Mahouka - Steeplechase Arc : Volume 13

[Reitsuki]

Volume 13 Chapter 2 is out in chinese and more than half of chapter 3 has been translated. The translator said that he/she will release chapter 3 and 4 simultaneously.

[TheLaG]

Volume 13 Chapter 2 is out in chinese and more than half of chapter 3 has been translated. The translator said that he/she will release chapter 3 and 4 simultaneously.

I already thought to ask about status of chinese translations, but...
Yay! Great news Someone wake up Dreyakis!

[sirius0]

i would like to ask a question since i'm new here
why chinese translation is required for english translation

ya i saw Dreyakis! on this blog

[Robin_Muzaffar]

Because Dreyakis (one of the translator) can translate it faster if it is in Chinese than Japanese

[Dreyakis]

I have been keeping an eye on the Chinese translations for Volume 13, but since a new translator has picked up the pen instead of the previous ones, I'm somewhat leery about the quality. I recall that there was a dip in quality a few volumes back when different translators picked up the project, so I'm going to read over this translator's work before diving fully into Volume 13 Chapter 2.

[TheLaG]

I have been keeping an eye on the Chinese translations for Volume 13, but since a new translator has picked up the pen instead of the previous ones, I'm somewhat leery about the quality. I recall that there was a dip in quality a few volumes back when different translators picked up the project, so I'm going to read over this translator's work before diving fully into Volume 13 Chapter 2.

Thanks for your hard work Hope translator is good, but otherwise, maybe it's good to ask Sashiko or Seitsuki to check your translation, maybe they will give feedback on chinese translator quality

[crisisavatar]

Glad to see you're ok and still interested Drey.

[Viole1369]

Thanks for awesome work drey~

[Sashiko]

Could someone go over these pages to see if the technical explanations make sense (and if possible spot any translation inaccuracies). The scene itself does not really advance this book's main plot but, this device is probably going to be used again so it's important to get the details right.

These are pages 126-129:

Spoiler! :

As usual, the lab was filled to the brim with researchers who had forgotten the difference between weekdays and holidays. They were all busy working. Division Three was currently approaching the final stage of developing a new product.

A completely thought controlled CAD. They were racing to develop a product that would be a device that was a technical breakthrough in instruments that assisted the activation of Magic. Half a year before, Rozin Magicraft had put the world’s first completely thought controlled model but, FLT’s new product was more advanced product.

Naturally, Rozin and FLT’s products were based on completely different concepts. Rozin’s CAD was a personal machine with instruments that were manipulated by psion waves inserted into it and it was a rather large model for a handheld device.

In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD, FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced ‘the activation sequence a CAD used to output nonsystematic magic’ to one simple function. Instead of the activation sequence that supported the desired magic outputted by the most advanced traditional CAD that was manipulated by fingers, <!---page 127--->the device materialized the concept that operated the nonsystematic magic.

FLT’s completely thought controlled model came with pairing software designed to work with another CAD which the software had been installed in so that they would work together, there were huge advantages to being able to use the device you were accustomed to working with in that manner. At least, that was how Research Division Three read the situation. The pairing software covered eighty percent of the Cads that had been put on the market in the last five years regardless of whether they were general purpose or specialized models. Because it could be manipulated by psion waves alone, this new product should overcome the borders of brands and create a large demand for it as a supplementary product.

Today was the day it underwent the final test to become a finished product, if no problems were discovered then they would begin arrangements to launch the commercial model. When Tatsuya showed his face in the monitor room, the test had already started.

“Good morning. Am I a little late?”

“Good morning, young master! No, you are right on time. We couldn’t bear to wait until your arrival so we started early”

Ushiyama lowered his head with an apologetic look on his face but his eyes were happily smiling.

He wasn’t sneering at Tatsuya as he smiled, the smile was that of a craftsman when he built an piece he was proud of.

“Is that so. Then I don’t particularly mind but……”

His eyes went to the monitor on the surface of the wall and Tatsuya made a smile similar to Ushiyama’s.

“It looks like it’s going well”
<!---page 128--->

The large monitor was displaying the ongoing results of the twenty-two testers that were simultaneously going through the test. They were going through the eight major types of magic in the four great systems one by one and swapping the CADs each time.

