Kino no Tabi:Volume8 Frontispiece2

“The Land Where No Wrong Can Be Done” ~Black Box~

Kino and Hermes were wearing eyeglasses.

Kino, of course, was wearing it on her face. Meanwhile, Hermes…

“Kino, isn’t this weird?”

“It looks good, I swear.”

“Really? But it’s really annoying.”

…was wearing it in front of the headlights.

Right in front of the bespectacled human and vehicle was the interior beyond the open gates, and they were looking at the appearance of the country.

--

A little while ago.

“Now, let me explain,” said the country’s immigration inspector.

The luggage-laden Hermes, Kino wearing a brown coat, and the inspector wearing a business suit, were in a small room built inside the walls.

“Miss Kino, the thing you have in your hands right now is a machine in the form of eyeglasses, and it will serve as a monitoring device.”

As the inspector explained, there were eyeglasses in Kino’s hands. At first glance, it looked very much like normal glasses. However, on both sides at the temple area, there was a small machine about the size of the tip of a pinky.

“The left one with the lens is a camera, while the one at the right is a sound recording device and power supply. That camera will record whatever Miss Kino sees. It will work even at night, but of course, the sound recording will be clearer. Hence, all of your actions will be monitored. But as it is, it’s an obvious invasion of privacy. So the only ones who can see is—”

“Just the police or the court officials?”

“Exactly, Mr. Hermes. You yourself can’t even look at it. When a police warrant is issued, the suspect’s record can be viewed. This way, the criminal act can be exposed.”

“I see. So that’s why this place is called ‘the land where no wrong can be done’”

The inspector nodded vigorously as response to Kino’s words. Of course, he was wearing the same glasses.

“That’s right. In our country it is clear that ‘all wrongdoings will be exposed’. Everyone knows that this effort is all worth it. Before, there were frequent crimes, and murder is the top cause of death. Superficial action wasn’t able to remedy the situation, so we all pooled together our wisdom and created this system. For the past several decades, public order has dramatically improved. There are no other crimes except for those done on impulse, and even these are exposed immediately.”

“I see” “Uh-huh, uh-huh”

“To protect this system, it is prohibited by law to remove the glasses whenever you move your body, with a few exceptions. When the glasses do not indicate that the user’s brain waves are in a resting state, and it detected that it was removed from the skin for more than thirty seconds, a warning is issued and the people nearby will be alerted with their glasses. The few exceptions are when you are sleeping, dressing up, putting on make-up or taking a shower. Everywhere in this country, there are battery chargers which double as eyeglass holders, and a hook that allows the user to get projected. The camera recognizes this as an indication that the user is doing one of the exceptions.

“This is some amazing technology.” “True, true. So amazing.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Ahaha.”

The examiner got down to business after giving a shy bow. In other words, just like ordinary citizens, Kino and Hermes were required to use these glasses during their three-day stay, and will not be issued entry permits if they refuse.

“That’s fine with me. I will do it,” Kino said and nodded. And then she asked the inspector.

“By the way, what about Hermes? I think it’s a good idea to let Hermes wear one too.”

“Well, a motorad cannot move by itself, so the law doesn’t require them to wear one……”

“Well, for instance, in case of a traffic accident, it might be helpful if one is attached to Hermes…..”

“Oh! That makes sense. Miss Kino understands the system very well. I understand! I will have one made for Mr. Hermes right away!”

--

The bespectacled Kino and Hermes stayed in this country for three days. They rested and looked around, sold things they ought to sell, and bought things they ought to buy.

It was a country with very good public order. No problems occurred and they caused no problems either,

“We did not break the speed limit, not even once.”

And then it’s time to depart.

“What are we going to do with these glasses?” Kino asked the inspector in front of the western gates.

“Once you’ve passed the gates and went out of the country, you are no longer obliged to wear it. Please hand it over to the guard outside the gates. Of course, because Miss Kino and Mr. Hermes did not do any illegal activity, all records will be erased. We will not invade your privacy any longer.”

After saying so, the inspector glimpsed at the glasses-wearing Kino and glasses-wearing Hermes. After thinking for a while, Kino spoke.

“If it’s possible, will you let us keep these? --When we arrive in the next country, we would like to introduce to them this country’s wonderful invention. If we only talk about it, they might not believe that such advanced technology exists.”

“Oh,” the inspector was slightly surprised, and told them that if it’s for something like that, then he would give it to them.

“By all means, please use it to introduce them to our country’s ways. However, the battery will only last for two more days. Too bad, but it will lost its features.”

And so Kino and Hermes bid farewell to the inspector and guard, and ran on the road amidst the lush meadows towards the west.

“This is so profitable. Very profitable,” were the strange words Kino muttered as she rode through the meadows, her back to the walls which were getting smaller and smaller as they get farther away. Instead of the usual goggles, she was wearing the aforementioned glasses. And also, above Hermes’ headlights….

“Ah, enough already. Take these off.”

…the glasses were still attached.

“Just wait a bit more, Hermes. Only until the walls have completely disappeared from view.”

“Sheesh”

And when Kino was sure that the top of the walls have vanished beneath the horizon, she stopped Hermes’ engine.

Kino took out a metal lunchbox-like case from the rear wheel box. It is rare for Kino to carry things that she doesn’t need, but this box was empty.

“Ah--, so depressing,” grumbled Hermes.

And then Kino removed the glasses from Hermes’ headlights as well as from her own face. Next she took out a small pin and tinkered with something in the hole of the recording device. She poked it several times, and repeated it for several seconds. Eventually, the glasses let out a ‘pipipi’ sound. She did the same thing to the other one.

“――Done. With this it will stop functioning and our records will be erased,” Kino said happily.

She carefully wrapped the two glasses in a cloth. And then she carefully stowed them away in the metal box and put it inside the rear wheel box.

“In the next country, we can sell this for a high price, and we will earn a huge profit. Moreover, we were lucky enough to be able to get two of it,” Kino said happily.

The machine did not record that remark.

“You’re unbelievably wicked, Kino,” Hermes said.

Kino did not seem to hear or care about Hermes’ comment. Right now, Kino was floating in her dreams of eating delicious food and buying new underwear.

“And also, we’re going to get new oil and tires for you, Hermes.”

“I approve! ――It was such a great country, wasn’t it?”

Kino nodded and started Hermes’ engine.