(not) readily; (not) easily; (not) right away; (not) simply; (not) without difficulty
appropriate; suitable; fitting; apt; proper; right
to build; to construct; to erect; to build up (a reputation, position, fortune, etc.); to establish (a relationship, household, tradition, etc.); to lay (a foundation)
expectation; anticipation; prediction; forecast; conjecture
to be possible (in terms of time, money, etc.); to be able (to do); to fit (schedule, budget)
spirit; mind; nature; disposition; intention; mind; mood
alone; by oneself; on one's own
script; screenplay; scenario
to choose one's words (with care); to be careful with one's words
to spend time (on doing something)
challenge; defiance; dare; attempt; try
purposely (of something needless, unexpected or seemingly counterproductive, etc.); daringly (doing something); not necessarily; not particularly; (arch.) definitely not
to be enthusiastic (about); to be eager (to do); to be keen; to be intent (on); to be determined
odd; strange; queer; peculiar
excluding; except (for); apart from; outside (a boundary, scope, etc.)
to decide to; to pretend that; to make a practice of doing; to make it a rule to
remind me; I forget; was it?; was that what happened?
with an interesting history (story); with a shady history; with circumstances that are difficult to explain
really; very; extremely; (not) anything; (not) at all; (not) a bit
to bend; to curve; to turn; to be awry; to be askew
originally; from the start; from the beginning; none the worse (for); (coming out) even; in the same position (as before)
Meiji era (1868.9.8-1912.7.30)
civilization and enlightenment; Japan's Westernization movement during the Meiji era (Westernisation)
Western style residences built mostly for early foreign settlers during the end of the Shogunate and the Meiji era
magician; wizard; sorcerer; witch; mage
fashion; trend; vogue; prevalence (of a disease); epidemic
to become public; to become known; to come out in the open; to be formal; to be official
impostor; imposter; pretender; liar
roots; origin; one's roots; ancestry
black; black stone; guilt; guilty person
book; document; calligraphy (esp. Chinese); penmanship; handwriting; letter
(large) building; public building; hall
diplomatic message sent by a head of state; sovereign letter; book written in Japanese (as opposed to Chinese, etc.); Japanese book; national literature (of Japan)
black; dark; blackish; suspicious; criminal; darkened and dirty; sooty
magic; sorcery; witchcraft; magic tricks (with large-scale props)
secret ceremony; ritual; sanctum sanctorum
to write down; to record; to register
grimoire; manual of black magic; book of magic and spells
completion; perfection; accomplishment
(one's) whereabouts; destination; where one is headed; outcome; course (of events); future
to be dazzled by; to be dizzied by; to be lost in (greed, lust, etc.); (arch.) to become dark
large number; innumerable; great many; immense; vast; abundant
quantity; amount; generosity; magnanimity; pramana (means by which one gains accurate and valid knowledge; in Indian philosophy)
puddle of blood; pool of blood