Kino no Tabi:Volume13 Epilogue

“A Tale of this World ・ a” —It Happens ・ a—

One day, Kino and Hermes were in a certain savannah.

Atop a slightly elevated hill amidst a vast land, the luggage-laden Hermes stood on his center stand.

It was presently the dry season. The clear, blue sky and the glaring noon sun were being reflected on his silver tank.

Kino was dressed in a black vest over a white shirt, and her hat rested lightly on top of her head. Instead of a sheet, she lay on top of the unassembled tent outspread beside Hermes, with the rifle-type persuader named ‘Flute’ on the ready before her.

Flute stood with its two-legged bipod on the ground, not moving an inch.

Keeping both eyes open, Kino peeked through the scope with her right eye. Within the lens, the view reflected a mother deer and its fawn.

The deer and its tiny offspring leisurely walked over the ground mottled with short grass.

Meanwhile, Hermes—

“Distance, 269. Drop height, 24. Wind direction, 5 o’clock. Wind intensity, 2 to 2.3. Temperature, 26. Humidity, 48.”

—muttered words that sounded like an incantation.

“Got it.”

Kino replied tersely, and while keeping Flute in place, she turned the dial beside the scope with her left hand.

The deer and its offspring gradually overlapped with the crosshairs within the circular field.

The fawn raised its head and exchanged glances with its mother. The two creatures silently gazed at each other as they stopped in their tracks.

At the same time, Kino pulled the trigger. A blast erupted from Flute and the ignited gas sent a tiny metal flying.

It did not take the piece of metal one second to draw a line connecting Kino to the fawn.

It hit the joint of the fawn’s foreleg, sending blood and meat bursting out. Its tiny body buckled and fell down on the parched earth.

“A hit. Good job.”

“No, I missed. I was aiming for an instant death with a single shot through its heart.” Kino replied to Hermes’ compliment with a tone full of regret, not moving Flute away from position.

“It won’t be able to escape and will soon die anyway. Can’t that be considered a ‘hit’?”

“Nope. If it gets wounded, the blood will mix in with the meat, and it won’t be as delicious.”

“Even so, you’ll only grill the steak until it becomes crispy and sprinkle lots of salt and pepper over it. Then you’ll eat it and it’s over. Besides, you don’t have a sensitive palate, at least according to other people.”

“I won’t deny that.”

The image Kino was seeing through the lens of her scope was now that of the mother deer worriedly circling its fawn. It stood right in front of the fawn and blocked Kino’s aim.

Kino talked to the mother deer. “I can imagine how you feel, but please get out of the way.”

“How about scaring it off with two or three shots?”

“What if I hit it? It would no longer be fit for eating. Besides it’s a waste of bullet.”

“Cheapskate. How about going there then?”

“I guess I have no choice…”

Kino closed Flute’s safety and stood up. Then she carried Flute behind her and folded up the tent she spread out, and tied it up on Hermes’ carrier.

And when Kino was about to ride Hermes.

“Hold it!” Hermes exclaimed sharply. Kino quickly positioned Flute in front.

“A person? Or a wild beast?” Kino asked, but Hermes answered differently.

“Neither. Don’t you feel it? There are tremors coming closer.”

“Tremors?”

Kino tilted her head, and then shook it sideways.

And then,

Back to Chapter 5

Return to Main Page

Forward to Bonus Chapter