Kino no Tabi:Volume5 Chapter10

“Land of Illness” — For You —

The scenery in and out of the walls was the same.

It was a rough terrain spanned by brown mountains, without a single blade of grass growing on it. Only the endless stretch of high walls seemed to have sprouted from the ground, both of its sides sporting unchanging scenery.

Underneath the clear, almost transparent sky was a single road. It was a simple road made from hardened earth that was freed from stones. It weaved its way through the valley.

On this road ran a lone motorrad (Note: A two-wheeled vehicle. Only to note that it cannot fly). It rode with the morning sun behind it, its rear wheels raising a brown cloud of dust as it went on.

Instead of a back seat, the motorrad was fitted with a carrier, tied on top of which was a bag and a sleeping bag among other things. Two more black boxes were attached on either side of its rear wheel.

The rider wore a brimmed hat with ear flaps and a worn pair of silver-framed goggles. A bandana for protection against the cold was wrapped around her face. She wore a brown coat, the excess hem of which was rolled up to her thighs.

“Kino, this is such a dreary place. Both the atmosphere and the scenery,” the motorrad said as it ran.

“I guess so. There’s nothing here at all,” the rider called Kino answered.

“This doesn’t look anything like a country’s interior…. Have we really entered the country?”

“We have. The inspection booth was unmanned, though.”

“I wonder what sort of country this is? Maybe the citizens abandoned civilized living and decided to live in obscurity inside caves? That sounds interesting, if that’s the case.”

“But you know, Hermes, I heard that this country is so advanced that the people could stay inside buildings their whole lives. And also, that it was a very clean and beautiful country…,” Kino said.

“That’s definitely a lie,” the motorrad called Hermes replied confidently.

“That can’t be. That person said he left the country because it was too clean…. It’s just that I didn’t hear anything about those unmanned walls. I was only told that right in the middle of the wilderness, there should be a tall building and a dome visible along with the walls.

“And where is it?”

“Who knows?”

Kino dropped her speed when approaching a curve, and accelerated when the path went straight. After passing through the side of one mountain, another mountain appeared in its shadow.

“Maybe we’re lost?” Hermes asked out of boredom.

“Nope, that can’t be,” Kino denied.

After arguing back and forth for a while, they both fell silent. They only continued to run indifferently amidst the unchanging scenery.

It was about noon when the walls they were aiming for suddenly came in sight. It was when Kino and Hermes came out from the shadow of a vast mountain.

—

“See, I told you.”

“I see. So it wasn’t a lie after all.”

At the very heart of the wilderness, a tall building and a dome could be seen along with the walls.

From outside, the walls made of old stone looked as if it was coated with something that reflected light. Three enormous buildings stood out well above the walls, surrounded with a group of smaller buildings. The buildings were connected to each other with passages suspended in the air. Below them was a glass dome covering the entire country. The country looked like a huge fort.

At the gates, there were several uniformed officers and soldiers waiting for Kino and Hermes. They greeted Kino and Hermes with a smile.

Kino informed them of her wish to stay inside the country for three days. In response, they gave her a warm welcome, and told her that the country will bear all the expenses during her stay on one condition: that Kino, Hermes, and everything they brought with them will undergo a thorough cleaning. When Kino asked how it will be done,

“You will have to take a shower, Miss Kino. Meanwhile, your clothes will be washed. Also, Mr. Hermes will be sent to the car wash, while all of your belongings, from that big bag to the tiniest needle you have, will be cleaned and disinfected. Of course, you’ll have to list down all of your belongings and we will return them all to you afterwards.”

Kino contemplated for a while before accepting. Hermes voiced out his reluctance, but gave up since there was nothing they could do about it.

A while passed.

After undergoing various procedures, Kino and Hermes finally passed through the walls.

Kino was clad in her black jacket, fastened with a wide belt on the waist. On her right thigh and behind her waist were holsters containing hand persuaders (Note: A persuader is a gun. In this case, a pistol). There was not a speck of dust on her jacket, holsters, and the persuaders inside them.

The coat, which used to be covered in dust, was draped on top of the bag on the carrier, as good as new.

Not only was Hermes washed with water and disinfectant, all of his parts were also polished, and glittered like a mirror.

