Kino no Tabi:Volume6 Chapter8

"For Luck" —How Much Do I Pay For?—

My name is Riku. I'm a dog.

I have long, white, bushy fur. I always look happy and smiling, but it doesn’t mean that I am. I’m just born this way.

Shizu is my master.

—

We were riding in a buggy through a snowy plain.

Master Shizu was wearing a parka over his usual green sweater, and colored goggles. I was sitting in the passenger seat and looking forward.

The snow accumulated during the winter was somewhat melted, and it sagged when stepped on, so it wasn't scratching the body of the buggy. The flat white space covered in ashen clouds was stretching as far as the eye can see. The morning sun wasn't visible.

The buggy was running on the snow surface that was supposed to be a road. However, the engine in the back of the car was in bad condition. From time to time it wasn't spinning that well, but then it was puffing out black smoke and it seems that it would just stop.

Master Shizu was pressing the clutch and changing gears in confusion, he was using every trick he knew to prevent the engine from stopping. Then, breathing out a white fog, he said:

"It indeed needs proper maintenance."

The buggy was heading north, pushing through the thick snow with its front wheels and squeezing back the ground with chains attached to the rear wheels.

Around noon, the brown wall appeared on the horizon. A big country was emerging from the sea of white, like an island.

—

The country was encircled by high walls made of brown bricks. The old towers were lined up above it at surprisingly regular intervals.

Master Shizu asked for an entry permit near the grandiose gate. The guard standing there asked how long we were going to stay in the country.

Master Shizu answered frankly that he doesn't know, but the less the better.

"Until we repair the buggy. If we have any plans after that, we won't stay long."

Since our departure date was unknown, the guard offered to give us permission to stay in country for ten days tops. Master Shizu agreed.

We entered the country in our buggy which was dirty with mud.

The country we've finally came into was rich and technologically advanced.

A number of luxurious housing complexes with greenery on verandas were standing on both sides of the road with a lot of traffic. Sophistically designed streetlights and trees were lined along the streets. People in fine clothes, who seem to be quite wealthy, were curiously gazing at us from the sidewalks.

The car repair shop we were told about was located farther from the residential area, and closer to the country's center. The buggy's engine was examined there without delay.

After diagnosis, we were told that they don't know how much time it will take to make the proper repairs. The worn-out parts of the engine had to be replaced. If they had such parts at the nearby warehouse, then everything will be ready in the morning. Otherwise they had to manufacture it, so it will take two or three days. Master Shizu left the buggy in the repair shop and asked for a contact address.

He took out a big black cloth bag from the buggy and walked in the street. Near a big hotel we were told about, he said:

"It doesn't suit me. I don’t like it."

And turned his back to this gorgeous glass-sided building.

Standing at the intersection, he said that he would prefer a much cheaper place to stay, and looked over the streets.

In contrast to the tall buildings at the south side of the country that were standing in lines in an orderly way, the low-rise houses at the north side were jumbled up. Master Shizu headed north.

Soon the scenery started to change, and even for mere politeness it could not be described as pretty.

The snow was still lying on the shoulders of the narrow road, the houses were small and narrow with lots of laundry drying at the rooftops.

In the cold air, Master Shizu walked on a relatively empty street with a vacant look on his face. Then suddenly, someone asked him from behind in a forceful tone, "Where are you going?"

He turned around and saw a middle-aged police officer. He was slightly surprised when he saw Master Shizu.

"What? Are you a traveler? I wouldn't recommend you to be in such a place."

He told us that further north, the poorest people of the country were living, and one could call the place a slum. And added, "They are the lowest level in our country's class system."

"I see. They have a different social position," Master Shizu.

"So mister traveler prefers a principle of absolute equality," asked the officer.

"Yes."

"If your position is different, it's OK—— But you know what? Sometimes there are people who enter our country and then greatly protest against our class system. Well, this is cruel and we can't permit it. The roots of our principles go far into the past. And so we don't want to be taught how to live by outsiders."

