Prologue I - From The Place Where The G.o.d Of Death DwellsIn this place, that was often the case......
“If......if we do become adults without dying, would you be willing to marry me?”
The girl with flaxen hair and a gentle looking face said while crying.
In response to that unmotivated look the boy"s eyes slackened...... However, in some respect, the dry eyes still had an empty feeling, and they stared back at the wet eyes of that girl.
“If we do become adults without dying......”
That sort of thing is impossible.
The boy thought.
No, the girl might have also thought that.
Since we"ll die.
In this place......
In this orphanage, death is overflowing.
Death is really overflowing.
Even these two small kids understand to that extent; death is overflowing in the world.
That"s why that......
The girl murmured.
“If we survive......would you......”
The boy didn"t respond.
Because that girl"s murmur, an endless dream that won"t come true, like an illusion, was fleetingly heard.
“If we survive......would you......”
But her words were then interrupted.
A middle-aged man who wore a black suit on his body, suddenly pulled that girl"s small shoulder towards himself, and warned her.
“It"s time. The crying ends here. To you, the weakness known as feeling is unnecessary. You"ll die if you"re weak. It"s no more than that.”
Right.
No more than that.
She understands.
The girl makes a frightened expression in an instant,
“......Yes.”
And then she nodded.
Once, she peered at the boy"s face but, the boy, unsmiling like always, with the look of his unmotivated, slackened eyes persisting, is saying no more.
Somehow or other it doesn"t seem like he intends to give a response to the girl"s words......
“............”
That"s right.
She understood.
After all since they are going to die, there"s no meaning in making a promise like that.
The girl"s face froze.
I might never smile again.
That"s right, she thought.
“We"re going.”
Urged by the man, the girl began to walk.
On a path that doesn"t have any meaning......
Doesn"t have an objective.
Doesn"t have dreams.
Doesn"t have hope.
Since from now on she"ll become this man"s puppet.
A marionette.
And––––
“Oi.”
At that moment suddenly, the boy raised his voice.
Still lacking ambition, in the same tone of voice as always,
That voice says to her.
“You know, you cry too much. Don"t say things like we"ll die. If it"s you, you"ll live. Since you"re stubborn. And I don"t plan to die either. So......”
The girl looked over her shoulder without thinking. Once more, emotion returned to her face.
Tears were br.i.m.m.i.n.g over.
Seeing that, the boy worried, with a troubled look on his face; smiled......and said.
“So you don"t die either.”
“......Yeah!”
The girl gave a big nod.
A quick, childhood promise.
That promise, was firmly etched into the girl"s heart......