Kino muttered in front of a huge mirror.

“We have never been this clean before in our lives…”

“Say, what if we don’t leave this place? I don’t want to get dusty every day anymore,” Hermes said as the last door opened.

—

“This is the city. The majority of our population lives here.”

The guide waiting for Kino and Hermes beside the door explained as they entered.

Inside the walls of the so-called city was a clean and orderly space. The well-maintained roads ran through paved city blocks, with buildings lined up along them. Just above the roughly forty-storey buildings was the glass dome covering the entire country.

“With that dome, harmful light rays are intercepted. The window panes of the buildings do the same. The light and air inside the country are all regulated, and the temperature and humidity are adjusted according to the time and place. It’s not cold, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.” Kino opened the collar of her jacket.

“Oh, yes. Please attach this to Mr. Hermes,” the guide said, and showed them two box-shaped objects the size of a dictionary. Kino asked what they were.

“It’s probably a device that can purify exhaust gas. And the other must be a muffler. I thought they would definitely give us something like this,” Hermes answered, and Kino gave an impressed look. The guide skillfully attached the muffler to Hermes. “With this, it will be all right even if you run using your engine. There are even places inside buildings were cars are allowed to run. There are elevators inside the buildings, so please ride those. And also, here’s a map. This is all you need to give back once you leave the city.”

“Understood.”

Kino looked at the small gadget handed to her. A manual and their present location appeared on the screen.

The guide continued. “I believe you’ve seen the walls beyond this place. That was built around ten years ago after we expanded our territory. The original country came to be called the ‘city’, while the new territory became known as the ‘countryside’.”

“A territory? You mean there are people who live in that wasteland?” Hermes asked.

“Yes, there are. However, there’s really very few of them. Several groups of people live in villages scattered all over the place. These people are called ‘pioneers’. They volunteered to live in groups, and work to reclaim the wasteland.”

“Even though they could live inside this place?” Kino asked. The guide gave her a faint smile.

“That’s exactly why. Just as you’ve seen, everyone in our country is guaranteed a clean and comfortable place to live in. But as a result, many people longed for life alongside nature, above genuine soil and under the real sun.”

“I see.”

“The pioneers consist of family units. Among many volunteer families, only a handful who successfully passed health inspections and proficiency exams were chosen. After training, they set off to build the new country. It’s a real honor. Our special military forces who likewise went through a special screening served as their escort. After the reclamation, the land will be used as farmlands for self-sufficient villages. It will take a long time, but they are planning to make it into something different from the city. It was also an experiment to test whether our people, who have become delicate due to our way of life, could endure life amidst harsh nature.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And that’s why the pioneers are the ‘elite among the elite’ of our country. To tell you the truth, I also dreamed of living in the countryside to help in building the new country. But it’s impossible for normal people like me. I’ll probably faint if I see a wild lizard or a caterpillar; I wouldn’t be able to work at all!”

The guide smiled. “Yes. And I’m sure travelers like you will receive glances of admiration from everyone. You will get meal invitations left and right. You’d better expect them. It’s up to you whether you accept someone’s invitation based on how they look or the kind of food they offer you,” the guide said happily.

“The type and the quantity of food. At least for Kino,” Hermes added.

—

Kino rode Hermes after parting with the guide before the gates.

Anywhere you look, the town was free from dirt and cracks.

Before Kino and Hermes arrived at the hotel, they received twelve invitations to dine. They turned them all down at the meantime.

The hotel was a single, high-rise building. They were guided, and rode a glass elevator. They were treated to a breathtaking view of the wilderness while they made their way to the room in the highest floor.

“It’s too roomy…. What do they use it for?” Kino muttered after the hotel boy left.

“It’s perfect. You can do your shooting practice here,” Hermes said.

Kino soon began to take down the luggage from Hermes, when the doorbell rang. A middle-aged man wearing a suit, and a woman who looked like his wife, appeared from a big monitor on the wall.

The man spoke. [Good day, miss traveler. I am this hotel’s owner. I called with my wife because we would like to request something from you. Will you spare us some of your time?]

Kino showed the couple inside. Still confused, Kino offered them a nearby table and chair. The two thanked her and sat down.

