Kino no Tabi:Volume3 Chapter3

“Land of Identical Faces” —HACCP—

It was as if the place was filled with low tables.

Amidst a land of brown earth and stone, there were numerous hills with flat summits. In between the hills were marks of rain carving out a formerly level land. In addition to that, weathering has flattened out the bottoms of the valleys. In the valleys and hills, not a single blade of grass grew.

The sky was blue, and seemed transparent. In the higher areas, thin lines of clouds flowed.

There was a single path. It can only be seen as a white line from afar; it runs flat as it rose through the hills, and still runs flat as it descends into the valleys.

Kicking up dry dust, a single motorrad (Note: A two-wheeled vehicle. Only to note that it cannot fly) ran.

The motorrad was fully loaded with travel luggage. There were boxes attached to both sides of the rear wheel, and there was a large suitcase and a sleeping bag fastened to the top. To the side hung a small silver cup, dancing.

The driver was wearing a brown coat, the long hem of which was wrapped up to her thighs. She was wearing a hat with flaps that covered her ears, along with goggles. She had a bandana around her face to protect her from the dust.

The motorrad climbed up the slopes of a hill, and soon ran atop the tables made by nature. When she was about to approach the downward slope, the driver suddenly stopped the motorrad. She slightly locked the rear wheels and let it slide. The dust wrapped around the motorrad and the driver, and soon cleared up.

"Can you see it, Hermes?" said the driver, pulling her bandana down. It was a young face. She was around her teens.

The motorrad called Hermes responded, "Yup, I see it, I see it. It's pretty amazing."

"Yeah," the driver nodded.

They were looking down on a valley whose width was incomparable to the others. The hill on the other side could barely be seen at all. And in the center of that valley, there was a country.

The tall walls were built around the country in an enormous circle. At its center, large cluster of buildings and the streets lined up within them could be seen. A vivid green forest surrounded the country. Spread across the forest were a number of ponds filled with bright green water.

A brown wilderness and a green forest. The interior and the periphery of this circle were two completely different worlds.

"Kino, what is that water?" Hermes asked. The driver called Kino responded.

"Probably underground waterway pulses. The enormous river formed by this valley must still be flowing in places deep underground."

"Ooh, I see. Let's hurry and visit the place! I’m really interested in seeing an amazing country located in such an amazing place,” Hermes said happily.

"Me too." Kino put her bandana back on.

She launched Hermes and descended into the valley in high spirits.

--

Someone was peering at Kino and Hermes from far, far away through a pair of high-magnification binoculars. They dug a hole in the ground and covered it with a cloth of the same color.

That someone clicked his tongue. "This is bad.... they're going to enter that country."

Someone next to that person asked, "It's a traveler, right? Do you think they're not aware of the horrors that await them in that country?"

The first person slightly stiffened his voice, and spat, "Who on earth would enter if they knew...?"

The person continued.

"Sergeant. Get in touch with headquarters. Tell them we're in a state of emergency."

--

The gate on this country’s walls was not located in one place. Kino went around the wall until she reached other side.

In front of the gate was a small guardroom, in which a young man and a young woman serve as both guards and immigration inspectors.

Kino informed the examiners that she was entering the country for a three-day period for the purpose of sightseeing and recreation. The examiner said that there was one condition.

"Before entering the country, you will have to undergo a blood inspection, Miss Kino. This is in order to ensure that you do not bring in any dangerous diseases. The inspection will take a little bit of your time. Do you accept this?"

Kino asked what she would specifically have to do, and the examiner replied that they will be taking a sample of blood from her arm with a needle.

"......"

Seeing from her silence that she was conflicted, Hermes spoke up. "What's wrong Kino? ... Don't tell me you're afraid of needles, hm?"

"It's nothing like that at all!" came the immediate response. She politely let the examiner lead her, and then disappeared into the interior of the guardroom.

After a while, Kino came out with a tired face.

"No matter how many times I do this, I can't stand it..." she muttered in a small voice to herself.

The sun was slowly, but steadily setting.

"I’m sorry, but it will take quite some time," said the male examiner to Kino, who was absent-mindedly sitting on Hermes.

After a long wait, when the sun had completely set, the examiner came out of the gatehouse.

"The results of the inspection are in. It's okay for you to enter. Thank you for waiting."

Kino knocked the sleeping Hermes awake. With the saluting examiner behind them, she passed through the gates pushing Hermes along.

When they entered the country, they were greeted with a forest spreading out before them in the dim shadow of the wall. A large car stopped in front of them, and there were several people waiting for Kino and Hermes. There was one man and one woman, along with two younger women.

"Welcome, miss traveler. We have been waiting for you. Since it's quite late already, we will lead you to the hotel by car."

After being told such, Kino was about to thank the man when she caught a glimpse of his face. She was startled.

It was the examiner who had been at the gate before.

"No... It can't be..." Kino muttered under her breath. No matter how she looked at him, it was evident that the man before her was over fifty years old. It was a different person.

Kino expressed her thanks to this man, and turned to the woman beside him. She became speechless.

The middle-aged woman had the exact same face as the female examiner, but her age was obviously greater. However, the two people behind them were, aside from the clothes, exactly the same as the female examiner. Standing there were two of the same person.

With a smile, the middle aged woman informed her that they were the managers of the hotel. She introduced the two young women, who, apparently, were their daughters. Upon hearing this,

"Thank you... very much..." Kino said, wholly confused. They took Kino and Hermes into their car and drove off to the hotel.

