Chapter 3 | Part 5: The Meaning of "Friend"

[sresisttls]

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Translation under the cut.

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Joker: …

Joker: …It’s too late, now… what could I possibly do…?

Abel: Joker!

Joker: Ah!?

Abel: Wait, Joker! What’s up with you? Damn, you’re a lot faster than I expected!

Joker: …

Abel: Where are you goin’, all by yourself!? C’mon, get back here! We’re your friends, aren’t we?

Joker: …My friends?

Joker: …Since when?

Dolly: Huh!?

Joker: What makes us friends? Rather, what wouldn’t make us friends?

Abel: Hm? That’s, uh… hm…

Joker: You can’t answer, can you? …Don’t drag me into this nonsense.

Evan: …Hey, what about telling us whatever happened? We might be able to help you out at least, y’know?

Joker: …

Evan: Even we have our dirty little secrets~ So nothing would be too surprising.

Evan: But you gotta tell us everything first. So, how about it?

Joker: …I’m trash.

Dolly: T-Trash?

Joker: Yeah… I’m a worthless piece of trash.

Joker: …You wouldn’t want to be near someone like me, would you?

Joker: So… it’s fine. Don’t chase after me.

Abel: What are you sayin’!? You don’t know anythin’ about―

[BEAST CRY]

Evan: *gasp* Beasts!?

Dolly: That cry came from nearby!

[BEAST CRY]

Dolly: Uogh!?

Flost: It was behind you. Be careful.

Abel: You saved us! Thanks, Flost!

[BEAST CRY]

Abel: Joker!

Joker: ...!?

Abel: Joker! Quick, c’mere and help us!

Joker: …I… I…

Joker: …Ugh…

[JOKER LEAVES]

Abel: Joker!?

[BEAST CRY]

Flost: Guh… we’ll take care of Joker after this!

[BATTLE]

Dolly: We made it… Ahh, it was so sudden, I was scared to death…

Abel: What are you doin’!? We gotta follow Joker!

Flost: …There’s no point in doing that anymore.

Abel: W-Why not!?

Flost: He abandoned us after he saw us struggling.

Evan: It’s good to make a lot of friends, but not everyone can be befriended.

Abel: Not you too, Evan… do none of you get it!? If we follow him and persuade him, we…

Volker: …There is a time and place to use persuasion. Moreover, there is no confirmation that he will never return.

Dolly: UWAGH!? Volker, you were here!?

Volker: …Indeed. Is that bad?

Dolly: N-Nah, that’s not a bad thing, but…

Abel: Anyway, what didya mean by that? Will Joker come back?

Volker: When he was talking to you, I noticed that his face, although subtly, was twitching.

Dolly: Er, really? Wasn’t he expressionless the whole time?

Volker: Where were you looking? When I look at a rotun, I observe everything ranging from how their muscles move, to their perspiration, to how they make eye contact, and―

Dolly: Ah, that’s enough, I get it. So, what was Joker thinking, then?

Volker: This is merely a hypothesis, as I do not have enough information yet. It might also be a wishful, absurd remark, but…

Volker: He wanted to talk about something. That is what I observed.

Dolly: He wanted to talk about something…?

Volker: There is a part of Joker who wants to disclose a secret, and another who wishes not to. It seems those two halves are fighting inside of him.

Abel: I don’t really get it, but… you mean Joker will come back eventually, right?

Volker: I do not know… and no one does.

Dolly: Eh… what’s all that about…?

Volker: The future is uncertain. That is to say, rotun are unpredictable beings.

Volker: That is because the future is created by rotun, and everything depends on the choices they make.

Abel: Joker’s…

Volker: Whether or not he will come back... whether or not he will reveal his secret himself once that happens...

Volker: These are all choices he should make for himself. It is not something other people have a say in.

Volker: If he decides to part ways with us, then we shall walk different paths. That is all.

Abel: That’s…!

Volker: Now, we should turn back where we came from. Burgess is still there and must be worried about us.

Dolly: H-Hey! Volker, wait a sec!

Abel: …Please come back, Joker.

Lapomme: Hm...