“Up til now everything has gone well! Also the time loss is below the estimate”

The testers were only using rudimentary magic. This was a commonplace scene when testing a new model of CAD. However, there were two points where it differed from the familiar. The first was that the CAD switches were not being touched by the hands. And the other one was that a small medal shaped device was dangling on a thin chain from the necks of the testers.

The disk could be concealed underneath clothes; it was three cm in diameter, six millimeters thick and had an artificial silver colored finish. This was the completely thought controlled CAD. On the monitor that was applying a process to make the psion light visible, the output condition of the medal shaped CAD and the testers’ psions as they were drawn out by the activation sequence was shown. Tatsuya watched one of the testers that was being shown on the monitor through his power to observe the information body and the activation sequence produced from the medal on the chest as the tester’s psions changed to manipulate the magic sequence, and watched as the psion waves converged into a narrow point and pinpointed the switch buttons on the bracelet worn on the left arm and were absorbed.

While CAD buttons had electric switches, there was an induction stone antenna installed that received psion signals. This antenna which was an already installed type of switch that did not need touching, it directly interacted with psion instead of being manipulated by fingers, however, users who were unfamiliar with psion manipulation unfortunately often activated the wrong activation sequence and the probability that the CAD would itself recognized the mistake was not very high. <!---page 129---> This completely thought controlled CAD allowed even magicians not well versed in psion manipulation to correctly indicate the activation sequence, therefore the concept would be manifested without the activation of the wrong sequence.

For that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the psion wave absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the nonsystematic magic to manifest. The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to produce it. Certainly that was circuitous way but, because it was best to use a simple structure to operate the CAD so the burden on the magician would almost always be low enough to ignore. On consideration of the matter, compared to the merit of correctly indicating the activation sequence, the circuitousness of the method was trivial.

[dvc]

Could someone go over these pages to see if the technical explanations make sense (and if possible spot any translation inaccuracies). The scene itself does not really advance this book's main plot but, this device is probably going to be used again so it's important to get the details right.

These are pages 126-129:

Spoiler! :

As usual, the lab was filled to the brim with researchers who had forgotten the difference between weekdays and holidays. They were all busy working. Division Three was currently approaching the final stage of developing a new product.

A completely thought controlled CAD. They were racing to develop a product that would be a device that was a technical breakthrough in instruments that assisted the activation of Magic. Half a year before, Rozin Magicraft had put the world’s first completely thought controlled model but, FLT’s new product was more advanced product.

Naturally, Rozin and FLT’s products were based on completely different concepts. Rozin’s CAD was a personal machine with instruments that were manipulated by psion waves inserted into it and it was a rather large model for a handheld device.

In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD, FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced ‘the activation sequence a CAD used to output nonsystematic magic’ to one simple function. Instead of the activation sequence that supported the desired magic outputted by the most advanced traditional CAD that was manipulated by fingers, <!---page 127--->the device materialized the concept that operated the nonsystematic magic.

FLT’s completely thought controlled model came with pairing software designed to work with another CAD which the software had been installed in so that they would work together, there were huge advantages to being able to use the device you were accustomed to working with in that manner. At least, that was how Research Division Three read the situation. The pairing software covered eighty percent of the Cads that had been put on the market in the last five years regardless of whether they were general purpose or specialized models. Because it could be manipulated by psion waves alone, this new product should overcome the borders of brands and create a large demand for it as a supplementary product.

Today was the day it underwent the final test to become a finished product, if no problems were discovered then they would begin arrangements to launch the commercial model. When Tatsuya showed his face in the monitor room, the test had already started.

“Good morning. Am I a little late?”

“Good morning, young master! No, you are right on time. We couldn’t bear to wait until your arrival so we started early”

Ushiyama lowered his head with an apologetic look on his face but his eyes were happily smiling.

He wasn’t sneering at Tatsuya as he smiled, the smile was that of a craftsman when he built an piece he was proud of.

“Is that so. Then I don’t particularly mind but……”

His eyes went to the monitor on the surface of the wall and Tatsuya made a smile similar to Ushiyama’s.

“It looks like it’s going well”
<!---page 128--->

The large monitor was displaying the ongoing results of the twenty-two testers that were simultaneously going through the test. They were going through the eight major types of magic in the four great systems one by one and swapping the CADs each time.

“Up til now everything has gone well! Also the time loss is below the estimate”

The testers were only using rudimentary magic. This was a commonplace scene when testing a new model of CAD. However, there were two points where it differed from the familiar. The first was that the CAD switches were not being touched by the hands. And the other one was that a small medal shaped device was dangling on a thin chain from the necks of the testers.