After introductions,

“Have you committed yourself to have lunch with someone tomorrow?” the owner asked. Both of them had serious expressions on their faces.

“No,” Kino answered. Upon hearing this, the two entreated her to accept their invitation, saying that they would do anything for her in return.

Kino asked them why they were willing to go to such lengths.

“We have a daughter who has been ill for a long time. We would like you to tell her stories about your travels,” the wife answered.

—

The next morning.

As always, Kino woke up at dawn.

She performed her light exercises, then proceeded with her persuader training. She called the revolver on her right thigh ‘Canon’, and the slim automatic behind her waist, ‘Woodsman’. She practiced quick draw with both, then disassembled and cleaned them. Afterwards, she took a shower in the spacious bathroom.

When the sun has risen, Kino ordered breakfast to be sent to her room. Perhaps due to the owner’s orders, a splendid meal in large quantities came.

After her meal, Kino bitterly saw off what remained of the food.

“Cheapskate. You’ll get to eat lunch after, too!” Hermes, who woke up unnoticed, said from behind.

—

Kino straddled the luggage-free Hermes, and rode through the city.

Hermes was all praises for the roads and the buildings’ structures.

“Hmm. Is that so?” It couldn’t be discerned from Kino’s reply whether she agreed or not.

Even during their sightseeing, they received invitations everywhere. Kino declined on the merit of their previous engagement, and continued.

When it was almost noontime, Kino arrived at the place the owner indicated in the map the previous day. It was a big, white building built in a place a bit far from the center of the country. The buildings around it were reduced on purpose, to create an unrestricted atmosphere. A signboard told them that it was the ‘First National Hospital’.

The couple welcomed them when they came in. As they thanked her again, Kino removed her hat. Then they were guided to the room where the couple’s daughter ‘resided’.

—

The room was lined up with wooden furniture that gives off an air of history and refinement. The ambience of the room was like that of an old mansion.

A young girl in her early teens was sitting on a large bed with lace curtains draping from the pillars and the roof.

Her skin was white. Almost everyone in this country had fair skin, but this girl’s skin was even paler, pure white like that of bleached paper. She had long, blond hair that hung down to the bed, and blue eyes in her thin face.

She wore a thin, pink cardigan on top of pajamas patterned with blue and red tomatoes.

The girl was reading a letter she held with both hands. She read it with narrowed eyes.

When she heard the knock on the door, the girl carefully folded the letter and put it inside an envelope. Then she opened a box on her bedside and placed it inside.

“Please come in.” The door automatically opened in response to the girl’s voice.

—

“I am Kino. This here is my partner, Hermes.”

Kino introduced.

“I’m Inertia. It’s nice to meet you, Miss Kino, Mr. Hermes. I heard about you from my mother. Thank you for coming all the way to my room.”

The girl stood up, lightly picked up the hem of an imaginary dress, and curtsied.

“Thank you for your courtesy,” Kino placed her hand on her chest and bowed. Kino wore her white shirt. Her persuaders and their holsters were tucked neatly in her jacket and tied on Hermes’ carrier.

Kino propped Hermes on his center stand in front of the bed, and seated herself.

“Please don’t hold back. You see, Kino was promised a grand meal and new ammunition, while I will be given high quality oil, plugs, and fuel. It’s give-and-take,” Hermes said.

Inertia laughed. “I was surprised. When I heard about a traveler riding a motorrad, I was… expecting someone who looked wild and older.”

“If what you mean by ‘wild’ is someone rough-mannered, then you got the right person,” Hermes said, and Kino gave a twitchy smile.

Inertia looked at Kino with her azure eyes. “Will you tell me stories about your travels?”

“Sure. I came here for that reason,” Kino said.

—

Lunch was carried into the room, and Kino dined together with Inertia and the couple.

Kino and Hermes told them stories about their travels. Not only Inertia, but even her parents listened with deep interest.

After the meal. The parents left the hospital room regretfully, saying that they had to return to work.

Only Kino, Hermes, and the owner of the room were left.

Kino and Inertia sat with the table between them, and Hermes on the left side. There was a platter of fruits, tea cups and a teapot on the table.

“Thank you very much for sparing some of your time for me. I had so much fun. I’m sure everybody in the country would have wanted to listen to your stories, since it was a long time since a traveler ever came here…,” Inertia said.

