December 6th, 1926
There was nothing good about staying at Past G.o.d Island, so Yankuu decided to leave it. In any case he was in a vacation. He had only one place to go to. He went back to his hometown, the archipelago at the southern frontier.
He still hasn’t learned to pilot an airplane yet, so Yankuu bought a ticket for an ocean liner headed for the island. After a week’s journey, he arrived at the port of the southern island.
From there he took a boat and headed for his village.
“…?”
Yankuu saw a small fast boat approaching at him from the horizon. It was directly opposite to Yankuu’s boat. It was going in a straight line to the port connecting his village with the town.
“Did they come from my village?”
Yankuu pa.s.sed a glance with the person boarding the speedboat. It was a woman about thirty years old boarding it alone. He had never seen her.
She also looked at Yankuu. Upon meeting her gaze, Yankuu had a bad premonition.
He came to know the meaning of that premonition a short while later.
He arrived near his village. He walked on the road leading to it.
Suddenly he saw a human figure. He became relieved as he did so. It was a small figure, barely able to reach his chest. She was a girl who wore a red linen cloth on her head. Her name was Mani Rikker. She was Yankuu’s younger sister.
“You came back, big brother? Is that really you?”
“Yeah, it’s me, your brother!”
Yankuu closed his mouth and spread his lips to show his teeth.
“Eee.”
“Eee.”
Mani answered with the same action. It was their greeting. They didn’t even forget when they started using it.
Yankuu raised Mani’s body high in the air and gently swung her around. In the past she had enjoyed it but now she shrieked. Without paying this any heed, Yankuu kept spinning her around.
“It’s scary, big brother.”
“You’ve gotten heavier, Mani. Also taller.”
He patted her head. I’m glad I came back, he thought frankly. The anger stuck in his mind vanished as if was but a dream.
Mani was six years younger than Yankuu. This year she turned nine years old. They weren’t blood-related, but referred to each other as siblings without any problem whatsoever.
“Did you bring anything, big brother?”
“Always with the money… so only your exterior has changed huh?”
Saying this, he brought out the usual nuts snack. You could buy it everywhere by walking around town, but this village had no way to get it.
“Take this in return.”
What Mani took out of her pocket was a small stuffed doll. It was a spherical doll made of folded paper. The kids of the southern frontier played by making their own dolls.
Originally it was made with pretty colorful papers, but the one given by Mani was a crude one made from cutting the paper bags used to wrap wheat. However, he didn’t mind at all. After all, Mani made this by herself using her own time and effort.
“Thanks.”
He had several of these dolls in his dormitory at Bantorra Library. However, he didn’t think they would burden him no matter how many more he gets.
“Is this fine as the only souvenir? Since your big brother is about to get a salary he’ll be able to buy many things from now on.”
“I can play with this enough so I don’t need anything else.”
She didn’t say this out of consideration. She truly thought so.
“You’re a good kid.”
Said Yankuu. I’m glad I came back and met with Mani, he thought. The anger stirring his heart without ever stopping vanished away by him simply looking at Mani’s face.
Yeah. My mission is to protect this village. I need to fulfill the mission I inherited from Noloty. My pent-up anger has no meaning. I only need to think about becoming an Armed Librarian and supporting Mani.
After calming down Mani who wanted to play with him, Yankuu returned to his parents’ home.
“I’m home, mom. Here you are.”
Inside, his mother was weaving linen by herself. Just like with Mani, she wasn’t blood-related to him. However, she still raised him as his foster parent.
“Yeah. Welcome back. We’ve waited for you. Have you met Mani?”
“Yes, a bit earlier. I’m glad she looks to be healthy.”
“Only that kid’s always in high spirits.”
She handed Yankuu a tea brewed with fried beans. It was the nostalgic taste of the drink he had in this village since long ago. He spoke to his mother while drinking.
“Seems like I’ll become a trainee soon. I think I’ll be able to have some extra money.”
“Sorry for causing all of you trouble.”
Noloty continuously sent the villagers an during the year that she worked as a trainee. The village was supported using that money. I’m glad I have talent, he thought from the bottom of his heart. If he had become a trainee but a year later, the village would have probably become bankrupt.
“But I’m worried. Don’t become like Noloty.”
“…It’s fine. The fight’s already over. I will also probably be stronger than her.”
“That’s exactly why I’m worried.”
There was something he knew from reading Noloty’s Book a year ago: this person had tried culling off Mani who was a baby at the time. Noloty had acted violent due to this and it ended with her leaving the village.
However, due to Noloty’s actions, that person had changed. She became resolute on raising Mani even through difficulties. Noloty’s existence certainly was leading the village.
Yankuu also had to keep it going.
“By the way mom, what about working away from home?”
He recalled the present state he had been informed about by a letter several months ago. In-between raising Mani she worked in the mines.
