Kino no Tabi:Volume14 Chapter8

“Land of Parasites” — Cure —

The season was summer. And in a certain mountainous region, was a road.

It was a highly elevated area. The steep mountain ridges with the snow left behind in the gorges from which the mountain streams once flowed overlooked a wide valley that was thinly blanketed with grass, which danced in harmony with the breeze together with its light reddish blooms.

The light blue sky was clear, without a single cloud in sight. A number of small predatory birds squawked their hearts out while they flew in a crescent moon formation. To avoid getting spotted by these birds, tiny squirrel-like creatures skittered from rock to rock for cover.

The wide road ran parallel with a river, whose abundant spring water gushed vigorously. This road of tightly packed earth drew a brown line amidst the green of the grass.

And on it ran a lone motorrad (note: a motorcycle; only to mean that it cannot fly). It had two boxes on both sides of its rear wheel, on top of which was travel luggage.

Its rider was young, around mid-teens. Her black hair was topped with a hat with flaps that covered the ears, and she wore a pair of silver-framed goggles that was already peeling off in places.

It was the middle of the summer, but the air was chilly. The rider was wearing a black jacket fastened on the waist with a wide belt, and a hand persuader (note: a persuader is a gun, in this case a pistol) hung in its holster from her right thigh. An automatic persuader was fixed at the back of her waist.

To avoid overexerting the motorrad, and to prevent fatigue on her own body, the rider drove the motorrad leisurely.

As she rode, the rider observed the snow thaw with water seemingly clean enough to be drunk on the spot.

“When you are in a place where you can find plenty of clean and clear water—” the rider said. It has been quite a while since she has spoken.

“Yeah? What about it, Kino?” the motorrad asked with overt eagerness. The rider called Kino continued.

“Most of the time, it is difficult to get your hands on some firewood.”

“Oh, I see,” the motorrad replied. Indeed, the place they were currently navigating was too elevated for tall trees to grow in.

“On the contrary, dense forests are more likely than not to have murky water. Well, you can’t be in two places at once, as they say, Hermes.”

“Ah, in short, it’s a llama!”

Kino mused for a while before answering, “... a ‘dilemma’?”

“Yes, that’s it!” So said the motorrad called Hermes, who then fell quiet. After a while, he went on. “But there are places where you can have both, right?”

“From time to time, yes. —Even in a mountainous region like this, we should eventually see the edge of a forest once we descend this river. It would be really wonderful if the water of the river remains clean until then. That’s great news for us travelers.”

“But it won’t do if there are foxes nearby, right?”

“Yup, Echinococcus is scary.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a kind of parasite that foxes carry. According to Master, it can take up to ten years after the egg enters your body before the onset of the illness.”

“Talk about being patient. Rather than the one infected, won’t the parasite forget instead?”

“Maybe it has a sharp memory... Well, at least better than that of a certain someone who forgot what I just said last night, Hermes.”

“What did you tell me last night?”

“To get up early.”

“If it’s just that, then it’s not a matter of forgetting. It’s just a question of having the ability to do it or not.”

“Is that right...? Then why don’t we try keeping you up the whole night next time. Say, I’ll have water dripping on your tank overnight, or something.”

“Lack of sleep is a menace to the smooth functioning of a motorrad’s engine. I do not recommend it.”

“Loss of morning hours is a menace to travelers and fishermen too, you know.”

“Kino, fishing isn’t your forte.”

Just when Kino and Hermes’ conversation began to steer into incoherent topics, they reached a valley with a wide bend. Their destination skidded into their view.

“Walls spotted!”

“Country spotted!”

Hermes and Kino excitedly called out together.

Just ahead of the bend were the huge walls.

The walls made of grey stones stacked together obstructed the valley like a dam. The river was being directed into the country through a hole. The road beside it continues towards the gates.

“You know, there’s a rumor that the citizens of that country do not catch any disease until they die. At least that’s what the merchants and travelers who have visited it before told me.”

