Vol 9 Chapter 22 (1/2)
This is a continuation of PART A
As long as they lived in No 6, all their hopes were like towers of sand They melted away all too easily Then, what are we to do? What round instead of sand?
If No 6 isn't an idyllic city, then what is 'ideal' supposed to be? How are we to create an entirely neorld, so different fro alone, is he?”
”No there ―who have lost their family”
”And Yoether”
”Yes, I'ht be?”
After soht, Renka shook her head
”No It looks like they're in some basement studio He would need proper equipht But neither of us knohere that is We have no way of ”
”Karan,” Renka held her hand out Karan grasped it ”What will I do? What should I do, Karan?”
Karan could feel a presence It pressed upon her from the street
To battle, to battle, to battle, to battle, to battle
Destroy it, destroy it, destroy it, destroy it
Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill
”Let's think about it, Renka” She cupped her hand gently around Renka's belly Then, she touched Lili's cheek
”We still have hope”
”What?”
”Hope The baby in your belly, and Lili―they are our hope We have to do our best so that these children will have a real world to live in Right, Renka? We have our children Not all our hope has been taken from us”
”shi+on, too” Renka wiped her tears away and nodded ”shi+on is our hope too, isn't he? And a big one, too”
”M ho home soon I can tell”
”Why, Lili” Karan scooped Lili up and kissed her on the cheek
”It's true,” she insisted ”He's really co home
Please come back, shi+on And Safu, you too
Please come home safe
I pray for you
Her prayers led also to the boy named Nezumi, whom she had yet to meet
I would love to meet you, Nezumi I would love to see you, and thank you I want you to kno grateful I am for your support shi+on, Safu, Nezue hope
Come home to me
No 6's city hall, known informally as the Moondrop, was surrounded
The citizens crowded the square and overflowed into the streets Each shouted his oords of protest Their voices melted into one, and boomed so loudly it seemed to shake the canopies
But no ot, it did not reach the hest floor of the building, with soundproof walls and s Whatever happened outside never disturbed the constant silence inside
”Why? Why has so like this happened?” The silence was broken as the mayor spun around and shook his fist
”Fennec, will you calm down?” the itated” He sank deeply into the leather chair and crossed his legs
Pitiful, he thought as he ue He has always been like that As and recrossed them
But he has been able to come this far precisely because he is so timid and cowardly He opens his heart to no one He trusts no one He is suspicious of everything and acts cautiously A fennec indeed, the world's s fox
The mayor paced the room He flitted back and forth busily The thick carpet absorbed alenerated by his footsteps
”It wasn't supposed to be this way Citizens are supposed to gather at the Moondrop to celebrate the Holy Day and the greatness of No 6, are they not? To think it would turn out like―like this, I―how could such a thing have happened?”
The , and deep creases appeared on his brow as he looked over
”Please, Fennec,” theout of yourto get rather bored of it”
”Answer rew strained The iven it your all”
”I haven't?”
”Yes You mobilized the army, but you only cleared them aith a handful of firear isthe iht way to use them You should have used them with more flourish,me to mass-murder my citizens?”
”They'll prostrate theet themselves killed They'll bon in awe and fear They'll treret for ever opposing you or No 6 They will be like neutered dogs No matter how badly they are treated, they will never be able to bite back Fennec, it is not too late Mobilize the ar in the square Iton the situation and the course of events You've already co in the West Block, have you not?”
”That's aln of terror”
”Reign of terror? Absurd I have told you before: you are the ruler of No 6 Its King You reign over this country You e you is the sa justice It is only normal to use force to make them comply”
”Stop it,” the mayor said weakly
”Fennec, what are you afraid of? This is not like you You have always acted like the King that you are You are conscious of your position as the chosen one, and you have always lived under that notion”
”I have” The aze to his feet ”I ahest position of responsibility, highest position of power It's only natural We were the ones that built No 6 We launched the revival project, and brought salvation to the dying land and its people We built a utopian city, the most idyllic―most idyllic city possible by humankind”
”Precisely You and I were both central members In fact, only the two of us truly understood the ideals that No 6 strove for The other hly qualified, yes, but they lacked creativity Or you ht say they severely lacked a times But fortunately for us, we had those abilities, almost in excess That is e have come this far”
”This far?” thesurrounded and condemned by our citizens? Was our creativity and ambition and skill all for this?”
”This is only a temporary situation It will conclude instantly if only you would take effective measures”
”Effective measures? I've taken several”