Her mother was a Russian spy and her name was Natasha Romanova, AKA Black Widow!
Joking aside, I love hearing more of this alternative world Cold War than any other I've seen, plus it was interesting to learn Runa is actually 3 quarters Russian!
Runa for Tsarina! Down with Alternative World Putin!
Thanks very much for the translations SSS. I was wondering how not being nuked would have affected Japan because in RL the nukes MASSIVELY influenced Japanese culture and outlook on the world, but as @Kyto1984 said I suppose we'll see in future chapters.
That said as a general note, I suppose I shouldn't be too persnickety but I must comment on how strange it seems that Runa's Japan is so similar to RL Japan. Yeah, things like the nobility still being around are different, but the culture, institutions, etc. seem so similar. However, in her world Japan's situation was more similar to Germany's or Korea's, and that should have had more downstream effects IMO. Even today the divide between East and West Germany has left a massive impression on the German psyche, and Korea's culture, especially its attitude towards the military, has been influenced by having an unfriendly Northern neighbor for decades. You'd think this would be more apparent in Runa's Japan. But, ah, well, one can't expect too much from what was originally a VN (in-story) lol. Thanks again SSS.
The part about migration from North Japan. Does that mean they evacuate permanently, like the Cuban exodus, or do they commute back and forth (work in Hokkaido, but still citizen of North Japan) and the border control is comparatively lax for Cold War era setting?
Her mother was a Russian spy and her name was Natasha Romanova, AKA Black Widow!
Joking aside, I love hearing more of this alternative world Cold War than any other I've seen, plus it was interesting to learn Runa is actually 3 quarters Russian!
That said as a general note, I suppose I shouldn't be too persnickety but I must comment on how strange it seems that Runa's Japan is so similar to RL Japan. Yeah, things like the nobility still being around are different, but the culture, institutions, etc. seem so similar. However, in her world Japan's situation was more similar to Germany's or Korea's, and that should have had more downstream effects IMO. Even today the divide between East and West Germany has left a massive impression on the German psyche, and Korea's culture, especially its attitude towards the military, has been influenced by having an unfriendly Northern neighbor for decades. You'd think this would be more apparent in Runa's Japan. But, ah, well, one can't expect too much from what was originally a VN (in-story) lol. Thanks again SSS.
Japan is technically still an empire with an Imperial family and nobility you know. Granted the current version is much more subdued compare to all the versions they had in the past but a few change in history and the aristocracy could end up at the same level of power as English nobility.
As for the division in land, as people have stated in other comments, the amount of land of North Japan in Runa's verse is much smaller compare in percentage compare to North and South Korea or East and West Germany. The population of Sakhalin island vs Japan is about the same as population of Taiwan vs China. And majority of people in Sakhalin were not ethnically Japanese now and in the past. Given all that information, it's easy to guess that such a state made a small difference between OTL and Runa's timeline. Nothing as big as nukes not being used in Japan in WW2 for sure.
Seeing how in Runa-verse the Kurils are still Japanese, the most likely explanation is that the Soviets moved to secure Sakhalin in light of a Japanese surrender (Sakhalin was split in half after the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, which made a land invasion possible). But unlike OTL, they couldn't take the Kurils (in OTL Soviet Invasion was made possible thanks to American naval vessels). I'm guessing that a conditional surrender meant, that USSR could not annex the territories as part of a peace treaty, so they set up a puppet government to justify the occupation.
There's an explanation about this in LN. If I remember correctly, Japan got to keep Sakhalin at the time of surrender but lost it during the Manchurian War. Basically, The Soviet invaded Manchuria but was pushed back by US-Japan coalition. As an act of revenge, the Soviet invaded Sakhalin. By that time, the Soviet had successfully developed an A-bomb, so the US told Japan to not fight back.
Interesting. So currently, I'm pursuing Vol.1 again and I'll get back real soon to typing.
The lore dump here actually started from page 20 to 29. Certain details are not mentioned during the lore dump of this chapter but it certainly hits the main points. On that note tho, that just means I can't really comment too much on it due to fear of spoilers!
I... am having a bit of a crisis in my mind. When I first saw this, I thought "well, this is quite late in the timeline." considering that in the LN, it was implied (for me) that she and Tachibana visited the gravesites quite early in her years. I've thought that this just further solidified Tachibana's conviction that his current mistress (Runa) was a very special child when she was able to comprehend complex topics like CoCom and... well... death. But then after re-reading the prayer she offered to her parent's gravesites, she mentioned that she's in kindergarten already (which is redundant at the manga because we already "know" that she attended kindergarten at Imperial Gakushuukan Academy so it isn't "said").
Now I have to re-think a few things now and have to wonder if I have missed any more single lines like that... and how much of my knowledge base will be shifted by this realization.