“Eh! If that’s true then it’s amazing! I wonder what kind of medical technology they have. Or maybe they use some kind of sorcery?”

“We’re going to find out.”

And so Kino and Hermes approached the gates.

——

The huge gates were shut tight.

And beside it stood a soldier holding a huge hatchet as his weapon.

Kino’s request for a three-day-stay was readily approved. The heavy gates slowly opened towards both sides, and Kino passed through it while pushing Hermes along.

The country was within the valley. The walls stood over the slopes on both sides, and stretched parallel with the valley. All over the land was an expanse of fields, a winding green belt that descended along with the hill road.

It was a long and narrow realm, reminiscent of a serpent. And its end was seemingly inexistent from where they stood.

Kino looked at the map they borrowed.

According to it, the river flowed at the center of the country, serving as the backbone of the farmlands that extend all across the land. It terminates into an enormous lake at the other side of the country.

This lake was the widest part of the valley, dammed up by the opposite end of the walls. The map indicated a town at the outskirts of the lake.

“Let’s go. It seems like it would take us some time,” Kino said, and set off once again.

The road going through the fields was paved. It has become much easier to drive on, so Kino speeded up. Overhead, a certain species of bird outsailed Kino and Hermes.

People doing farm work happily waved their hands at them, which Kino acknowledged by raising her left hand while she rode.

The people who toiled skilfully in the fields all wore clothes made of natural fiber. No machine aided their work; instead, small-built horses leisurely pulled the ploughs for them.

“Hmm, it looks like you won’t be getting supplies and fuel here,” Hermes observed.

“I’m prepared for that possibility,” Kino answered. “But... if their amazing medical technology is independent of scientific progress, what’s the secret behind their health?”

“Maybe there’s a medicinal plant here with incredible effects? And if you drink that Kino, you’ll be healthy your whole life!”

“I’d like to have some if that kind of thing does exist. Then again... I might not choose to drink it.”

“Well, it could be terribly expensive.”

“If that’s the case, it doesn’t explain why every single person here is healthy.”

“Oh, that’s right. It’s a mystery.”

Kino and Hermes ran through the meandering valley, and the landscape eventually transformed from fields, to a grassland filled with animals with camel-like necks, and finally to a bush forest.

In this forest with bushes that were cultivated for firewood, the citizens were scattered all over, drawing water from the river. There were others who walked in a queue as they felled shrubs and gathered them in bundles behind their horses. They descended the valley just like Kino and Hermes.

They gave way to their guests with smiles, and Kino and Hermes proceeded ahead. They passed through several stone huts, and by the time the big lake and the town adjacent to it came into view, the sun has already gone down a great deal.

—

The town was made entirely of stone.

The houses were made of the same material as the road’s pavement—stones stacked neatly in a geometric design that complemented the cobblestone pattern of the road.

Ahead was the mouth of the lake, filled with clean water to the brim. Eventually, it vanishes beyond the slopes of the descending valley. Along its shores were roads that lead towards the walls.

Kino and Hermes entered the town. There were several hundreds of people in it, everyone waiting for them with smiling faces.

When Kino alighted from Hermes, a fifty-year-old looking man stepped forward to greet them.

“Welcome traveler and motorrad. I am the oldest person in this country. As its representative, let me be your guide.”

“Thank you very much. I am Kino, and this here is my partner, Hermes.”

As she thanked the guide, she glanced at the people. Everyone was indeed younger than he is, and there was not a single old person in sight.

“Just how did the news about us reach you?” Hermes asked.

“Thanks to this guy here.”

The man pointed to a child. And on top of the child’s thick hat was a bird.

—

Kino and Hermes were guided to a house that was to serve as their lodgings.

It was on a slightly elevated area at the outskirts of the village. It offered a spectacular view of their surroundings; the mosaic-patterned town and the lake that looked like a blue mirror was visible with one sweep of the eye.