Kino shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. It was just as Hermes said.”

“But other people might have been more generous…,” Inertia said, looking troubled.

“Or not. Right now, we may be saying to ourselves, ‘It would’ve have been better if we accepted that other invitation…’”

“That’s true. Besides, you’re sick for two years now. You wouldn’t be punished for having a little fun, right?”

Kino and Hermes quickly said, and the girl slowly smiled.

“Do you know about my illness?” Inertia asked, still smiling.

Kino answered, “We heard from your father. Since a long time ago, a certain proportion of the population, regardless of age, would get this mysterious illness. A cure or vaccine has yet to be found. But only recently, they developed a drug that could delay the progress of the disease. It seems like it won’t take a long time before they finally find a cure.”

“That’s right. ——Soon, that medicine will be completed, and I will take it. Then, I can finally go home to our house and go to school again.”

“Yup.”

“That’s right.”

“Maybe everyone from my old school still remembers me… or maybe they have forgotten about me already. They might get surprised when they see me. Maybe I can play with everyone again soon. But I don’t really care about playing. I will study and train hard to be able to go to the countryside someday.

“Oh? You want to go out there?” Hermes asked. Inertia smiled and nodded.

“Your parents don’t know about that, do they?” Kino said. Inertia was slightly surprised.

“Yes. … So you realized it.”

“It’s because you didn’t show that attitude before while we were telling you stories. If anything, it’s your parents who looked as if they’re ready to abandon their jobs to go out there.”

“Ahahaha. That may be true. My father and my mother also longed to live in the countryside after all. But since there’s the hotel, it’s not possible. I couldn’t even imagine what they would say if I told them that I wanted to go.”

“You want to do farm work?” Kino asked.

“There’s that… but more importantly, there’s someone I would like to meet. I wanted to thank that person once we see each other.”

“But… your parents don’t know about that person, right?” Hermes said.

“No…,” Inertia answered with a small voice.

“What kind of person? Eh?” Hermes asked immediately.

“Um… please keep it a secret from my parents, okay? No, please don’t tell anyone!” Inertia boldly declared, shaking her blond head. Her white cheeks were stained red ever so slightly.

“Okay. This will not escape this room.”

“Understood.”

Kino and Hermes agreed. Inertia’s face quickly lit up.

Inertia stood up and headed to the bed. She opened the box on her bedside and took out a book the size of a dictionary. It was a diary. It was carefully bound, and locked with a key.

She opened the diary with the key. There were several letters placed in between the pages.

“I keep in touch with someone in the countryside. These are all the letters I received from that person.”

“A boy? Or a girl?” Hermes asked.

“It’s… a boy,” Inertia answered clearly. And continued, “His name is Logue. He’s the same age as me. Right now, he lives in a pioneer village together with his family.”

“A friend from your school? I heard that only a few were selected as pioneers,” Kino asked. Inertia shook her head.

“We met purely by chance. One year ago, he went to the hospital for the medical examination of the volunteers. I was looking at the countryside from the observation deck, when he suddenly jumped up, pointed at the countryside, and shouted, ‘I see it! I’ll definitely go there!’”

“Uh-huh.”

“He was not supposed to be in there. And while I looked at him in surprise, the nurses came to take him away…. Then I quickly told them, ‘That person is my friend.’”

“Way to go!” Hermes praised. Inertia returned a coy look.

“He thanked me, and then we gazed at the scenery together for a long time. He told me that living in the countryside was his ultimate dream. He talked about it passionately. Back then we promised each other that he would pass the exams and live there, and that I would do my best to get well from my illness.”

“And then you started writing letters to each other.”

“Yes. So that it wouldn’t be too much trouble for us both, we decided to send only one page each month. In his second letter, he wrote that he and his family were able to pass the assessment, and that they would soon start living in the newly-built village! I was really happy for him. He told me that if we tried hard enough, our dreams will really come true…,” The girl spoke, her blue eyes sparkling. “Soon after, he moved to the countryside with his family. After a while, a letter came saying, ‘This place was more amazing than I thought. I’ll try my best!’ We continued to exchange letters every month. In his letter three months ago, he told me that the first child has been born in the village. In the one two months ago, he said that he was completely fine even though an insect landed on his food. And in his latest letter, he told me that fifty tomato seedlings have grown in their greenhouse, and that he was having fun helping with the work every day. ——He’s doing his best to make his dreams come true. And so, I have to do my best to fight my illness too. I feel bad for a while after I drink my medicine. But when that happens, I read his letters. They fill me with courage. Humans are weak alone, but I believe that when they encourage each other, they can do anything!” Inertia spoke ecstatically.

