Vol 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)
A BOMB, A HUMAN, AND THE COURSE OF WIND – PART 1
January 28, 2016Tgurneu
It was the following day
Colio went out for a walk just like yesterday And just then, he walked in the opposite direction of the general flow of people during the
The previous day, there were three people walking like this But now, only one was left
Colio realized how le day
Just like yesterday, Colio’s feet brought hiain, without any reason
Maybe Relia would be there? He thought of such things while walking
“Boy, hoas it? Did you read it?”
A voice called to him Colio stopped and turned around
It was the Book seller froht he was carried off by that Aruy died Colio didn’t really care about it, neither today nor yesterday
“…I don’t understand what you’re talking about”
The Book seller probably came to request payht it was troublesome
Saying this and trying to escape, Colio’s eyes were suddenly drawn to so sold
“What is that?”
Colio asked while pointing at a Book The man answered
“Hment Do you want to buy it, boy?”
Colio knew the milky-white color of that Book It was the sa to Calico Princess Alrey and brown, but that Book was as white as milk
It was the sa this, Colio stretched out his hand
The ain
“…It’s her”
Even Colio could not hear hi this
“…It’s going to hurt a bit But bear with it like a good boy, okay?”
The first thing he heard was this voice He inized it was Calico Princess
“…Ouch…”
“It’s because I need to apply the medicine”
Calico Princess was inside a hutwood
A lone child was lying on hay He was a pale and poor-looking boy There were rown hair and fleas inside his straw clothes
It was dim inside the hut The laht The s air
Outside the as probably night-ti the beautiful starry sky
Other than Calico Princess, there was no one else sitting next to the heavily breathing boy
“…I want… water It hurts…”
Theviolently It was a cough that sounded like his throat was burning Calico Princess took the razor blade resting on the boy’s chest
Calico Princess’s white gloves were covered by dirt and blood Only at the back of her hand some whiteness had remained
Her dress was in terrible shape The heuishable from a dust cloth, the lace on her chest was blackened by blood, and the wings decorating her back had been cut in half The tragic state of her dress looked as if she passed through a chi and lay on her back
“Water’s no good; your stoood boy, please be patient”
“…Okay”
On the boy’s slender arm there was a cut about two centi pretty long fingers
“It’s going to be itchy for a while, but you mustn’t scratch it”
Calico Princess held a small bottle in her hands She applied the red liquid inside to her fingers and started coating the boy’s wounds with it
“…Here we go, all good For the following day, not matter how much it hurts, you can’t drink any water Okay? Promise me”
“…”
There was no response The boy started coughing again
“I know you’re suffering, but endure it Please Just for a little bit longer”
Calico Princess said while hugging the boy’s body
“I’m sorry I’m really sorry”
“…Thank you, miss…”
The boy said while being held to her chest
“But, who are you?”
Calico Princess put the boy doithout answering anything He continued staring at her
When the boy’s coughing had stopped, Calico Princess left the hut The place seemed to be the countryside There was a bleak church built down a steep hill
The lone hut with the boy inside was on the edge of the hill
It was a dark night Calico Princess wore a black cloak on her head and ran leaning towards the ground In order to avoid the center of the village that was lined witha forest She didn’t have any lamp Despite the darkness, she could still walk around as if it was daytime
She entered the forest But just as she passed next to a tree…
“Where are you going?”
A voice called Calico Princess turned around and saw a single person there
He was probably in his forties, and terribly obese He wore a luxurious black old ee-looking man
Colio was surprised He was absolutely sure no-one was there before when she had passed
“Wyzaf…”
“Oh my, Princess Your dress is dirty”
“Since when you atching?”
Calico Princess said Her voice was filled with hostility
It was the first time Colio heard her use such a voice Before this and in the previous Book, her voice was always filled with mercy and sadness
“All along, Ever-Laughing Saint”
“Didn’t I tell you not to call me that?”
The voice of Calico Princess became even more hostile
“Forgive me for my rudeness”
Saying this, the round
It was then that Colio realized this ic was in decline, le opportunity to see such a casual use of an advanced ic in front of their eyes
“…Where is that boy, Ever-Laughing Saint?”
It see Saint But Colio wondered where the “Ever-Laughing” part ca Her face always looked like she was suffering
“He’s just a kid”
“Hahaha, that again?”
