Kino no Tabi:Volume16 Frontispiece2

「A Discarded Land」 —Take Free If You Can!—[edit]

Kino and Hermes were in the ruins of a lost country.

The country had been abandoned many years ago, although it wasn't clear exactly when or why.

—

Kino and Hermes were on what must have once been the country's busiest street.

Kino looked out at the scenery as she rode atop Hermes.

There was grass sprouting everywhere from out of the cracks in the cobblestone pavement.

The traffic signals and shop signs were all slanted.

One side of the shopping district was burned down, perhaps from getting hit by lightning.

"What are you thinking, Kino?"

"I'm thinking I wish you were a truck, Hermes."

"I knew it."

There was a mountainous pile of portable rations sitting in front of Kino.

Portable rations don't taste any good, but they're high in nutritional content and have a long shelf life.

And there in the store warehouse, there were stacks on stacks of the rations that Kino ate every day during her travels.

There were so many boxes piled up that it was impossible even to guess how many there were in total.

"It's not too late to change. Come on Hermes, turn into a truck."

"Kino, that's the most impossible idea we've ever run into on this trip. Besides —"

"…"

"Even if I could turn into a truck right now, this would still be impossible."

—

Kino and Hermes left the country.

The country walls were surrounded by a large moat.

There was a narrow bridge, just wide enough for people to walk across.

As they crossed over the bridge, Kino turned to look back.

Her face was tinged with regret for just a moment before she faced forward once again and drove Hermes away.