The Angelique Luminarise website is publishing a series of what it calls "short stories" to introduce the characters and reintroduce the series setting. (They're shorter than short stories, but whatever.) Below is a translation of the first, featuring Guardian of Light Yue, Guardian of Darkness Noah, and Guardian of Wind Vergil.
Notes with asterisks are explanations from the document; notes with daggers are, naturally, my own commentary.
The Holy Palace: In the Star Chamber
A Guardian's work covers a lot of ground.
It goes beyond the administration of Sacrea; it involves suppressing trouble on planets where it happens - and, at times, advising the people...
Today, Yue, Noah, and Vergil paid a visit to the planet of Azul, to investigate a mysterious increase in its number of daylight hours.†
After returning from the planet and finishing a simple report in the Royal Research Institute*, the three gather in the Star Chamber**.
***
"Thanks for coming along on short notice."
Noah frowned at Yue's words. "You were the one who dragged me with you, Yue..."
"You never want to do anything, Noah. Did you need me to post a motivational poster in your room - 'Guardian Pride' or something?
"No need. It's like you're watching me like a hawk even when you're not there, Yue..."
"I don't get it. Isn't it an incredible honor, really - to be the center of Yue's attention?" Vergil cut in, addressing Yue.
"Anyhow...that planet - the readings show Sacrea's getting to it, all right, but it's still going to the dogs."
"Sacrea" - the nine powers that formed the universe.
Light, Darkness, Wind, Water, Fire, Green, Steel, Dream, and Earth.
Each had a patron Guardian who sent Sacrea to the universe. When this power was in balance, the universe was stable.
However, here, in the Universe of the Auspicious Owl††, outbreaks of trouble were frequent.
For...certain reasons, this universe had remained in an unstable state for an extended period of time.
Yue's expression turned serious at Vergil's words, as if in agreement.
"There's also the possibility that the Sacrea's affecting the thought processes of the local residents. Let's try talking things over with someone else tomorrow."
"Mm. ...Anyhow, Sacrea is indeed a mysterious force, isn't it?"
"What's THAT supposed to mean, at a time like this!?"
Vergil returned Yue's question with a carefree smile. "You experience it yourself whenever we descend to a planet! Have you forgotten...what normal feels like?"
"...I haven't forgotten. You're a lot to take at times, you know that?"
"Am I? My, and I think I'm quite normal, myself."
Noah averted his eyes, ignoring his companions' banter. Instead, he eked out: "The power we have...it has a great impact on people. ...Whether we know it or not."
At Noah's words, Yue's expression regained a serious mien. "I do know. That's why I'm so proud to be a Guardian...why I want us all to share in that pride. Even if it's not the life we would have chosen for ourselves."
"Talking about Kanata?"
"........."
The trio's minds flitted to the boy who had just become a Guardian.
He had come from a planet where Guardians and Queens were nothing more than fairy tales. He reacted to his new role with bewilderment and pain. He had calmed a little - a little - since his induction, but one wouldn't say he'd taken the first step down the path toward embracing his new life.
It was Yue who broke the brief silence. "But he has no choice. He has to remain here - lead the life of a Guardian. Let's support him as best we can - be good role models."
"Would I dream of doing anything else? And maybe he'll feel better once he has a playmate from his own neighborhood."
"Huh???"
"Never mind! Just - talking to myself!"
"I'm tired. Can I go back to my room?" Noah had one foot out the Star Chamber even as he said the words.
"There's no reason for us to stand around talking ad infinitum. Let's get out of here."
"What a pair...fine. See you tomorrow."
Noah quickly retreated; Yue followed. Virgil waltzed out. The three returned to their rooms.
***
† - It's called "axial tilt." ↑
* - Royal Research Institute: Facility where cutting-edge research on the universe is conducted ↑
** - Star Chamber: A special chamber Guardians use to send their power ↑
†† - OK, here we go. The universe in which Luminarise apparently takes place has its own zoological nickname, such as Divine Bird and Sacred Beast. It's "Reikyou," or 令梟. The "kyou" part of this indisputably means "owl"; the first character, 令, is the same as the one used in the new Imperial Era, Reiwa. As Luminarise is meant to mark a new era of Angelique, this is likely not coincidence. The kanji's appearance in the name of the new Reiwa era prompted a lot of explanatory articles, as it's usually used in the sense of "order" or "command" and is most frequently found in related words; many were careful to point out that the intended meaning of "Reiwa" was "beautiful harmony," drawing on one of the kanji's lesser-used meanings, and not "government-mandated harmony."
Those less-popular uses for 令 include an element combined with terms for another party's family members to indicate respect, as well as "upstanding" in terms of reputation - "reibun," "reimei," etc.
The Japanese government clarified that the meaning of "rei" is derived from a line in the Man'yoshu, the oldest anthology of Japanese waka poetry: "in this auspicious month of early spring, the weather is fine and the wind gentle." I am therefore hewing as close to the source as possible and going with "Auspicious Owl." (I kind of liked the name "Righteous Owl," though, combining the "good," "upstanding," and "orderly" sides of the coin.) ↑
OK, end of story. For Angelique, I feel the need to emphasize: you don't need to share my opinions on what I'm posting. If you disagree with me, that's fine. I wouldn't give this disclaimer for any other fandom, but with Angelique, there seems to be this odd idea that if you express an opinion, you're expecting everyone else to fall in line.
Yue comes off a bit better than expected, though the bar was on the floor for him. That character portrait and that flavor quote do not do him any favors. At least he's being positive and supportive, though. He's still not an improvement on Julious in any way, I think, unless you want your Guardian of Light to be more efficiently businesslike. (He's beating out Leonard at this point, though.)
For Vergil, they seem to be going for a charming rogue in the mold of Morris for Lunar. He's heavy on the who-me? smirk, though, and this is a smirk-heavy cast as it is. At least he has a somewhat distinctive manner of speaking.
It's Noah where I really have the problem here. The character already looks way too young, drowning in his OshKosh snowsuit, and here he is being pouty and whiny. Someone in the old Angemedia community once pointed out that Angelique Limoges and Clavis were the god-tier characters in the classic Angelique because they just sailed under the radar and stealthed their way to success. Darkness was king - or, rather, queen - because this was a traditionally-feminine, yin-based franchise. Despite its other merits, Mitsuki Miko got this very wrong in her Clavis Retour comic - casting Darkness as weak, put-upon and browbeaten by Light, rather than finding strength and triumph through the road less traveled - and it seems that Luminarise is only continuing that trend. It's kind of sad seeing the great Power of Darkness on this twerp's shoulders.
