Kino no Tabi:Volume10 Chapter3

“Land of Protection” —Meritocracy—

One summer, there was a tiny car running on a prairie.

It was flat all around as far as the eye could see. The flowering plants danced comfortably with the wind, and there were but a few trees. The clouds scattered in the sky sparkled a bright orange from the glow of the evening sun.

The vehicle that made its way through this plain was a very tiny, yellow rundown car. One would think that its exhaust pipe, which spouted black fumes and rattled with each bump on the rough road, could fall off at any moment. Through its cracked side mirror, the rust-colored and fragmented corners of the car’s hood could be seen.

Nevertheless, the car ran with all its might through the enormous grassland.

As it was summer, the air was warm in itself. But the climate in these parts was not humid, so crossing this place was not a grueling task. The man seated in the driver’s seat, as well as the woman in the left-hand passenger seat enjoyed the gentle wind coming in through the window, their shirt collars swaying with the breeze.

While keeping one hand on the steering wheel, the slightly short but handsome young man in the driver’s seat spoke to the woman beside him, “Master, don’t you want to rest? Once we get to the country, that is.”

The woman with long black hair, the one who the man referred to as Master, returned a question without looking back at the man.

“And what do you mean by ‘rest’?”

“Why, just as it says on the tin. We’ll take a break from work and spend our time in the country relaxing. With that gem we got from the trader, we don’t have to worry about food expenses for a while.”

The woman did not say anything, but did not seem to be against the idea either.

“I would also like to savor three delicious meals a day for once.”

At the same time as the man’s words, the walls appeared from the bottom of the horizon.

The car feebly made its way to the walls. On both sides of the road, they could see something moving.

The man slowed down the car. The things that stirred in the meadows were animals.

It was around sixty centimeters in length. At a glance, it seemed to be a penguin, having the appearance of a bird that walks, but it had two arms like that of a monkey.

Its color was a mottled brown and cream, with fur like that of a cat and tail like that of a dog. Its face resembled a tiny bear, with its nose right in between its beady eyes.

“Oh, it’s my first time seeing something like that,” the man said. The woman remained silent, but poked her head out of the car and looked at the animal.

While being watched by around thirty such creatures, the car disappeared beyond the gates.

—

The place the two arrived in was neither big nor small. Its main industry was agriculture, and as it has no nearby enemies, it was a rather laid-back country.

Upon entering the country, the pair sold the gem and checked-in at a splendid hotel. After taking a long-awaited shower, they ate delicious food and spent their time relaxing.

The next day, while they were having their late breakfast in a sparsely occupied restaurant, an animal came in.

It was the same kind of animal that they saw outside the country. However, its color was slightly different; it was a mottled black and brown and had a more striking appearance.

This creature walked in brisk, small steps with its two legs. It approached the table where the two travelers were having their meal.

“So they can also be found inside the country. I wonder if it’s a pet?” the man asked.

“I don’t know,” the woman answered without much interest while she drank her tea.

The animal came up to the side of the man and hopped up. It landed on the table with its feet, then fixed its glittering gaze on the cream-filled pastry that the man picked up to eat.

“No, you don’t dare.” The man raised his right hand to drive it away when,

“Ah! Stop, traveler!”

The man suddenly stopped his hand on the waiter’s shout. The woman, her lips still on her cup, lifted her gaze.

And at that moment,

“Kyokyokyokyukyo”

The animal uttered these sounds, then jumped away after nimbly grabbing the pastry from the man’s hand. It started to eat the pastry, smearing its face with cream.

“Ah!”

It gobbled up the pastry while the man held his mouth open in disbelief. The waiter ran quickly towards them.

“Traveler, you mustn’t lay a finger on that animal.”

“Why?”

“Because we have a law that protects it.”

The waiter explained that this animal used to thrive in these areas. However, when people started to live in this country, its population dropped due to excessive hunting.

And just before it became extinct, the country passed a law to protect it. They gave it food, and soon its population grew.

To prevent its extinction, a law was passed forbidding everyone, without exception, from harming it. And so, no matter what it did, the people had no excuse to hurt it.

Even during the explanation, the animal indulged itself with the man’s share of the pastries, and at last when it has finished eating up everything,

“Kyokyakyakyukyukyukya?”