“That’s right! Kino, you should go find yourself a boyfriend too!” Hermes teased.

“Mind your own business,” Kino said.

After Inertia and Kino’s laughter subsided,

“When I get better, I will take the qualification exam and permission to go the country. I want to try living in that village and eat tomato grown from real soil. It’s my dream.”

“I hope they complete that medicine soon,”

“Yeah,”

Kino and Hermes said.

“Yes. I’m sure everything will be all right. I believe the future will head to a good direction if we work hard. I’m sure it will be all right. I’m sure of it,” the white-skinned girl said.

—

“Miss Kino, Mr. Hermes, I have one request.”

The winter sun was beginning to set, and the light penetrating the glass dome was automatically regulated.

“When I met you, I thought I could make this request. It’s rather selfish of me, but I thought I had to do it no matter what.” Inertia bit her lip.

“What is it? Since you have treated us this much, I, being a nice guy, would do anything for you. Besides, I’m a wonderful motorrad so I can help you,” Hermes said.

Kino hit Hermes tank first, before asking Inertia what her request was.

“You will head west to depart the country, right? It seems that the village Logue lives in is a bit south from that road…”

“I see,” Kino said. Inertia looked straight at Kino.

“We can only exchange letters because of the rules. But actually, there was a present I had wanted to give to him before he left for the country”

Inertia took out a small box from inside the box on her bedside. She opened it and took out the object inside.

It was a tiny brooch carved out from something white. It was a little rough, but it can be recognized as a bird from its form. Short, golden hair was glued on its wings and cockscomb.

“You made this yourself?” Kino asked.

“Yes… I made it as small as possible, but it won’t fit inside the envelope no matter what I do. My request is to send this to Logue. It’s a charm to make the farm do well, and so that he would not get sick or injured. I would like you to give this to the post office where I always send my letters. I know this is selfish of me. But, I don’t think I will ever have a chance like this again. Please…”

Kino gazed at the brooch for a while.

“I have no reason to reject your request.”

“You bet. There would be now way for us to grant your wish if you asked us to deliver a bed or something.”

Kino and Hermes said.

—

Inertia was almost in tears as she thanked Kino and Hermes. Right then, the nurse came in and looked at Kino and Hermes in surprise.

After giving Inertia her medicine, the nurse asked if Kino and Hermes were to depart the next day.

“Then please have lunch at our house!” she said, almost clinging to Kino.

Kino shook her head. “Too bad, but I’m planning to look around the countryside tomorrow. I would like to observe the village growing tomatoes.”

—

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

Kino woke up at dawn.

Outside the window was the expanse of the cloudless, light-purple sky, and the wilderness devoid of grass.

The ammunition, portable rations, and all of the things she requested were arranged in the elevator in her room. Her clothes were washed, and a few of them were new. Hermes was given his plugs and fuel, and his oil was replaced the previous night.

As usual, Kino performed her light exercises and her persuader training. Afterwards, she took a long shower and ate her breakfast slowly, as if she was reluctant to part with them.

They checked out of the hotel as soon as the sun has risen. The couple came and couldn’t thank them enough for making Inertia happy.

After leaving the hotel, they rode through the city, which was free from pedestrians.

Upon arriving at the city’s western gates, Kino returned the map and made her preparations to depart. Kino checked her persuaders and wore her coat. She also returned the exhaust purification device, thinking that it wouldn’t last long.

Because it would take them a long time to go back to the city, she made sure that she didn’t leave anything behind. Kino confirmed that the small box was inside her jacket’s pocket.

They headed for the walls and went out. The cold wind was blowing, and the dust danced about.

Kino asked the soldier for directions, and was shown a map of the country. Kino and Hermes looked at it intently for a while, and set off.