On the way, the middle-aged woman spoke. "Sorry for the long wait you had to endure. The immigration rules in this country are much stricter than those of other countries. Despite that, please enjoy your stay."

Kino gave half-hearted replies to the rest of the conversation.

--

After arriving at the hotel, Kino and Hermes were led into the lobby. It was a splendid and pretty hotel, but there were no other guests to be seen. At the front desk was a lone young man in a business suit, with the exact same face as the examiner. Only his hairstyle and way of speaking were different.

Two bellboy-looking youths expressly removed Kino's luggage from Hermes and carried it off. They both had the same face as the examiner and the man at the front desk.

"......"

The wordless Kino and Hermes were led into a large room. Kino asked the bellboy who led her into the room how much it would cost her to stay.

"For guests from the outside, it's completely free. Please, take it easy. If there's anything you need, please call us anytime with the signal bell."

He thanked her courteously and left.

After the door closed, Kino spent a while thinking, and then stood up.

"Hey, Hermes."

"Hmm?"

Kino made sure that no one else was in the room, and then asked,

"Haven't you noticed anything strange about everyone we've met today? The examiner, the man at the front desk, the bellboy, and then the owner and his family? They're all the same. And the women, too. At first I thought they were triplets, but then..."

"Maybe, but aren't you thinking about it too much?"

"But..."

"Everyone in this country probably have the same face. Maybe you didn't see when we were outside, but all the people walking, man or woman, had the same face," Hermes said nonchalantly. Kino stopped her hand as she was taking off her coat.

"But... how?" Kino asked, considerably puzzled.

“Uh… hmm…” Hermes thought for a moment.

"Maybe they're all made in the same assembly line from the same factory? If that's the case, then it's not really strange, is it?" he then said in his usual tone.

"......"

While folding her coat, Kino looked at Hermes with a shocked face.

"What? Why are you making that face?"

"… Today tired me out, so I'm going to sleep now. Maybe we can see tomorrow if it wouldn't be too rude to ask them about it."

"Al-right!"

Kino unfastened her waist belt and removed the black jacket she was wearing. At the same time, she also removed the holster of her hand persuader (Note: A persuader is a gun, in this case, a pistol).

Kino took a shower. Then she laid on her side on the neat bed and fell asleep instantly.

--

The morning of the next day, Kino woke up at dawn. The weather was good.

She practiced with her persuaders for a while, and then performed maintenance on them. She then did some light exercise.

When the sun fully rose, she looked outside through the window and saw the pretty townscape and green trees.

In her room, Kino ate her breakfast. Just as before, the bellboy, the man at the front desk, and the chef who prepared her meal in front of her all had the exact same face.

--

After breakfast, Kino woke Hermes up, put on her jacket, and went downstairs to the lobby.

Outside of the hotel, there were about twenty people. Kino and Hermes observed them beyond the glass windows. Their ages were different, but every man and woman had the same face.

Hermes asked Kino. "Aren't you surprised?"

Kino shook her head lightly. "… I've already gotten used to it."

"Really now."

The hotel owner was leading a man who looked to be around his late thirties. He had the same face as everyone else.

"Good morning, Miss Kino, Mr. Hermes. I'm from the town hall. In case you need one, I came to be your tour guide. How does that sound? I can answer any question you have about this country."

"Thank you very much. I'll take you up on your offer... There’s one question I would like to ask right away," said Kino to the guide.

"Yes, what is it... is what I would like to say, but the truth is I already know what your question will be… ‘Why does everyone here have the same face?’ am I right?" the inspector said with a smile.

Kino nodded. The guide also nodded.

"I will explain everything. At the same time, there is also a place I would like to show you. Come with me into the car, if you will."

--

Followed by several identical smiles, Kino and Hermes got into the car.

Soon they arrived at a large, square building with white walls and no windows.

When they entered, they were led into a classy-looking reception office. Kino sat in a chair, and Hermes stood on his kickstand beside her.

"We formally welcome you to our country. With that, I will proceed to answer your question from earlier."

The guide put up an air of importance around him.

"All of us are clones.”

--

“Huh? What's a ‘clone’?” Kino asked.

"Speaking from definition, clones are 'life forms with the exact same structural information'."

"'Structural information’?"

"Yes. In each and every living thing, there is 'structural information,' that is to say, a 'blueprint' of sorts. This blueprint is very, very small, but in accordance with the different kinds of blueprints, there are many species of living things. But even within an individual species, the form and shape are subtly different. In the case of humans, facial structure, skin color, hair color, eye color, they can all be different. The differences in the 'information' bring about the differences in each lifeform, and in the case of humans, in each individual. —Do you understand up to this point?"

"Y-yes..." Kino said with a meek expression.

"Well, living things with no difference in their 'structural information' are called clones. For example, if you break off a branch of a tree and plant it in the ground, a tree will grow in that spot, right? Having done this, you just made one more tree with exactly the same ‘structural information’ using the first tree. This is also a clone. Do you follow so far?"

Kino nodded, "I understand. It’s grafting, right?"

"That's right. A clone, by nature, is a 'small branch.'"

The guide continued.

"And that is exactly what we are doing, but with humans. The men, the women, each and every one of them came from the foundational model of a single person. They are all clones. In layman's terms, you could call them 'copy humans.' I think that at this point, you understand why we all have the same face."

"Yeah, I totally understand. Rather, you make it seem so logical; any other way would seem strange," Hermes said.

Kino glanced at Hermes, and then asked the guide, "But... all of this... how?"

"You are asking how it is that we produce these clones?"

"Yes."

