Kino no Tabi:Volume15 Chapter5

「Land of Journalists」—How to Be a Liar—

On a certain summer day.

As Kino and Hermes were entering a country, the customs officer said, "The name 'Kino' is pretty popular for travelers, huh?"

Kino responded, "I'm not sure, but... I don't think it's that common."

"Is that so...? But your age and sex are different, so I assume you're different people." And with that, the officer gave them permission to enter the country.

"What was that about?" Hermes tilted his neck in confusion. Of course, Hermes doesn't have a neck, that was just a figure of speech.

"Who knows." Leaving it at that, Kino entered the country.

—

"Traveler, you said your name was 'Kino'...? So then — Ah, no, your height and sex are different, aren't they... I beg your pardon. Let me show you to your room." The hotel receptionist was shocked.

"Eh? Your name is 'Kino'... Oh, excuse me. You're young, and even though you look like a boy, you're actually a girl. Ahh, that startled me," said an employee when they went shopping for underwear.

"Eh! 'Kino'? Aahhh!" The children at the park asked Kino what her name was, and when she replied, they screamed and ran away at full speed.

"Hmm..."

"This is weird."

Kino and Hermes decided to get to the bottom of this mystery.

—

The next day.

Kino left early in the morning and asked a policeman for directions.

"Ahh, go straight down that road and take a right at the end. You'll see it soon," the policeman replied cheerfully.

"By the way, my name is Kino."

Once she said that, the policeman pulled out his radio and said something, possibly a request for backup.

He stared hard at them.

Kino and Hermes asked the policeman why they'd been getting that kind of response ever since they entered this country, and once he explained, they understood.

"A famous journalist from our country once wrote a book about a traveler named 'Kino'," he said.

Kino asked, "What was it like?"

"The traveler known as 'Kino' wore a brown coat, and was tall, male, and a murderer."

"A... murderer?"

"Yeah. He killed tons of people in his home country, but that wasn't enough, so he left on a journey. He would quietly kill people in the countries he visited and leave before they could catch him. A cunning and merciless man."

"Aha, so that's why everyone's afraid of Kino!" Hermes exclaimed.

"That's right. Of course, I can see that you're not him."

"Okay, but you still picked up your radio just now — That was to report in about 'Kino', wasn't it? Kino went through customs and was allowed in, you know? Is this how you treat someone that legally came into your country and hasn't committed any crimes?"

"You're right, please forgive my rudeness."

Once Hermes was done berating the policeman, Kino asked, "What was that journalist like?"

"Uhh, he's a man in his fifties that user to be a newspaper reporter. He's probably the single most famous journalist in this country. Probably everyone in this country knows him. He's written a lot and he's also been on the radio several times."

"Where did the story about the traveler 'Kino' come from?"

"About ten years ago, he wrote a book called 'The True Face of a Murderer'. It was sensational, a huge best seller. With that, he won the nation's most prestigious journalism award, and that paved the way for him becoming a freelance journalist."

"Can you be more specific about the book itself?"

"He was able to get an interview with 'Kino' right after he came here, which he collected into a book. It was a collection of stories about 'Kino's murders that showed what goes on in a serial killer's head. He was planning to kill a bunch of people in this country too, but the journalist told him that the police here are exceptional, and advised him against it."

"Is that book still being sold?"

"Oh of course!"

"One more question. Has that journalist written any new books lately?"

"No, not really."

—

Kino and Hermes went to a bookstore, where they bought "The True Face of a Murderer", and then they went back to the hotel to read it. It was quite rare for Kino to buy a book.

Just as the policeman had described, the traveler 'Kino' had visited several countries to torture and kill people. He was a cruel, merciless man who found pleasure in the murders. He was also tall and he wore a brown coat.

Kino called the publisher on the phone and asked them to deliver a message to the journalist, "I am a traveler named Kino. Your book was very interesting, but since I happen to have the same name, visiting this country has kind of troublesome."

The publisher soon delivered a response from the journalist, "I must ask your forgiveness for your troubles. If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to apologize to you in person at my home. At the same time, I'd also like to cover your story."

