Kino no Tabi:Volume14 Epilogue
"Amidst the Rising Sun · a" — the Dawn · a —[edit]
“You want me to be your bodyguard?”
“Yes, Kino. I believe I could count on your skills, and also because you’re female. I’d like it if you could escort me and my two other friends on our journey. We’re all women.”
“Can you be more specific…? Where are you planning to go?”
“We intend to go out of the country to climb the mountainous regions in the east.”
“How are you planning to go there? As you climb higher in the mountains, the forests will be full of nothing but snow. Do you know that?”
“We have a snow tractor fitted with caterpillar tracks. That’s about the only vehicle that can ascend those snowy mountains. There’s a route laid out going all the way to the east. We can use that.”
“And then?”
“And then, we’ll proceed along the mountainous regions through a valley. If everything goes well, we’ll reach the snowy plains in three days or less. Then we’ll come back. It will take seven to ten days at most.”
“Is there anything so dangerous that you’d require a bodyguard?”
“Well, there are no bandits in this area. But brown bears and snow leopards are known to come out in the mountains. Countless travelers that have gone there have been attacked, so everyone was forbidden to enter the mountains on foot or on horseback. And even if you climb with a snow tractor, there’s a condition that at least one in your group is skilled in firing a rifle. There shouldn’t be any problems if we have with us a traveler who is used to the outdoors. Furthermore, we are all women.”
“I see… So you picked me…”
“Yes! When we heard about you, we thought we found the person we have been looking for! You’re planning to leave the country the day after next, right? We can join you then.”
“You have everything prepared?”
“Of course! We have been saving money since ten years ago. We also trained ourselves in driving the snow tractor. All that is left is for us to employ a bodyguard and we could set off.”
“You couldn’t find anyone in this country?”
“Unfortunately, no. There are many who could be bodyguards, but they’re all men.”
“I see.”
“We’ll pay you with fuel, food, and other supplies. We’ll also provide your food and ammunition while you’re on duty.”
“Let me set that aside for the moment, and ask you one question.”
“Go ahead.”
“What about my partner?”
“Your motorrad? You can leave him here in the country. But if you don’t want that, we can also bring him along in the snow tractor. There’s plenty of space for him in the carrier.”
“Okay. I guess I can manage with that. Leaving him behind is out of the question. He’d be angry with me.”
“So will you do it?”
“I’m not promising anything. But if you tell me your plan and show me the map, I’ll give it a thought.”
“Thank you! Then can we meet tomorrow noon in your hotel? I’ll take everyone with me, and bring the plans. Of course, we’ll treat you to lunch!”
“Sure. I’ll be waiting. By the way, there’s one more thing—”
“In short, we’ll meet up tomorrow at lunch.”
“I see. If you’re fine with it, then so am I. Travelling in the snow isn’t so bad. I don’t mind being the cargo from time to time.”
“I haven’t decided yet. I only agreed to hear their plans.”
“So, what’s all this for? Why are they willing to go through so much trouble, and spend all the money they have saved for ten years? What are they planning to do after getting to those snowy plains?”
“I asked that too. I didn’t think there would be anything special in that kind of place.”
“What did they say?”
“I was floored. You will be surprised, Hermes. And amazed too.”
“Really? So what’s the answer?”
“Dawn.”
“Huh?”
“They wanted to see the dawn. They said they wanted to lay eyes—even once in their whole life—on the sun as it rises from the horizon.”
“What? But here—, oh right, they can’t see it from this country.”
“Exactly. The east is blocked by the mountains, and the mornings are foggy and rainy all year round. No one in this country has ever seen a sunrise since they were born.”
“And so they’ll devote ten long years all for the sake of seeing it. And to think you’ve been enjoying clear mornings your whole life Kino.”
“What’s ‘natural’ to me may not be so for other people, Hermes.”
“Kino. You were lying a minute ago, huh?”
“Eh? Which part?”
“When you said you only agreed to listen to their plans. —The truth is, you have no intention to turn them down. You wanted to show them how the morning sun looks like.”
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