—

A lone motorrad was running through the wilderness.

“Do you get it?” Hermes asked, and Kino answered.

“Of course. It’s not indicated in the map, but the geographic features are there. After a distance of sixty, we should see two mountains to our left. After passing through that, we should see the 42nd pioneer village in the mountain basin. The road was drawn up to that place.”

“Why was the village not drawn in the map?”

“Maybe because it’s still new? We’ll find out once we get there,” Kino said.

“I suppose so,” Hermes said. And then, “I wonder what kind of face Logue would make once he gets Inertia’s present for him?”

“No idea… We’ll also know that once we get there.”

“I guess so.”

Kino accelerated some more. Kino and Hermes rode with the morning sun behind them.

On their way, they saw an enormous, green circle at the side of the road. It was a field from one of the pioneer villages, with a huge sprinkler making its rounds in it.

Around the time when the sun has ascended higher, and their shadows had grown shorter,

“Over here.”

Kino stopped Hermes. There was a road climbing towards the two mountains to their left.

“It’s not such a nice road. It seems like my frame would get scratched with the flying stones.”

“Why are you complaining after we’ve come so far?”

Kino let the rear wheel slide ostentatiously, and turned Hermes to the left.

After climbing the mountain in one go,

“You’re a nice person aren’t you, Kino?”

“It’s just gratitude for the stuff they gave us.”

“Really?”

They rode through the flat summit for a while.

When the road has become a downward slope, a view opened before them.

“It must be that.”

“No doubt.”

In one corner of the wide basin were several buildings. Around it, the cultivated fields were spread in a checkered pattern. There was a plastic greenhouse reflecting the light.

—

“Strange…” Kino muttered.

Kino was in front of a building, looking at its door.

Hermes asked from the road. “There’s no one here after all?”

“There’s nobody. But it’s locked. With chains, too.”

They realized from afar that there was nobody in the fields, and even after approaching the village, no one came out. A cold wind blew through the road.

“It doesn’t look like the interior of the buildings were destroyed. It seems like their crops were also neatly harvested…,” Kino said.

“Maybe the villagers all moved to some other place? Perhaps this place was no good.”

“It would be troublesome if that’s the case…. We have to look for the new address to hand it over——”

“Kino, there’s a car,” Hermes called out to Kino. Kino returned to the road, and saw headlights approaching from the other side of the basin.

The car proceeded straight towards Kino and Hermes’ direction. It was a small four-wheel drive painted with the same color as the ground. There was only one person aboard it.

“Perfect. Let’s go ask.”

Kino waved to the car. The car stopped and the man inside it came out.

The man looked around his early twenties. He wore sunglasses that reflected Kino and Hermes, and was clad in the same green winter uniform that the soldiers outside the city gates wore. There was a persuader holster attached on the left side of his waist belt, and a dagger was positioned behind him so that it could be pulled out with an underhand from the right.

“What are you doing in a place like this? Ah… could it be that you were the travelers who arrived the day before yesterday?” the man asked.

“That’s right. I’m Kino. This here is Hermes.”

“Hello.”

“Good day. Welcome to our country. I am Lieutenant Cole of the 3rd Special Security Squad,” the young officer joined his heels together and saluted.

“But why are you here? If you wish to depart from the new western gate, you must have lost your way. It’s not like you can’t go through this road, but it will take you two days. Do you want me to guide you to the main road?”

“Aren’t there people living in this village?” Kino asked.

“This place is not available yet. It was made for experimental purposes, built as a temporary training center for the pioneers,” Lieutenant Cole answered.

“That’s weird. We came here to give something to a person who lived here in the past year,” Hermes said. The corner of Lieutenant Cole’s lips tensed a little.

He asked, “What’s the address?”

Kino replied, “‘C.O. Post Office 42nd Pioneer Village’, for——”

“A boy named Logue, right?” Lieutenant Cole said. He took off his sunglasses, and revealed eyes as blue as Inertia’s.

—

In a place a little ways off the village, there was a building built on the highest place in the area. It was a concrete two-storey building with no decoration whatsoever, and with a big antenna on its roof.

The four-wheel drive silently stopped in front of the building, immediately followed by the roar of Hermes’ engine.

