Kino no Tabi:Volume5 Epilogue

“Amidst the Setting Sun · a” — Will · a —

The sun was about to set.

The perfectly circular mass of light in the western horizon will be hidden in a little while. On its upper right, tiny, red, jewel-like grains were shining.

As the clear, cloudless sky changed color from orange to blue and then to purple, the whole sky was wrapped in color.

The ground’s gently undulating surface was like a calm sea, carpeted by the early summer grass. Here and there were clumps of trees, as well as a few ponds reflecting the light.

Occasionally, a fair wind would blow, making the foliage quiver.

—

There was a mound bigger than a hill, but not tall enough to be called a mountain. There was nothing else taller, and capable of obstructing the view to the west, other than this.

The surrounding trees were cleared around its top, and there was a watchtower made of thick logs.

At the bottom of the tower was a big, residential log cabin.

And at the top of the tower was a small lookout for surveillance purposes.

The lookout was bathed with the sunset, quietly shining in a golden color.

There were two male guards in the lookout. The two were gazing at the setting sun with narrowed eyes.

They were gazing at the western sky and the western lands.

“I wonder if the traveler who came by this morning has already stopped her motorrad and is camping out somewhere?” one person asked.

“Yeah, I guess so,” the other person answered.

“Anyway——” one person said.

“What?” the other person asked.

“I’m sick of this annoying scenery,” one person said

“Yeah,” the other person nodded.

“The sky changes color like crazy. The cries of birds in the morning and the insects at night are so irritating. The lights of fireflies flying around are so gloomy. The rainbows after the rains are so creepy.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s totally depressing. I want to go home to our country soon. I want to relax in the basement while watching a video.”

“Yeah.”

“As sentinels, we have to stay in this watchtower built in this kind of place, regardless of how we feel, and regardless of its negative effects on the efficiency of our missions or in our initiative. I’m sure they didn’t use their brains the size of a grain of salt.”

“Yeah.”

—

The sun has set.

The perfectly circular mass of light in the western horizon has disappeared. The tiny, red, jewel-like grains were left isolated and shone more brightly than before.

In the clear, cloudless sky, the orange has begun to sink, the blue slowly intensified, and the purple color has spread.

The ground’s gently undulating surface was like a calm sea, carpeted by the early summer grass. Here and there were clumps of trees, and ponds where the modest light gradually vanishes.

Occasionally, a fair wind would blow, making the foliage quiver.

The sound of rustling leaves surrounded the two men.

“Really, what an annoying place,” one person said. And then, he headed to a ladder to climb down the lookout.

“At last today’s watch is over…. I’ll go ahead, Will.”

While listening to the sound of the other climbing down the ladder,

“Yeah…” the other person muttered.

And then fell into thought.

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