It opened its cream-smudged mouth and vocalized what seemed like a question. The man and the waiter remained mute, having no idea what it was trying to say.

The animal then looked at the woman’s plate. There was one more delicious-looking pastry left in it.

“Kyokyukyakyukyoo. Kyukyukyo”

The animal yammered, and stretched its hand towards the plate.

“Kyukya?”

Just before it snatched the pastry, it met gazes with the woman who was staring it down.

“Kyuki-…”

The animal averted its eyes.

And then it jumped off and ran to a different table at the other side of the room. It also climbed up and started to wolf down a barely-eaten pancake of one customer.

The middle-aged man let out a deep sigh, and stood up from his seat. He abandoned his half-eaten meal, and went out of the restaurant.

“It’s just as you see. In this country, you can’t hurt this animal. If you wounded this animal by chance, you will have to serve five years in jail, even if you are a traveler. If you killed it, you will have to face a life sentence. Be careful.”

“Wow.”

The man was in shock. And as he was not able to taste the pastry, he ordered one more from the waiter. However,

“I’m very sorry, but it’s sold out.”

The waiter bowed and left.

When the man saw the woman eating her share of the pastry,

“Can I have half, please?”

“No.”

The woman replied coldly.

—

After that, the pair came out for a stroll and looked around the country.

“Anyway, that’s one menace of an animal.”

Just as the man said, the animals all over the place behaved outrageously as if there was no one around.

One group crossed the street, causing the cars and carriages to stop. Another skillfully climbed a wall and threw away the hung laundry. Some ate and laid waste to the fruits in front of a store. And some left footprints on a table that was just cleaned. They scattered droppings just about everywhere, destroyed crops, and played with those that cannot be eaten.

There weren’t really much of them, but they’re not particularly rare, as they could be seen just about everywhere.

According to the citizens, perhaps because of recent success in breeding, their numbers have suddenly increased.

And then a few animals came and flocked around the strolling pair. However,

“Do you need something?”

The group left as soon as they met eyes with the woman. Then they set their sights on a girl walking on the other side of the street. They snatched the little girl’s bag and chucked it in the middle of the road. A truck passed and ran over it.

“How terrible… After being able to buy it at last…”

Seeing the flattened bag, the girl cried in anguish.

“Kyukyakyaakyukyo!” “Kyu-kyokyu!” “Kyakyukyokya!”

The animals cried out, as if they were laughing in glee.

“They choose their opponents wisely. Pretty smart, eh,” the man said.

—

That evening.

As the two relaxed in the hotel’s lobby, the middle-aged man who managed the hotel came to greet them. He gave a warm welcome to the travelers, who rarely come to their country, and served them some tea.

When the travelers told him that they planned to leave the next morning,

“This is a good country, so please come again,” he invited.

The woman talked about a traveler who once stayed in the hotel. It was a story from a long time ago, when this magnificent building was yet to be built. The owner pointed to a picture hanging from a very high place in the lobby.

It was an old-looking, black and white picture showing a young couple smiling brightly in front of a small building. The owner explained that it was a photo of his parents.

Several decades ago, his parents built a small inn in this country, and it has since then became a magnificent hotel. It was evident that he was very proud of it.

“That’s the only picture I have of them. It’s this hotel’s treasure.”

“I see it’s very important to you,” the woman said.

“Yes. That’s why I placed it in such a high place. I would really like to display it on top of the fireplace where it could be seen very well, but the circumstances in this country is not so favorable for that, you see,” the owner said with an intricate expression.

—

The next morning,

An incident occurred while the travelers were having their breakfast.

“Ah! Stop! Stop it!”

A man’s scream was heard from the lobby.

The male traveler raised his eyebrow, and several guests went to the lobby out of worry.

“That’s the owner wasn’t it?” the woman said, and stood as she wiped her mouth. The man also hurried to the lobby.

What they saw there was,

“Stop!”

The screaming owner, and

“Kyakyu!” “Kyakyakyu!” “Kyakyuukyukyokya”

Three creatures that were happily stomping on something.

“Kyukya!”

“Kyukyukyo!”

“Kyu-kyukyukyu!”

What the animals continued to stomp on, while they grunted as if conversing with each other, was the photo of the owner’s parents, which should have been hanging from a high place.