"Originally, a boy or girl would develop to a certain degree individually, and as a result, a baby would be born from a woman's womb. But with this method, the child's 'structural information' would be a mixture of two others; so a boy would not be exactly like the father, and a girl would not be exactly like the mother. That is why we use a different method."

Kino asked, "That is to say, that... a 'stamen' and a 'pistil' and those sorts of things aren't needed at all for this method of yours?"

The guide gave a faint smile.

"That is correct. Incidentally, there is no 'stork' involved either."

Kino opened her eyes and lightly bit her lower lip.

"Um... that specific method, can you explain it to me in a way that I can understand, please?"

The guide spoke to Kino, who leaned forward.

"Of course. That is the reason I invited you here. This facility was made for the purpose of carrying out that method. However, before I take you inside, let me give you a simple background of this country's history.

“Long ago, a man and woman stumbled upon this land where no one lived, and not even grass grew. Those two people were the original of every citizen of this country.

“The two had been born and raised in another country far, far away. There, they had studied biology and medicine; however, the research they proposed, that is to say, the cloning of humans, was rejected by others. Finally, they received orders to halt their research.

“The two decided to leave the country. They loaded all of the equipment they had developed in an enormous truck, and left on a journey to seek a new world where no one would get in their way.

“Then, the two found and dug up an underground water source. With their water troubles dispelled, they planted vegetables and began to raise grain and livestock.

“At the same time, in order to test the fruits of their research, they created clones of themselves. The babies who were safely born in this land were raised by the two as their own children.

"Finally, with an increase in crop production and a stable population, that is to say, more mouths to feed, this country was officially born. For hundreds of years since then, we have continued our sound way of living."

--

"With that, let us go."

Kino and Hermes continued through a passageway, led by the guide.

They passed by several people in lab coats who all, of course, had the same face. They went through several rigorous checkpoints, and finally arrived in front of a single door.

‘Here we are,’ said the guide. And jokingly, "Welcome to the ‘cabbage patch’!"

He opened the door.

There was a long passageway behind it. On one side of the passageway, the wall was made entirely of glass.

While pushing along Hermes, Kino slowly stepped inside.

On the other side of the glass was an area that was somewhat wider than the passageway. On the other side, several black glass tubes that looked like thick pillars were lined up evenly.

"Those glass tubes are our 'wombs.' Look at number fourteen, if you will."

The guide said, and pushed the switch he was holding.

The blackness in the tube began to fade. There was something in the center of the liquid-filled glass tube.

Soon its form was revealed. It was small, with arms and legs pointing downwards, and a large head. There was a tube that extended upward attached to its belly button.

"A baby, before it's born..." Kino muttered.

"Amaaazing..." said Hermes happily.

"Correct. That is a fetus. It has been about thirty-five weeks since this child was conceived. It’s flailing about, so I’m turning off the lights," the guide said.

The tube was once more immersed in color, and soon became as black as it had been before.

"All of the fetuses are raised like this. After one is fully grown, it is removed from this facility. In other words, it is 'born.' After that, things are just like in any other country. Now as to what you asked specifically earlier...”

Kino turned to the guide.

"There are several ways, but what we do now is like this. There are two things needed: First is the 'structural information' of a man if it is a man we want to make, and that of a woman, otherwise. As to which body it will be taken from, it doesn’t matter. Once that information is taken, it will not result in the creation of anything but the part it is taken from, so if it is taken from a hand, then a hand is what we will get. The same goes for a foot; structural information from there will form a foot. This is a rather shoddy way of doing things, but if we gather information from all parts of the body, we will eventually be able to produce an entire body. The second thing needed is an unfertilized egg cell. We will collect this from a woman, and put it in cold storage. Do you understand me up to this point?" "Somehow... I think I get it."

"Yeah, I got it."

After confirming Kino and Hermes' understanding, the guide continued his explanation.

"Next, using a terribly precise operation, we will move the "structural information" into the egg exactly as it is. Doing so, the egg cell will now be carrying this ‘structural information’ and will become a fertilized egg. Then, this fertilized egg will be grown in a ‘womb’ for 265 days. ——Are you starting to understand what is going on?"

"I see... I think I'm starting to see the general picture."

"Hey, it's just like I said, Kino. This place is a factory, right?" Hermes said to Kino.

‘Hahaha!’ the guide laughed.

"It is indeed just as Mr. Hermes says! Instead of domestic production as was done long ago, we do it in a factory with a perfect quality control system. Thanks to this, things like ‘stillbirth’, ‘miscarriage’, and ‘infertility’, are now dead words in our country. Almost no one is aware of them."

Kino asked the guide a question.

"Doesn't anyone wish to have children the normal... old way? I know I'm uninformed, but after you substitute the ‘information’, is it possible to naturally return the egg cell to a woman's body...?"

The guide looked a bit taken aback.

"Your question does not sound the least bit uninformed. What you just said now, Miss Kino, is unmistakably possible. Actually, we use this method to increase the numbers of our livestock. After all, that method does not take too much time and effort. However... there is practically no one among us who will do it that way. There is no record of anyone ever having done so. There is also the matter of the nine months' gestation period, and no one can even think of going through so much trouble. We have become unable to do work. To make matters worse, there is also the possibility of the pregnancy complications I mentioned earlier. To put it in other words, who would want to chop wood, now that we boil our water electronically and automatically?"

"I see..." "Pretty convincing," Kino and Hermes said.

Becoming slightly garrulous, the guide continued.