"I understand. But I don't have any interest in your lifestyle. It's just that high-class places don’t fit me, so I am looking for a cheap one."

"You are weird, but do as you like—— However, those who live straight ahead are poor and filthy ones. This place is full of people who almost don't do any work, and earn their living by selling blood and internal organs and by robbing. I want to warn you that it's unsafe in there."

"Blood and internal organs, huh? ... There's no doubt they are making good money."

"Well, taking out organs from a living person is prohibited, but the clients are wealthy people so there's no control over it."

"I see. And what about artificial organs?"

"They exist, but you can't live long with them, since they're not the real thing. That's why these are highly priced. Therefore, there are people who make money and there are ones who are able to live long. Mister traveler, please try not to get robbed of your entrails."

Master Shizu thanked the officer, who then left after talking to the traveler and satisfying his curiosity.

The farther Master Shizu went, the more ruined and dirty the streets became. It was hard to believe that this area and the one to the south belonged to the same country.

When he noticed a narrow alley and realized that there were many people in there, he entered it without much agonizing.

Brown houses were standing on both sides of the pavement wet in lingering snow, causing a feeling of oppression. The plaster of the houses was peeling off, the bricks were chipped and crumbled.

The shops without eaves were visible here and there; it seemed they were almost out of business.

In front of a house, a girl was sitting doing nothing, and a man was warming by a fire made in a drum can although it was still noon. Walking along these streets, we were attracting people's attention. Children with dirty bare feet were staring at us.

Shortly, a group of young people stood before Master Shizu. Judging by their looks, they probably didn't have a job, but had too much free time and power. They blocked the way and glared at him.—— What happened next was exactly what I expected.

After Master Shizu asked for a cheap hotel without changing his facial expression, they attacked him. He beat them all into the ground. At an unsafe place, the first thing you should do is to show your strength. As a result, after that the number of unnecessary situations decreases.

Master Shizu asked the same question once again, and this time the young fellows kindly guided us to a hotel. It was located on a relatively crowded, squalid street. The hotel rented rooms on the upper floors of an eating place. The small room we were guided to had a bed and a chair, and was heated with a small electric heater.

"I like it," he said briefly to the hostess.

—

Master Shizu returned to the room in the evening. He said that the owner of repair shop was appalled by the hotel we stayed at.

He opened the cloth bag and took out a black sheath containing his favorite katana. He pulled it out from the sheath. There was not a single tarnish on it.

Then he put it back in the sheath.

"Please, let's have this talk one more time," I started the conversation.

"Are you really intending to go there?"

I asked the same question I asked many times before.

The answer Master Shizu gave to me was the same as always.

Then we've talked about it as we did many times already.

The result of this conversation didn't change a bit.

I took a breath and laid beside the bed, then we heard a knock at the door. I felt the presence of someone in the corridor.

Master Shizu stood up, made several steps towards the door and opened it slowly.

A young girl was standing there.

She seemed to be twelve. She had her black hair in two braids down either side of her head. She was wearing a layered purple one-piece dress typical of this country, but similar to other people around here, it was a little dirty. Her shoes were battered and full of holes.

"What do you want?" Master Shizu asked, slightly surprised.

The girl looked up and stared at him for several seconds. She was no taller than his chest. Then she showed a basket she was carrying on her back, and said in a not so loud voice:

"I am collecting scrap metal to sell. Do you have some?"

He shook his head.

"I've got an annoying dog. Do you want it?"

"Master Shizu, that's going too far," I objected from behind.

"I'm joking."

And then he said to the girl standing at the door:

"I don't have any, since we just arrived here."

"OK..."

The girl said, "Excuse me," and bowed.

Master Shizu closed the door. Through the crack in the door I saw that girl raise her head. She was looking at me. And then I noticed an unusual expression in her eyes.

Her intense piercing eyes were blazing, hiding some big determination.