The disk could be concealed underneath clothes; it was three cm in diameter, six millimeters thick and had an artificial silver colored finish. This was the completely thought controlled CAD. On the monitor that was applying a process to make the psion light visible, the output condition of the medal shaped CAD and the testers’ psions as they were drawn out by the activation sequence was shown. Tatsuya watched one of the testers that was being shown on the monitor through his power to observe the information body and the activation sequence produced from the medal on the chest as the tester’s psions changed to manipulate the magic sequence, and watched as the psion waves converged into a narrow point and pinpointed the switch buttons on the bracelet worn on the left arm and were absorbed.

While CAD buttons had electric switches, there was an induction stone antenna installed that received psion signals. This antenna which was an already installed type of switch that did not need touching, it directly interacted with psion instead of being manipulated by fingers, however, users who were unfamiliar with psion manipulation unfortunately often activated the wrong activation sequence and the probability that the CAD would itself recognized the mistake was not very high. <!---page 129---> This completely thought controlled CAD allowed even magicians not well versed in psion manipulation to correctly indicate the activation sequence, therefore the concept would be manifested without the activation of the wrong sequence.

For that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the psion wave absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the nonsystematic magic to manifest. The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to produce it. Certainly that was circuitous way but, because it was best to use a simple structure to operate the CAD so the burden on the magician would almost always be low enough to ignore. On consideration of the matter, compared to the merit of correctly indicating the activation sequence, the circuitousness of the method was trivial.

Honestly, reading this paragraph makes me extremelly confused lol

In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD, FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced ‘the activation sequence a CAD used to output nonsystematic magic’ to one simple function. Instead of the activation sequence that supported the desired magic outputted by the most advanced traditional CAD that was manipulated by fingers, <!---page 127--->the device materialized the concept that operated the nonsystematic magic.

After reading the three pages, from what i understand what is happening with the new cad is this:
The thought controlled cad has only 1 function which is to create psion waves (non sistematic magic), so basically the magician uses the normal process of casting magic, inputing psions into the thought controlled cad, activation sequence, magic sequence which in this case is a psion wave. This psion waves then interacts with the induction stone antena that all normal cads have and sellects the desired activation sequence on the normal cad (this was based on the last paragraphs). From here the normal casting process happens.
So basically the thought controlled cad is a easier way to cast specific non sistematic magic (some psion waves) which sellects the desired activation sequence (the redudant method tats is talking about in the end, that it uses magic to cast magic).
If this assumptions are right and based on what tats says in the end i think that In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD, FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced ‘the activation sequence a CAD used to output nonsystematic magic’ to one simple function would be better as In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced the activation sequence a CAD used to output specific non-systematic magic to one simple process and i don t really understand he device materialized the concept that operated the nonsystematic magic.
Also, in the endFor that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the psion wave absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the nonsystematic magic to manifest. The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to produce it, If my assumptions are right it should be For that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the psion wave absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the activation sequence. The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to sellect it

[nr42]

Honestly, reading this paragraph makes me extremelly confused lol

In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD, FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced ‘the activation sequence a CAD used to output nonsystematic magic’ to one simple function. Instead of the activation sequence that supported the desired magic outputted by the most advanced traditional CAD that was manipulated by fingers, <!---page 127--->the device materialized the concept that operated the nonsystematic magic.

If you change it to:
In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD, FLT developed, was a specialized device that reduced the activation sequence, a CAD used to output Non-Systematic Magic, to one simple function. Instead of the activation sequence, supporting the desired magic outputted by the most advanced traditional CAD, manipulated by fingers, the device materialized the concept that operated the Non-Systematic Magic.

adding some commas and reducing the usage of the word "that"

and i don t really understand the device materialized the concept that operated the nonsystematic magic.

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with the sentence. What Activation Sequences normally do is "build the Magic Sequence", which in turn executes the magic. Or in other words the Activation Sequence materializes the concept that operates the Non-Systematic Magic.

