldiers from the second unit offered to help me when they saw me doing the cleaning, but since I told Chizuru-chan to leave the chores all to me, I couldn’t let them do it.

I turned down their offers and continued with the cleaning. 

Then I heard a familiar voice. 

“Hey Shinpachi-san. Why are you cleaning? Aren’t you off-duty today?” 

At Heisuke’s words, I stopped from my labor.

“Yeah, I’m off-duty. That’s why I wanted to do some cleaning—I mean, I just feel like doing the cleaning today!” I decided not to involve Chizuru-chan since I did not want to disturb her while she was resting, and I chose my words carefully. 

“Oh, really? That’s rare. So…do you know where Chizuru is?” He asked. 

“N-no…why do you ask?” I asked. 

“She said she was going to do the laundry today since the weather is nice. I wonder what I should do…” He said. 

“Well…maybe you can leave the dirty laundry in the courtyard?” I suggested. 

“Oh, right. Then I’ll go get the clothes and stuff!” 

He said so and left. 

As I watched him leaving… 

(What? After cleaning up the floor, I am supposed to sweep the temple grounds…and then do the laundry too? Chizuru-chan, are you doing all of these things everyday…truly amazing…) 

I had no choice but to do the laundry too. I sighed and thought to myself.

That day. Under a sky that was clear and blue. 

When Nagakura started doing the laundry, Chizuru woke up from her nap and helped him. The two of them washed the clothes together happily.

(The end)

[glatisant-questing]

Yamazaki's message card from the Manyo no Shou WonderGoo Bonus Set

Getting this message card after rambling about the charm in question in a fic feels like magic...

Translation:

"You have something you would like to give me? Is this... a charm?

You went out of your way to buy this for me?

But you probably don’t have much money to spend freely.

I gratefully accept your kindness.

But in the future, you don't need to worry about me so much… okay?

You also have the same charm? Why is that?

Are you doing this just for me… no, that’s impossible. No, I know, but… I will cherish this charm. Thank you. "

[glatisant-questing]

Saito's Manyo no Shou special edition short story in a nutshell ⬆️

[glatisant-questing]

Iba's Short Story from the Manyo no Shou Limited Edition Booklet

Happy 15th anniversary to Hakuoki!!

This is Iba's story from the Manyo no Shou booklet and it's lovely:)

Super tired from a long week of work but I just received a package load of Hakuoki merch and that simply made my day!

This short story was written by 長野 和泉

(It’s been a long time since I last walked on the streets of Kyoto…)

I was taking in the vibes of the city as I heard the merchants talking in that soft Kyoto dialect and smelled the scent of incense that drifted from the numerous temples and shrines. 

(I wonder how Toshi-san and the Shinsengumi are doing. And also–) 

After finishing my business, I headed towards the Shinsengumi headquarters at Nishi Honganji Temple in a hurry. 

(I wonder how Chizuru-chan is doing.)

I told Toshi-san beforehand that I was coming to Kyoto, but I wondered how she would react. 

Just imagining that child’s expression and voice made my heart skip a beat. 

(I have a lot of stories to tell her as souvenirs. Which one should I start with? )

As I thought about these things, I hurriedly went on the way to the headquarters.

“Iba-san, I brought you some tea. “

Chizuru-chan, who greeted me at the headquarters, said in a soft voice and placed a teacup in front of me.

 “Thank you very much.” 

It’s been a long time since I heard her voice like this. Her voice is calm and sweet like a wind chime, and I feel like I’m in a nostalgic dream whenever I hear her talking. Even though I can talk to her every time I come to Kyoto, somehow I never get tired of it. 

“How are things going in Edo? Has it changed a lot after we were gone?” 

Toshi-san asked me, thinking it would be a good topic.

“Yes, that’s right. I don’t think the jōka (land near the castle) has changed much, but the seaside area might have changed a lot …Oh, that reminds me!”

