Shadows House (Official Colored) - Vol. 16 Ch. 172 - The First Trial

[MangaDex]

 

[Hikineet]

Thanks for the chapters.

 

[zigzagzoot]

Edward's line about intermediaries gave me the chills. One of the big advantages that the adult's wing has is that they have the roaming soot sacks. Those soot sacks fill the childrens wing as Faceless dolls and give them the impression that the adults are always watching. Could it be the case that controlling the soot sacks can be done by anyone?

 

[zanonyn]

I suspect it's going to turn out to be the case that Edward intends there to "not be enough stamps for everyone", ie, he wants to ensure there is at least 1-2 guaranteed failures. So even though there is the guise of "you're totally allowed to work together" he actually wants division and conflict. That would serve the his purposes in at least two ways: first in cultivating the kind of Shadows they want (no big friendly organization, lots of self interested power grubbers who in turn will never form organized opposition or think twice about evil policies), and second in helping reveal any plots by Kate. After all, normal debutantes up to now always went in pretty blind with quite strict adherence to rules, and the normal brainwashing cultivated a certain amount of apathy towards others. Lots of wheels within wheels here.

I'll be interested to see if they all make it anyway, or if alternatively maybe Kate has fallback plans for failure, with Ram as an example. "Failures" get "disposed of" by brainwashing of the humans and if the Shadow is still alive it getting worked to death for soot. But like other parts of the adult system there is the potential flaw of them being so overconfident in their dependence on mind control magic that they have holes in their oversight. "Faceless Dolls" go everywhere without a second look, they're just considered part of the background unless some specific task is needed. So Kate might be able to use that to free a failed shadow/child and the adults will simply assume the shadow dissipated into nothing and the child has been converted to a faceless doll.

Could it be the case that controlling the soot sacks can be done by anyone?

I don't think anyone can do it, but maybe anyone with the right kind of power can create them or something similar. A power like Evelyn's that can interfere with soot might also be able to seize control of one?

Anyway man is this going to be one heck of an arc.

 

[Pouco-chan]

Looks like the new debutantes are good kids, huh? Look at Stella worrying about Kate! With the information about the powers being released, it looks like the focus of the house is now just "discarding the less developed", huh? If everyone comperses, i wonder what Edward will try to discard one of them...! Stella is my fav, she is cute as a hamster! She reminds me of Emilico!~
Thks for the high quality translation~

https://imgur.com/a/kOm7iyq

 

[kuma]

@HxHexa typo on first page.

 

[JDSquare13]

Stella is my fav, she is cute as a hamster! She reminds me of Emilico!~
Thks for the high quality translation~

https://imgur.com/a/kOm7iyq

I mean Stella (the Shadow) & Candy (her Face) are Emilyko's new Bread Sisters so it makes sense

 

[HxHexa]

@HxHexa typo on first page.

I'm not sure what's the typo you're referring to

 

[recklessribbon]

Thanks for the translations!

 

[kuma]

I'm not sure what's the typo you're referring to

Nevermind, I read it wrong.

 

[HSK]

I hope Stella ate all the food

 

[atropicalpenguin]

Matilda's power is so neat! And of course Edward would try to change the rules and sow mistrusts between the children.

 

[TestAddress]

Edward's line about intermediaries gave me the chills. One of the big advantages that the adult's wing has is that they have the roaming soot sacks. Those soot sacks fill the childrens wing as Faceless dolls and give them the impression that the adults are always watching. Could it be the case that controlling the soot sacks can be done by anyone?

Those who don't get the five stamps, become soot stacks.

 

[TestAddress]

Matilda's power is so neat! And of course Edward would try to change the rules and sow mistrusts between the children.

LIKE A JOB INTERVIEW.

 

[TestAddress]

Edward cannot slack off because Star Bearers have strong powers. Edward has power but quantity is a stronger form of power if planned.

 

[FlowerSlaughter]

There definitely isn't enough stamps for everyone, we already seen that Edward has no apprehension about giving an unwinnable obstacle, as long as there trechnically was a chance, once. But we also need to remember that from the very start of the previous trial he openly compared kids against each other.
I'd imagine that if there's no 5 stamp pass, as much as eliminate the two or three kids with least stamps, especially since house apparently needs new adults badly.
I can only imagine what will happen if all kids get 4 stamps exactly.

 

[Joji_30]

FINALLY!! I'VE CAUGHT UP TO THE LATEST CHAPTER LOL!!

I'd like to say that while sharing info about the debut might be helpful, didn't Kate realize that every debut has its own mechanics and rules and it never been the same just like what Maryrose described. She should have at least pointed that out when briefing the shadows who are still yet to debut to relieve them of being overly confident and faithful with their practice. Well, the details of what exactly happened on their practice wasn't revealed on detail tho so I can't say that for sure.

Anyway, seems like Edward is still at impressing the 3rd floor shadows willing to do anything just not to let everyone pass the debut and Kate is exactly the opposite of it lol. There are more developments and left hidden and yet to come so seems like it will go on to 200+ chapters so lets go!!!

 

[Coldlight]

Matilda is pretty smart preparing all that soot beforehand to offset her lack of soot production potential. Not to mention she's already using her powers at this point.

I should've expected Edward to change the rules, he's just sly like that. This could be to effectively ensure there's little that Kate's advice can do to help the debutants. Also probably because he wants to put on a more entertaining "show" than last time for the 3rd floor denizens, if he can get at least 2 pairs to fail the debut.

 

[friendly]

Hm... it's to be expected he'd change the rules like this, given his last Debut went so poorly. I wonder if feeling unprepared could make these kids distrust Kate...?

 

[silverpetricof]

Thank you for the translation (Stella ate good I can tell).