change for the better; improvement; looking better (than before)
endlessly; continuously; (going) on and on; meandering; winding; sinuous
miserable; wretched; unhappy; sad; pitiable
whether one likes it or not; inevitably; unavoidably; compulsorily; by force
to be ill; to suffer from
historical document; archives; old manuscript; pre-Meiji era document addressed to someone in particular
three days and three nights
to walk through (to the end); to walk the whole way
clandestine meeting (of lovers); assignation; tryst; (lovers') rendezvous
coherence; order; focus; point
formidable enemy; strong enemy; tough enemy
to be popular (esp. with the opposite sex); to be well liked; to be pampered (spoiled, doted upon, etc.); to be welcomed
peak period; pinnacle; prime; zenith; glory days
matchless; unequalled; unequaled
troublesome; difficult (e.g. customer, guest, child); laborious (e.g. task, dinner)
scattered; separated; dispersed
for dear life; barely escaping alive
waste of labor or energy; waste of labour; vain effort
waste of effort; thankless task
parched; dried-up; empty; hollow; rattling; clattering
fiction; made-up story; fable; fabrication; myth
patching (clothing); darning; cobbling together (other people's writings, thoughts, etc.); gathering
improvisation; improvised; impromptu; extempore
(professional) storyteller; hereditary role of narrator in early imperial court
to interrupt (with frivolous remarks, silly jokes, etc.); to butt in; to make teasing remarks
monastery; convent; cloister; abbey
infiltration; sneaking in; going undercover
to lose interest; to be dampened (of enjoyment, interest, etc.); to fall flat; to turn sour
to whirl; to eddy; to swirl; to whirl around (of feelings, thoughts, etc.); to swirl around; to surge
now (while the time is ripe); while one still can
perfect; complete; thorough; leaving nothing to be desired; more than satisfactory
to take care of some business; to go on an errand; to relieve oneself; to do one's business; to go to the toilet
around there; near there; or thereabouts; or so; such a matter; such a thing
to stagnate; to settle (at the bottom); to deposit; to become sluggish; to become dull; to be delayed
oar; all; (pulling an) all-nighter; staying up all night
to row; to paddle; to pedal (a bicycle, etc.); to swing (on a swing); to work (a hand pump); to push through (a thicket, deep snow, etc.)
slope; incline; hill; milestone; (age) mark
under one's eyes; below one's eyes
border; boundary; turning point; watershed; area; region
looking or acting as if one owned the place