This time, the man appeared on top of a tree
“Since you’re always rushi+ng outside every night to ht How did you like my bedtime story?”
“Stop saying stupid things”
“Oh my, there is some straw stuck to your hair”
“…Didn’t I say to stop that?”
The ain
“Please do not displease et you attained your current position only because of me, did you?”
So resounded from under Calico Princess’s cloak Colio soon understood it was the sound of her having drawn a sword
“Ooh, how frightful In front of your sword, ood as a child’s toy”
Saying this, the ain
“…What do you want?”
“It’s troubling when you do such things We’re trying to make a profit here”
“…That kid won’t be able to buy our medicine It doesn’t affect us at all”
“…That’s not what I said, shi+ron”
Wyzaf’s face changed at once Up till then he wore the face of a gentlear expression was exposed now
“If you do such things, I’ll have to correct everything by myself, and you won’t like it, shi+ron This isn’t about one or two brats
You knoould happen if you keep going that way”
“…Why you…”
“Apologize If you won’t apologize, I’ll accordingly kill one person If you complain I’ll kill another one”
Calico Princess talked hesitantly
“I’m sorry It’s my fault”
The man suddenly smiled, and bowed respectfully
“That’s enough, our Princess”
“…And?”
“I’ll now prepare a lavish feast for you, princess I’ll also prepare as many superb men as you want I can prepare deliciousthe night, or perhaps I’ll get you a little boy who’s as cute as a puppy”
“I don’t want any of that”
“Do not say so We have to celebrate our grand victory”
“Grand victory? What?”
“Dragon Pneu hihthoods, and he also prepared three years of our national budget”
“Will we sell them medicine?”
“No, we have to spread the disease into the Nichinbeta Region and further to the east”
“Do you understand what’s going to happen if we don’t do it soon?”
“I do Many people will die”
“…Please Sell it already”
“Don’t h”
‘Kukuku’, the h
He left so them inside the wind
“Anyway, please do not commit suicide If you die, you understand what the world will coht?”
Even after the man disappeared, Calico Princess stood there Her expression couldn’t be seen
The Book ended there Colio let his fingers go of it Standing in front of his eyes, the Book seller said,
“That’s no good, you can’t look at it before buying it You have to pay me”
“I’ll pay”
Colio took out twenty kirue frorabbed the second Book with his sleeve and put it inside his pants pocket
“I’ve seen a Book like this before Is there only one Book like that?”
“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s broken Because it’s broken, you can only read parts of it There’re probably plenty more of it”
Oh, so there are plenty ht For some reason, he was incredibly happy
“Do you have any more?”
“…Boy, if you’re curious, how about this Book?”
“I don’t need it I want another Book of the same person”
“…I don’t have any right now If you coht have it”
Colio wasn’t really sure if he could trust hih for now
Colio returned to the inn in a fast pace, and once again read the Book he just bought
He watched her voice, expressions and movements numerous times Even her dirty dress and hands looked beautiful Even the di in it
But that hut was alreadyshould be left of it now While thinking this, Colio felt pain in his chest
She gave et her hands dirty Colio was ain read the Book and gazed upon the figure of Calico Princess
Colio read the Book countless tio the sun already travelled across the sky and the day was co sun and the fact that he was hungry But ain And it wasn’t just the two Books he already possessed He wanted to see many other Books
Colio reht have sorabbed his purse and ran outside
He ran to the opposite direction of the flow of people returning to their houses Each ti the boe, Colio couldn’t stop running
He arrived at the Book seller’s spot But nobody was there right now
Colio surveyed the surroundings, but couldn’t find the “Book” dealer
He ran around the alley looking for hi the crowd of people
But he just couldn’t find him
He gave up looking for the Book seller Maybe he could instead find soround
But he didn’t find any Book fragry, and he lowered hiround He crouched there until it becaave up and wobbled back towards the inn
The sunset today was still di of this
Suddenly, he noticed the figure of a woman fro blank, he ran forward
Calico Princes now turned to the left He was sure he saw it
Colio turned around the corner and saw the wo ahead with her back to him
“…Was this an illusion?”
He couldn’t understand why this woman seemed like Calico Princess to himIt was just an old woman with co around
The disappointed Colio regained his co, he smiled wryly
He perfectly assimilated it
He forgot everything except Calico Princess
“What’s that supposed to be…”
Colio said But he actually understood He learned about this feeling just yesterday
“…Is this love at first sight?”
