Socky ♥

Good news doesn't just come in pairs (my As have ended and there is Kuroshitsuji scanlations!), I also got my hands on Kuroshitsuji Volume 5 and Detective Academy Q "Premium" Volume! I'm currently euphoric with joy… Before I go off to read both the books (though I have already read Kuroshitsuji Volume 5 before with Internet raws), I shall release Chapter 17 of Kuroshitsuji! While translating this chapter, I almost thought that this was my Secondary school teacher's idea of a history test… Most of the harder to translate parts have to do with the history of India. I regretted throwing away my textbook because I turned into a frantic piece of laundry trying to remember what I have learned during the middle of the night when I am too lazy to switch on my internet modem. Translator notes at the end of this post, not really important to know to actually get the gist of the chapter but it's present to clear up doubts about the India culture and religion! (These stuff are a tad sensitive so it's best to clear up what Yana Toboso was trying to bring across.)



Summary ~> Agni is a SUPER-HUMAN! He can actually make the useless servants of Ciel's become useful?! O.O Also, a peek into Agni's past and why Soma is so anxious about finding Meena!

Click HERE to download the chapter!





NOTE: WTF?! My Microsoft Word stopped working for no reason and I lost whatever Translator Notes I have been typing out for the last 10 minutes!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR….. 

This is going to be quite long… But nevertheless sort-of interesting… =D History and translating lessons anyone? =P



~Translator Notes*


1. On page 17, Sebastian told Agni to substitute the meat used for the Cottage Pie recipe with chicken instead of the usual beef and pork Sebastian uses.
HOWEVER, note that Hindus CAN consume pork. They don't eat beef because the religion considers cows to be sacred. The ones who abstain from pork in India are the Muslim Indians. I clarified this already with both Google and other people I know. (Well actually my mum was the one who helped me asked my Indian neighbours… >_< But hey! I did Googled it ok? T_T). Sebastian probably took into consideration the eating habits of both the Muslims and Hindus in India.


2. On page 18, the title Agni gave Bard gave me a freaking hard time in trying to translate it properly.
The words used by Agni were "料理長", which was in the raw and I was like "???" because 料理 can mean food dishes (which brings us back to Bard being the Chef) OR it can mean general household stuff. 長 means the head or leader or you-get-the-picture… I checked with the Taiwan version just to be doubly sure of what I am seeing and it turned out that it is really what it is (what am I talking about? O.o) so I settled on Chef and Supervisor to complement with Bard's job.



3. Page 24. This is what I meant by a history lesson =.=… The Indian caste system.
The manga refers to the religious caste system in Hinduism. The religious word for caste is 'Varna'. Each Varna has certain duties and rights. Each Varna members have to work in certain occupation which only those Varna members are allowed. The highest Varna is of the Brahman. Members of this class are priests and the educated people of the society in which Agni was born in. The Varna after them in hierarchy is Kshatria. The members of this class are the rulers and aristocrats of the society, referring to Soma in this case. After them are the Vaisia. Members of this class are the landlords and businessmen of the society. After them in hierarchy are the Sudra. Members of this class are the peasants and working class of the society who work in non-polluting jobs. The caste hierarchy ends here. Below these castes are the outcasts who are untouchable to the four castes. These untouchables worked in degrading jobs like cleaning, sewage etc.


It might be also interesting to note that the first three castes had social and economical rights which the Sudra and the untouchables did not have. The first three castes are also seen as 'twice born'. The intention in these two births is to the natural birth and to the ceremonial entrance to the society at a much later age. (The second birth of Agni (he was reborn from Arshad to Agni on page 26.) may arguably have something to do with this.)

It is also a bit ironic that one who was from higher social strata actually turned to serve one of lower strata. But that Prince-Butler relationship is what makes the Soma and Agni pair so cute! =)

As for the caste system abolishment in 1950 as stated by the mangaka on page 24, it is not really the case as only the class of the untouchables or outcasts was abolished under Article 17 of the Indian Constitution in 1950. The caste system is currently still existent.


4. Page 28. Whereby Agni suddenly morphed into his comical self.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a Hindu religious teacher born in a very poor but pious Brahmin (Brahman) family. He was born in 1836 and passed away in 1886 and was said to represent the very core of the spiritual realizations of the seers and sages of India. It was also said that he reached a depth of God-consciousness and seekers of God of all religions feel irresistibly drawn to his life and teachings. Agni was probably referring to him when recalling his past with Soma. I am not 100% certain that it was Ramakrishna Agni was talking about because I could only made out "Krishna" at the end of Agni's side sentence and it should be Ramakrishna if I read it correctly=) Inform me if I am wrong! However, Ramakrishna is from around that time period so it SHOULD be him =X.


5. Page 29.
I seriously don't know what sort of fish they were having for dinner~ it can be translated to either some weird breed of Tuna or Mackerel. I chose the latter based on my instinct >_<


6. Page 31.

Prince Soma stated that India was ruled by the British. British traders set up the East India Company in the past to trade with India (duh). A revolt in 1857 caused power was transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown and India became a British colony. The East India Company then drove the expansion of the British Empire in Asia. British policy in Asia during the 19th century centered around protecting and expanding India, which was viewed as its most important colony and the key to the rest of Asia.