ニゲルの肖像 (Nigel no Shouzou) - Nigel's portrait - Romaji and Translation

The first song is opened with this quote in the booklet:"This distorted affection... brings a deep darkness inside my heart... It gnaws my body..."

So, although we have seen Melusine in my previous work (Grimgald), Melusine actually had her own CD. In this song Melusine is introduced. She was sickly and to save her her brother made a pact with the demon king... Mephistopheles.

I think the actual name of Melusine's brother is Nigel, since the title of this song is Nigel's portrait.
I used to not like this song, but oh man it has grown on me. Really, I love how Yuki climbs in pitch around  永遠に消えない鎖で... it's so amazing.

The piece is based on the song "Erlkönig" by F. Schubert, as denoted by Noël in the booklet.
There is a nice animation made by Oxford Lieder on youtube. Give the original a try :) here
Yet I prefer the lostfairy version ;).

深い霧　その奥に　古びた屋敷あり
儚げな少女は独り　人形を抱き　佇む...

fukai kiri sono oku ni furubita yashiki ari
hakanagena shoujo ga hitori ningyou wo idaki tatazumu...

Inside the dense fog, there is an old-looking mansion 
A fragile girl stands there, alone, embracing a doll...

幾つ　夜を重ねたのだろう？
冷たく悲しげな　風の音が聴こえてくる

ikutsu yoru wo kasaneta no darou?
tsumetaku kanashigena kaze no oto ga kikoete kuru

How many nights have passed?
She hears the sound of a cold and seemingly sad wind

やがて　闇が広がる...

yagate yami ga hirogaru...

Soon, the darkness spreads...

突然　とても幸せな日々に　悲劇が訪れた
メフィストフェレス
- 黒い悪魔 - の思うがままに　引き裂かれた二人...

 totsuzen totemo shiawase na hibi ni higeki ga otozurete aa
-kuroi akuma- no omou ga mama ni hikisakareta futari... (aaa aaa)

Suddenly, the halcyon days were visited by tragedy
As the will of - Mephistopheles (A black demon) - separated the two...

愛しいお兄様…　いつか迎える　再会の時
可愛いねと褒めてくれる様に　綺麗なドレスを纏うわ

itoshii oniisama... itsuka mukaeru saikai no toki
kawaii ne to homete kureru you ni kirei na doresu wo matou wa

My dear big brother... Someday I will see you, when the time of reunion arrives
I will wear a beautiful dress, so you will compliment me for being cute.

この願いは届かないの？　胸ニ突キ刺サル痛ミ...
朽ちた肖像画の瞳が　優しく笑う

kono negai wa todokanai no? mune ni tsukisasaru itami...
kuchita shouzouga no me ga yasashiku warau

Doesn't this wish reach you? This paιν piερceς my chest...
The eyes in this decayed portrait, smile with kindness...

愛しいお兄様…　いつか迎える　再会の時
私が息絶えていたのなら　薔薇の花束を贈って

itoshii oniisama... itsuka mukaeru saikai no toki
watashi ga ikitaeteita no nara bara no hanataba wo okutte

My dear big brother... Someday I will see you, when the time of reunion arrives


この願いは届かないの？　胸ニ突キ刺サル痛ミ...
本当はね…気付いていた…幸せはきっと戻らないと

kono negai wa todokanai no? mune ni tsukisasaru itami...
hontou wa ne... kidzuiteita... shiawase wa kitto modoranai to


Doesn't this wish reach you? This paιν piερceς my chest...
but you know... I realised... our happiness will surely not return.

闇に魅入られた魂にも　救いはあるのだろうか？

yami ni miirareta tamashii ni mo sukui wa aru no darou ka?

Even though your soul has been possessed by darkness... Is there is a way to save you?

メフィストフェレス
- 黒い悪魔 -よ　この願いを
 永遠に消えない鎖で　縛り付けて....

-kuroi akuma- yo kono omoi wo
eien ni kienai kusari de shibari tsukete..

Oh - Mephistopheles (black demon) - please confine this wish
with eternal invanishable chains...

暗い部屋でこのまま…　貴方を待ち続け　嗚呼…

kurai heya de kono mama... anata wo machitsudzuke aa..

Like this I will wait for you... in this dark room.... aah...


