Brief notes right off the bat while I’m here:
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悪食 is not exactly the “right” translation for the sin of gluttony itself, however it was used by mothy back when the song was released with that meaning in mind, and he uses it subsequently for the light novel, translating the title to Evil Food Eater instead. A more accurate term would probably be “grotesque eater”. It’s also used to denote the sin of eating meat in Buddhism.
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I know the Evillious translations generally translate ヨーゼフ as Josef, but I like Yosef better.
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(direct quote from Ylimegirl here)
banica telling her backstory in the form of meal courses is probably a reference to how the gluttony novel is presented through its framing device of someone (who we learn is gallerian marlon) going to a restaurant where the waiter (who is gretel/arte) tells him the story of banica as each dish is brought out. something kinda hard to explain in brief but i think looking at the ToC for the fan TL alone should explain it decently enoughhere
TW: Cannibalism, child abuse
I absolutely recommend watching the story play out in game if possible! It’s bone-chilling and I love it.
Once again, thank you to Ylimegirl for the readthrough and lore info!
Title: The Demon of Gluttony
Characters: Banica Conchita, Banica’s Mother, Demon, Arte (off-screen), Pollo (off-screen), Yosef
JP Proofreader: Jessica
Part 1
???
-My, my, a guest? I suppose a rarity doesn't mean impossibility.
???
…Hmmm. I see…
You, too, seem to possess some form of irregularity.
Banica
It is a pleasure to meet you, Irregular1. My name is Banica - Banica Conchita.
Perhaps it is also the work of fate that led us to meet "here". Hehe~ I'll have to prepare some refreshments.
…Oh my. Speaking of which, we have neither the chef nor ingredients for that.
……
My apologies. If only I could prepare even a "Super Octopus Supreme"2, it would've made a good icebreaker at least.
Banica
…Ohh, right!
Though we may not be able to dine together, perhaps, if you agree so, I could recount my past "meals" up to this point instead?
I've tasted a truly wide variety of dishes in my life, so I believe it would definitely make a fun story to enjoy ♥
-So you'll indeed lend your listening ear. Hehe~ Thank you.
Now then… Would you care to listen as I relay the tale of my childhood first, in place of an appetiser?
Young Banica
I don't need anymore already.
Mother
…Please eat. You must not leave anything behind.
Young Banica
But…
Mother
Eat!! Now, open your mouth!!
Young Banica
Don't wanna! Mother, stop…!!
Mother
Even though I'm suffering so much! Why…?! Why are you the only one who…?!!
Banica
I had no freedom to decide my meals as a child. All I did was eat and eat… And eat and eat again after that, over and over.
That was all due to the Gula Disease. Although I wasn't infected…3
Oh right, do you know about the Gula Disease?
Banica
It is a disease… No, a curse, that is spread through the glass in which the demon of gluttony resided.
When one is inflicted with it, they'll be engulfed with the desire to eat anything in sight.
Then, they are killed when they eat things, like rocks and scissors, which normal people cannot eat.
To prevent that from happening, one has to keep their stomach full at all times to prevent that desire to eat from awakening.
There isn't even a sliver of privilege for them to enjoy the taste of food. They eat continuously with the sole desire to stay alive.
Banica
…Most of our estate's people perished from it. Mother as well…
Banica
Hehe! Was the flavouring a little strong for an appetiser, perhaps?
In that case, how about a sweet and sour4 story about my first love to cleanse your palate?
As you can see, I was the daughter of a duke from the Beelzenian Empire. Therefore, I was once engaged with the neighbouring kingdom's prince too.
Carlos, the prince with blue hair…
Discussing about food and taking walks in town with him were fun.
Banica
Although the engagement was called off after lots of things happened…
I was able to derive enjoyment from "meals".
Banica
I could freely choose what I wished to eat and enjoy the flavours of ingredients instead of just eating to live-
I wanted to share this knowledge with the kingdom's people regardless of their status as aristocrat or commoner…
That's why I immersed myself in my quest for food when the engagement was called off, as well as when my father died.
It felt as if the hole in my chest would be filled little by little as I kept myself full with delicious meals…
Banica
Hehe~ Perhaps that was why the demon whispered into my ear-
Banica
Huff…huff…
(…Has breathing always…been so painful?)
(My body…feels so sluggish…)
(The doctor had said that my organs5 were ailing due to overeating…)
(…I should…cut down the amount of food I eat…)
Banica
(Hm? What…? Somehow the air is becoming humid and sticky…)
???
-What remains of you if "food" is taken away?
Banica
…?! Wh-Who are you?!
???
In the language of humans, perhaps I'm a demon.
Demon
O Banica. You will die after half a year if you remain in this state.
Banica
…That is due to overeating, correct?
If so, I have no regrets. After all, I was able to travel to so many places. I believe I've had a taste of most, if not all cuisines in the world.