These eyes didn't fit the slightly dirty face of the girl struggling against poverty and exhaustion from labor.

—

The next morning.

Master Shizu and I were having breakfast at the restaurant on the first floor. Master Shizu was putting the pieces of bread into his mouth, while I was sitting on the floor beside my share, waiting for him to finish. Outside, the people were coming and going, and the streets seemed crowded in its own way. The sun appeared on the sky, lighting and warming the streets.

The girl we've met yesterday barged in the dining room and noticed us.

She turned to Master Shizu who has eaten the bread and started drinking bean soup.

"Good Morning, Mr. Shizu!"

With the light from the outside shining on her back, she said this in loud cheerful voice, completely different from the one we heard yesterday. Master Shizu stopped eating and turned to her.

"My name is Rafa!" the girl introduced herself, and then continued:

"Mr. Shizu. please buy me!"

"Wha—," Master Shizu said in a voice full of surprise.

"Please buy me! If you do, then I will work for you!"

Rafa repeated this joyfully with a smile on her face.

Master Shizu stared curiously at Rafa for a while, then the girl approached us without hesitation and stood beside him.

"I don't understand what you mean," he said.

"I'll explain! If you pay me, I’ll become your property, then we leave the country and will travel together. I'll become your servant and will work for you as hard as I can."

"——I don't need a servant."

Saying just this, Master Shizu hastened his breakfast. Rafa continued, ignoring his words:

"I'll tell you the reason why. I want to leave this country. In here the people of lowest class like me are very poor. I have to work, so I'm not able to go to school. I'm done with it. I'm fed up with such a life. That's why I want to get out of here. But I can't because people of the lowest class are prohibited from leaving the country on their own will. But if Mr. Shizu buys me, I will become his property and will be able to leave this place!"

"......"

Master Shizu continued his meal without saying a word.

"Please, I beg you! Please, buy me!"

"It's a good deal! I will work hard!"

"I can cook! And wash clothes! And sew!"

"And also, though it's embarrassing, since I'm a woman..., if Mr. Shizu wishes, you can lay your head in my lap and I can sing a lullaby to put you to sleep."

Master Shizu finished his meal, ignoring all of this.

He wiped his mouth and stood up. With a gesture, he showed Rafa not to follow him. Saying to a kitchen attendant that he needed to make a phone call, he borrowed the phone hanging on the wall, which seemed like it will break at any time.

I was thinking about starting my meal, but then stopped and looked at Rafa. She noticed me and squatted down.

"Hey, what can I do to persuade this man?"

I told her that I had no idea. If there was a way, then I wouldn't have a hard time either.

When Master Shizu came back, Rafa stood up. She pointed the palm of her hand at me:

"Hey, look! I was talking to this dog right now, and he approved my proposal with a smile. So?"

Saying "So?" put him in a bind.

"It's his natural face... and he wouldn't approve of this either. At least not now."

"I don't care! Take me with you! Buy me!"

The people around us were averting their eyes from the screaming Rafa and kept silent. Were they approving her actions, or just didn't want to interfere?

Master Shizu looked at me.

"Enough eating. Plus the repair——"

He glanced at Rafa. And then with an expression of something like "I can't think of anything else" and "I might regret if I say this in front of her" he said:

"——seems like it would take two more days."

—

"So! Buy me! Take me with you! Take me with you!"

Rafa climbed the stairs, chasing Master Shizu. She followed us till our room. A loud voice was echoing in the corridor.

In the end, I didn't have a chance to eat, so I came back with a bread in my mouth.

"Riku."

"Yes, Master Shizu."

"Hey, so your name is Riku. Nice to meet you—— Mr. Shizu, please!"

"I'll leave the rest up to you."

"What?"

The moment I said that, he shut the door and locked it with a key from the inside.

"Wa—!"

Rafa's voice was heard from behind:

"Hey, dog. Uhm, Riku. What should I do to please him?"

