Kino no Tabi:Volume14 Chapter9
Land of Discrimination — We Are NOT Like Us. —[edit]
Some day, some time.
Kino and Hermes had arrived at a country. And the moment they entered it,
“You’re not a Zumtrattaran by any chance are you? For sure?”
They were pressed to answer this question by the immigration officer.
“Well, since I don’t have the slightest idea what a ‘zum-something’ is, I don’t think I am.”
And with this answer, Kino and Hermes were immediately given permission to enter.
The afternoon of the same day, Kino and Hermes decided to take a short break,
“I highly doubt it, but just to make sure, you’re not a Zumtrattaran are you, traveler?”
They were asked sternly, this time by a woman peddling some ice cream. Kino denied it like before, and the woman became very relieved.
As Hermes couldn’t eat, he asked a question in place of Kino who was busy with her ice cream.
“Um, just what is this ‘Zumtrattaran’ that we keep hearing about?”
“They are the people living in a country up north—a filthy and disgusting bunch!” the woman declared, her tone becoming coarse.
While silently licking her raspberry ice cream, Kino concentrated on the conversation between Hermes and the woman.
“Oh. It seems those guys are pretty unpopular around here.”
“Why of course… I refuse to consider those Zumtrattarans as fellow human beings. They’re stingy, stinky, cowardly, and despite all of those they still got the nerve to be haughty! I wouldn’t want to be put together with them.”
“Heh, sure is something.”
“Well, the point is, every one of us here hate them! You know, ‘Zumtrattaran’ means ‘failure as human beings’ in our old language.”
“Oh, I see. Lady, have you met one of them before?”
“As luck may have it, I have never met them myself! And honestly, I would never want to meet one, ever. I’ll probably end up looking away.”
After finishing her ice cream, Kino went astride Hermes and rode around the country.
And as they did, they heard more about the Zumtrattarans.
In one instance, a child who did not listen to his parents ran out to the road.
‘If you do stupid things like that, you’ll turn into a Zumtrattaran someday!’
‘I’m sorry… I don’t want to become a Zumtrattaran…’
And in another occasion, a worker who made a blunder in his work was scolded by his superior.
‘See here, I don’t want to work together with a Zumtrattaran? I’m sure you understand.’
‘I’m terribly sorry! I’m not a Zumtrattaran! I’ll definitely prove it!’
And in yet another incident,
‘I wonder if you’re one of those Zumtrattarans? My eyes are pretty bad, you see. Though, I would be glad if you’re not.’
‘N-no… I’m not a Zumtrattaran… That was really rude…’
And on another occasion, a man fell clumsily on his butt and was consequently told,
‘Are you okay? You’ll get laughed at by Zumtrattarans you know. Here take my hand.”
‘Thanks. Ah, darned Zumtrattarans!”
“Kino, these ‘Zumtrattarans’ are famous here one way or the other. Everyone sure loves them!”
“I’m not so sure myself if you’re actually wrong about that…”
Kino and Hermes have just finished sightseeing and had arrived at the hotel.
In the entrance hall,
[Stray dogs and Zumtrattarans not allowed inside.]
They saw a signboard with this message written on it.
Two days later,
Kino and Hermes have left the country.
While tracing the lone road heading north, they encountered a walking man, burdened with his traveling luggage.
“Yeah, that’s my country. I’m on my way home now. Among our people, I’m about the only one who would dare go on traveling out of the country though.”
Finding the perfect opportunity, Kino asked.
“Um, about the Zumtrattarans—”
“Oh, you’re talking about the people mocked, loathed, and looked down on in our country, right?”
“Do you know anything about them?”
“Yeah. I was curious to know what kind of country it is, so I travelled north, and arrived there in no time. That country is…”
“Is what?” “How was it?”
Kino and Hermes asked, and the man immediately answered.
“It’s a normal country. This country’s customs are different from mine, but that’s about it. All of those rumors were just lies.”
“I see.” “I see.”
“But there is just one thing my home country has in common with them,” the man grinned.
“And that is?” “And that is?”
“In that country’s language, the word ‘Bettaramnyuttan’ stands for ‘creatures lacking intellect’. And every day, they ridicule them as a way to watch their own behavior!”
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