"Ah, but you see; the notion of ‘stamen and pistil, and so on’ has survived splendidly. In this country it is a method of relaxation, basically an ‘activity done with two people’, a sport. It is something not far removed from tennis. Miss Kino, so long as you are staying here, would you like to try it?"

"...... Ah, no, I'm sorry," said Kino.

--

On the path, a group of married couples entered. Of course, the men had the same face as the guide, and the woman had the same face as one another. However, the women were slightly plump.

Seeing the guide, one of the women let out a surprised voice.

"Oh? It's rare that we meet here. Are you on break from your town hall duties? You couldn't possibly be skipping out on your work or anything, could you?"

"That’s mean. I am working, you know. I am doing guide work; it has been a while since I last had to show a visitor around. Everyone, this is Miss Kino and Mr. Hermes."

Kino bowed, and Hermes said ‘hello’.

"Oh, you're the travelers who arrived yesterday. Welcome!"

The woman said cheerfully, and beckoned Kino and the others over with her hand.

“Look, my daughter’s here. I want everyone to meet her. Over here, over here. She’s number twenty-five!”

Everyone walked ahead, and looked inside tube twenty-five.

Inside the tube, there was nothing.

The woman pulled out a pair of binoculars, and looked inside of the glass tube. She grinned, and then handed the binoculars to Kino.

Kino peered through them. In the center, a tiny, tiny something was barely visible.

"Can you see her? You can see her, right?"

"Y-yeah..." was all Kino managed to say.

"Isn't she cute? She's so adorable, isn't she?" The woman began to shower Kino with questions.

"...... Yeah..."

She was ecstatic.

"Even though it's only been six weeks, she's already starting to look as cute as me!"

"…..."

The guide helped Kino, who had no idea what to say, out of the situation.

"W-well, how about I show you around the educational facility?"

--

The guide led Kino and Hermes out of the ‘cabbage patch’ and took them down an ordinary-looking hallway.

"What exactly is the educational facility?" Kino asked.

"It is just as the name would indicate. It is a place where eligible individuals are taught various things. First, I will explain who these eligible individuals are."

The guide explained as he walked.

"In this country, people over sixteen years of age who desire to have children must undergo an examination. Married or not, the questions are based around confirming the ability of the individuals to raise a child properly. There are several primary factors for this. The person's bodily and mental state, their economic status, their job or educational status, their experience with raising children, whether or not they have people in their neighborhood that can help them, for instance family, are all tested. Their documents are inspected, they go through an interview, notes are taken on them, then they practice, among other things, and finally, an examination in an isolated facility lasting ten days is performed. In order to see if the person has tendencies toward violence, they are put in a simulated state where they are unable to do as they please, and then pushed to the limit psychologically. We judge their ability to cope, and unless they score ninety-eight points or more on this test, they are not qualified to receive a child."

"Pretty strict, isn't it?" said Hermes.

"Yes, it is indeed very strict. No matter how many times I see it happen, I still think it is strict, but..."

"But?" Kino asked. The guide looked forward and said in a resolute manner,

"If people who desire a child are not able to pass such strict tests, then they could not possibly be ready for something like parenthood. If someone is not willing to bestow kind, calm, and unconditional affection upon their child, then they are not fit to be parents. Having a child is not like buying a pet turtle or iguana. You are bringing a single human into the world, and you have almost complete control over their life… As a human, is there a greater responsibility than that? No, absolutely not!" the guide recited passionately, his hands curling into fists.

"People who think of raising children as a game, people who have children so that they can show them off to others, people who make their children into personal slaves and force them to do the impossible, people who selfishly turn their children into their heirs, locking them up and taking away their freedom to do what they want in life, people who use their children for recreation when they are stressed or dead drunk ——these sort of parents are yet to be ‘born’, and if you look at our history, not one child has been raised in an unhealthy way, not even excluding certain isolation orders received from town hall. In order to prevent this country from sinking into ruin, having people who want to become parents take this difficult test is a top priority. This institution does not only produce children, but also parents."

"I see... In one country I went to, I remember one child told me, 'I want to see the faces of my parents...'" Kino said.

"'I want to see the faces of my parents...' They are fine words indeed... Remember them. Incidentally, in this country, if a parent murders their child, they are given a death sentence without question. If a child murders a parent, however, it is not considered a crime no matter what the age of the child or their reason for doing it. It is only natural, because, after all, a child is raised by its parents. If the child you raised would strike, kick, or even kill you, then you have no right to complain. It is entirely the fault of the parents who raised the child. You just have to accept it."

"......" "…..."

Then, the guide pulled up several chairs, and stopped at the end of the hallway.

"Excuse me. We have passed through the door,” the guide said.

--

"... And then, the people who have passed the examination, that is to say, the eligible individuals, will be waiting as ‘parents-in-training.' This will continue for the same amount of time as the case I first mentioned earlier — 265 days, in other words, the same amount of time it takes for a fetus to fully grow."

Passing through a door, Kino, Hermes, and the guide went along a different path. Half of the surface of the floor was made of glass, and underneath, there was an area that looked similar to a classroom.

"Please, take a look."

In the room that the guide pointed out, there were ten or so people practicing infant bathing with dolls. In a neighboring classroom, a study session with people using notes and textbooks was being held. Next to that room, a class on making baby food was being conducted. The male to female ratio was exactly one to one. Everyone was frantic.

"Yes, you see, everyone masters the techniques required for raising a child. There is also a final examination, and until you pass, you cannot embrace your child. Because everyone is so determined, none of them fail the exam."

"I see,” Kino muttered as she looked below.