Spoken:

歪んだ愛情は・・・　心に深い闇を生み・・・　私を蝕んでゆく――
yuganda aijou wa kokoro ni fukai yami wo umi... watashi wo mushibandeiku

"This distorted affection... brings a deep darkness inside my heart...
It gnaws my body..."

Translation note:
- の思うがままに
I decided to choose "the will of", trying to convey the meaning of "to one's heart's content"

- Usage of greek letters to emphasise the use of katakana: This pain pierces my chest...
Doesn't this wish reach you? This paιν piερceς my chest...

狂気幻想グリムガルド - Story and Characters

In this post I shall introduce the entire story of the drama CD and the two main characters, as described on Noël's official website and booth.


Introduction of the characters:

メリュジーヌ (Melusine)

(Image from the Noël's Booth)
CV : 上坂すみれ
悪魔との契約を果たし、闇の力を手に入れた少女。 「魔王」である兄を溺愛する。
身長 : 156cm
血液型 : O
バスト : D

Character Vocal: Uesaka Sumire

Height: 156cm (roughly 5'2)
Having made a pact with a demon, this girl obtained the power of darkness. She is infatuated with 「the Demon king」, who is her brother.

Blood type: O  

Bust size: D

コレット(Colette)

(Image from Noël's booth)

CV : 後藤麻衣
物語 (童話) に介入出来る不思議な力を持った少女。 既に完成された物語を躊躇なく変えてしまう。
身長 : 158cm
血液型 : B
バスト : A

Character Vocal: Goto Mai
A girl who bears the mysterious power to intervene with the story (fairy tale). She can change stories which are already completed without hesitation.

height: 158cm (5'2)

Blood type: B 

Bust size: A

 序章 -Prologue (Prologue)
This track describes that Colette is lost in a forest. She had been wandering, while guided by a mysterious power. Even though that power was fantasy-like, she could feel darkness from it. She came to a different place and saw something glowing in blue. It happened to be a castle that was in the forest, the towers standing tall... She is a bit afraid, yet she has the feeling she has to go there to find a story.

Melusine is introduced, who feels the presence of a lonesome girl and wonders who she is. She feels her light and mysterious power. Melusine grins and thinks about her brother and wonders how Colette will feel when she realises she has set foot in the castle of the Demon King.

The story of Madness and Fantasia is all jumbled together... and starts... in this Grimgard!

狂気幻想グリムガルド (Kyoukigensou Grimgard)  starts playing here!

(I suspect the name of the stage/castle/story is Grimgard. It cannot be the name of Melusine's brother, because his name is named Mephistopheles.)

第Ⅰ章 (Chapter I)

Colette found the castle! She sees a big gate and thinks she has to go inside. She is still afraid, but opens the door. Melusine greets her and welcomes her in the castle of the Demon King. Melusine mentions that Colette is no ordinary visitor and feels she is a lost girl. Colette comments that she had a feeling she had set foot in a demon king's castle. Colette mentions that her curiosity lead her to entering the demon king's castle. Melusine grins and says she says interesting stuff. Colette explains that she feels a shadow looming, yet she doesn't feel like she's near an enemy. Then she introduces herself and asks Melusine for her name and her occupation. Melusine introduces herself and explains that she is watching the castle while her master, her big brother, is out. Colette then realises that Melusine is the little sister of the demon king and in panic she asks Melusine if she should address her by "Princess", on which Melusine responds that she is fine with being called by her name, because she mainly thinks Colette is around her own age. Colette sighs in relief, because she can let out the formalities and she says "It's good to meet you, Melusine!" Melusine replies again with that she doesn't talk much about their cohabitation. Colette then mentions that she the feeling of being watched... by a big looming shadow and wonders if it's her imagination. Melusine answers it's a demon that is the servant of her brother who is watching the castle with her together. She then teases Colette by saying that a girl like her is one of the favourite foods of that demon... and then Melusine calls out the demon, who is called "Belfegol"

ベルフェゴール (Berufegooru) starts playing here!

