Let’s Blog: Ar Tonelico III – #14: Bringing Home the Bride

Flu shot incapacitated me yesterday so I didn’t manage to get an entry out. That’s my best excuse, anyway. Mundane laziness was also a factor. orz

Somebody over at the ARM forums has started doing a dialogue translation of AT3. It doesn’t summarize the non-dialogue portions of the game or include pictures, but seems to have a more solid grasp of Japanese than mine. It’s definitely of benefit to anyone interested in AT3 to read both of our efforts.

Now, let’s see if I can get back into the habit…

After reaching the end of Blue Heaven Road, you can enter Cielo Valley from the world map. The 2D background is quite pretty.

Aoto says he’s going to his boss’s house, and asks what the rest of them want to do. Tatsumi says he’ll go to the temple where he was staying. Aoto begins “Okay, then we’ll split into two groups, and Salapator and Finnel and I will…” Salapator interrupts, flirting that she wanted to be alone together with Aoto, which leaves him stammering. Irritated, Finnel says the two of them can enjoy their date together, and she’ll go with Tatsumi. Aoto complains he wanted to protect Finnel as well, and Tatsumi insists he’s fine on his own, but Finnel continues to insist she wants to go with Tatsumi.

Salapator is amused by Finnel’s antics, which only upsets her further. Hikaru speaks up, saying that he will accompany Aoto as well, since he wants to keep an eye on Saki. He hopes he won’t spoil things for the two of them. Salapator remarks that that’s a shame, and Finnel and Tatsumi leave the party.

The location the PV heads to next is marked “Aoto’s house.” Apparently he lives there together with his boss, though he is not around at the moment. Aoto decides he’ll look around the village, since it’s been a while. Outside, you’ll find a Talk Topic with Saki before continuing to the village proper, where there is a cutscene. A pair of men are talking about how Aoto’s returned, and brought a bride with him.

Aoto arrives with his entourage and greets them. The men call the rest of the villagers over to congratulate him and Salapator on their engagement. “So even a brat like Aoto managed to find himself a bride…” “And she’s a beauty, too!” Aoto stammers, unsure how to handle the situation, while Salapator smoothly interrupts him every time he tries to clarify that she’s not actually his fiancee. Everyone walks away with the impression that Aoto’s quite a lucky guy.

Afterwards, you can wander about town freely, where there are now a few people willing to sell you things. If you return to Aoto’s house, his boss will be there. Aoto apologizes for worrying him, but instead of chewing him out his boss replies in an affected voice that he’s glad Aoto returned safely, then inquires about his pretty new wife. When Salapator introduces herself, he comments that she shares her name with a goddess of love in an ancient fable. Salapator says she’s heard a lot about him from Aoto, and asks if she can call him ‘Father.’ The boss remarks that she’s a fine woman with no airs of self-importance, and Aoto comments he’s only heard that about a million times.

The boss again congratulates Aoto. Aoto asks why he’s being nice all of a sudden instead of chewing him out for running away from work, and the boss wonders when he ever did that. Aoto belatedly apologizes for worrying him, and he says he’s forgiven, then takes the gang to get something to eat & drink.

In the inn afterwards, Aoto remarks about how huge a commotion everything became; the grapevine really is efficient in rural areas like this. He muses that at this rate, he and Salapator really are going to be forced to get married… not that he wants that to happen, he hurriedly notes.

There is a knock, then Salapator comes in. She says that the night wind is making her cold, and asks Aoto to warm her up. Aoto asks her what the heck she’s talking about, though I’m pretty sure he understands. Salapator replies “Aww, but I wanted to feel your warmth… You’d better take responsibility, Aoto~” Stammering, Aoto remarks how it’s fine if she isn’t actually sensitive to cold and she should go back to her own room. Salapator sighs, and remarks that he’s not very manly.

Aoto replies to her, “Hey, I’m doing my best to protect Saki, aren’t I? Isn’t that enough?” Salapator giggles, and apologizes. She says that he’s kind, and she’s sure that’s why Saki is attracted to him. She admits that though her flirting is only half serious, that half is genuine, and that her feelings are Saki’s own. She thought that in place of Saki, she would try to express those feelings, but… she was refused.

Aoto stammers that it’s not that, he would accept Saki’s confession, but even if Salapator shares Saki’s body, she isn’t Saki… Salapator replies that she’s jealous. She tells Aoto that Saki will definitely fall for an older-brother type like him.

This continues for a few minutes, but I do not feel like writing more. If you really want the steamy details on Aoto and Salapator’s flirting, the other person will get there eventually. >_> PV stops so I will too, hopefully I can return to the ‘cover one PV a day’ schedule that was my goal earlier on.

Tags: ar tonelico, ar tonelico 3, gust, jrpg