DLBF Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Tutoring

Chapter 1, Part 2.1

Novel Title: ルーデンドルフ公と森の獣 (Duke Ludendorff and the Beast of the Forest)

Author：かわい有美子 (Kawai Yumiko)

Illustrator: 周防佑未 (Suoh Yuumi)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 藤森賢士 (Kenji Fujimori -MC), ユリアン ルーデンドルフ (Julian Ludendorff -ML)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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The next day, Fujimori, who was fundamentally earnest, began to diligently teach Julian Japanese. This was despite the fact that Professor Fushimi had taken on this task without consulting him. He wanted to avoid any possibility of being accused of failing to fulfil his contract or being dismissed from the mansion. He also would not want Professor Fushimi to refuse any future research regarding the mansion. 

Although Japanese was not his specialty, he had consulted a friend who was in the Japanese language department and brought along Japanese language textbooks. Having some experience as a private tutor and cram school teacher, he had also prepared himself with some preliminary study.

Julian, even though he was of Japanese descent only through his great-grandmother, must have had some interest in his roots if he was living here and wanted to learn about Japan, given that he expressed a desire to understand more about the country. Since Julian was eager to learn, Fujimori wanted to ensure he taught him properly and hoped he would gain knowledge about Japan.

However, once he actually started teaching Japanese, Fujimori realised just how chatty Julian had been during their first conversation. It became clear that Julian was actually quite reserved compared to that initial interaction.

It seemed that the default was for Julian to give only minimal responses after Fujimori had spoken for the most part. The conversation never really flowed. Julian hardly ever responded to anything outside of what was specifically asked, which made the lessons quite challenging for Fujimori.

Julian’s expressions were difficult to read as well, with half his face covered by his beard. While most people would show a pleased expression when complimented, Julian simply averted his gaze. It took some time for Fujimori to realise that this was actually a sign of shyness.

It was clear, however, that Julian’s comprehension was not poor. In fact, he was very eager to learn. Despite the struggles, Julian’s enthusiasm was a saving grace. His dedication to the lessons was quite helpful.

Although his pronunciation was very careful, it was difficult to hear due to his low voice. Fujimori had to repeatedly reassure Julian that his pronunciation was fine and proceed carefully to avoid making him think his pronunciation was the problem.

Despite his incredible strength, capable of effortlessly lifting a 50-60 kilogram chair, Julian was surprisingly cautious and sensitive, contrary to his appearance. In a sense, he seemed like a dreamer detached from reality. Outside of the lessons, he often secluded himself in what appeared to be a study.

When asked what he was doing, Julian would simply reply that he was reading and writing. It became apparent from the first time Fujimori saw the study that the house did not have any modern digital equipment like computers.

In fact, there was neither a television nor a radio.

Fujimori’s slight hopes of having a cable or, at worst, dial-up internet connection were quickly dashed. The area was also out of mobile phone range, so without borrowing a phone, there was no way to contact Professor Fushimi.

Given that Professor Fushimi was on summer vacation and he himself had no girlfriend who required regular contact, Fujimori resigned himself to the lack of internet connectivity. It was only recently that he had become accustomed to using email easily outdoors. 

In foreign countries, he had often found that the expected internet connectivity was either unavailable or prohibitively expensive, so he was not too concerned.

While it seemed unusual to be in an environment without television, there are indeed people who dislike or are uncomfortable with media and digital devices. Such individuals can be found among the elderly in rural areas of Japan, and in various individualistic cultures abroad. It was likely that Julian fell into this category.

The mansion had reportedly been vacant for many years after the war. Julian might not see any need to purchase a television for a house he wasn’t sure how long he would be staying in.

It wasn’t as if not having a television would be life-threatening. One could quickly adapt to a lifestyle without it. Nevertheless, in Julian’s case, it didn’t seem to fit the typical creative type who might seclude themselves in their room. Julian was said to own multiple stocks, according to the agent.

A person who can inherit such a vast estate and easily bring servants and a cook to Japan to stay would presumably not need to work tirelessly. Fujimori imagined that Julian might be writing some autobiography or diary in his room, or perhaps summarising the history of the Ludendorff family, who are landowners.

The lessons were conducted in one of the several guest rooms on the first floor. It was a room about eight tatami mats in size, a cool space with dappled sunlight coming through the trees. There was even an authentic mantelpiece for burning wood in the winter.

The schedule was set for an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. Occasionally, a grey cat would wander around the feet. Apparently, it was Julian’s pet cat. It was still young, with blue eyes and a rather Western-looking appearance due to the combination of its eye colour and fur. It seemed to be affectionate toward Julian but was quite indifferent to Fujimori.

The cat’s name in Japanese was ‘Wagahai’… Fujimori was unsure whether to laugh or not when Julian mentioned it. It seemed to be a name given due to some misunderstanding in the past. But no matter how many times he asked, Fujimori couldn’t quite understand the nature of that misunderstanding.

There was also an older black cat named ‘Hilde’, with only the tips of its paws white. It appeared to be a cautious type, as Fujimori had only seen it from a distance. Despite the presence of cats, there were no visible signs of damage to the furniture or pillars, and the servants showed little interest in the cats. Whether the cats had a designated playroom or if the maintenance was simply thorough, the mansion remained notably quiet since the cats did not cause any disturbances.

In this place, which feels like it’s been cut off from the bustling outside world, time passes quite slowly. 

It feels more like staying in a rural mansion abroad rather than being in Japan… Since the only people Fujimori encounters are foreigners, not having access to the internet, television, or newspapers soon became inconsequential.

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*Translator’s Note: This novel somehow gave me the vibe from reading Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’. I read that back in the late 90s when I was in highschool at the library. It kinda feels nostalgic reading something kinda sorta similar now. -K

*GLOSSARY: 

• ‘Wagahai’ (我輩) is a classical and formal pronoun in Japanese that can be translated as “I” in English. It has a strong, arrogant, or self-important connotation, often used by characters who see themselves as superior or authoritative. It’s famously used in the title of the novel ‘Wagahai wa Neko de Aru’ (I Am a Cat) by Natsume Souseki, where a cat uses this term to refer to itself, adding a humorous tone. Nowadays, it’s rarely used in everyday conversation but may appear in literature or to convey a sense of pompousness or grandeur.

Next update: 2024.10.27

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