Lieutenant Cole opened the entrance with a key, and invited Kino and Hermes inside.

The dim office-like room was furnished with a small desk and chairs, and lined up with empty document shelves. Lieutenant Cole offered Kino a seat, hung his cap on the wall, and turned to open the firmly shut sliding doors. Light entered, illuminating its clean interior.

Kino propped Hermes on his center stand beside her own chair. Then she hung her coat and cap on top of him.

Lieutenant Cole sat opposite Kino. He placed his elbows on the desk and joined his hands on his forehead. He closed his eyes and took a long, quiet breath. Then he lifted his face, and spoke in a lifeless voice.

“Welcome to the ‘post office’.”

—

Kino took out a small box from her jacket’s pocket. She opened it and presented the object inside on her palm.

It was a tiny brooch carved out from something white. It was a little rough, but it can be recognized as a bird from its form. Short, golden hair was glued on its wings and cockscomb.

“It’s apparently a charm. From Inertia to Logue.”

Kino placed the box on the table. Lieutenant Cole did not touch it, and only looked at it.

“Are you assigned to the post office?” Kino asked.

“Yes. In the countryside, some soldiers work for the post office. I worked here before. No… I’m still working here even now.”

“Then Kino’s job ends here since she has already delivered it. Shall we go now?” Hermes said bluntly and with a hint of sarcasm. Lieutenant Cole closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Ah… what in the world…,” he muttered weakly.

“Will you hand this to the boy?” Kino asked.

Lieutenant Cole shook his head and spoke with a clear voice. “The possibility of that happening is zero. It can’t be done.”

“Why?” Hermes asked.

Lieutenant Cole answered.

“Because he has died a long time ago. Half a year ago. To be exact, he was killed half a year and four days ago.”

—

“I take it that you know about the disease, and the ongoing development of a cure for it?”

“Yes.”

“Yup.”

“And I believe you’ve heard about the pioneers?”

“Yes.”

“Yup.”

“But, you don’t know about the ‘special pioneers’, do you?”

“We don’t.”

“What’s that again?”

“To put it simply… they are people gathered together to be killed.”

“……. Please continue.”

“Of course… I’ll tell you everything that I know. It’s not enough to call it an epidemic in the city… it’s an illness that has made a lot of people suffer——. Our country had been working to fight this illness. It has become a national concern. We had been in a painful struggle against this most wicked of enemies. We wanted to find a cure as soon as possible. We have suffered for countless years, and so we want to make sure that no one will die from this disease anymore.”

“Okay.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then, three years ago… we realized the limits of animal testing. Many doctors began to insist on the necessity of experiments on living humans. They advocated the belief that development of the cure would be hastened if live human subjects were to be used. Eventually, this view became accepted.”

“……”

“And then?”

“There are different kinds of people who yearned to become pioneers. But in practice, being chosen has little to do with passing the exams. Instead, we only choose among families who belonged to the poorest sectors, and who don’t have any other relatives. And from them, we created a group of pioneers.”

“And they are the ‘special pioneers’?”

“Yes. They came, full of hopes and happiness in their hearts, and started to live in the villages. The security escorts were there to guard them and make sure that no one would escape…. But you see…! It wasn’t decided yet that they will be used for experiments. Maybe the cure would be completed before they get ‘used’. If so, then they will truly be a group of pioneers, and live in that village in peace…”

“I see.”

“But that didn’t happen.”

“Half a year ago, it was finally decided that all of the villagers will become test subjects. And it was carried out… by us. One night, we attacked them with sleeping gas and carried them away. We locked them up inside a truck… I’ve only seen up to that point. I only heard that lively boy who looked up to me like an older brother calling after me, and that was it. They were transported to the basement of an establishment inside the city, and were ‘used’ in various kinds of experiments. I don’t know the details. I don’t even want to know. I only heard from my superior officer that half a year and four days ago, the boy was… dissected alive, turned into a specimen, and transferred to a tiny glass bottle. Soon after, I heard that they completed a medicine that can slow down the advance of the disease. Since then, that village had been preserved.”

“I understand. But I have one more question.”

“The letters.”