Just like the others, the house was made of stone, and its entrance had a thick cloth in place of a door. Upon parting it on both sides, the kitchen combined with the living room greeted them as soon as they entered. It was spacious enough for Hermes to be brought in. Further inside was the bedroom.

The shelves, tables and the rest of the furniture were all crafted from stone. Even the beds were built of piled stones, with thick felt serving as it cover. There was a warm-looking blanket made of animal hide, an oil lamp, and a water jug.

The citizens were very apologetic for not having any other lodgings for them, but Kino only politely thanked them.

Afterwards, Kino was invited for dinner. Together with the guide as well as a few adults who were the current leaders of the country, they surrounded a table under the evening sky, partaking of a simple dinner.

The lakeshore was made into an area akin to a park, with low stone chairs and tables lined up along it. On top of the clean fabric covering of the tables were stone plates, with kiln-baked bread and a pan-baked fish on them. Using a thin wooden stick, the meat was separated from the bones. The bones were collected, grounded into fine powder and stuffed inside the bread.

After the meal, Kino asked about the country.

She was told that the country’s forerunners were a seasonal nomadic tribe who decided to settle down in this land a long, long time ago.

They raised their grain and livestock during the short summer, and passed the extremely harsh winters in peace within their homes, subsisting on the food that they have kept in reserve. They have no such thing as a currency; work was apportioned among the people, and the produce was divided accordingly among them. They have lived this way for a long time without any change, and it was a quiet and peaceful country that finds no need for it.

And when Kino brought up the rumor about the citizens of the country being healthy until their deaths,

“Yes, you have heard right. The people of this country do not fall ill at all until they die,” the guide answered. Kino asked if it’s okay to learn about their secret.

“You’ve come at a perfect time. Tomorrow, we will show you everything.”

The guide answered with a smile.

—

The next morning, Kino woke up at dawn.

The temperature was exceedingly low, no different from winter in the lowlands. While still wearing her jacket and puffing out white air, Kino went out of the house to do her exercises.

The town and the lake were enveloped with a thin morning fog. It was as if the valley was mantled with a light silk that shook with the gentle breeze.

And even in this weather, many of the citizens were already awake and moving around. Some were taking the animals to graze, some have assembled to gather firewood, and others joined with setting seine nets in the lakes.

After her light exercises, Kino returned to wake Hermes up.

“...”

But when she was about to tap his tank, she stopped and instead, muttered to herself.

“Well, it’s about time to learn about the secret...”

“Let’s go!” Hermes immediately answered.

Kino grumbled with a disappointed look on her face. “It would be really nice if you’re always like this.”

“Don’t be stingy. This is the secret to health and long life we’re talking about!”

“Yeah, yeah... Well, let’s go have them tell us their secret.”

Kino straddled Hermes, and descended the hill without starting his engine.

They were welcomed by the people as soon as they reached the park, and eventually the guide arrived. After greetings, Kino was invited to a meal, and had fish once more as breakfast. However, the portions were much bigger compared to dinner.

By the time the sun has risen, the meal was over. Among the crowd surrounding the table, the guide turned to Kino and Hermes.

“Now then, it’s time to show you the secret to our health!”

“Yay! We’ve been waiting!” Hermes cheered, stirring up laughter among the townsfolk.

The guide stood up straight, then stretched his arms towards the blue sky, and spoke merrily.

“The secret to our lifelong health is the parasite dwelling inside our bodies! And today—I am to die!”

——

“...”

“What did he say?”

Kino was tongue-tied, while Hermes asked.

“Now then, let me explain from the beginning.”

The guide sat down with a thump.

Kino turned around and looked at the people, their expressions not changing the least bit, only watching attentively in amusement.

“…”

Kino then returned her gaze to the guide, who was, just like everybody else, smiling.

“… Please do.”

“Good. There are several reasons why our ancestors decided to live here. There was plenty of water, it was rich in stones, and crops can be grown in the land. But first and foremost, it was because they found a parasite living in here.”

“A parasite, you say… What kind?”