第IⅠ章 (Chapter II)

Colette sighes in relief, probably because Belfegol decided not to eat her. Melusine laughs and asks Colette if she even knows where she is, because Belfegol won't do anything to humans here. Colette still states she says that the shock was bad for her heart. Melusine says that Demons are creatures that save the darkness inside humans and she says that she and her brother forged a pact with the demons. Colette says she knew the story. Melusine then explains that her brother wanted to cure her illness and because of that, he now carries the soul of the demon king. Colette asks why Melusine also forged a pact and that is because she wanted to be together with her brother and that she had to live in darkness forever. Melusine then says she would prefer playing the violin and dancing... but she cannot, because she can use dark magic. Melusine then states that Colette also has a mysterious power, on which Colette says that she has some doubts because she has done nothing, but some of her suspicions are confirmed by that the animals of the forest like her and can talk with her (like snowwhite). Colette also realises she can get to the "scene" of the story and that she can interfere with stories. Melusine wants her to tell stories for her. Colette then tells the story of Rapunzel, the girl with long hair in the tower, but the story is a little different...

Re Storia ～孤高の塔～ (Re Storia ~ Kokou no tou~ ) starts playing here, which is a redo of the song 孤塔の情景 of the 不思議な少女のオペレッタ album

第IIⅠ章 (Chapter III)

Colette states that new stories were born like that and Melusine finds her hobby interesting. Colette says that it's actually cold and bitter. Melusine continues to state that fairy tales for children actually contain a lot of cruelty, and explains that she likes to hear the answers to how the story was saved from the chaos. Colette is very happy and says Melusine understands it perfectly and that she indeed saves the stories for the children, so it's not just for adults. Colette says some stories are altered due to her curiosity. Melusine grins and asks her for more stories. Colette proposes to tell the next story, about a brother and a little sister. Melusine gasps, thinking of her own brother, and wants to hear it.
Colette first asks if Melusine likes apples and quickly says there is no poison inside the apple (such a snow white haha), with some hesitation Melusine says she wants one. Colette passes an apple to Melusine and introduces the story. It's about a brother "Hänsel" and a sister "Gretel", two children wander in the forest and are about to lose themselves in bizarreness.

- Re Storia ～迷いの森～ (Re Storia ~ Mayoi no Mori ~), which is a redo of the song イツワリの檻 of the 不思議な少女のオペレッタ album

第ⅠV章 (Chapter IV)

Colette asks Melusine how Melusine liked the story of the brother and sister that she thought up. Melusine said that the story was totally distorted and that she likes the hobby of Colette. Colette thanks for listening and said that she liked the response of Melusine. Melusine then says she is glad and points out that Colette has a preference for stories dealing with madness. Colette relates the madness of the stories to Melusine's current situation, her love towards her brother. Melusine says she doesn't care, because she cannot love anyone but her brother. Colette is surprised and wonders if she will be happy like that. She then proposes to tell Melusine something with as theme the love towards her brother. Melusine tells her that the love towards her brother is different, the love towards her brother is a story of them two alone. Colette then says "Hmm... The forbidden love between older brother and little sister... it is not even rare in myths...", she continues to explain that it originally wasn't recognised and something along the lines of that the enjoyment of it was considered heresy.
Melusine confirms and again reminds Colette of where she had set foot on. Melusine says she is not in denial of heresy, because her brother is the demon king and she is his little sister. Melusine even states that she misses her brother at this very moment, while they are talking. Colette, half in doubt, if the feelings of Melusine are none of the business of the outsiders and that if her feelings are that strong, she wants to hear the story of Melusine and her brother. "It's almost like the story of a forbidden love of a princess". Melusine sighs and starts telling the story. "It's easy. For the sake of love, I abandoned the path a human should walk to obtain the power of a demon. I chose to live in darkness..." Then she explained that she started wearing the black dress her brother gave her and started waiting until her brother came home. "Under the beautiful moon, we danced together... riding on our feelings... a black waltz"

黒のワルツ (Kuro no Warutsu) starts playing here, which is the black waltz Melusine dances on


第V章 (Chapter V)