“Yes. I continued to write them. I am tasked with the inspection of letters, perhaps to make sure that there’s nothing suspicious about them. Even so, for a letter from the city to arrive here… needs an approval of an ‘elite’. There are only a few letters that come, since receiving them will gain you hatred rather than admiration. Moreover, being ‘special pioneers’, it’s unlikely for them to receive any. Very unlikely.”

“But…”

“I see.”

“… But letters came from that girl every month without fail. And he wrote back each time. There’s a machine that lets me read what’s inside those letters without having to open them. He encouraged the girl who could not go out due to her illness, and she encouraged the boy to do his best out in the countryside. Her only dream was to completely recover and live in the countryside together with that boy.”

—

Lieutenant Cole suddenly tore at his hair with hands. And then he howled,

“Just one letter! Just one letter half a year ago! If only I had written her ‘I won’t be able to send you letters because I’m busy.’ No! I should have crumpled her letters as soon as they came! That’s what I should have done! But why?! Why did I have to write her replies?! There’s something wrong with me! To do such a thing!”

“But you couldn’t stop yourself from doing it, eh?” Hermes asked without any change in his tone.

Lieutenant Cole pressed on his head with his hands.

“Month after month… I feared that I would get exposed. Each time I opened the envelope, I was scared that the words ‘Who are you?’ would be written there. Even so… Even so…”

Then he lifted his face. With eyes that seemed as if they were about to shed tears, the soldier looked at the tiny bird before him.

“Then that is for you. Please accept it,” Kino said gently.

“I understand…,” he replied with a soft voice, and muttered. “Then I guess I’ll have to write a reply.”

Lieutenant Cole lifted the bird with his hands. He silently closed the box, stood up, and stowed it inside the shelf behind him.

“Hey,” Hermes asked as Lieutenant Cole returned to his seat. “Will you be observing and preserving the village again?”

Lieutenant Cole nodded. “Yes, we’ll do that again. There are plans to send in the next batch of test subjects. Again, we will escort and guard the villagers, and I will be in charge of post office work.” Then he narrowed his eyes and spoke gently. “It’s for the sake of the country. For the sake of many people. And above all… it’s for her future.”

“I understand. Thank you for the story. We’ll be on our way.”

Lieutenant Cole scrutinized the traveler in front of him. “Miss Kino, thank you very much, and… I’m sorry.”

He kicked off the table. Kino received a direct hit on her upper body and collapsed backwards. When she managed to get rid of the desk above her chest, Lieutenant Cole stepped on the holster containing Canon with his right foot.

The blue-eyed soldier silently looked at the opponent he resolved to kill. He pulled out the dagger with an unwavering movement honed from practice, and lunged forward, supporting it with his left hand.

Kino slipped her right hand in her jacket’s left cuff, and grasped the knife in there.

—

The scenery in and out of the walls was the same.

It was a rough terrain spanned by brown mountains, without a single blade of grass growing on it. Only the endless stretch of high walls seemed to have sprouted from the ground, both of its sides sporting unchanging scenery.

Underneath the clear, almost transparent sky was a single road. It was a simple road made from hardened earth that was freed from stones. It weaved its way through the valley.

Kino and Hermes rode west on the road, raising up dry dust behind them.

Kino’s head and the brim of her hat were slightly lowered, preventing the winter sun from getting in the way of her vision.

“Kino, that’s rare,” Hermes said.

“Hm? …Yeah. Just for the time being, since we’re still inside the country,” Kino answered.

—

Ten days after the traveler left.

A nurse approached the white-skinned, golden-headed, blue-eyed girl seated on her bed. She was carrying medicine, as well as a letter.

The nurse reminded her to drink the medicine first, then she went out of the room and left the girl alone.

As she was told, the girl first drank her medicine.

With a paper knife, the girl carefully opened the letter that was imprinted only with the hospital’s name and the room number.

Inside was a checker-patterned envelope stamped with the words, ‘Sterilized & Inspected’ in big print. The girl held back her eagerness, and cut the seal carefully. A sheet of folded paper emerged from it.

The blue eyes ran through the words written with a simple handwriting: ‘Thank you so much for the gift. When you get well, please come to village. Then let’s have a long talk.’

Then the girl smiled, and on the verge of tears, held the letter closely to her heart.

Translator’s Notes

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