I remembered something as Toshi-san spoke, and I untied the furoshiki  I brought with me. Then I took out several ukiyo-e prints from inside. 

“These are… ukiyo-e prints depicting the scenery of Edo?” 

“Yes. I thought you might feel nostalgic about them. I’m sorry that this is the only thing that I can do.” 

“Hey, hey, what are you saying? We’re grateful to you for letting us know about the situation in Edo and giving us useful information from the shogunate.” 

“I’m glad to hear you say that…” 

It was much more satisfying to be praised by Toshi-san than to be recognized by anyone else.

But I was worried about Chizuru-chan because she was quiet all the while we were talking, and I looked back at her. 

“Chizuru-chan? You’ve been quiet for a while… You didn’t find what we were talking about interesting?”

 I chose the Edo souvenirs with good intentions, but did it only make her feel more homesick? I felt anxious as I watched her reaction. Then she answered with a somewhat feeble smile. 

“No, it’s not that…I miss the scenery of Edo a lot.” 

“That’s good, but…”

 I said that, but I felt that there was something different from the usual Chizuru-chan, and I couldn’t help but feel worried. 

Then Toshi-san answered for her. 

“Sorry, Hachirō. We’ve had a lot of sick people lately. Because of that, we’ve been asking Yukimura to help us with the patients, even at midnight. It’s not that she doesn’t like your souvenirs, so don’t worry.” 

“Really? Is that true?”

I was surprised by Toshi-san’s words, and I regretted not noticing her poor condition sooner. 

“I’m sorry. In that case, you should have some rest, and I’m sorry for making you brew tea for me.” 

“It’s alright, so please don’t worry. I’m just a little sleepy, it’s not that I’m feeling bad or anything.”

Maybe she was worried about me, but what she said made me feel even more sorry. 

(I’m no good, am I? I am so excited to talk to Chizuru-chan after such a long time of parting, but I can’t even take care of her properly …) 

If things go on like this, it would be just wishful thinking to become her lover––

“…I appreciate the tea, but please go back to your room and rest,” I suggested.

“Eh, but…” 

“I enjoy talking to you, of course. But I don’t want you to overdo your work for my sake.” 

She looked confused and sent a look to Toshi-san as if asking for his opinion. 

Then, Toshi-san said… 

“Don’t be so self-effacing. You two hardly ever see each other recently, right? She must have a lot of things she wants to share with you.”

Toshi-san’s words were, in a way, a bolt from the blue for me. 

“She wants to talk to me…?” 

I asked involuntarily, and Toshi-san nodded. 

“Yeah. You’re childhood friends, right? And you hardly ever see each other. She must have a lot of things she wants to share, even if she’s feeling a bit sick or sleepy.” 

Still feeling incredulous, I looked back at Chizuru-chan. 

“Is that true, Chizuru-chan?” 

Then she nodded to my question. 

“Yes, of course. But I will go back to my room if that’s your wish…”

I couldn’t tell her to go back to her room after she said that. 

“No, please stay here! I also… have a lot of things that I would like to share with you!” 

I answered with the happiest words that my beloved just uttered. 

While showing her the ukiyo-e prints, I started to talk about the recent situation in Edo. 

Chizuru-chan listened to me with nostalgia and joy. 

“Please tell me more about Edo, Iba-san.”

She asked me, and I tried to be brief with my stories many times, but I just couldn’t… 

Time flew by in an instant.

Eventually, it was time to go back to the inn, and I had to leave the headquarters. 

“Thank you for today. I’m sorry for making you worry about me because of my condition.”

 “No, please don’t say that. I’ll come to visit you again when you’re feeling better. Let’s talk more then.” 

“Yes… please do.” 

“Well then… I’ll excuse myself for today.” 

A wave of reluctance rushed over me as I turned my back on Chizuru-chan and walked away. 