Well.

"Don't smile, answer me!"

"I am not smiling."

Then she said, "I have a work to do. I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Before she left, she declared: "When I have free time, I'll come back and ask him to buy me once again."

Master Shizu let me into the room. After I conveyed Rafa's words, he said:

"Well, it doesn't concern me."

—

Master Shizu spent the rest of the day in the room.

He was sitting on a chair, staring at some point in the cold room. From time to time he would pull out his katana and look at it. He didn't do anything else. He also refused to have lunch.

I also didn't say a word. I was either sitting or lying by his side, looking at the moving shadow of the window produced by the sun.

In the evening, the room became colored in orange by the setting sun.

"It would've been better if we managed to get to that country..."

Master Shizu opened his mouth for the first time in half a day and said this in a groan.

"I'm sorry, but I believe it's a good thing that we got full car service in this country. What if our buggy broke down shortly?"

Master Shizu laughed the moment I said that. But it was not a joyful laughter, but a fierce one.

"It's simple. We would've attacked guys who come to us and would've taken their car. They probably wouldn't have any objection."

"Master Shizu——"

He interrupted me and said in a calm tone: "There's nothing to argue about."

—

"Good evening! Mr. Shizu, have you decided to buy me?"

Rafa came again during the supper. It was dark outside. In her basket, there was a little amount of scrap metal that she gathered during the day.

"Not yet," Master Shizu said shortly, without looking in her direction.

"Huh? What about tomorrow, will you buy me then?"

"Who knows."

"Well, it's alright! Whether it's tomorrow or the day after tomorrow — I am always up for sale!"

"Is that so?"

"I don't mind when it is that you buy me!"

"I see."

"But it's already late today, so I’ll come back tomorrow!"

"See you then."

"Goodbye! Goodbye, Riku!"

—

The next day. The third day in the country.

Rafa didn't come during breakfast so Master Shizu leisurely took a meal. He contacted the repair shop and was told that the parts will come by noon, so the buggy will be ready by tomorrow morning.

"Therefore, we'll depart tomorrow morning."

I asked what we'll do until then.

"I don't have anything in mind now."

We returned to the room, and he just sat there and rested like yesterday. I don't know whether he was really doing nothing at all or was thinking about something.

Pretty soon the sky became covered with clouds, and it looked like it can start snowing any moment. Master Shizu continued to just sit there, without turning the lights on, like a retired old man in a villa.

He would've probably stayed in this position all day long, but for the girl who came at noon.

—

"Good afternoon! Good afternoon!"

Rafa knocked at the door with tremendous force and then opened it without waiting for reply.

She entered the room. Today she wasn't carrying that huge unbecoming basket.

Without need to ask, she explained: "I've got a permission to be absent starting from the afternoon!"

Master Shizu, still sitting, glanced at Rafa, but then just kept on ignoring her.

"So I can stay in the room from now on! Mr. Shizu, please buy me! Today! I beg you! And then take me with you when you leave the country, please!"

Though she was selling herself for quite a long time, Master Shizu kept sitting on his chair, staying calm and thinking of something else, as if he knew some technique to suppress unwanted noise from the outside.

And then there was Rafa — she was talking nonstop, and I was wondering where her stamina was coming from. I looked at both of them with shock, that soon changed to admiration.

—

Nearly one hour has passed. Master Shizu suddenly looked at Rafa.

The girl kept talking on and on:

"Since I was born poor, I wasn't able to attend school and didn't receive a proper job, so we are getting poorer and poorer."

When she said that, Master Shizu finally opened his mouth:

"... I want to ask you something."

"Alright! What is it?"

"Do you have a family?"

As Rafa heard the question, her tone became colder:

"Yes...," she answered briefly.

"What are they doing now?"

"My father doesn't have a job, so he does nothing in particular. My mother is doing the chores all day. My brothers and sisters are still very young. I'm the oldest among seven siblings."