“It lives somewhere within our bodies, but no one really knows what kind of form it takes inside. It’s not like we can open up someone just to find out.”

“Of course…,” Kino agreed. Meanwhile Hermes asked,

“Surely you can see it when it comes out?”

“True. But, we’ll get to that later. —When our nomadic ancestors came upon this land one summer, half of them unknowingly got bitten by an insect. That’s where everything started.”

The guide continued, in a manner not unlike a speech.

“As winter came, our ancestors finally noticed—the difference between those who were stung by this insect and the rest of them. You see, it hardly comes as a surprise when people fall ill and die as a result of living in an environment as harsh as this. However, the people who got bitten obtained bodies that are invincible to disease.”

“And then?”

“What happened?”

“Our ancestors thought, ‘What if the bite of that insect was actually a good thing?’”

“I see…”

“Well, it’s only natural to think so!”

“Obviously we don’t have solid proof. So once summer arrived again, our ancestors searched for this insect. They found it near the nest of a wild animal. Afterwards, except for a few people who were still afraid of it, they deliberately got themselves bitten, and waited once more for winter to arrive.”

“And what happened?”

“What became of them?”

“It was an even harsher winter. There was very little food, and everyone suffered in hunger. But when this winter has come to an end—”

“…”

“Gulp.”

“Each and every one of those who were stung by the insect greeted spring without catching a single cold.”

“I see…”

“Experiment done!”

“That was centuries ago. Our ancestors decided to settle on this land for eternity, and began to build a country. They carved stone and built walls, created a dam, and built houses. Then they cultivated the land for growing crops.”

“And since then, everybody has enjoyed their lives in perfect health?”

“That’s right. Nobody here died of disease. Rarely, there are some who would get wounded, or burnt. But even then, they would get well eventually without need for medicine.”

“That’s amazing…”

“Sounds like an easy life, eh.”

“And just like that, time flowed by. Once a baby gets born, it will be bitten by the insect come summer. Because people who get sick disappeared, every single baby is brought up to adulthood. The mothers no longer have to give birth to plenty of children, like before. On the contrary, it has become necessary to control the number of births to avoid overpopulation. And this is now our country at present.”

“I see… Now I understand that you are working with a mysterious force of nature,” Kino said, and carried on,

“Then, what did you mean by ‘I am to die’…?”

—

“It’s just as I said. I am going to die today. That’s because today is my fiftieth birthday.”

“…?”

Kino tilted her head, and the man continued.

“When the host of the parasite turns fifty, it comes out of the body. And at that time, the host dies.”

“So…”

“You mean up to now, every single one of you here died at the age of fifty?”

To Hermes’ question, the man gave a firm nod, with an ever-present smile on his face.

“After they have decided to settle down, time passed by. After fifty years, the first batch of people who got stung by the insect died one after the other. They complained of hearing voices inside their head, and the morning of the next day…”

“…”

“Yes?”

While looking at Kino’s eyes and listening to Hermes’ voice, the man slowly stood up.

And then, in the midst of his people, he bellowed,

“Everyone, I thank you! It was a wonderful life! I was very happy!”

—

His voice echoed in the valley. The next thing they heard was the sound of the man’s collapsing body.

“…”

The man vanished from Kino’s sight. He vanished from in front of her as he dropped at the foot of table.

“Eh?”

At the same time as Hermes’ reaction, the people approached the man’s body, and several men carefully carried him up. Then they lay him down on the stone table right in front of Kino. With his palms facing upwards, they joined his hands together on top of his stomach.

Kino stood up and took a peek at the man’s face.

“…”

The man was no longer breathing. His eyes were closed and the expression on his face was peaceful, as if he was only asleep.

A man in his thirties appeared before Kino, and spoke with a calm tone.

“My father has died. From here on, I shall take over in explaining.”

—

This man looked much like the man who just died.

Only he looked like a younger version of the man.