Demon
Incorrect. You have yet to taste true "food" - you have yet to even touch more than half of them in the world.
Don't you wish to find out - about the ultimate world of "food" that you have yet to open the doors to?
Entrust your body to me, and I can even do away with those six months you're destined to live to.
Banica
……
That means selling my soul to a demon… The very demon who killed my mother and this estate's staff…
-I refuse. I'm not interested in dealing with you.
Demon
…Well, that's fine. However, I shall bestow a parting gift upon you.
Demon
What this glass contains, is both a part of my body, as well as what you wished for.
Banica
…What I…wished for?
Demon
Should you consume it, the contract becomes sealed.
-I will say this once more, Banica Conchita.
What remains of you if "food" is taken away?
Banica
…What…was that about?
…A new…world of "food"…
(But is there truly anything out there that I have yet to taste…"food" that I still don't know about?
(I've visited all kinds of nations, even those in the middle of war. And I've eaten every edible thing in those-)
-No, there's just one…
Banica
The legendary crimson Baem pig is the only one I couldn't find no matter where in the world I looked…
Don't tell me, the parting gift is…!
Banica
This reddish-brown hue, thick viscosity, along with… the pungent smell of iron.
Is… Is this…the fresh blood of the Baem?!
Banica
……
…No…once I drink this, I will…
I will… I'll…
……
(…My quest to deepen my culinary knowledge.)
Banica
(Just what would remain if I removed "food" from myself…?)
*Gulp, gulp*
Banica
-Ahh~ What an incredibly… incredibly nostalgic meal that was.
Hehe~ But I still have so much more to tell you about.
Shall I tell you about the meal that was so delicious that it brought me to tears next?
Heehee…
Part 2
Banica
Now, may I proceed with the next "course"?
Ahh, that reminds me… I've only been speaking about myself so far, haven't I?
Hehe, why don't I talk about my twin chamberlains and my chef? I'm sure they can serve as good spices for this meal ♥
Then, I shall begin with the twins - Arte and Pollo.
Banica
Though the older sister, Arte, is short-tempered and would instantly declare war on anything she snaps at, she does her job well and can also cook.
Banica
The younger brother, Pollo, is a little naive and isn't familiar with proper etiquette, but his personality is better than Arte's, perhaps?
Banica
The two of them have been by my side ever since I was born and their appearances were unchanging - they never aged since the first time we met.
And that is despite them having supposedly eaten as often as I did6. Curious, isn't it? Hehe…
-The next person I will need to introduce is Yosef, the chef.
…The time the four of us spent together in the mansion was quite fun.
Banica's Room
Banica
…A modified version of parasite sausages? You wish to add that to tonight's dinner menu?
Yosef
Y-Yes. …When you ate them the last time, you had conveyed that there wasn't enough oomph in them, so I made some improvements to the recipe.
Worms have a tendency to produce a bland flavour, so if I could make a special powder by carefully removing the exoskeletons of poisonous insects to sprinkle onto the sausages as a spice…
Banica
…I already eat all sorts of poisonous insects, but a powder made of their exoskeletons might be a first for me.
As one might expect from Yosef, the wandering chef himself ♥ Do ensure its addition to the dinner menu, please.
Yosef
Th-Thank you very much. Then, as I will need to return to making preparations, please do excuse me.
*Footsteps, door opening*
Banica
Hehe~ I look forward to dinner tonight-
Yosef's voice
Whoa?! Ow!!
*Thud!*
Yosef's voice
Euuuughhhh! …Why's there a banana peel right at the bedroom's entrance?!
Pollo's voice
Gehihi!
*Footsteps*
Arte's voice
You're the idiot who fell for that countless times already, idiot!! I-DI-OT!
*Footsteps*
Banica
…Goodness, those kids.
Banica
-The food prepared by Yosef was innovative and supremely delicious.
On top of that… He held a secret ingredient unlike any other.
The secret ingredient known as love…
I hadn't known in the beginning, but he was the one I'd fallen in love with in the past, but couldn't get together with.
He…came to meet me.
Banica
Ahh… I remember…
Banica
The night we spent together, as well as the meal we had together-
The soup that was so poisonous that it could render even me, who had forged a contract with a demon, lightheaded, was truly thrilling.7
He - Carlos, had also consumed the soup. All so that he could die together with me.
But having sealed a contract with a demon, I didn't die, and he left me behind as he made the journey far, far away by himself.
Still, he'd left behind the best ingredient for me.
Banica
The ingredient known as "my beloved"…!
Banica
Ahh… Ahh, ahhh, ahhhhh…
Ahh… It was truly… It truly was…
-So delicious.
"My beloved", the one and only person in this world, whom I can taste just once in my lifetime…!
……
Banica
…If only I could put even a morsel of the sheer happiness I felt at that point into words for you.