"And finally, the day they have been waiting for, the 'birth', finally arrives. It is the first time they can hold their child with their own hands. … It is truly a moving experience, to take a small life made entirely from your own 'information' into your hands. Even though everyone knows that in this country, the men are all the same as the men, and the women are all the same as the women, their own child is still more special than the rest. And in the case of married people like me, the wife I love and my daughter who is just like her, are much more special to me than anybody else.”

The guide narrowed his eyes and continued.

"Unfortunately, there are no births scheduled for either today or tomorrow. I cannot show you the deep emotion of the moment of birth. That is my one regret."

--

After they finished their tour of the classrooms, Kino, Hermes, and the guide returned to the reception room.

The guide gave Kino one final piece of information.

"Our country has one immense weak point." He made a grave face as he said this.

"Weak point?" Kino asked.

"Yes, and that is disease. The thorough blood inspection that you had to go through before entering the country could not be overlooked even the tiniest bit, so that it was certain you were not bringing any foreign diseases into the country. Even if it might be something commonly suffered by people born in your country of birth, it may be lethal to the ‘two individuals’, from which all of us clones came from. Do you understand what I mean?"

The guide gave a little quiz, and Kino replied slowly, confirming her understanding.

"... That is to say, because everyone here is exactly the same, if a disease affects one person, there is a danger that it will affect everyone else as well. With just a single disease, the entire population could be obliterated."

"It's similar to how motorrads made in the same place, on the same assembly line, in the same factory, will all break down the same way, right?" Hermes said. The guide nodded satisfactorily.

"That's exactly how it is."

"What are the actual conditions? Have there been such a crisis in the past?" Kino asked. The guide shook his head.

"Up until now, no such event has occurred. Because we completely inspect everyone who steps in this land for possible illness, our children have remained. We do not intend to cut off this land from the outside. That is why we have created the checking process for the occasional traveler that comes our way. In addition, since we do it so thoroughly, there has not been any incident up to this point. The future is always uncertain, though."

"…..."

"Oh come now, this world is never completely safe," the guide said in a bright voice to Kino, who had a serious expression on. "But..."

"But?" Kino asked.

"If you have the will to survive, it is not that easy to perish," the guide said to her with a grin.

--

"With that, the tour is complete. How was it?"

"It was very interesting. I'm beyond satisfied," Hermes said.

"That makes me very happy. How about you, Miss Kino?"

"... Out of all of the countries I've visited until now, this one has surprised me the most... It was a great idea to come here," Kino said, making several small nods.

"Thank you very much. When you say that, it makes me glad to be a tour guide," the guide said happily, looking relieved.

He then asked a question.

"Miss Kino, I will be returning home for a while to take my daily lunch, would you like to come with me? If you desire to try the homemade cooking of this country, it would be far more delicious than any restaurant you will find here. I suppose it would be a misuse of my authority to mix public and private life, but how about it?"

--

Kino came down from the car while pushing along Hermes. At the same time, four girls, all with the same faces and wearing the same clothes, and three boys, all with the same faces and wearing the same clothes, surrounded her.

The children were lined up in front of their home, waiting for the return of the guide.

The children looked at Kino and Hermes, and all began speaking at once to the point that Kino couldn't understand what any of them were saying.

"Oh, thank you for the reception everyone. This here is Miss Kino, a traveler. This is her partner, the motorrad Mister Hermes," the guide said.

"Hello everyone."

"Hello–!"

And then, they were pulled along by the children who had begun to speak without regard to each other again, into the property. The guide's wife, who had the same face as all the other women, came out to meet them in her apron.

Kino was guided through their spacious garden. Over there was a pretty lawn and plants that looked like a lot of care had gone into them, as well as a large table. On the table, dishes were arranged.

The guide told his children to line up in the order of their birth, as the was going to introduce them. The children all lined up in a row.

"Now then, starting from the right: My eldest daughter, Hen, twelve years old; my second eldest daughter, Duo, eleven years old; my eldest son Tria, ten years old.”

As the children were called, the girls grabbed the hems of their skirts and curtsied, while the boys placed their hand over their chest and bowed.

"I have two third eldest daughters, Tetra and Freja. They are both nine years old. They were born on the exact same day."

The two, who looked every inch exactly the same as each other, bowed at exactly the same time.

"My second eldest son, Hex, eight years old; and my youngest son, Hepta, seven years old. They are all my precious family... Oh yes, and then my wife."

"Oh, I am honored that you remember me," his wife joked.

--

All of the food served at lunch could more or less be called delicious. The guide told Kino that the animals and vegetables were produced through cloning techniques, so the country never had to be worried about food.

After they had finished dessert, the children all played in the garden. The wife asked the guide if it’s alright for him to skip work from the town hall. While lying down on the grass,

"My work for today is to be with the traveler. It’s alright as long as the boss doesn’t find out.”

"Dear, that is a misuse of your authority, mixing public and private life, you know," the wife who spoke in an exasperated tone and Kino met eyes, and smiled wryly.

Hermes, surrounded by the kids, made a splendid plaything.

After looking at the children for a while, Kino spoke to the guide, who was lying on his side.

"Sorry if I get it wrong. The one farthest to the left is Hen. Next is Tria, then Hepta, then Hex. The one touching Hermes' light is Tetra, and the one behind her is Freja. The one sitting in the chair drinking tea by herself is Duo."

"......"

The guide jumped to his feet, tossing a glance at the children.

“… That’s correct. But how in the world?” He looked at Kino with a surprised expression.