His chest hurt The bomb screeched inside his chest as he ran When the cut ribs were exposed to the air, he could feel pain
But, it wasn’t the place that hurt his pain wasn’t because of such a reason
Relia went somewhere, and he would surely never return
Colio didn’t knohere to find Hamyuts Meseta
He had no idea what to do from now on
However, the intense pain in his chest drove out all of those thoughts
As the sunset passed, now a grey moon floated low in the sky
In the corner of a small tavern, Ia Mira suddenly recalled the boy she looe conversation for a while, and separated without intending to ain
“…What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing Come on, drink”
Ia Mira was in theon a cheap leather sofa and poured a drink as she leaned against the body of thenext to her
Inside the di over or offering flattery for the men that returned from the mines
She concealed her tear marks with makeup and wore a dress so short that if she were to move a little her underwear could be seen… or rather, she intended them to It was a terribly cheap dress, but that couldn’t be seen in the dark
Next to Ia, there was a ues on the other side They wanted to head for the private roo ht with them in the private room – this was the tavern’s rule
No man had paid Ia to coet that custoht in her heart But maybe that was for the best
Just a little more and she would quit the job Just a little more and she could work at whatever she wanted – thus she thought ever since Cartohelo died
Then, the custo out of his breast pocket
“Hey, will the two of you drink it?”
“…?”
Then, the custo to the drink hat he pulled out Since it was dark, she couldn’t see what he’s done
“…Huh? What was that?”
“Isn’t it fine? I’ll pay you double”
“…”
Occasionally there were s in the private roo those times, Cartohelo always comforted her afterwards Because he was there, she could put up with any painful thing
“Drink it”
The man put some money into the chest of Ia’s dress She didn’t have time for hesitation Ia poured the sine into herdown her throat
As Ia drank it, the ot up and quickly went out of the tavern The voice of the clerk calling “please do coain” sounded silly
The sidelined Ia checked her body’s condition byto her heartbeat
She didn’t feel like anything happened to her She didn’t feel sleepy or strange at all
But because of this, she was scared
Dealing with sooals was scary It was even scarier now that she didn’t have Cartohelo
Walking to the back of the store where the oiping off glasses, she spoke in a small voice
“…Sorry, but I want to leave early tonight”
Around the sahttime town
There was a cloth bag on his back On his hip was a wallet that becahter
Relia slowly crossed the wave of people don The voices of men and women reached his ears from the lined up establishments such as taverns and brothels However, Relia didn’t have any interest in those
Colio was surely thinking he ran away But he didn’tto do with Colio anymore
“…Running away, huh?”
It ht
He could search for a job at some town, hide his past and live normally
Maybe it would have been good if he could do that
But it was probably impossible
Neither the people controlling him, Hamyuts Meseta nor the bomb inside his chest will allow him that
Thinking about this, Relia passed by a wo a cheap dress She seemed to have an uneasy expression, but Relia didn’t notice
Colio was probably still running around aioal in mind
He wasn’t afraid of dying He abandoned his life long ago In exchange for that, he gained determination He was determined not to act the way those people wanted him to Somehow, this determination allowed Relia to stray from the path they intended for him
Using the bomb in his chest, he was to kill the eneo to the Library to do that
This was the reason Relia separated from Colio, and his reason to live
This was not ht thing either Nor did he do it because he wanted to survive
This was Relia Bookwatt’s coe
He didn’t know anything about the ene orders Even that guy was probably just an underling like Colio and Relia
He didn’t know the leader’s face, their location, their purpose or even the organization’s na in hisGod Cult” and Crukessa
Relia pondered about what he should be doing from now on
Should he believe in his power and act alone?
However, Relia who had no knowledge or skills couldn’t fight He had the bomb in his chest, but since it was made to kill the enemy’s boss he would probably be attacked, and it wouldn’t do just killing an underling together with him
He could try to get help from someone That seemed to be more realistic
So, who should he ask for help?
The ansas simple The enemies of his enemies were his allies There was no option other than Hamyuts Meseta
A BOMB, A HUMAN, AND THE COURSE OF WIND – PART 2
January 30, 2016Tgurneu
“I wonder if it was aout”
Relia etting found by Hamyuts
But there was no point thinking about it He couldn’t retreat now
“Oops”
A man alked next to Relia bu fro at his face it was definitely a man