Ahh…
I wonder if "that child" would've been delicious too if I'd eaten him…
Hehe~ I'm not referring to Arte and Pollo, you know? You see, those two were indeed tasty.
Before I knew it, the estate was void of people. All that was left was my hungry self and-
*Baby noises*
Banica
There, there… Have a nap here for a moment.
Good boy…8
(His and my dear child- I feel my chest warm up from looking at his sleeping face…)
(I'm so, so, so hungry that I've no choice, but…)
Demon
-If you do not eat that baby, you will die this time.
Banica
Oh, my. It's been a while since we last met, demon.
Demon
Your strength now is weakening.
Banica
Hmm? Is that so?
Demon
Indeed, it is. The only way to save yourself is to consume that baby. Now, make haste and consume the-
Banica
……
Baby
Zzz…zzz…
Banica
…Don't want to.
Demon
What?! Why?!
Banica
Don't know.
Demon
Don't you know you'll die if you do not eat that baby?!
Banica
No means no.
Demon
…Are you being swayed by your feelings for it, perhaps?
Enough of this nonsense! Eat! What would even be left if "food" were to be taken away from you?!
Banica
No, I won't eat him.
Demon
Eat! Eat! EAT!!
Banica
I won't! I won't! I WON'T!!
Demon
No, you will eat! Apart from that baby, there is no other food in the world that can satisfy you no matter how hard you search!
Banica
……
I wonder if that's true?
I've saved the perfect ingredient for such an occasion… Right here.
Demon
Wha-?! D-Don't tell me…!
Banica
Now then…
Demon
Cease with your foolish thoughts! Stop! Stop that this instant!!
Banica
I will eat myself…and you as well, demon.
Demon
S-STOOOOP!!!
Banica
Heehee~ I wonder what kind of taste I have ♥
Banica
-And those are the "meals" I've had up till now.
As far as I know, I'm glad that I could enjoy eating to my heart's delight.
…Oh? You think it is a mystery why I'm here even though I made a meal out of myself?
You could say that, I guess. A mystery doesn't mean an impossibility, after all.
By the way… I'm actually starting to feel hungry now.
Banica
Heehee~ Having spent so much time talking about food, I guess it's natural to become hungry from that.
So-
*Footsteps*
Banica
I would like to share about the meal I'm going to enjoy. What say you?
Heehee~ Worry not, as it will definitely be delicious ♥
Heeheehee…
Notes
- The reason Banica says this is because she knew other Irregulars (Arte and Pollo) in her life. Also, Irregular is an actual in-universe term, these individuals are Special people in a sense. It’s never explained here, though. Also just my personal note because hilarious, but before Ylimegirl did a readthrough of this, I actually wrote “It is a pleasure to meet you, fellow Irregular.” because I wanted to retain the politeness and general nice vibes the listener gets from their first meeting with her (and she calls the listener “Irregular-san”). For the Evillious stories, I decided to retain honorifics strictly only for Luka’s story (set in totally-not-Edo Japan) and to contrast with the rest of the characters who are explicitly born and raised in West-inspired countries/kingdoms. But then Banica isn’t an Irregular and I just ended up dropping that entirely instead so Welp haha just a ramble here tbh (Return to text)
- Most Evillious translations have とてもすごいタコ translated as “Very Amazing Octopus” to match with another food item とてもすごいネギ (Very Amazing Green Onion). I chose to have it as “Super Octopus Supreme” to make it sound kinda like an item on a food menu, and also because it can form SOS :) which well I thought would be hilarious for what happens in the end. (Return to text)
- The detailed backstory can be found on the Evillious wiki. But basically, when Banica was a kid/baby, the mansion consumed the Baem(u) pig as part of a feast and they all became infected with Gula Disease as a result. Banica was the only one who wasn’t infected because she was the only one who didn’t consume the Baem. (Return to text)
- Generally “bittersweet” (甘酸っぱい) but can also be taken as sweet and sour. Used “sweet and sour” to keep it closer to the food theme Banica’s conversation follows. (Return to text)
- The exact term is 内臓疾患 which kinda… doesn’t actually say anything while specifying “ailing internal organs”. When I first completed this I found a definition for 内臓 that excludes the heart from the classification, but now that I think about it, no point using that if 内臓疾患 is a full noun on its own. (Return to text)
- Here Banica says 私と同じぐらい、しっかり食事はしていた so it’s with the comparison in mind I tried to carefully phrase this more in line with their meal frequency rather than consumption amount. (Return to text)
- A tldr of what happened here is that Carlos (who took up the name of Yosef Crim, an actual famous chef) tainted the soup with shavings of the Golden Key (aka key of wrath) to kill himself and Banica, but Banica recovered quickly from the poisoning. Still, it did weaken the demon of gluttony. (Return to text)
- Banica had a son with Carlos/Yosef in canon, that’s why I translated いい子ね to this (Return to text)