(I can’t believe I didn’t notice that she is in low spirits. I’m so immature. It’s just wishful thinking that I can win her hand like this…)

I was happy to see the face of my loved one after a long time, but I was also confronted by my own immaturity. 

(I still don’t have the confidence to stand by her side. )

(But, if I can grow up a bit more… and become a man worthy of her, then maybe…) 

I renewed my vow as I headed to the inn.

[glatisant-questing]

Personal Hakuoki Translation/Collection Masterpost

I mainly post translation practices/reviews/analyses/memes of Hakuoki special edition booklets/magazine content/artbook content on this blog.

My favorite characters are Souji, Yamazaki, and Saito. So I will prioritize the translation/collection of materials related to these three characters.

My translations are definitely not 100% accurate, so feel free to leave a comment to help me improve my Japanese skills.

My scans (as well as translated content) all come from my own copies which I purchased.

I translate/post stuff as a hobbyist learning Japanese and a passionate fan of Hakuoki. If you like my content and are new to the Hakuoki universe, please consider supporting the Hakuoki franchise. As of 2023, the franchise is still releasing new content.

An index of the stuff I have posted on this blog:

Manyo no Shou Special Edition Booklet:

Yamazaki's short story

Souji's short story

Saito's short story

Hijikata's short story

Heisuke's short story

Kazama's short story

Harada's short story

Shinpachi's short story

Sannan's short story

Iba's short story

Souma's short story

Ryoma's short story

Manyo no Shou Stellaworth Booklet

Part 1 (Okita, Saito, and Yamazaki)

Part 2 (Hijikata, Sannan, and Souma)

Part 3 (Heisuke, Sano, and Shinpachi)

Part 4 (Kazama, Iba, and Sakamoto)

Drama CDs

Manyo no Shou Bic Camera Bonus (Yamazaki, Iba and Hijikata)

Scans of Selected Pages of Artbooks/Goods I Own:

Pages from Ten'un no Shou Box Set Artbook "Hakuoki Shinkai Artbook （薄桜鬼真改絵巻）: Information magazine article illustrations （情報誌揭載イラスト）

Manyo no Shou Ebten cards.

Manyo no Shou Wondergoo Yamazaki message card.

My Random Thoughts/Memes

Hakuoki + Disco Elysium =?

Yamazaki's shorthands

Ochimizu (repost)

My Fics

The Charm (Omamori) (Yamazaki/Chizuru)

[glatisant-questing]

Souji's Short Story from Hakuoki Manyo Limited Edition Booklet (Translation)

Newbie + hobbyist here translating random Hakuoki stuff I came upon. This is Souji's short story in the Manyo no shou limited edition booklet.

---

“So, Souji, see you later!” “Sou-san, bye-bye! Let’s play together again later!” In the twilight, the children who had just played with me waved their hands innocently and said goodbye. “Okay, see you later. Be careful on your way home.” I smiled and answered, and the children ran away energetically. (Today I also tried my best to play with everyone, I’m very happy…) But as I watched the children running away into the twilight, I felt a bit lonely. (Today I’m responsible for buying the ingredients for dinner. It’s really troublesome… If I don’t go, I’ll be scolded by Mr. Hijikata again.) To confirm what to buy, I went to find Uncle Gen. At this time, Uncle Gen was probably in the meeting room. Thinking so, I opened the door and wanted to check the situation inside. “Huh?” What came into my sight was a person who was drowsily asleep. She was probably sewing halfway through, and she still had a kimono with torn cuffs and hems in her hand. (It’s really dangerous to fall asleep like this with a needle in your hand. What if you get hurt?) It is rare that she should fall asleep in such a place. (The Shinsengumi has been very busy lately, Chizuru-chan is also busy with various chores ordered by Mr. Hijikata.) As I thought so, I quietly looked at her sleeping face. If I were in Chizuru-chan’s position, I would wake up as soon as I felt someone enter the meeting room. (You’re full of flaws… Just like this, showing a carefree sleeping face…)

