I found the following passage in the
first translation of Kaguya's chapter in CiLR:
I didn't hesitate to make my debut in the social spotlight on the Earth, so before long the old couple's house was inundated with people's expressions of thanks and affection. It must have been hard on them.
In a later revision, this has been changed to:
I tried to avoid becoming the center of attention on Earth, and before long I feelings of love and gratitude began to emerge towards the old couple in their efforts to help shelter me.
It is possible that this passage was initially mistranslated, but the first attempt was made by Rukaroa, the same person who included the now-redacted passage in the first chapter. According to their revision histories, the
first and
second chapters' initial translations were uploaded on 9 and 25 December 2007, respectively---a mere 16 days apart. It is likely that the translator used the same source material for both, i.e., their serialised and unedited forms. (Unfortunately, I do not have the original Japanese text in hand, and my knowledge of the language is too basic to be of help. Suffice to say, my argument is only as good as my source.)
The edit is not as significant as the one found in Eirin's chapter, but it is relevant in that it changes how Kaguya is portrayed. It is interesting that ZUN's revision affects her characterisation as being curious with the Earth. For instance, I agree that he made it possible that Kaguya remained clean, but if that was his only intention, he could have not removed the last paragraph in the first passage and altered the one above (if he did). Would one not enthusiastically interact with beings one has been fascinated with for so long? Seeing as he deleted the former, he probably saw it fit to modify the latter as well.
In fact, there is only one mention of Kaguya's interest in CiLR's current form: when she was pondering on her lack of duties, she admitted that it---her interest---was caused by her boredom. Even Eirin no longer mentions how she was asked "out of childish, playful curiosity." (Interestingly, in Rukaroa's revision, Kaguya had a lack of enthusiasm and motivation instead of duties, and her fascination is not caused by her boredom but is a separate thing. Although, I admit that those could be issues with translation and not legitimate changes.)
We therefore have two versions of her character:
- The edited version who 1) had a (passing?) fancy with the Earth, 2) asked for and drank the Hourai Elixir for unknown reasons, and 3) came to love the planet during her exile and chose to stay in the end; and
- The unedited one who 1) had a distinct attraction to her fairytale world, 2) had strong and clear motivations to ask for and drink the Elixir, and 3) enjoyed her time in prison to a degree and probably had no intention to return in the beginning.
As mentioned in the first post, it is unclear how to best treat the passage regarding Kaguya's personality. Therefore, it is unknown if the current one---with details omitted---is the same as the other, or a different person entirely.
(A fairytale prison... a Cinderella cage? "The Japanese Cinderella's hidden cage is such that no matter how hard you try, you cannot force the princess out," as ZUN put it. With her pure and royal birth, and her liking of the lowly and filthy Earth, I can understand why she is called a lunatic.)
This was my argument, which I supported with the mistranslation explained in the first. With the mistranslation clarified, this is still a high possibility - I think the purpose of the IN spell card "Hourai Elixir" is to show us that Eirin needs Kaguya's power to make the elixir. But it's no longer guaranteed to be true.
It is difficult to say for certain with the changes made in CiLR. The redacted passage makes it seem that it does not: Eirin explained what the Elixir was to the princess, and showed her how it was made, not long before Kaguya consumed it. It further states that the Moon had been using it to test powerful people on the Earth, implying that it had already been made a few times in the past. It is possible that, similar to how there are different means of travelling between the Moon and the Earth, there is an alternative method of creating the Elixir which does not require the princess's power. However, the canonicity of the removed passage is uncertain, as pointed out.
Her IN profile says the Moon saw Kaguya had done serving her terms on earth (this is omitted by the current English translation), and would take her back. This is consistent with Tale of the Bamboo Cutter up until the part where Eirin killed the Lunarian messenger and run with Kaguya. On the other hand, in CiLR, Kaguya is said to be a source of infinite kegare; the Lunarians somehow wanted to get her back (for examination or a temporary retrial?), but the reason is not mentioned by Eirin, and it sounds like the Lunarians would not want her to stay on the Moon.
Personally, I think by removing this passage, ZUN had left open the possibility that "Kaguya is a source of infinite kegare" is a lie, expressly made as an excuse to keep Kaguya, an extremely powerful young Lunarian, from setting foot on the Moon forever. It's Lunarian politics.
Indeed, the first chapter of CiLR also mentioned that Kaguya's Udonge tree had not blossomed. What would cause the tree to blossom? Approximity to kegare. Is Kaguya genuinely unclean?
Whether Kaguya is tainted or not is a good question. Her chapter hints at her proximity to the udonge bonsai: she keeps it in her room, takes care of it everyday, and even held it in her hands. It has been years since she removed the spell of eternity over Eientei, and changes brought by the Earth's impurity have occured, and yet the bonsai has yet to blossom. Eirin herself noticed.
Kaguya believes that the plant is still full of eternity and will blossom "soon", and even mentions how her outlook has changed thanks to impurity. But this chapter, as with BAiJR and the rest of CiLR, is written from the character's perspective, and is therefore clouded with subjectivity. She may have mistaken her change in viewpoint as being caused by impurity instead of personal growth, and may have unknowingly delayed the udonge from blooming sooner. Perhaps her own control over eternity serves as protection against the impure?
As for the Lunarians' unspecified reason for taking the princess back, I think Touhou's Chang'e provides some clues. Despite common elements of her story, she is only mentioned thrice in the whole of the Ephemeral Moon Vignette: twice in SSiB and once in CiLR, when
- Eirin said that the name belongs to a real person on the Moon; (SSiB)
- Eirin tested Reisen II by speaking her name, signifying that Chang'e is a Lunarian; (SSiB) and
- Reisen II talked about the rabbits' pounding as atonement for her sin, which is implied to be the consumption of the Hourai Elixir (giving credence to the theory that it can be made without the power of eternity). (CiLR)
Drawing similarities between Chang'e and Kaguya, we have two native Lunarians who drank the forbidden medicine and descended to the Earth, but this is where their difference begins. When Eirin said in SSiB that the former is real, she also mentioned that she is a prisoner of the Moon till present. Does a similar fate await the princess? If one becomes unable to live in the Lunar Capital, why take them back? If one is already banished, why have them return? The Lunarians are intent on retrieving them, risking impurity---if immortals indeed are---at their arrest, and Eirin knows why.
If drinking the Elixir truly causes one to become unclean, is it not wise to contain them, ensuring they cannot return and further defile the pure land? In either case, it is better to have a potential enemy under lock and key than to risk retaliation.
I agree that Lunarian politics come into play, and that the possible lie of impurity is used to justify punishment. The authorities seem to also employ a form of slave labour control over the moon rabbits through their pounding. There is a maxim that goes, "idle hands breed mischief."
What do you think? (Uh... no rush. :P)
Also, thank you for bringing up this topic! It is nice to know another with an interest in researching the Ephemeral and Eternal Moon Vignettes. :)