"So you are the only one who is working?"

"Yes..."

Master Shizu raised himself from the back of the chair. Rafa, standing beside him, backed off a little.

"Answer me honestly. If you disappear, then there will be no more source of income. What will these people do?" Master Shizu looked at Rafa and asked in very kind tone.

Silence fell for some time.

Then Rafa answered with a tense expression:

"I don't know. It would be good if they manage to find a job and then work all day, without attending school, to feed the family. Just like I'm doing right now."

"I see. In other words, you prefer to live by yourself?" Master Shizu made a sarcastic remark.

Rafa looked at him. No, she returned a sharp look. And then made a small fierce nod.

"Yes—— I would've preferred to live by myself. A human should live his life by himself. I want to live my life the way I want it. That's why I’m here asking you to buy me. Besides, it might be the one and only chance I can have. That's why, that's why... I beg you to buy me..."

She closed her eyes and joined her hands on her chest, as if in prayer.

"What a horrible person," said Master Shizu. A gentle smile played on his face. I wonder, if he was really referring to another person?

He asked, "How much?"

"Eh?" Rafa opened her eyes in surprise.

"I asked how much should I pay to buy you."

—

It took some time for the extremely agitated Rafa to calm down. I didn't know if the sum of money offered to her was low or high or if it was an appropriate one.

Without much thinking, Master Shizu simply said, "Alright then."

If he paid this money at the nearest town hall, then, legally speaking, she would become his property.

When she asked for the departure date, Master Shizu informed her that it will be tomorrow at noon. In the morning we will get back the buggy and buy the things we need—— including Rafa.

Rafa said that she understood and promised that she will join us at the city gates tomorrow at noon.

"Please stay true to your word! Whatever it takes! If you won't, then I... I...!" Rafa snarled.

"I got it. I keep my promises. But please, don't take too much luggage."

"Don't worry! I won't take a thing with me!"

—

Late night.

In the room with a small lamp, Master Shizu continued to polish his katana. I was watching it.

When he finished, I told him:

"It's a good thing, for the number of traveling companions to grow, right?"

Master Shizu looked at me.

"Riku—— We will abandon that child the moment we get out of the country. Then she can do whatever she wants."

"But it means she will die soon—— She's not a dog."

"Well, then let's leave her somewhere in the next country. She could help with the chores or whatever and be able to live. She would only change the place where she lives. She can have a good life depending on her efforts and luck."

"But, the next country...," I put it mildly, and Master Shizu opened his eyes wide.

"... I forgot."

He was really surprised. Being appalled at himself, he said:

"What the hell am I saying... I..."

He shook his head. Though realizing that it's useless, I proposed:

"Master Shizu. What if we postpone our plans in order to drop the girl at some place——"

"I won't do that. In that case... of course, I'll just leave her to you."

"That's——"

"Good night."

Master Shizu turned off the lights.

—

The next morning.

The sky was overcast. Master Shizu and I went to the repair shop. We received back our buggy as well as its worn-out parts.

Then we headed to the south district, which looked like another world, to get fuel, food and water supplies. Without saying a word, Master Shizu bought much more than usual.

Rafa was at the appointed place, but she wasn't alone. It was probably her family — young mother and father, and six little children.

She waved her hand joyfully as soon as she noticed us. Her parents and younger brothers and sisters didn't say anything, they just shed tears. They didn't say any words of favor or hate, they just kept crying while watching at us.

"Well, let's go."

Saying that, Rafa got on the passenger seat I was sitting on. She was wearing several layers of purple clothes and didn’t have any luggage. She literally came without a thing. I resigned my seat to her and moved to the place over the luggage.

"Is everything alright?"

Asked Master Shizu, and Rafa answered:

"Yeah, let's go. First, to the town hall."

He turned on the engine and we departed, leaving the crying family behind.

—

At the gate, we went through departure formalities. The guard looked at Rafa in surprise:

"Mister traveler? ... What is th-this filthy girl from the lower classes doing here?"