“Nothing. I quit.”
“Why?!”
Mom isn’t the type of person to throw away something in the middle. Something must have happened.
“…Our men stole some money from the mine’s people. They said that I was also an accomplice.”
“But you didn’t do it, right mom? So go to the mines. I’m acquainted with the Armed Librarians, so if I find someone reasonable…”
“It’s fine. Don’t do it. The Armed Librarian Kalne understood me. However, none of the other miners or normal librarians believed me.
If he covers up for me, Kalne’s position would also worsen.”
“…I’m going out for a bit.”
He got out of the house and Mani pestered him to play with her. Keeping her waiting, he walked to the edge of the village.
He went to the shack that wasn’t used by goats anymore. Several men sat in a circle and drank alcohol. Mani’s dad was among them. Even the current chief was there.
“What do you want?”
He said while spreading the stink of alcohol.
“Return what you’ve stolen.”
“Ah, that?”
Instead of money, one of the men threw an empty bottle at Yankuu’s feet. Yankuu furiously crushed it underneath his foot.
“We’re feeling good with liquor after a good while, try some too, eh Yankuu?”
Mani’s father raised the bottle.
“…People like mom and aunty Lig are working.”
“Ah?”
“Aren’t you all ashamed?”
A bottle of liquor flew at him. Before it hit his face, Yankuu’s mud knocked it off to the ground.
“This is our choice of what to do so shut up you d.a.m.n brat!!!”
The men were being gnawed at by their inferiority complex and despair. That also had consequences for the women and children. If Yankuu hadn’t come there, who knows what they would have made the women of the village do? If it comes to money, they would do anything.
“Do you have any complaints?”
“I do. Go and work. Stop drinking.”
Yankuu took one step closer to them. The men provoked him while laughing.
“If you have any complaints come kill us. C’mon, do it.”
“We have no regrets about our life. C’mon, are you gonna?”
Each and every time Yankuu came back to the village they repeated this very same exchange. They said this because they knew Yankuu wouldn’t kill them.
Did they know anything? Did they have any idea how desperate Yankuu was for their sake? Did they have any idea how much of an effort it was for him to not kill them?
“…s.h.i.t!”
Yankuu spewed this single word and got out.
He wished to protect the village. He sacrificed his daily life for it. Then why does the very thing he tries to protect crumble?
He wished to become an Armed Librarian for his village. If it didn’t exist anymore, he would probably lose his desire to work at Bantorra Library. If that happens, he won’t be there anymore.
What will happen to him afterwards?
“…What’s wrong, big brother?”
As he returned to the village, Mani snuggled up close to him. Don’t worry, Yankuu said and smiled at the uneasy-looking girl. He spent the rest of day until night playing with her.
As the night grew late, Yankuu spoke with his mother while in bed.
“Say, Yankuu, are you fine being like that?”
“With what?”
“I believe you don’t need to think about this village anymore. Letting you shoulder all of this makes you miserable.”
“Then what’ll happen to the village?”
“…Those who can work outside will go there. They will work at the town, send their kids to school and live. That’s it.”
That was what Noloty had once said. She once told them that if they couldn’t live at the village, they just had to go to the outside world and work there. To prove them it was possible she aimed to become an Armed Librarian.
“…I don’t like it.”
Yankuu said. This was the only aspect in which his opinion differed from Noloty’s.
“I will protect this village. If I become an Armed Librarian I will also bring money. I’ll also cover up the expenses for migrating. I don’t want you to scatter until then.”
“…Yankuu.”
“I don’t want Mani to go outside. Don’t you want to stay in the village as well, mom? Besides, I don’t want to have no place to return to.”
“Yankuu, are you planning to shoulder all of this alone? Can you do that all by your own? Give it up already. It can’t be helped.”
Yankuu knew perfectly well that his mother’s words were realistic. Becoming an Armed Librarian and acc.u.mulating money will take a long time. Besides he had no guarantee that he could that.
Also, the hearts of the villagers have decayed to the extent they were unrecoverable.
“I don’t think that it can’t be helped. I decided that I would definitely protect this village no matter what.”
“…But…”
“That’s enough for this talk.”
Yankuu said and forcibly cut off the conversation. A breathtaking silence followed. Yankuu looked for another topic.
“By the way, didn’t you have a visitor today?”
He recalled the boat that he saw at sea earlier.
“No, none came.”
“Weird, I pa.s.sed by one.”
“Was it Laty-san perhaps? It was probably a rich-looking woman with gla.s.ses, right?”
He recalled the figure of the woman he glanced.
“Yeah, probably that one.”
His mother got up.
“Perhaps I also need to talk to you about it soon. For the last while, a rich person from the outside came to this village saying that she wants to help us.”
This was the first time he’s heard of it. Yankuu also rose up without thinking.