Also, in the endFor that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the psion wave absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the nonsystematic magic to manifest. The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to produce it, If my assumptions are right it should be For that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the psion wave absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the activation sequence. The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to sellect it

What I got from the paragraph was that the Psions inserted into the device activated a certain Non-Systematic Magic and this magic picks and produces the activation sequence(based on the persons thoughts, I presume). That's why the next few sentences say, it's a circuitous way to activate magic. Of course, I might be wrong to.
I think it's the second sentence that creates the confusion:
The activation sequence to invoke the magic used magic to produce it

To what does the "it" refer ? To the activation sequence of the main magic or to the non-systematic one? Also I think it's better to move the "to invoke the magic" to the back of the sentence or maybe use commas around it. Although I'm not 100% sure the latter is correct.


Of course the things I suggested are just my humble opinion and are in no way a criticism.
I don't understand a word of Japanese, so I might be way of and the suggestions I made might be completely different from what the author actually wrote.
We are incredibly lucky. Not only with the fact that you and the other translators are willing to do this, but also with the quality of the English that you use. (compared to some other projects)
So thank you very much.

[MayonakaTV]

What I get from reading the whole thing is that,the pendant shape thought controlled CAD is a used to cast non systematic magic in the form of psion waves to press the button on another CAD to activate a desired magic.

On a different note, thanks for the hard work put into translating this series

[Rava]

@Sashiko: How's this? I did some cleanup, but did do some word changes though, so I totally understand if you don't want it.

Spoiler! :

As usual, the lab was filled to the brim with researchers who had forgotten the difference between weekdays and holidays. They were all busy working. Division Three was currently approaching the final stage of developing a new product.

A completely thought controlled CAD. They were racing to develop a product -- a device that was a technical breakthrough in instruments that assisted the activation of Magic. Half a year before, Rozen Magicraft had put the world’s first completely thought controlled model, but FLT’s new product was a more advanced product.

Naturally, Rozen and FLT’s products were based on completely different concepts. Rozen’s CAD was a personal machine with instruments manipulated by Psion waves inserted into it, and it was a rather large model for a handheld device.

In contrast, the completely thought controlled CAD FLT developed was a specialized device that reduced the Activation Sequence of a Non-Systematic Magic outputting CAD to one simple function. Instead of the Activation Sequence that supported the desired magic outputted by the most advanced traditional finger-manipulated CAD, <!---page 127--->the device materialized the concept that operated the Non-Systematic Magic.

FLT’s completely thought controlled model came with pairing software designed to install and work with another CAD so that they would work together; there were huge advantages to being able to use the device you were accustomed to working with in that manner. At least, that was how Research Division Three read the situation. The pairing software covered eighty percent of the CADs that had been put on the market in the last five years regardless of whether they were general purpose or specialized models. Because it could be manipulated by Psion waves alone, this new product should overcome the borders of brands and create a large demand for it as a supplementary product.

Today was the day it underwent the final test to become a finished product; if no problems were discovered, then they would begin arrangements to launch the commercial model. When Tatsuya showed his face in the monitor room, the test had already started.

“Good morning. Am I a little late?”

“Good morning, young master! No, you are right on time. We couldn’t bear to wait until your arrival so we started early.”

Ushiyama lowered his head with an apologetic look on his face, but his eyes were happily smiling.

He wasn’t sneering at Tatsuya as he smiled; the smile was that of a craftsman when he built an piece he was proud of.

“Is that so. Then I don’t particularly mind, but…”

His eyes went to the monitor on the surface of the wall and Tatsuya made a smile similar to Ushiyama’s.

“It looks like it’s going well.”
<!---page 128--->

The large monitor was displaying the ongoing results of the twenty-two testers simultaneously going through the test. They were going through the eight major types of magic in the four great systems one by one and swapping the CADs each time.

“Up til now everything has gone well! Also the time loss is below the estimate.”

The testers were only using rudimentary magic. This was a commonplace scene when testing a new model of CAD. However, there were two points where it differed from the familiar. The first was that the CAD switches were not being touched by the hands. And the other one was that a small, medal shaped device was dangling on a thin chain from the necks of the testers.

The disk could be concealed underneath clothes; it was three cm in diameter, six millimeters thick and had an artificial silver colored finish. This was the completely thought controlled CAD. On the monitor applying a process to make the Psion light visible, the output condition of the medal shaped CAD and the testers’ Psions as they were drawn out by the Activation Sequence were shown. Tatsuya watched one of the testers being shown on the monitor through his power to observe both the Information Body and the Activation Sequence produced from the medal on the chest as the tester’s Psions changed to manipulate the Magic Sequence, watching as the Psion waves converged into a narrow point, pinpointed the switch buttons on the bracelet worn on the left arm, and were absorbed.