UGH.
Personal crisis aside, this explanation from the manga in terms of its worldbuilding and circumstances is easier to understand than in the LN (with the skills of SSS+GN in play to ensure that they are also translated properly so english readers are able to keep up) for sure. Images also help with that. As I eluded before, there are some details that are left out (but I feel are minor things) but certainly the main pertinent points are hit and explained.
The author really built a complex world building for this work. I feel like it is a bit of a hit and play on other works too. Remember that this is the world building for an Otome Game. However, this kind of detail (especially the past/circumstances of Otome Game Runa) was never really expounded or explored in the Otome Game (as was pointed out in the chapter). A bit of a hit and play because the author is basically saying "well, there is a lot of things that other works are missing to explain things in their world, huh?". Then there is the whole "fine, I'll do it myself" aspect where the author basically "wrote out" the possible world building needed to meet the circumstances of the Otome Game's lore.
You can consider it to be a "fanfiction" of the Otome Game? It just so happen that it is really "official lore" that is not said whe just playing the Otome Game.
Lost the thread there? I don't blame you. A bit of a twist on perspectives.
A bit of an aside. I certainly had this whole frustration with the lack of care? self-awareness? understanding? for a work's unexplored/unexplained/unsaid world. Maybe because it is really meant to be a ecchi harem comedy (with incest) of a world where the gender ratio of men to women is 1:39. Thirsty AF women as you'd think. But holy crap is it quite dark if you follow logical threads.
Ah, I got a bit too distracted there. Going back.
Regardless, "The Lady's Flight" is certainly finished with a bit of foreshadowing. This is certainly a work that is not easy to understand for a lot of readers and requires thinking.
But I feel like this is precisely why it is so good.
It is not a mindless, uninspired, and boring Isekai where they seamlessly integrate themselves into an entirely new world. Even more when it is modeled after medieval europe. This work isn't like the earlier Isekai where the main goal is to "get back to the real world/original world" but it still keeps a distinction that she is still an Isekai character without it being repeatedly being slapped to your face like you need a reminder every single time.
This is a work grounded upon "real life" and "the original world". Of course this is done by both the author and the Otome Game to give the readers/players a sense of familiarity that they can put their expectations on and still figure out certain key things. It is, however, changed enough that it makes for a very interesting work to engage in.
I honestly can't wait for the next one.
So for some addresses!
The speech bubble missing, I feel, is just a deliberate typesetting thing @cryum . Considering that the dialog flows properly, I don't think there is anything missing. Maybe it would just look weird if they chopped up the text to make it fill the voids?
Some spoiler stuff. @zeinzki might be interested in it if they want to be spoiled on it.
It has been implied via a dream/nightmare as to how Runa got her "position" at the Otome Game. After 9/11 and the death of the heir of the Keikan family (Keikan Nakamaro) because he and his fiance was at the twin towers when it happen, the Keikan family was in truly dire circumstances. The only viable heir they had was an unwanted child of a national traitor. The potential ties that they could have with another zaibatsu via their now dead heir and his fiance was now moot point because of the events outlined. It was during this time that the Keikan family (specifically Runa) was approached by certain elements of the "Far East" and the intelligence apparatuses that are run there.
Basically, they are re-creating a second shot of their previous plots with Runa's Father with his daughter now. Damn that sucks huh?
Also, Runa's father wasn't sacrificed to unite japan whole again. He was "sacrificed" to keep things relatively stable between bigger powers. He was scapegoated.
Also, Tachibana pushed Runa's father to suicide because of how heavy his sins are. It really is the only way to save some face, little as it is.
The next chapter should showcase the immediate (and predictable) outcome of the little adlib the Hired Hollywood Spokesperson they had used and the mere fact that they had such a splashy entrance into the public eye with their moves that transferred an absurd amounts of money. They are politely called "Petitioners". Less politely? Beggars and Scam artists.
There are some key events from a chapter that is in-between "The Lady's Flight" and "Why My Hair is Blonde." The act is called "A Lady's Everyday Life". Some parts of it has been shown as the interludes. It introduces key characters like the Otome Game's capture targets and the two relevant people in the main Keikan family. It also has some political stuff in it.
Thinking on it, there is some dialog very early on at "Why My Hair is Blonde" that requires context that is in "A Lady's Everyday Life". So does that mean we'll get a whole bunch of Interludes first? Maybe the manga will be merging stuff? Or maybe the next chapter will actually show things from Everyday Life? No idea~!
