Mushi:Vol1 Ch3
The Third Night: The Girl Who Died a Thousand Years ago
Original sin, the first sin humans committed, the betrayal of God. The sin that the first humans, Adam and Eve, had committed, were still not forgiven by God. As their children, we also live a life of anguish, carrying that sin. Pain is the way for humans to redeem themselves. It was all the ancestors’ fault. No matter whom it may be: men, women, the elderly, the children, the sick or the healthy, and of course the wealthy or the poor, that pain seems to have been equally laden onto people. “You need to believe in religion in order to be released from that pain!” So religion can keep surviving! Flaring up others’ unrest and forcing them to worship a religion is basically underhanded dealing. This is called negative option. Even if you believe in religion you’d only be saved after you died, so there’s no point in believing it while you’re alive anyways.
“Sensei, what exactly is original sin?”
Hmm, asking a question when you don’t understand, Usarin-kakka is quite splendid. Everyone needs to learn from her – as for this, basically, there was a God, a mighty being that created many creatures, with humans beings the head of them all. God created humans last, using soil and a rib as the material. The work that He gave to those two humans – Adam and Eve – was to farm on the land named the Garden of Eden, reap the crops from the fields, and expel invaders. At the same time He gave a warning. He told them that they could eat any fruit growing in the Garden of Eden except the apple growing in the middle of the garden, because eating it would result in death.
“Was it poisonous?”
“That’s not poison. Do you know ‘Nutgall’? It was a story about a monk in a temple who showed a bottle with stuff in it to the young monks, and warned them the content was nutgall, a poisonous plant, and must not be eaten. Actually it wasn’t nutgall in the bottle at all, but the candies the monk had stored. The young monks solved this quickly and ate all the candies. After the monk knew about it he swore his head off in regret.”
“This is a joke?”
It is a joke, all such mad talks are jokes. You’ll probably be reprimanded if you compare the story of the original sin as a joke, but the basic idea of the story is the same. The apple growing in the center of the Garden of Eden wasn’t poisonous, but a forbidden fruit that only God is allowed to eat. Legend says it is a fruit that enables people to extinguish right and wrong, a fruit that grants wisdom, or a fruit that stops aging and grants immortality. There were too many rumors… all in all, Adam and Eve ate the fruit that only God could eat, and God expelled them from the Garden of Eden in a thunderous rage – that is the original sin, a sin of theft. Because they broke a contract it could probably count as making false testimony too. Anyways, Adam and Eve committed the ultimate sin of betraying God, and that sin is still not forgiven till this day – just what is this “Apple” that God treasured so much? Although it is very interesting, I can’t continue to teach once I start to think about it, so I’ll have to force myself to leave it for today.
The fourth class of the day for Year One, Class B is ethics class. Sasaki Guryuu, who pretty much took over teaching for every subject in this class, briefly recounted the establishment of Judaism. Sasaki almost took over all subjects for Class B from Japanese to Mathematics, because he wanted to spend more time with Usagawa Rinne. The reason Sasaki was able to be so tyrannical and bully his way through was due to his family background. In modern Japan, which practices egalitarianism but also commercialism, you won’t be discriminated based on your family background but differences in financial ability does still exist so no one would challenge the Sasaki Organization just for the sake of equality. Sasaki Organization has the mighty financial power to easily surpass Japan’s national budget – since Sasaki Guryuu is the organization’s heir, he has the right to use his power without hesitation. Moreover, this high school – Kannonsakazaki Private High School was run by the Sasaki Organization. Comparing the school to a business, Sasaki would be the CEO’s son. No matter what the school’s strategic plans may be, realistically no fool in the school would want to offend such a person.
It’s the same with teachers and students.
However –
“Oi, don’t sleep, the girl with the savage name over there.”
“Bam”, Sasaki placed the textbook on the table and yelled at the person who was dead asleep in the middle of the classroom, and was even snoring as if she was taunting Sasaki. That person was deep asleep with her head on her arms; by the way, she’s been like that since the first class. No student had ever slept in his class; Sasaki’s pride was greatly dented. For Sasaki, who didn’t have much patience, this had long ago gone beyond what he could endure.
The class quietened down. Ever since the incident on November 15th, the students have been very interested in the relationship between Sasaki Guryuu and the person sleeping right now – Gankyuu Eguriko. The mundane school life, the peaceful time where nothing happens, was stirred up with the seed of disruption – Gankyuu Eguriko. What would this peerless ultimate teacher do next?