"At first I couldn't tell them apart, so I watched them while they ate. I was a bit surprised. The way they eat and the littlest of their gestures are all different. Later, I realized their personalities reflect the subtle differences in their outward appearance," Kino said. The guide remained speechless for a while.

"...... You are correct, but to find out so much in such a short time... Why, Miss Kino, you have excellent observational skills. Well done!"

Kino was slightly embarrassed.

"Incidentally, which ones were the hardest to discern?" the guide asked.

"The eldest boy, Tria, and the youngest boy, Hepta. They are about the same height, and their expressions and actions resemble one another. They're both very obedient, aren't they?"

"You are quite sharp. Both of them can’t stand against their older sisters. Well, I myself am no match for my wife, so it’s not that surprising. Amongst my boys, only Hex have the guts… Who could you tell apart immediately?"

Kino looked at the two girls standing in front of Hermes.

"Tetra and Freja, despite looking exactly the same, were unexpectedly easy to tell apart. Freja is always standing behind Tetra."

The guide told Kino she was absolutely right, and then his expression darkened a little.

“Freja, you see, was actually not supposed to become our daughter..."

Kino turned her face to the guide.

"In this country, you cannot request two children at once. At the most, you can only have one child per year. As for Freja... the young woman who was supposed to become her mother is said to have died in an accident only two days before she was born. On the same day our Tetra was 'born,' we received her by a special exception. 'Freja' was the name of that woman."

"Is that so..."

"Of course, since she has the same 'information' as my wife and daughters, there have been no problems. Everyone in the family knows about Freja’s circumstances. Just..."

"Just?"

"That young woman Freja ——what happened to her is certainly regrettable. Every time that name crosses my lips, I can’t help but remember what happened to her. Because of that, I feel I have to make Freja happy for her sake, and I am always thinking of what on earth I could do in order to achieve that."

"......"

The guide looked at the two children for a while. As he did, Freja came over to him and invited him, telling him that since it has been a long time, she wanted to play with him for the rest of the day. The guide looked at his daughter with a slightly troubled face.

Kino suddenly stood up.

"Well then, it’s about time for us to go around the country by ourselves. That tour for today was more than enough. It helped me out a lot. Thank you very much. …If I meet your boss, I'll tell him that you guided me for the whole day."

The guide looked up at Kino in surprise.

"It’s okay as long as he doesn’t find out, right?" Kino said with a smile.

--

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

The weather was good as usual. When Kino asked, she was told that it’s like this the whole year round.

Kino replenished Hermes' fuel, and after securing some food and water for herself, finished her departure preparations before noon.

In front of the hotel, the guide came with the rest of his family, and received each one’s parting words. She thanked the guide especially for what he had done yesterday.

The guide had his wife drive the children home. Then he turned to Kino and Hermes.

“There is one final important thing that I have to tell you. Please listen well," the guide said with a serious expression more stern than anything he had put on up to this point.

--

From inside the gate, the guide, the hotel owners, and anyone else around who seemed to have free time gathered for the final sendoff of the traveler. All the men had the same faces, and all the women had the same faces.

The guide, acting as a representative, spoke.

"Miss Kino, Mr. Hermes, thank you so much for spending time in our country. If you ever happen to pass nearby, please visit without any hesitation. At that time, it’s probably my children who will be welcoming you.”

"Thank you very much."

"Thanks, stay well everyone."

Watching Kino's back as she passed through the gate, the guide took a deep breath.

"With this, I'm also done with my guide work... I wonder if even fewer travelers will come."

The hotel owner, upon hearing this, said to the guide in a somewhat surprised tone,

"Don't say things like that, and quickly head back to the town hall. Don't you have a lot of work to do?"

"That is right. Things will be tough from here on. You took half the day off yesterday, correct? Don't always loaf around! Now, back to work, back to work!” the owner’s wife chimed in.

The former guide who was unforgivingly scolded by his senior muttered weakly,

"Alright..."

--

"Yep, that was interesting. Truly interesting."

"Uh-huh."

Kino and Hermes chatted with one another while running through the wilderness path, the gate behind them.

"We should go back to that country again sometime."

"Oh? It's really rare for you to say something like that, Kino."

The motorrad puffed up a cloud of dust without reserve.

--

--

Someone was peering at Kino and Hermes from a nearby place through a pair of binoculars. They dug a hole in the ground and covered it with a cloth of the same color.

"Alright! They're confirmed to be safe!" he said happily.

"They’re pretty lucky, eh. Do you think they learned of the horrors of that country?" someone else beside him asked.

"That's not important. Our job is to make sure there are no more victims," the first person said in a slightly lively voice.

And continued.

"Sergeant, contact headquarters. We will take the traveler into custody."

--

The motorrad ran along through the valley with the country, and climbed the hill that appeared before them.

When they reached the flat summit, they saw three humans. Kino suddenly hit the brakes and stopped.

The three men wore clothes the same color as the ground, and their faces were painted. Their clothes were so similar to the color of the ground that if they had been lying on the road, Kino would have mistakenly run over them.

The faces of all three were different. One of them extended an empty hand, and slowly approached Kino.

And then spoke.

"Traveler, I am sorry to trouble you, but might you be able to come this way for a bit?"

"How come?" Kino asked. The man took another step closer, and saluted.

"I am a soldier from a country far to the south from here. From here on, my country will be performing a military operation. It is very dangerous to be here right now. Until things clear up, we would like you to wait for a while in a safe place.”

"If I refuse, you intend to take me by force, am I right?"

The soldier nodded to Kino's question.