The animals trampled on the picture frame, and as if that was not enough, they stepped on the picture and dirtied it with their drool and droppings.

“…”

The owner sank down to the floor right in front of them, and could only stare at the treasured picture that has turned into a sloppy mess.

“How come?”

The man tilted his head and looked at the wall where the picture hung. Then he noticed three long poles leaning against it.

“Oh dear…”

The female workers in the lobby told them that the animals came carrying those poles, propped them against the wall to climb up, and dropped the picture.

“Kya-kyukyaa!” “Kyukyokyuu!” “Kya!”

While the animals happily wrecked the photo,

“Ah…”

The guests could only look on silently at the owner who knelt before the scene as his eyes became flooded with tears.

“Kyakya?”

One of the animals trotted with its dirty feet to the guests, who drew back. They were grinding their teeth in frustration, but no one had the nerve to lay their hands on it.

“This country’s kings, huh?” the man muttered.

Soon this animal scampered in front of the woman. But it did not approach any more than necessary.

“Kya-kyakyu!”

It voiced out, and jumped up several times before returning to its fellow creatures still standing on the picture.

“Kyakyuu!” “Kyakyu!” “Kyaakyukya!”

The picture, which had no hope of getting mended, was further shred to pieces with the animals’ feet. The animals danced around as if in celebration.

And at that moment.

Bam.

A staggering roar shook the lobby.

All humans present except for one almost jumped in surprise. Likewise, all animals save for one almost jumped in surprise.

The lone person was the woman who had her smoking revolver poised by her waist.

And the lone animal was the one who received the bullet in its chest, blown away by a few meters, and collapsed with its face up. Blood spurted from its wound, and it has stopped moving except for a faint twitch. It was the animal that, only moments ago, mocked the woman.

“And here we go.”

The man mumbled to himself as he took out a slim automatic hand persuader (Note: A persuader is a gun. In this case, a pistol) with his left hand.

“Kyakyu?”

He switched on the laser sight, and the tiny circle of red light settled right in between its eyes.

Bang.

The animal flopped face up along with the firing sound that was much quieter than the first one.

Right before the dumbfounded guests and the only remaining animal.

“I’m sorry. My persuader fired by accident,” was the woman’s only explanation. The man also holstered his persuader and,

“Mine too. Oh, I’m really glad no one got hit.”

“T-travelers… This is…outrageous…”

At last one of the guests was finally able to say something.

“What are you talking about?”

“W-what… You just killed an animal protected under our laws… That’s a felony…”

“Animal?” The woman tilted her head innocently, and fixed her gaze at the two dead animals and the remaining animal frozen in shock. “Where is this animal you speak of?” she asked without hesitation.

A wave of comprehension swept the crowd.

“Where is this animal you speak of?”

She asked one more time.

“Yes, indeed…”

The owner stood up unsteadily.

“Kyu?”

“Everyone here… There’s not a single animal here, is there?”

“Kyukikyo…”

The owner wiped off the tears as he stood up, and lifted a chair by his side.

“DIE!”

And hit the remaining animal with all his strength.

“Kya—”

There was a tiny shriek, and the unpleasant sound of several bones breaking.

—

For a while, the owner continued to cry in front of the ruined picture.

“Oh my.”

The humans around gazed at the pair of travelers. The woman remained silent while the man only shrugged his shoulders.

Things like “What should we do?” or “Should we call the police?” could be heard among the crowd, but no one took initiative.

When the lobby has quietened down like a funeral service,

“Kyakyu?”

The door opened with a thud. Dozens of the animals entered the lobby. And upon seeing the corpses of their fellows,

“Kyakyu!” “Kyakyuu!” “Kyokyu!” “Kyaakyukyukyu!” “Kyakyu!”

They shouted out unanimously, and plunged themselves towards the humans.

Bam. Boom. Crack. Bang.

The pair of travelers pounded away like precision machinery. When the woman changed her magazine, the man would cover for her. And she would do the same when the man ran out of bullets.

The lobby was soon filled with sounds of explosions. After all the noise has subsided, there was not a single animal left moving.

The woman once again addressed the speechless crowd, “Where are the animals?”

“T-that’s right!” someone shouted. It was as if a switch was turned on.

“We have to protect the animals, but there’s not one of them here!”