"Well it's this place, I think", Melusine says. Colette says that she could feel a really earnest feelings from the place and that she believed that what Melusine just showed is her happiness. Melusine hesitantly asks her why she thinks that. Colette wonders if Melusine's goal in life is to become happy in the end. Melusine then tells a few other things she likes, such as travelling at night or staying in the castle. Colette then says that Melusine has a little shadow over her, but that she actually is cute and her snow white skin is also beautiful and that lots of girls are probably jealous of her. They contemplate a bit more about the word hapiness and what it means to Melusine. Colette then says that some girls do not only care about the hapiness of theirselves, but also of other people. Melusine asks Colette what her idea of hapiness is, if she seeks something beyond changing fairy tales. Colette says she is happy Melusine asked. Colette says that she had been living like a bird inside a cage, she was not free and couldn't think of flying to the sky. Thus she got out of there and she started searching her happiness inside lots of fairy tales. Then Melusine makes a comment on that "Only birds who could not fly, know the real sky." Colette continues on that her happiness consists of "The path of traveling". She then wants to tell the story of a Fortunate Blue Bird, who has escaped after being caugh and who now wanders through stories. She then says she realised... it is her story. Thus, the story she tells to Melusine is her own story.

Re Storia ～青の軌跡～ (Re Storia ~ Ao no Kiseki~) starts playing here, which is a redo of the song 孤独の真珠 of the 不思議な少女のオペレッタ album


Translation note: I had doubts whether I should have translated a passage as "The path of Traveling" or "The Miracle of Traveling). Because the words sound (nearly) identical. Thus I based my choice of words on the title of the next song, 青の軌跡, with 軌跡 meaning trails/path.

第VⅠ章 (Chapter VI)

After Colette has told her story, Melusine comments that Colette has found her happiness. Colette says that then that her mysterious power had a meaning after all, being the key in her happiness. Melusine then says that Colette should practice dark magic, while Colette says that she does not like it that much. They have a short discussion about that, until Melusine says:  "You still do not understand, that magic means that her brother comes back?" Apparently, Melusine can feel a strange kind of magic when her brother comes in, "Space magic(空間魔法)". Melusine tells her that she wants to send Colette to her own world with that "space magic". Melusine reveals she is not that good at certain types of magic, but that "space magic" is her special power. Melusine also tells Colette to be careful, because that magic is used to call out demons too and might send someone to an unknown space. Colette is scared again, but then she says that she's fine, as long as it doesn't upset Melusine's brother. Melusine says it is not a bother, instead it's for the sake of her brother.
*sound of a magic spell*
"The Art of the Demons, Demon Crest of the Darkness.This forbidden power, is only for the sake of my big brother!"

ゲーティアの魔紋 (Goetia no Mamon)  starts playing here, this is the final song!


 終章 -Epilogue- (Epilogue)

Thus, the Demon Crest opened and Melusine can now send Colette back to her own world. Melusine wishes her a good trip and then says that she knows Colette's story, "Blanche-Neige", beautiful, a snow white princess. Then she laughs. Colette replies that she actually disliked her own fate, but the strong feeling actually became her mysterious power. Melusine says that it will be better for Colette to have the freedom to suit the stories to her tastes, instead of waiting for a prince on the white horse and that he will surely loiter around. Colette says she has something to say about Melusine too.
"The little sister of the demon king, the princess of the abyss, her new friend." are the words she can describe Melusine with. Then she bids Melusine farewell and says "we will surely meet someday". Melusine agrees and Colette then promises she will collect many stories. Melusine also mentions that Colette can also come when her brother is around. Colette shivers and says she's afraid of him a little, yet she wants to meet him because he is Melusine's brother. Melusine also proposes to play the violin for Colette. Colette also wants to practice an instrument, either the flute or something that suits the timbre of the violin. Melusine hopes they can someday perform together. Then, Colette is back in her own world. Melusine then holds a small afterword:
"Today was very fun. Brother, you will probably come home soon... I made a friend for the first time in my life... I enjoy listening to the stories Colette tells. Ha... I shall made a candy out of the apple she gave me. Brother... I wonder if you like apples. A stage of madness and fantasies, the story of Grimgard, ends here. I wonder what kind of stories Colette will enter next..."

Translation note:

Blanche-Neige is the French name for "Snowwhite", which I could indeed already figure out from Colette's art. I had trouble deciphering it in the voice drama because it's pronounced as ブランネージュ instead of ブランシュネージュ (this is the closest I can get with the japanese phonetics)

My suspicions are kind of confirmed, the story is called Grimgard, about a stage in which madness and fantasy intertwine. A fateful meeting between the princess of the Abyss and a mysterious girl. I would also like to think that it's the name of the castle too...