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know if it’s a person or an organization. But it’s someone from the outside.”
“How weird. Aren’t they just trying to trick us?”
“I don’t know. But there are weird people. I also haven’t heard about it in detail but…
Perhaps they’re trying to help Mani rather than the village itself.”
“Mani?”
The entire thing was becoming increasingly confusing. He had no idea what kind of person from the outside would have business with Mani. Some philanthropist might have wanted to become her foster parent, but helping the entire village was strange.
“Mani talked about this plenty of times but I haven’t asked her anything. So ask her.”
However, Mani was currently sleeping with drool coming out of her mouth. So asking her will have to come tomorrow.
“So what did that Laty-san came here for today?”
“She probably went to the new island. That was probably where she returned from.”
“…I’ll try going there for a bit.”
Yankuu rose up. He could also do it tomorrow, but he was terribly bothered. He left the village and ran to the harbor where his boat was anch.o.r.ed.
The next island, meaning the island once bought by Bantorra Library for the sake of their village. Originally the villagers were supposed to move there and start their new lives.
However, the villagers wasted all of the expenses meant for migrating there and for developing the island. Right now, it should be a deserted island with no one living on it.
Yankuu’s boat reached the island. Getting off the boat and lowering the lantern, he entered the dark island.
The barbed wire surrounding the island has been removed. Yankuu entered inside.
He used the lantern to illuminate the ground. He then raised his voice in surprise. The island’s ground that had had weeds on it was made smooth. Rocks and pebbles have been removed such that the land was in a condition it could be used for farming.
“Who did this?”
Only part of the island had been cultivated. However, it wasn’t a small area. Yankuu surveyed the island.
He could see a shack. Tools for construction were stored inside.
He found a well next to it. Trying to drink some water from it, he found out they were of good quality.
“Impossible…”
Yankuu muttered. Who did all this? This wasn’t the sort of construction work that could be done by a half-a.s.sed investment.
He wondered if it was made by Bantorra Library. But he immediately denied it.
Several months ago, a proposal to once again raise funds for allowing the people of Noloty’s village to relocate was issued. Besides Mirepoc, it was made by a few Armed Librarians who were close to Noloty. But it was immediately rejected.
The Armed Librarians issuing this were punished by Yukizona.
Armed Librarians had to treat everyone that weren’t their enemies equally. Giving special treatment for a certain area of people was a crime equivalent to homicide. Allowing that would turn the Armed Librarians into a profit-seeking organization.
It couldn’t be the Armed Librarians. So who did this?
People who, without revealing their ident.i.ties, moved large quant.i.ties of money in secret… Just like the Indulging G.o.d Cult, thought Yankuu.
“…”
The face of the woman he met in the road of hesitation rose to his mind. No way, that can’t be, Yankuu denied.
The following morning, Yankuu took Mani out of the village. They crossed the hill next to the village and stopped in front of a forest. He took her out to ask her something.
“Why are you doing this?”
Mani asked. He was slightly troubled with answering. He did it to prevent them from being overheard, but even Yankuu didn’t know if this was something that shouldn’t be heard.
He just had a weird premonition.
“You know, about Laty-san.”
At the moment he said this, Mani interjected with a loud voice.
“I don’t know any Laty-san.”
“…”
Yankuu stared at Mani with his eyes widened. He could see on her face that she was lying. He couldn’t understand why she did so.
“Why are you hiding it?”
“…Umm, they said to keep it a secret from you, big brother.”
“Laty-san did?”
Mani nodded. It went beyond suspicion and doubt and into fear. That mysterious person Laty crept up beside him in secret. Who was she?
“Who is that Laty?”
“Umm, she’s a good person, a really good person. She said they want to support the village.”
“If she’s a good person why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Laty-san said it would be better not telling you yet…”
What the heck, thought Yankuu. Was she just or a swindler or something more terrible?
He first wanted to get rid of the worst case scenario. It was absolutely impossible, but the 1-in-10,000 chance rose into his mind. He recalled the words of the woman at the road of hesitation.
“It can’t be that those people are the Indulging G.o.d Cult…”
This time it was Mani who was surprised.
“How do you know that?”
He felt as if the ground beneath his feet disappeared. Becoming paralyzed for a second, he put a hand to the ground behind him.
“Did they say they were the Indulging G.o.d Cult?”
“Yeah. Only once though.”
Mani nodded in certainty.
“They said they wanted to make this the Indulging G.o.d Cult’s village. Oops, I can’t say that…”
He watched Mani hurriedly covered her mouth, stunned.
Mani and the rest, who were normal citizens, haven’t heard about the Cult. Naturally they didn’t know that they were the ones who tried destroying the world a year ago and were responsible for other incidents. They couldn’t be told that.
More importantly, Mani completely believed that person known as Laty. He couldn’t speak to her about the Indulging G.o.d Cult.