"I've bought her for some reason. Don't ask any further."

After Master Shizu said that, Rafa produced the receipt.

"That's right. I'm Mr. Shizu's property. Is there any problem with the departure?"

"No...," the guard shook his head.

A little bit earlier we went to the town hall to "complete the purchase". An employee was quite amazed when he saw a huge pile of money in front of him, but he fell silent when Rafa said:

"My home address is written here. Tell my family that I’ve been sold. By all means!"

The gates started to open slowly.

—

When they finally opened, a completely white horizon appeared.

"Wow...," Rafa exclaimed.

She stood up from the passenger seat and froze.

The snow plain was stretching outside of the country. The end of winter was approaching. The layer of snow was getting thinner and soon the grass will grow from the ground and the whole land will be turned green.

Master Shizu ran the buggy outside of the gate. While he skillfully attached the chain to the wheels, Rafa kept staring at the white earth under the dark gray sky. The gate closed behind our backs.

"Don't you feel cold?" asked Master Shizu, who was wearing his parka. Rafa answered that she's already used to it, and then:

"Let's go faster! To the middle of the snowfield where the country walls can't be seen. Come on!"

"Alright."

Master Shizu raced the engine. It was running smoothly, without any black smoke.

The buggy started moving.

—

It happened pretty soon.

We haven't been running long. In fact, it was the time when both the shadow and the shapes of the country the girl was born in, vanished from our view.

"Stop," said Rafa.

"Huh?"

Master Shizu looked to the right, and she looked to the left.

"Please, stop the car."

He hit the brakes. We were in the middle of the snowfield. Around us was a plain horizon.

"What's wrong?"

Rafa didn't answer that question, and just stepped out of the buggy.

With a mild expression on her face, she started walking, leaving footprints on the snow.

She stopped. In the middle of the snowfield. If you were a bird in the sky, you'd see a buggy and a girl standing still at a short distance from it.

"How long are you going to stay here? Let's go."

Master Shizu spoke to her, pulling down his goggles. There was no irritation in his voice.

Rafa turned around quickly and let her braids down.

She said with a smile, "I'm going to stay here."

Master Shizu answered back with a dubious look:

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Because I'll die soon," said Rafa.

He stopped the engine and the sound faded away in the windless snowfield.

"Because I'll die soon," Rafa said once again.

—

Master Shizu got off the buggy. She waited until he came closer, then spoke to him. I heard their talk from the buggy.

"In the morning I went to the hospital and sold my internal organs. Now I have some strange machinery inside that is working as a substitute. I was told that this machine and the painkillers will last for half a day only."

"Why did you do that?"

"I wanted the money. The money I got, and the money Mr. Shizu paid at the town hall ——you've payed much much more than the market price—– were sent to my family."

"And then what?"

"It's an enormous sum of money. My family will be able to subsist on it for several years. My younger brothers and sisters will be able to go to school. There will be no need for them to work like I did. After graduating from school, they'll be able to get a proper job. They will survive."

"......"

"And as for me, I was able to see the scenery outside of our country. I wanted to see it for a long time."

Rafa turned towards the distant horizon. Master Shizu, standing beside her, looked at the same direction. I watched them both standing side by side – tall Master Shizu and Rafa no taller than his chest.

"In other words——," he said, "I was tricked and I wasted my money."

"Yes, I'm sorry," Rafa answered, staring at the same scenery right in front of her.

"And you think you did nothing wrong?"

"Yeah, not a bit."

Master Shizu gave something like a bitter smile or a small laughter.

"Because——"

"'Because'?"

"Mr. Shizu will also die rather soon, right?"

The two continued their talk, standing side by side on the snowfield.

I was watching their backs from the top of the car hood.

"Mr. Shizu said this back then. I've heard it."

"Back then? Oh, that evening when I was talking to Riku in my room. I probably said that."