“I get it! Mister, you’re the son of this mister here! Well, you said it yourself, though!” Hermes exclaimed.

“Please go ahead.”

“Yes. —Now then, please be seated. There’s still some time.”

As to what ‘time’ he was pertaining to, Kino had no idea. But Kino sat down as she was told, and the man also seated himself in front of her, with the dead man sandwiched between the two of them.

“Today my father turned exactly fifty. The moment he was born, he was bitten by the insect. He lived for fifty years, and now he has died. We understand everything. That’s why I, my family, and all of our people do not feel grief over this.”

“I see… So that’s the effect of that parasite…”

“Yes. That insect allows a person to achieve perfect health. But after fifty years, the mature insect comes out, ending its host’s life. Because the first ones who were bitten by this insect lived fifty years afterwards, we concluded that fifty years is the time it takes for this insect to reach maturity.”

Hermes asked, “When your ancestors first realized that, what did they do?”

The man answered. “I believe they made a comparison.”

“Comparison?”

“Yes. Between the harsh life they’ve lived until then and the stable life that has continued to this day.”

“Oh I see. It must have been really difficult for them before that.”

To make clear, Kino said, “In short, as a result of that comparison, after resigning themselves to the fate of living not a second longer than fifty years, they convinced the people, and everyone agreed to it…”

The man nodded.

“Exactly. There are plenty of ways to avoid the fate that this insect offers us, but we did not do any of them. —From then on, everyone here lived for exactly fifty years, then died. Right now I am thirty-five years old. I was born when my father was fifteen. And I have become a father at the age of fifteen as well. I have two children, and four grandchildren.”

“So that’s the secret to this country’s ‘lifelong health’...”

“Indeed. So now, what shall you do, Kino?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you so desire, you can live the next fifty years in perfect health.”

“…”

“We have shared this secret to plenty of travelers. And some of them have accepted our offer.”

“…”

“So, would you like to take it?”

Kino sent a firm gaze towards the man.

“I shall pass.”

And answered thus.

“We understand.”

“What about motorrads? I sure want to give it a try.”

While laughing at Hermes’ words, the man said,

“I regret to inform you… but we can’t help you with that. The parasite can only live inside living things.”

“Tsk! There’s plenty of space in my tank for it too!”

“Now then, Kino. We would like to show you something, so please move away a bit from father’s body,” the man said. Kino stood up and took several steps backward.

And in place, four girls who looked not much older than Kino approached the table, carrying babies in their arms.

They placed their sleeping children right beside the body of the dead man. They removed the infants from their swaddling and exposed the babies’ bellies.

And then the man approached his father’s corpse. With both hands, he carefully held up its chin and shifted it downwards. In short, he pulled the mouth wide open.

The people, as calm as ever, continued watching this spectacle. Kino looked at the people, then at the man, and then at the corpse.

Soon, the mouth of the corpse moved slowly. The opened lower jaw began to tremble little by little.

“…”

“…”

And right before the silent Kino and Hermes, a creature revealed itself from the corpse’s mouth.

Dripping with the dead man’s saliva, it was an insect of a light cream shade. It was roughly three centimeters in length. Among the insects Kino have seen in the past, the closest it resembled was a slug.

It crawled out from the corpse’s mouth with a slither.

The insect crept towards the upper lip, and climbed up the corpse’s nose. It stopped moving the moment it reached the highest point, then its back split into half.

In an instant, a crack raced through its body from tip to end, and from within appeared an insect of a different form. It could be called a bee, or a dragonfly, or a butterfly. It slowly spread open its four wings.

Its transparent wings twinkled as it dried underneath the sun. When they joined up together, it took on a dark hue.

After tens of seconds.

The wings absorbed the sun’s light, and glittered in a beautiful shade of emerald green.

The wings fluttered and produced a high-pitched buzz as it took to air. And with a sluggish movement, it floated just a little bit from the corpse and looked for a nearby landing spot.

