Kino no Tabi:Volume4 Chapter12
The nation was a ruin.
As far as the eye could see, stone wall crumbled and the gates lay in pieces.
Not a single building remained intact. Either the windows were broken, the ceiling collapsed or the wall was missing. Some were burned remains, some crashed by toppled tower, the road was buried in piles of rubble.
Under the clear sky, the ruin stood on silently.
Hermes was parked at the west gate where there was less debris. Not a single living person could be seen in sight.
“Boring.” The Motoroide said to itself.
Footsteps could be heard coming toward Hermes from among the ruin.
Kino was wearing a brown coat and covered from head to toe in dust. She was in the midst of returning the ‘Canon’ to her gun belt.
“How was it, Kino?”
“Not a single person could be found, just bones. Most of them must have been buried.”
Kino answered coldly as she patted the dust off her cloths.
“What was the cause? Earthquake? Tornado? What do you think?”
“No idea.” Kino replied simply and climbed on Hermes.
“No use stopping here, we will not be coming back.”
“Sure.”
The loud rumble from the Motoroide engine echoed throughout the ruins.
Kino gave the ruins one last look as she put on her helmet and goggles.
“…” and left through the open gates wordlessly.
“I say Kino.” Hermes began.
“Hmm?”
“What are we gonna do next?
“Well…”
They were climbing a small slope at that time, and when they reached the top.
“How about a song.” Kino replied.
In front of them was a world of red. Bright red flowers carpeted the valley from end to end.
Kino charged Hermes into the bed of flowers; bright red petals were thrown into the air obscuring their view. Without any warning, Kino turned off the engine.
“Wh..what?!”
Kino ignored the surprised shout from Hermes and let it fall to the ground; she landed onto the bed of flowers just a little further from Hermes.
Thousands of flower petals filled the sky.
Hermes demanded sarcastically to no one in particular.
“Who could have done such a rude thing?”
Kino laughed gleefully, took a deep breath and started to sing.
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