"Alright," Kino seemed happy.

Hermes asked, "Okay, time to prep. Do you have enough bullets?"

Kino laughed, "I'm not going to shoot him — I don't need to."

—

The next day, the third day since Kino entered the country.

Kino left for the journalist's house in the morning.

It was quite a splendid-looking house out in the suburbs.

There were gruff bodyguards outside the house, who did a baggage check before allowing anyone inside. They insisted on taking Kino's persuaders and knifes, anything that looked like a weapon, and even her luggage.

They led Kino and Hermes to a large room, where they met the journalist. He was a middle-aged man with glasses. At his command, the bodyguards left the room, leaving just the two humans and the one motorrad.

After they greeted each other, the man thanked Kino for giving up all of her weapons, a bit arrogantly. "You know, with my line of work, there are sometimes those that seek me harm."

Then the man launched into a long speech about his life's mission, and how the pen of justice could never be broken, and whatever.

Kino half-listened for a while, and then she said, "I only came here today for one reason. I don't want you to cover my story, I want you to pay me."

"Hmm? Whatever do you mean?" The man looked at Kino with disdain.

"The book you wrote about 'Kino the Serial Killer' — I know that wasn't true."

The man's face changed when he heard that.

Kino continued, unsympathetically, "You see, he's from the same country as me. All travelers from my country introduce themselves as 'Kino'. When we visit a country and they say, 'Oh, your name is Kino too?' we can tell who has gone where, and sometimes where someone has passed away."

"…"

"The 'Kino' that fits your description returned to my country before I left, and he's not the type of person to do that sort of thing. Oh, and by the way —"

Kino took out the brown coat. Since it was summer, she didn't need to wear it, and it was neatly folded up.

"This is the coat he wore, isn't it? It's customary in my country to wear this when you leave on a journey, for the same reasons we all call ourselves 'Kino'."

"…"

"I'm not interested in exposing your lies or trying to threaten you. Actually, it's the opposite. Just like with the previous 'Kino', you can write whatever you want about me. But I want to be paid for it, just a little something I can use for travel expenses."

"…"

"Like maybe I was another serial killer, or maybe I destroyed an entire country by myself; I don't care what kind of sensational lies you come up with, so go ahead. I'll just take my payment and then leave this country. How does that sound?"

"…"

"If you aren't interested, you can just pretend this conversation never happened. Of course, like I already said, I'm not planning to go around telling people the truth. No one would believe me anyway, since I don't have any proof. I just want the same thing you do."

"…Which is?"

"Business. Lying for profit."

—

That evening.

Kino and Hermes left the country.

As they were leaving, the border guard noted, "That's a lot of luggage you've got there."

On Hermes's rear rack, there was a new cloth bag resting on top of their usual baggage.

"I bought lots of goods, like your country's outstanding pottery. I'll sell it in the next country."

"Well that's quite something."

"I just have one last request."

"What would that be?"

"I heard that your guard station here doubles as a post office. Please send these to each of your country's news companies."

Kino held out several small packages.

The guard looked a bit suspicious. "They're not... bombs or anything, right?"

"They're not, but you can check if you want. Just letters with cassette tapes. But —"

"But?"

"It might become an explosive topic."

—

Kino and Hermes talked as they drove leisurely down the road, hidden in the forest.

"Kino, I'm sorry but no more hiding recording devices in my fuel tank. It's kind of like how humans say 'I've got a frog stuck in my throat'"

"Okay. We won't do that anymore. Next time... maybe I'll hide a bunch of cash there instead."

"Did you get that from a movie? — Do you think they'll actually report what you recorded the journalist saying?"

"I don't know. That's all up to the judgment of the news companies. If they think it'll be good for business, they'll report it, and if they think it's no good, they won't," Kino concluded.

After a little while, Hermes spoke up again, "Do you think that will — restore the honor of a dead man?"

"I don't know," Kino responded immediately.

"Nothing's easier than badmouthing someone that's not there, huh."

"Seriously. Anyone can do it."

Translator’s Notes

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