While CAD buttons had electric switches, there was an induction stone antenna installed that received Psion signals. This antenna, which was an already installed type of switch that did not need touching, directly interacted with Psions instead of being manipulated by fingers; however, users who were unfamiliar with Psion manipulation unfortunately often activated the wrong Activation Sequence and the probability that the CAD would itself recognized the mistake was not very high. <!---page 129---> This completely thought controlled CAD allowed even Magicians not well versed in Psion manipulation to correctly indicate the Activation Sequence, therefore the concept would be manifested without the activation of the wrong sequence.

For that purpose, the plan Tatsuya and his team had adopted was that the Psion waves absorbed by the induction stone antenna pinpointed the Non-Systematic magic to manifest. The Activation Sequence to invoke the magic used magic to produce it. Certainly, that was a circuitous way, but only because it was best to use a simple structure to operate the CAD so the burden on the magician would almost always be low enough to ignore. On consideration of the matter, compared to the merit of correctly indicating the Activation Sequence, the circuitousness of the method was trivial.

[James_Z]

Could someone go over these pages to see if the technical explanations make sense (and if possible spot any translation inaccuracies). The scene itself does not really advance this book's main plot but, this device is probably going to be used again so it's important to get the details right.

I have gone over the material carefully. I have read through all volumes about 6 times. So I think I see a way to get the thought device explained with a bit more clarity.

Let me start by quoting this section from Volume 1, Chapter 1:

CAD (Casting Assistance Device) — spell support processor.

In this country, it is also known as a (Magic Operator).

Something that replaces tools such as spell chants, talismans, hand seals, magic circles, magic tomes, and other traditional methods of invoking magic, it is a tool of necessity for any modern Magic Technician.

These days, there is no research into using a single word, or a single phrase to invoke magic. When used in conjunction with talismans and magic circles and others, the shortest invocation will take around ten seconds, while the longer ones can take above a minute depending on the magic, and in place of that, the easy-to-use CAD can reduce that to under a second.

While it is possible for magic to be invoked without a CAD, the number of Magic Technicians who do not use CADs, which can rapidly accelerate the invocation of magic, equates to nil. Among those who have dedicated themselves to the specialization of one particular skill in bringing about supernatural phenomena with just their will alone, the so-called "Supernatural Power Users," the ones who seek the speed and stability that an activation system can bring and love using the CAD have become the mainstream crowd.

With that in mind it is clear from the text that the thought device is a way to bypass the key inputs needed to 'activate' the magic. However the new thought device is not a CAD. It is only an interface that will operate by thought. I think of it this way. This would allow the purchase of a keyboard that will input to the computer by thought alone, no physical fingers need to touch the keys.

With That in mind I've gone over the new device description came up with the following idea for you to use.


Rewrite:

Naturally, Rozin and FLT’s products were based on completely different concepts. Rozin’s device was a new personal thought controlled CAD machine with instruments that were manipulated by psion waves inserted into it and it was a rather large model for a handheld device.

In contrast, the new completely 'thought controlled input device', [TCID], that FLT developed was a simple input device that removed the need for a new CAD. Instead of a activation sequence manipulated by fingers that then cast the desired magic, which was the current state of the art in use by the most advanced traditional CAD, this new FLT device bypassed the physical need for a keyboard activation.

Removing the keyboard input would allow the activation sequence to begin instantly with just a thought from the user. The TCID would give a new and huge advantages in speed combined with allowing users to keep their current CAD. At least, that was how Research Division Three read the situation. The pairing software covered eighty percent of the Cads that had been put on the market in the last five years regardless of whether they were general purpose or specialized models. Because it could be manipulated by psion waves alone, this new product should overcome the borders of brands and create a large demand for it as a supplementary product.


---

Just a suggestion, that I think keeps the core concept as written yet avoids and deletes some of the confusing words that are not consistent with the earlier description of what a CAD is.

Great work on the translation.

[Rava]

@James_Z

The raws will use "CAD" in English every time it mentions CAD, so it's incredibly unlikely that there's a mistake in the translation when it is mentioned so much.

Remember that Psions are thought particles, so the thought controlled CAD is still absorbing Psions when it's reading the thoughts. It's using the Psions to trigger a Non-Systematic magic to do the Psion manipulation for the correct spell on the second CAD. That's why there's that blurb about it using magic to do magic, and how it's going in a roundabout way to get things done.