#language nerding

I have seen somewhere before Oscar’s thoughts « どうかオレのこの願いがおまえを縛る”呪いの言葉”にならんことを »[1] (read: douka ore no kono negai ga omae wo shibaru “noroi no kotoba” ni naran koto wo) translated as “I hope this wish of mine won’t become a curse that binds you” or something along those lines. The correct translation is actually the exact opposite, which should be “May this wish of mine become a curse that binds you.”

The error probably occurred somewhere with the expression « ”呪いの言葉”にならんことを». The “ならん” (naran) ending for the ”なる” (naru) verb has probably been interpreted as a negative form, but it is nonetheless an affirmative form, the “ん” in this special case having changed from the archaic affirmative ending “む”[2]. (and is not a contraction of the negative ぬ/ない nu/nai like it is common)

This formulation “ならんことを“ is in fact an archaic and stiff form of prayer, only used in literary work (meaning all forms of fictions, including movies and the such). Another example of its usage in Pandora Hearts is the recurrent “May your soul be guided back to this earth after a hundred cycles” (the text below can be read: “anata no sono tamashii ga hyaku no meguri no nochi futatabi kono chi (h)e michibikaren koto wo”)[3]

Now that I’m done with the rant explanation, I can understand why to some it could be strange that Oscar would say something like that to Oz; why the curse, and how “I love you” could even be considered a curse. Let’s keep in mind that Retrace 82 shares the same Japanese name as Retrace 10, both being called 呪いの言葉, or “Curse”. With that, Mochizuki Jun’s comment on the title will give us answers on her intention as a writer:

Chapter 10, Chapter 82: The two curses that Oz received from Zai and Oscar respectively.[4]

As a writer, what Jun aimed at with Oscar’s character is a parallel with Zai that would establish him as Oz’s real father figure. Zai’s “This child should never have been born” was a curse that stuck to Oz all his life. Therefore, with this new curse, “Be happy”, Oscar would overwrite Zai’s own. Oz would be bound by Oscar’s love, rather than by Zai’s hatred. If you think back to the context, Oz was specifically unable to resist Jack because he was drowning in denial of his self and everything he has, yet these are the words that made him take full control over Jack’s body, shed tears for the first time, and later on look Zai in the eyes. Zai’s rejection had once led Oz to wonder if he was even supposed to exist, as he was unneeded by his own father, so in this context, what Oscar needed to retrieve Oz, what he needed his wish to be, was an acceptance just as strong and binding as Zai’s rejection, something to cancel it with, and give Oz the strength to fight off Jack’s influence. Oscar was established as Oz, Gil, and Ada‘s actual father, and on several occasions told Oz he is “his precious son”. Words that were challenged by Zai’s revelation and the mission he gave him, and Oscar’s own hidden truth that he had seen Oz as a replacement for his unborn son. So in the end, Oscar’s wish, his curse, was a way to cement their parent-child relationship both from his and from Oz’s side.

Or to use Jun’s own words:

I love (the three of) you from the bottom of my heart.

“I love you”. That is the word that Oscar once received from his deceased wife, Sarah. Because he was precious, because he wanted him to be happy, Oscar offered Oz a curse overflowing with family love.[5]

References

[1] Pandora Hearts Retrace 82

[2] Information provided by the featured answer in this question.  https://hinative.com/ja/questions/2013850

[3] Pandora Hearts Retrace 57

[4] Pandora Hearts vol 24+1 (Last Dance) page 058