Sitting next to Gankyuu Eguriko – Guriko, Usagawa Rinne pocked her head with her finger. It was an uneven and messy head with hair cut like a wolf, and with her lying on the table she looked like a lump of hair concealing her true form. In contrast, Rinne was very clean and neat, with short hair that didn’t even go down to her shoulders. These two seemed to be on good terms lately. If Rinne were to say something, Guriko would at least listen to bit of it.
“Guriko, Guriko, get up.”
A clear and carrying voice with a metallic tone like a bell. That was Usagawa Rinne’s beautiful voice.
“Sensei looks like he’s a bit angry, it’s better if you get up!”
“So noisy!”
Guriko maintained her original position, and said coolly without moving: “I sleep when I want to sleep. It doesn’t concern me whether the Sensei is angry or the world gets destroyed, sleep is the greatest happiness I can get. It’s alright; I learnt the skill to get a grasp of the surrounding situation even when sleeping long ago. The last time I found out you were being attacked by Mushi despite being asleep was all because I learnt this skill.”
“Hmm…”
“…Therefore, there is absolutely no problem with me sleeping in the classroom. It should be that I don’t like that teacher with a name like a four-word proverb… who dares to look down on my name. I don’t even want to see his face, which is why I am sleeping the whole way through. You got a problem?”
“I’ve got a problem. It is extremely impolite to not listen to the teacher lecturing and sleep throughout.”
Ever since when, Sasaki was beside Guriko. With a bam, his fist smacked into the top of Guriko’s head mercilessly. Even Guriko had to get up, nursing her head. Guriko stared at Sasaki.
“What! Why did you hit me? Even if I can’t feel the pain, my head would still wobble when it’s hit. All my sleepiness flew away. How are you gonna pay me back, Sensei?!”
“Add ‘Sasaki’. Anyways, you’re not allowed to sleep during my class.”
Sasaki declared arrogantly. Guriko set her face angrily.
“Didn’t even say sorry – I’m angry. Remember this, Sasaki.”
One day I’m going to gorge out your eyeballs, Guriko muttered quietly to herself.
During lunch break on Friday November 26th, Sasaki was eating the lunch Rinne made for him when he noticed Rinne, who sat in front of him, looked rather fidgety. He then asked her: “Is Usarin-kakka alright? Does your stomach hurt?”
When asked this, Rinne lifted up her lowered head to look at Sasaki. She wasn’t eating her lunch because of her loss of appetite. Apparently she hadn’t eaten for about ten days. Although she’s been to the doctor, she was chased out because they could find nothing wrong with her. Rinne didn’t get thin at all despite her complete fast, and she continued her energetic life as usual, ignorant of Sasaki’s worries. This was a completely incomprehensible phenomenon. For something that even modern medicine can not solve, Sasaki couldn’t understand either; all he could do was to regard it as a supernatural phenomenon and give up on searching out the reason behind it.
Rinne suddenly looked away, and showed a rare expression of finding it hard to say something.
Sasaki felt incredulous.
“What’s wrong?”
“Um…”
Using the pretty voice that Sasaki likes, Rinne said fearfully: “Sensei, do you dislike Guriko?”
“Hmm?”
What’s the meaning of this question? It looked like a question that can be explained in any way. However, because Sasaki had always answered Rinne’s questions truthfully, so he told her the truth without much thought.
“I don’t like her and I don’t dislike her… honestly, I feel guarded towards her. I still don’t know her true form. In many ways, she’s too unlike a human. Moreover, I’m not clear of her intention either. She is already unforgivable based on the fact that she once harmed Usarin-kakka, and her personality is so self-centered it always feels like she’s looking down on me, which really gets on my nerves. There’s no way I’d be able to get on well with her.”
“Is it so…”
Rinne’s expression was slightly at a loss.
“Then Sensei, didn’t you once say that Guriko arrived at this school in order to trick me? You said she is acting so she can achieve her purpose, and she plans to trick me – ”
“I didn’t say it in that way –”
“Sensei you did say that!”
Rarely, Rinne said angry: “It’s just that Guriko isn’t good in getting along with people. I think she actually wants to get along peacefully with Sensei. Although she once killed me, and there’s also the business of tipping over the lunch, she must have some helpless reason that we don’t know about. Guriko would never want us to be unhappy! Because we live together, I know Guriko isn’t a bad girl!”
“Usarin-kakka is really taking her side!”
“It’s Sensei who’s too paranoid!”