The insect alighted on the belly of one of the babies placed around the corpse. There it pushed down the pointed end of its tail. After about three seconds, it floated once more, and headed towards the next baby.

“Is it laying eggs right now?” Hermes asked in a very soft voice.

“Yes. And it’s all right to speak aloud. This insect does not pay mind to anyone except for the closest living thing around it. Then it lays its eggs.”

The insect skipped the corpse, and went to the third baby, and eventually to the fourth baby. There too it laid its eggs, and spread its wings wide.

“Please look. —It’s at its limit.”

But its wings did not flap, and like a flag that has lost its wind, the insect collapsed without a sound.

One of the young mothers approached her child.

“I thank you. Your children are mine as well.”

And with these words, she thanked the dead insect lying on top of her baby’s stomach. Then she lightly picked up the insect and placed it on the palms of the dead man, which she gently closed. Finally, she fixed the swaddling of her baby and wrapped it in her embrace.

“It’s over. This is everything—our country’s practices, and what my father wished to show you. Last night, my father told me that he was very happy to have you witness his death today. It was nothing short of a miracle.

“We understand everything. Thank you very much.” She first thanked the man in front of them,

“Thank you very much.”

And then thanked the corpse, with its mouth still wide open.

Hermes asked, “I wonder what kind of insect that is? I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“We do not know. But what we do know is that it only exists in this valley, and that once it reaches maturity, it dies immediately after laying four eggs.”

“So for fifty years, it stays inside the human body as a larva, then comes out and dies as soon as it lays its eggs.”

“Yes. That’s why this insect is—”

The man declared with a joyful smile.

“Without a doubt, a citizen of this country.”

—

Kino and Hermes were also present in the man’s funeral.

The citizens all took a glimpse at the dead man’s face, and gently stroked his cheeks. None of them looked sad, or in tears.

Finally, Kino held her hat over her chest and offered a silent prayer. Afterwards, the body was placed inside a basket knit using materials from the bushes. This basket was carried by several men along the road beside the lake.

With Kino and Hermes following along, they proceeded to the deepest parts of the lake. Using stone weights, the corpse was submerged into the water.

“Underwater, a human becomes nutrition for the fish, which will in turn become food for us.”

Said the man who shall bear the same fate after fifteen years.

——

The morning of the next day, that is, the morning of the third day since they entered the country.

Kino and Hermes departed from the gates downstream the valley. Once they descended the zigzagging path, the road will once again lead to the bottom of the valley.

Kino stopped Hermes and turned around. She looked at the towering dam blocking the valley, the waterway beside it that allows the river to flow out of the country, and the waterfall that gushes from it.

After acknowledging the guards and the citizens waving their hands in farewell from the top of the dam, Kino launched off.

The river flowed alongside the road once more, heading to the bottom of the valley.

While riding comfortably, Hermes spoke,

“You ended up declining their offer, Kino. Even though it was completely free.”

“Because of the fifty-year limit.” Kino’s eyes narrowed slightly underneath her goggles. “I wonder if fifty years is too short…”

“Well, maybe. No, I’m sure it is,” Hermes said in complete agreement.

“If a lot of people finds out about this, what do you think would happen? —I’ve been thinking about that.”

“Hmm… I guess people who desire perfect health will come here in hoards?”

“If that happens, there may be a mad scramble for it.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“And those who obtain it—”

“Yeah?”

“Will probably have their lives targeted.”

Upon hearing Kino’s answer, Hermes replied, “You bet! They’ll probably be torn to pieces while still alive. Either way, we don’t know if things will go well for them.”

“Many people wish they have paid more attention to their health just before they die, after all.”

“Like those people who take their health for granted and end up being seriously sick?”

“I wonder. They say those who experience grave illnesses take better care of their bodies and end up living longer, you know?”

“Then won’t they regret it after all? Won’t they think, ‘I don’t want to die tomorrow in exchange of having perfect health for fifty years! I wish I did not do it back then!’?”

Kino only responded to Hermes with a light shrug.

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