"That is correct. We have been ordered to protect you, miss traveler, by all means.”

"I understand. Since I also intend to protect myself, I'll do as you say."

As Kino said this, one of the soldiers crouched on the ground, and lifted up a cloth. There was a hole, in which was hidden a small buggy.

--

On the slope of a hill opposite the country, from a place where the country is fairly visible, there was a big tent. A number of binoculars were installed, where soldiers peek at the country in the valley.

Kino and Hermes were politely led to this place.

“We have company!”

“Good job.”

After the soldier saluted and left, a middle-aged man wearing a military uniform introduced himself to Kino.

“Hello, miss traveler and mister motorrad. I am the commander of all of the troops here. If our troop’s actions harmed an innocent traveler in any way, I apologize in place of my country. This place is our frontline headquarters. If you are here, you will be safe. I’m terribly sorry, but you have to wait here for a while.”

“I see. By the way, what are you going to do from here on?”

At the same time as Kino asked this question, someone issued an order to depart from the wireless radio under the tent.

“I assure your safety, miss traveler. Prepare for the bombardment!”

“Bombardment?” Hermes asked, and the Commander answered.

“Yes. From now, our army will bombard that country in the opposite side of the valley. Please observe.”

He pointed at the slanting bottom of the hill, where a number of embankments were lined up. The soldiers took off all the covers, and a large number of artillery cannons were revealed.

The muzzles of the cannon slowly lifted up, and all of them pointed right towards the direction of the country.

The order was given in a hurry from the headquarters.

“All cannons, ready!” “Observation team, ready!” “Medic team, ready!”

“Once the bombarding begins, we can go out the hill and enjoy the nice view. Well then, let’s go...”

The Commander said to Kino, and then he gave out the orders to his men.

“Commence attack!”

From the bottom of the valley resounded roars akin to lightning hitting next door. All of the cannons produced white smoke. The soldiers in the headquarters tent climbed up the hill. Kino also rode Hermes and climbed lup.

From afar, a black flower bloomed at once above the skies of the country. The succeeding explosions produced smoke that looked like flowers. The sound of those explosions reached after some delay.

The cannons from the back roared once more, and several flowers bloomed again. This was repeated several times.

All the while, the Commander who was watching beside Kino, explained politely.

“That shell fired just now would explode in the air, scattering minute fragments into the surrounding area. Then, all of the people outdoors and those inside not so sturdy structures will be successfully annihilated.”

“……”

Eventually the black bloom vanished, and from inside the wall, something exploded in a flash.

“That was a high-power explosive. It will destroy anyone inside solid structures. This is to make sure that everything’s done thoroughly.”

In the surrounding area, the sound of firing cannons, and the delayed impact of the projectiles mixed together, creating extremely noisy sounds.

Kino spoke to the Commander in a loud voice,

“Even if I tell you to stop this bombardment, you won’t, am I right?”

“That’s unreasonable. If we stop now, there’s the danger of a counter-attack.”

The Commander stopped at this point for a moment,

“Oh, I see. You must have forgotten something there, miss traveler. We will compensate you for it. We are truly sorry that an innocent person had to be involved in this matter.”

Kino shook her head,

“No, thank you. It wasn’t something of extremely significant value”

The Commander looked at Kino’s worried face.

“Two days before, we saw you enter that country. The truth is the bombing was scheduled for yesterday noon, but we don’t want to involve innocents, so we waited,” the Commander said.

“I see.... Thanks, I’m truly grateful to you. By the way, I would at least like to hear the reason for the bombardment?”

“Why of course, it was a country where everyone had the same faces. We would like to erase that devil’s country from the face of this earth”

“Which means——” Kino tried to speak, but the violent volleys of cannon erased her voice. She spoke once more.

“Which means, one of you have entered that country?”

“Yes.... By chance, a group of travelers from our country went astray. And then, they saw that. People with the same faces, being created from glass containers. They frantically escaped and returned home, and told us about this. But…”

“But?”

“Among those ten people, one committed suicide…. The rest received extreme mental shock. At least two were broken down in mind and body, and were admitted to hospital for medical treatment. Really pitiful…”

“That’s why, you have to make sure, ......, to completely destroy it,” In the middle of cannon fire, Hermes interrupted and spoke. From the country, something burning began to emit black smoke. Amidst that, the explosions continued.

“Yes, that’s right. So that the number of victims won’t increase any further. And so that the devilish acts of that country wouldn’t spread to ours or to other countries.... But miss traveler, for letting you enter and witness that, we were truly worried that you will come out as another victim. It’s nice to see you’re fine…”

“……” “……”

Suddenly, the cannon roars died down. The last shell exploded, and the sound echoed lowly. And then it became quiet. Black smoke arose amidst the fragments in the interior of the walls, and was slowly carried away by the wind.

“Is it over?”

Kino asked, and the Commander answered that the bombardment is over.

“The ‘bombardment’? Is there anything else?”

“Yes. Please look over there.”

The Commander pointed behind the row of cannons. There were enormous shafts, like factory chimneys, on push carts that were being pulled by trucks. They have pointed tips, and small wings were attached on the rear.

“Missiles?” Hermes asked, and the Commander nodded.

“Now, we will fire those things to that country. If even one person was left, they might increase in number again. To ensure that they are completely annihilated, we took the pains to develop a special bomb.”

“A special bomb?”

To Kino’s question, the Commander replied to look and enjoy the view. And he added,

“Miss traveler. It would be a good idea to wear your goggles and bandana.”

The head of the missile slowly rose up. And then, the Commander brought down the order to fire.