Rinne said loudly. This was a very extraordinary reaction. Rinne was apparently angry, angry enough to yell at Sasaki. Sasaki’s heart wavered and he couldn’t figure out how he made her angry at all. He just wanted Rinne to be safe; didn’t this thought get through to her? No, it got through; Rinne wasn’t such a stupid girl. Sasaki’s thought got across correctly, but she was so angry with it.
Rinne didn’t lift her head, and continued: “I know Sensei cares about me. I’m glad, and I feel like I own Sensei this, but even so, like this –”
As if she suddenly calmed down, Rinne’s tone became gentle and her hand pressed against her forehead.
“ – Aaa, no, I’m confused already… but Sensei, I beg you please stop suspecting Guriko. That child definitely won’t harm me again.”
“How can you know such things?”
How can you come to a conclusion like this? Why are such things believable? That person killed you once, Rinne. Killed you by gorging out your eyeball. How can you still believe such a horrifying demon?
Rinne had her head lowered for a long time, and said quietly: “Sensei, Guriko – ”
It was a very sad sound.
“She’d cry at night! Wrapped in her nightmare, yelling very loudly :’Sorry, I’m still alive, kill me, kill me! I want to die! I can’t take this any mooore! Kill me, kill me, kill me!” She’d be in this anguish till dawn. Guriko seems to not have noticed this. I think the reason Guriko sleeps all the time under the sun’s protection during the day must be because she couldn’t sleep peacefully at night… Sensei, do you think such poor child would be a devil that wants to kill me?”
Rinne’s shoulders were shaking. Although she didn’t cry, her heart seemed to be weeping.
Sasaki displayed a painful expression, but even so he couldn’t trust Guriko.
“Because that’s also – acting.”
“It can’t be acted!”
It can’t be acted. Rinne, as if speaking to the empty air, muttered once again.
“… don’t fight, it would gather Mushi.”
A pure sound, so clear if could always penetrate the air and chase away all noises, untainted with any other substance, reverberated in the classroom.
Rinne turned her head towards where the sound came from, and Sasaki followed Rinne’s gaze. Guriko, who disappeared a while ago, was pulling open the classroom door with a squeak, and walked towards the two.
As she mumbled incomprehensible words.
“Mushi are everywhere, even – in this classroom. Those things will use any means to obtain their goal, so they would immediately move in as soon as you show a crack. Don’t fight; your strong point is that your love is strong, and you should maintain your strong point.”
“You’re the reason of this fight!”
“What?”
Surprise surfaced on Guriko’s face; she then brushed away her fringe and stared at Sasaki with her irises of an incredible colour. Although it wasn’t an important piece of information, but this girl doesn’t suit her sailor uniform a single bit.
“You’re saying – me? Ah, you still can’t get over the thing with the lunch? Forgive me, I had to do that to keep you two alive. Now that I think about it, maybe it’s better for this guy to have died then. Why did I save this kind of a person? He’s clearly useless.”
‘This guy’ and ‘this kind of person’ were all unmistakably referring to Sasaki, because Guriko’s finger was pointing at him at the same time. Why could she only say things that irritate Sasaki’s nerves such as this? It was the first time in Sasaki’s life that he’s been called ‘useless’.
Rinne noticed that Sasaki was displeased, and a helpless expression showed up on her face.
“Guriko, why did you say that? It’s better to be more open – Guriko must also want to get on peacefully with Sensei, so you shouldn’t be saying things like that!”
“Don’t –”
Guriko probably wanted to rebuke her with ‘don’t speak nonsense’, but Rinne was quicker than her and sealed off Guriko’s words with her own angelic smile.
“I like Guriko a lot!”
Rinne said naturally: “I want to become good friends with you, so don’t worry, I won’t hurt you! Sensei must be like me too, and want to get on well Guriko.”
Sasaki complained with a furrowed brow: “Usarin-kakka, I still want to veto this speech of yours.”
“Sensei is so stubborn. Guriko and Sensei are really similar! Both of you are obviously good people, but became distant from each other since you can’t be open to each other; that’s very sad! In fact, you should be able to get along well, but become distant due to stubbornness and dislike each other; how sad…”
Rinne’s face was still helpless, but she laughed as she said this with a tone that sounded like she’s seen through everything in the world.
“Huh...?” “Aye…?”
Her proclamation made the other two gape at her, and full of expressions of thinking about how to rebuke this optimistic girl.
The peerless Rinne noticed the similar expressions on the other two, thought: “They are definitely similar!” then gently smiled.
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