Something far off: Runa-chan will own a PMC. Both for personal security and other activities. However, the PMC will be a secondary/tertiary security layer for Runa. Her primary security layer will be her personal Maid Corp. Formed from a BlackOps unit of former Northern Japan that took orphans and are specifically raised and trained for intelligence tasks. The women of this unit forms her Maid Corps. The men are assigned to her PMC. To be fair, I am not 100% confident on the nitty gritty details on this one but it is "generally" correct. OH! and the maid corps will also have intelligence agents of both "The West" and "The Far East" as part of an intelligence attache to keep world powers calm about her and MLF.
Runa-chan will also have an ex-CIA operative as a personal secretary.
Ok, last bit time!
The TExVIEW is always fun and has interesting things in it! Not much for me to care about except for that little bit about AnyColor.
Keeping it short (or as short as I can make it): Drama happen. AnyColor terminated one of their talents in Nijisanji EN (the Vtuber talent agency for their english talents) and it caused a compiling negative sentiments that has been brewing in the past to explode into a frenzy in the Vtuber space. It got to the point where there has been some Investor questions being fielded by AnyColor. AnyColor released a statement in which they have stated that the termination will have "negligible" impact on their financials. Image linked is the entire letter to investors in regards to it.
This did not go well. With a slew of backlash and some companies completely cutting ties with Nijisanji, "negligible" rings hollow. This is also compounded by a 745 loss in Stock price from Feb 5th till current as of time of typing (3830 to 3085).
AnyColor and Nijisanji (its main branch which consists of a majority JP talents) is not slated for a complete collapse but its EN branch is at a questionable future. With Anycolor's Overseas expansion solely resting upon Niji EN, it puts into real question the viability of their Overseas operations.
Basically, I agree with those who are skeptical of Anycolor's growth beyond their domestic market. With their domestic market is perceived to be almost up to possible saturation at this point, their only real growth potential is their overseas operations.
Not gonna lie, I read and love this manga, but my brain cannot understand economics, business and plenty other things so I will drop it for a little while and come back when I have actual knowledge of what there are talking about
So, Runa actually is a legitimate "Anastasia." With her parent's history, MLF's "Spokesman's" Russian improve will definitely be used as bludgeon against her.
It's actually one of the first things there. I tried to find it after the Lady's Flight chapter on the LN, but apparently it's in the beginning, before she met Ichijou.
I doubt that Japan could be split up in a hypothetical version of the cold war, outside of having been invaded by Russia; Japan was intensely Anti-Communist (I believe one of their core reason's for WWII was ensuring communism didn't spread?).
It's an interesting to do alt history all the same though.
I guess so, but not really a main factor, it's more about expansion, resources to continue their war in China because they wanted to expand there, and to remove Western powers in Asia if I remember correctly.
No, Korea is still split in Runa's verse. The Soviet just created another socialist state in Japan in Runa's timeline to probably balance out the Far East? not sure why Runa's Stalin would did that.
The problem with this work, in the LN and WN, is that Tofuro never mentioned what happened in Korea in-universe, nor Taiwan. They would only be mentioned when they refer to OTL Korea.
Also, there wasn't a Korean War in the work. That was crossed out in the raws. Our bad.
More like he got the blames from the Japanese cause of the USA's actions to stop Japan's grow. The collapse of the USSR and Japan's unification is just an outside factor. In OTL the USA slapped a bunch of sanctions and tariff on Japan to stop its growth in the 80s citing another incident that's the basis for Runa's verse. However, even before that, Japanophobia and fear of another superpower overtaking the USA had already happened and the USA had already started a trade war with its ally.
As far as I'm aware, her father stole American tech in Japan and siphoned info to the Soviets, not him stealing Soviet tech to aid Japanese firms.
Also, Japanophobia back then is wild. You don't see Congressmen smashing Huawei phones, but they did smash Toshiba speakers. Nor BYD car burnings, but Toyota cars were burned.
Some odd typos here and there. Doesn't seem like it got the proofreading pass.
This alt Japan is crazy different. A soviet north japan that japan tried to give up, but the USSR insisted was still Japan's? The freaking nukes didn't happen, which means Japan still has those major ports down south and the US never used their nukes? Wait....
So in OTL, after the VE-Day (8 May, 1945) USSR voided it's non-aggression treaty with Japan (8 August), invaded South Sakhalin (Karafuto) and the Kurils (Chishima). Today only the sovereignty over the four southernmost islands is disputed (although de facto they are a possession of Russia).
Seeing how in Runa-verse the Kurils are still Japanese, the most likely explanation is that the Soviets moved to secure Sakhalin in light of a Japanese surrender (Sakhalin was split in half after the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, which made a land invasion possible). But unlike OTL, they couldn't take the Kurils (in OTL Soviet Invasion was made possible thanks to American naval vessels). I'm guessing that a conditional surrender meant, that USSR could not annex the territories as part of a peace treaty, so they set up a puppet government to justify the occupation.