I also heard that.

"Back then you said: 'I have to do it at the cost of my own life.' When I heard this, it was the first time I've realized this method. It became clear to me that it was the only method I had left—— so I thought: 'I'll also do this way.' That's why I decided to 'fool that person'..."

"I understand..."

"I had to do this. It was the first and last opportunity that Mr. Shizu gave to me. It was the only method I could use to carve my own destiny."

Then she looked up at Master Shizu and said with a smile:

"It turned out well."

—

"'All is well that ends well,' huh?" said Master Shizu.

"What did you just say?"

"It's a proverb in the country where I was born in. If the outcome of the situation is good, then everything went well. The last thing that a person managed to accomplish in his life defines his existence—— Well, there's a different nuance, but the meaning is probably something like that."

"Even now I think it would be wonderful if Mr. Shizu wouldn't die and traveled for a long, long time. But it seems that you will perish in the next country in order to fulfill your wishes. That's why it's impossible—— You have no choice."

"Yeah, it's impossible."

"In that case it might be better to part our ways here."

"Yeah, probably."

—

"I have one last request.... My stomach has being hurting me for a while now. I hate pain. So, Mr. Shizu, would you mind——"

"Ah..., I understand," Master Shizu said, and Rafa nodded lightly with an air of satisfaction.

Then she looked at the snowfield.

There was a completely white dreary scenery.

"You know, Mr. Shizu, the world outside is quite beautiful."

"Yeah—— You can say that."

"I think, there are more beautiful, picturesque places than this, right?"

"Well, I don't know."

Rafa nodded.

"I don't know either."

—

Rafa turned to Master Shizu and he turned to her.

She suddenly reached for his cheeks with both her hands.

"I will pray that Mr. Shizu will successfully carry out whatever he ought to do."

"Yeah—— I will definitely accomplish this. I don't waver from my actions, so there's no reason to seek God's help, I guess," said Master Shizu.

"Squat down," said Rafa.

He bent his knees. She closed her eyes and kissed him lightly in the forehead.

"For luck," said Rafa with a slightly embarrassed look.

And then she pronounced the last words in her life:

"I'll wait."

"Alright," he nodded.

—

Master Shizu had a vast knowledge of methods that can cause a horrible death.

He also knew how to do the opposite.

—

He laid her dead body on the snow, stood on his knees beside her and closed his eyes.

I got off the buggy and approached his side, walking firmly on the snow.

When he opened his eyes, he looked at me and then at Rafa, her eyes closed.

"What a kind smile. I want to die with the same smile on my face."

Saying these words, a mild smile I've never seen before played about his face. It was exactly the same as Rafa's.

—

On the windless plain, the regular sound of a shovel digging the snow could be heard.

Soon it changed to the sound of filling up a hole.

Master Shizu returned to the buggy holding the shovel dirty with mud. I've never seen him crying. This time wasn't an exception.

He fixed the shovel at the back of the car and returned to the driver seat. He told me, standing on the snow:

"I've been overtaken. If she can do it, then I guess there's no reason for me not to be able to. If that happens, she'll laugh at me. —— Well, let's go, Riku."

He joyfully put on his goggles.

I said, "I venture to ask it one more time. Have you made up your mind?"

"There's no time for it. If we go now, we'll get there just in time. The buggy is also in good condition."

He turned on the engine.

I looked at him. Sitting on the driver seat, he faced the front and asked me:

"What should we do? Should we also part our ways here?"

"No. I'll stay with you till the end."

"I see. Let's go then."

I jumped onto the car hood and then to my usual passenger seat. I looked forward, as I always did.

Master Shizu laid his hand on my head and patted gently.

—

The buggy ran across the snowfield, its engine echoing smoothly.

The buggy was heading north pushing through the thick snow with its front wheels and squeezing back the ground with the chains attached to its rear wheels.

To Master Shizu's homeland. We were running towards the land of killing.

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