“Yes, yes! —There are no such animals in this country!”

“And there’s no need to protect something that is not here!”

And everyone raised a cheer.

—

That day, the country experienced a day of celebration noisier than any they’ve had before.

“Have you seen any animals?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Such dialogue propagated like a wave throughout the country from the drop that originated in the hotel.

The citizens picked up bludgeons and farming tools.

“Kyakyuu!” “Gyokyu—”

And beat to death every single animal they could find.

At first the police considered doing something about it, but eventually, all of the citizens started doing the same thing, and they were forced to choose between arresting every single person in sight, or turn a blind eye to what they were doing.

“There aren’t any animals here…right, officer?”

“Yeah…there’s not one, inspector.”

And such was their choice.

“Kyukyukyaa-!”

The whole day, angry bawls and shrieks were heard throughout the country.

The travelers also took part with their recurrent accidental firings that hit ‘nothing’. And when they ran out of bullets, the stores gave them more for free.

—

And soon it was evening.

After being sent off with words of gratitude, the small, yellow car ran towards the gates.

There, the guard thanked them and invited them to come again. And the moment the car started to pass through the open gates,

“Kyakyuu!”

An animal hiding in the bushes jumped on the roof of the car.

“Ah! That basta— I don’t see anything!” the guard exclaimed and considered thrusting his sword to the top of the car. However,

“We’re leaving, so it’s okay,” the woman spoke, making the guard stop. At that moment, the car passed out of the gates.

“Well, since you’re out of the country now… Please take care,” the guard said before he returned to the gates.

“Master?”

The man in the driver’s seat set his gaze on the animal clinging desperately, and perhaps trembling in fear, at the roof,

“Kyukyukyuu…”

The woman asked the man to drive for a while, and as told, he rode the tiny car into the prairie. Then they stopped.

The woman alighted from the car and talked to the animal on top of the roof.

“Please get off.”

“Kyu-kyakyuu!”

“We can’t take you with us.”

“Kyukyukyu?”

“No.”

With the woman’s glare, the creature reluctantly jumped off the car’s roof.

“Kyukyuu…”

“It seems that you’ve misunderstood things a little.”

“Kyu?”

“‘Protection’ does not equate to ‘power’. The ones who have real control in that country were its people, not you.”

“Kyuu…”

“Now, go wherever you like.”

The woman pointed her finger to the prairie. The animal looked in that direction.

And over there, he saw many other animals. A group of around twenty animals of various sizes put out their heads from the grasses and looked back at them. It was the same kind, with only the color and size being slightly different.

“Kyu-kyukyu…”

“Goodbye,” the woman said and boarded the car and asked the driver to depart.

“Bye-bye,” the man said, before launching the sluggish car.

—

As they rode through the prairie road,

“I see you have a kind side too, Master. I thought you were going to kill it immediately like before.”

“No and no.”

Having heard the word ‘no’ twice, the man tilted his head in confusion.

“Master?”

He looked at the woman who sat on the left-hand seat. The woman was smiling.

“I’m not kind at all. And there was no need for me to kill it immediately.”

—

When the yellow car has left under the evening sun,

“Kyu-kyukyuu!”

The animal that was left behind looked at the group of animals.

“Gogagagagogaa” “Gogagagagago” “Gogogogogaga” “Goga-gagogaga!”

They communicated with domineering tones, and the lone creature replied,

“Kyoyu…”

And slightly drew back.

Then the one that seemed to be the boss of the group addressed it,

“Kyokyukyo?”

“Kyokyu-! Kyokyukyo-kyokyu!”

“Kyo-. Kyokyukyokyukyo”

Having said such, the boss turned back to its group.

“Gogagogogago!”

And spoke with a short yet mighty-sounding tone. Its peers tensed.

And then the boss,

“Kyokyukyo”

Spoke to the creature gently. It waved its hand, and invited it to come.

“Kyu! Kyuu—”

It replied happily, and approached the group. The group spread out and ushered in the newcomer.

And then,

“Gogagoo-!”

Within a moment, the boss began to beat up the lone creature together with everyone.

“Kyaakyuu! Kyakyuukyakyuu!”

The shrieks got louder, but they continued to beat it down without paying heed.

And soon, silence returned to the prairie.

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