While surprised that she was so lacking in vigilance, I couldn’t help but envy her past life before coming to Kyoto. She didn't have to put her life in danger as constantly as we did. “Hey~ Chizuru-chan, wake up! If Mr. Hijikata knows you’re napping here, he’ll lecture you again.” As I said so, I gently poked her face with my finger. Her cheek felt soft like mochi. Soon, her closed eyelids trembled slightly and opened a little. “…?!” She blinked a few times and seemed to gradually come to her senses. Her eyes rolled around. “Mr. Okita! This is…!” Seeing her like this, I just smiled and answered. “Good morning, Chizuru-chan. You slept very well. But this is not your room, it’s the meeting room shared by the Shinsengumi.” “I’m sorry! I…!” She apologized to me several times with a very interesting expression of confusion. She herself seemed to have no idea that her very easy-to-understand reaction would make the other Shinsengumi members, including me, want to tease her even more. “What if I told Mr. Hijikata? He might scold you ‘What are you lazy for!’ And besides, there are also people in the Shinsengumi who doubt your identity or even suspect that you are a woman.” “…I’m sorry.” Even though this was just my joke, she still apologized seriously. “It’s just a joke. I didn’t mean for you to take those words seriously. Rather than that, you have drool on your mouth corner.” “Eh–really!” Chizuru-chan hurriedly wiped her mouth corner with her finger. “That was also a joke. By the way, how long has it been since you started helping us? I hope you can feel more at home…” “Was that also a joke…” Hearing my words, she seemed very depressed and her shoulders drooped. Seeing Chizuru-chan like this, I said. “By the way, I’m going to buy the ingredients for dinner with Uncle Gen. Do you know where I can find him?” “I think he’s mostly in the kitchen. I’m also going to go with Uncle Gen. Let’s go together!” After saying that, she started to put away the sewing tools she had used into the needle box. “Is that it? Is it okay to end halfway?” “I do these chores whenever I have time. I’ll continue at night.” She said so firmly. “If you stay up late like this, you’ll nap again like before.” Chizuru-chan seemed to be stung by these words and she couldn’t help but let out a “hmm…” and then fell silent. But soon after, she raised her head and answered. “…Today I failed because I was distracted. I’ll be careful next time.” She looked at me straight in the eye and said that. “Hmm…” Although I agreed with a lack of interest, I still muttered in my heart. (If you say everything so honestly, you’ll be laughed at by people, right? But, it’s also because of this personality that it’s fun to watch you.) “Mr. Okita, what’s wrong? You look like you’re smiling. Did I say something strange?” She asked me with a bit of anxiety. But since I was asked like this, I didn’t want to answer seriously even more. “Are you still not awake? Surely everything you say is strange to me.” “That’s…! Well, specifically, what’s strange?” Chizuru-chan asked me nervously again. “So didn’t I say it’s everything you say?” I said to her lightly and walked to the kitchen with her.

That night. I woke up unexpectedly and decided to go to the kitchen for some water. I was curious about what happened during the day, so on my way back to my room, I decided to check on Chizuru-chan’s room. It was just as I had expected. There was a faint light coming from the crack of the door. She seemed to be still awake and busy with something. (Even though I reminded her that much during the day, she still did this…) My kindness seemed to be wasted, which made me a bit angry. I walked towards her room and thought. (Maybe I should remind her more sternly and make her go to bed early.) As I thought so, I suddenly stopped. (It’s not my business if she wants to stay up late… If I talk to her now, she might think I’m watching her and worrying about what happened during the day… But if she doesn’t sleep at night, will she fall asleep inadvertently again tomorrow?) As I was thinking about these things in my heart, the light in Chizuru-chan’s room went out. There was some noise at first, but soon it turned into a steady breathing of sleeping soundly. “Good night, Chizuru-chan.” I said softly and returned to my room.

—fin—