From the jet propulsion at the rear, flames and smoke erupted, and a thunderous roar came at the same time as the shaft rose into the air.

The smoke left trails, and the missile flied out. And then it split into two in the air. Its rear fell feebly. The pointed end drew a parabola and dropped to the country in a gentle slope.

Just before it dropped, the tip split, and white smoke spread in an instant. As if a net was thrown, the whole country was wrapped in a semi-spherical smoke. In the next moment, the hemisphere transformed into huge balls of fire. The masses of flame covered everything, and was exhausted.

For several seconds, the thunderous roar and the shockwave reached the place where Kino and the others are. Dust soared violently, and for a while, nothing can be seen.

Plenty of time passed before the dust cloud was cleared away. Nothing was left of the place where the country had been, except for the scattered fragments of the wall which was blown to bits. Everything was flat. Up in the sky, a mushroom cloud, like one formed after a volcanic eruption, was leisurely ascending.

“We did it—!”

In the headquarters, the soldiers raised a cheer. They leaped happily and embraced each other.

“Wha—, amazing. That was the special bomb?” Hermes asked.

“Yes, that’s right. Everything turned out well.” The Commander showed a face of relief.

Kino pulled down her bandana and asked, ‘How does it work?’

“Did you see that white fluid which spread? That was fuel. It covered the entire country, and a little bit later, a bomb will set it aflame. And then, the surrounding oxygen will all be taken up and burned. The pressure will squish flat everything above ground. Furthermore, the heat will grill any living thing’s lungs. As you can see, there’s not a single insect or animal in there. It was a huge success,” the Commander said, and smiled as if he was feeling good. He took off his dust-covered hat and brushed it off lightly.

“This is the end of this lengthy mission.”

He said calmly, and then took a photo from his breast. He looked at it, and his eyes narrowed.

“What is that?” Kino asked.

“My daughters.”

The Commander handed the photo to Kino with a smile.

It was the picture of two ten-year old girls, smiling, with exactly the same face.

“……”

Still silent, Kino showed the photo to Hermes, and then asked its owner a question.

“They’re twins?”

“Yes. Ireen and her younger sister, Meel”

Kino, with a slightly worried tone, “I… can’t tell who’s who.”

The Commander was amused. “Hahaha. If you meet them, you’d be able to tell them apart immediately. The older sister is very spirited, while the younger one is really shy and withdrawn.”

“I see…” Kino muttered, and returned the photo. The Commander looked at it slowly once more.

“Since this mission began, I haven’t seen them for more than six months. Now that the forces can safely pull out from this country, I’ll be able to see the two of them soon. Both of them must have grown much…”

Kino spoke gently. “Once you go back to your country, the day you can hold them in your arms will be near. I’m sure you’re looking forward to it.”

“Thanks.... Miss traveler, you’re now safe. It took quite some time, but we truly are grateful for your cooperation. If you happen to come to the south, please drop by our country. At that time, my daughters will be welcoming you.”

Kino grinned, “Sounds great. Well then, we’ll be going.”

--

Kino and Hermes came out of the headquarters, and ran above the hill for a while.

They stopped by the remains of the country, and spoke.

“Everyone, please take care. Thank you for everything.”

“Yup. See ya!”

The motorrad climbed down the hill.

They passed by the smiling and waving soldiers beside the cannons, and eventually set off.

--

After several days, the cannons, which were no longer useful to the army, were buried dispersely underground. After confirming that they haven’t left any trash behind, the soldiers returned home with their trucks.

On the earth where the country formerly stood, only rubble and burnt remains were left.

--

Then, after 50 days have passed, the wind carried earth slowly to the ruins, and the color of the ground changed.

And then, one morning after fifty more days have passed.

From the earth of the ruins, rubble and dust was blown away, and the ground split open.

It was a rectangular concrete structure, as big as a house. There was a door, and it was open.

From inside, men with the same faces, and women with the same faces, came out in groups. They looked up in the sky; everyone had smiles on their faces.

The man who served as Kino’s guide came out together with his wife and children.

“Be careful of the rubble. Don’t fall over them.”

The man said to the children who were in high spirits.

“Wow, the sun after so long!”

“Look, everything’s destroyed—”

“Amazing. Everything’s flat and brand new.”

Freja, who was gripping his father’s hands,

“Let’s play on the lawn again like before?” She looked up at her father and asked.

“Of course. The forest will return to its original form, too. In the blink of an eye, at that.”

Freja grinned, and ran to her siblings who were walking ahead.

Someone with the same face came to the man’s side.

“Oh dear. They did a pretty good job wiping everything off clean. From here on, the town hall will be busy.” The man smiled bitterly.

“Yeah. ……We will have less time for rest again.”

‘Hahahaha!’ the man beside him laughted heartily. And then spoke.

“My condolences, your excellency. Perhaps this amount of work is too much for just one citizen. Maybe I should watch over you more.”

The guide, who apparently was the chief, shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh dear. I wouldn’t find a boss as strict as you anywhere else.”

“Hahahahahaha!” The other man left, laughing.

--

In the ruins, people flowed out of the exit. All men have the same face as one another. All women have the same as one another.

The guide-turned-chief smiled and looked around him.

"If you have the will to survive, it is not that easy to perish," the guide said with a grin.

Translator's Notes

I'm still baffled as to what the title really means. The closest I can get to understanding it is knowing that 'HACCP' is a food quality control system used worldwide (it means 'Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points'). The only connection I found is with the 'quality control' of the factory the guide was referring to.