Vol 8 Chapter 2.1 (2/2)
She had no choice but to answer 'yes'. She had certainly been ruthlessly and suddenly torn apart from her son.
”It was almost impossible to make contact with each other because the authorities were so strict with their surveillance. It's almost a miracle that you and I were able to meet and talk freely like this. By coincidence you happened to be friendly with Renka as a neighbour, and that must've worked in our favour. But with this commotion, their surveillance should be even more lax. The authorities have probably got their hands full dealing with the emergency. We're going to penetrate that gap. Just watch, Karan.”
”Yoming!” Karan said shrilly. ”Answer me. What are you planning to do?”
”Shh, don't raise your voice,” Yoming warned. ”Be cautious. We can't let our guard down yet. Look here, listen carefully. Soon, I'm going to use the electronic information network to call on the citizens. I'll tell them: the authorities are going to watch their people die, and do nothing about it. Instead of taking any effective steps to battle the emergency, they're just twiddling their thumbs and watching their citizens perish. Let's all storm the Moondrop. We have to drag the mayor out. The higher-ups intend to give themselves a special vaccine so that only they survive. We can't let that happen. That's what I'll say.”
”Wait, what special vaccine? Does that exist?”
”I don't know.”
”You don't know... you mean it doesn't exist, then?” Karan said incredulously.
”We have no time to be worrying about whether it exists or not. But don't you think it's a likely story?”
”That's much too vague to circulate... Yoming, do you plan on releasing a false story to cause an uproar among the people?”
”Yes,” said Yoming promptly. ”The citizens' discontent is reaching an all-time high. This will hit the spot. It's the last drop that'll burst the entire dam. Karan, think about it: the majority of No. 6's citizens are going to gather in droves to the Moondrop, their faces drawn in anger and fear. What a sight it'll be. Just thinking about it makes me s.h.i.+ver in glee.”
”No, stop. You mustn't do that.”
”I mustn't? Why not? Why are you saying things like that?”
”People will die.” Karan looked straight into Yoming's face and spoke slowly, as if to chew on each and every word. Her tongue felt heavy and sluggish. A part of her head felt numb. ”Many people will die. Yoming, don't tell me you can't imagine what will happen. What will the authorities do to that mob of people? You shouldn't even need to think about it; they'll try to suppress them with brute force. No. 6―this city-state―never, ever forgives people who rebel against it. They'll try to suppress each and every person with the military... with military force... Yoming, you understand, don't you? You understand, very, very well.”
Yoming looked away from Karan and sighed.
”But if tens of thousands of citizens storm in, even the authorities will have no way to deal with it. Only an army would be able to handle that.”
”And what if they mobilize the army?” Karan raised her voice.
”Don't be foolish. No. 6 doesn't have an army. Every type of military force is forbidden by the Babylon Treaty.”
Yoming closed his mouth. His jaw was rigid and taut. Karan felt like laughing.
No. 6, honour the treaty? How can you say such rubbish when you don't even believe in it? Were you always the sort to speak so easily what you didn't mean? Yoming, you told me once: this city devours people ruthlessly. Weren't you fighting against the ruthless state who refused to treat humans like humans? Weren't you fighting to honour people's lives?
”People will die,” she repeated. And she would repeat it as many times as she had to. ”If the civilians and the army collide, lots of... lots of blood will be spilled. You can't let that happen. Yoming, think. All those people who will die―they have families of their own. They have people whom they love. They have family, like Lili here, or Renka. You can't murder them.”
”It can't be helped.” Yoming's mutter put a stop to Karan's words. For a moment, she didn't understand what had been said to her.
”What? What did you say?”
”Karan, the world is about to change. People will be sacrificed, but we can't help it. Nothing will change if we keep fearing bloodshed.”
”Yoming... are you insane?”
”Am I insane? Of course not. I'm not the one that's insane; it's them, No. 6. I've got my wits about me, and I'm not afraid. Even if I were to lose my life now, I'd have no regrets. I only have to accomplish what I set out to do. Yes, I know my death won't be in vain. For the founding of a new world, I would gladly offer my life. I'd become the stone upon which the new world stands... a true hero.”
Do you need sacrifice to found a new world? Must you offer up lives? A world that seeks sacrificial offerings is just the same―just the same as the Holy City you're so desperately trying to destroy. It's not new at all. Not a single thing will change.
She felt a tightness in her chest. Her breathing grew ragged, her words were thrown into disarray, and she gasped for air.
”Do you think your wife... do you think she would have wanted you to die... all those people to die?”
”My wife... you're right, I'll finally be able to avenge my wife and son. They're probably overjoyed.”
”Yoming, your wife wouldn't want revenge. I'm sure she definitely wouldn't want you to die. Snap out of it, please. Peace won't come from vengeance. Hatred only gives birth to more hatred. You have to keep living.”
Yoming's eyes hardened. Wrath flared within them.
”Karan... why are you stopping me? Are you not one of us? Are you siding with No. 6?”
”No one said I was. I'm just―”
”Enough.” Yoming strode swiftly to the door, and put a hand on the doork.n.o.b. ”Karan, I'm disappointed. I thought we could have understood each other more. It's such a shame. I've lost hope in you.”
”Yoming,” Karan protested.
”In time, you'll realize how right I was. And when that time comes, celebrate for me. I'll forgive you.”
I'm right, I'm right. There is no way I could be wrong. Once a man completely believed that he was right, that he would never err, he was already wrong.
”Look out for Lili and Renka for me. I probably won't be able to see them for a while.” The door opened. The wind blew in. She could see the darkness. The sun had already set, and a breeze crawled across the ground. The man's tall figure disappeared into the wind and darkness. The door closed, and only the scent of nighttime remained.
Karan had crumpled to the floor. She covered her face with her hands, and screwed her eyes shut. She felt dizzy. She felt ill.
”Ma'am,” called a girl's thin voice. Lili had sat up on the sofa and was watching Karan. ”What's wrong?”
”Lili... no, it's nothing, dear.”
”Really? Is there really nothing wrong?” Lili held her hands out. Karan embraced her, blanket and all. Her tiny body was trembling.
”It's alright, it's alright. You have nothing to worry about. It'll be alright,” she murmured slowly as if in song. Lili's trembling stopped, and her quick breathing calmed down again.
”Daddy isn't home yet.”
”No, he isn't. He must have had a busy day at work.”
”Ma'am, I'm gonna go home. I have to stay with Mommy. I can't leave poor Mommy by herself.”
”My, Lili.” Yoming, do you see this? Your niece is so young, so weak, and yet she's still concerned about her mother. In her own way, she's trying to protect those who are important to her. There are many children out there like Lili. We can't make them suffer. We can't take their loved ones away. Please, let no one be killed. Don't die, Yoming. Don't be killed.
”Lili, your mother is asleep right now. Let her rest for a while. We'll wait a bit, and then go and call on your mother, alright? For now, we have to wait here for your father.”
”Here at your bakery, ma'am?”
”Yes. We have bread here―fresh bread and milk, and a little fruit. I know! Let's have a party with the three of us. When your father comes home, he can join.”
”A party?” Lili blinked. A faint blush crept into her cheeks. ”I'd love a party.”
”Right? I can't bake a cake now, but I do have some m.u.f.fins. I also have some chocolate cookies left over, and I think I had some marshmallows, too. Lili, would you arrange them on a plate nicely?”
”Yeah! I'll do it, I wanna do it!”
”Then I'll leave it up to you. We'll arrange everything nicely, get prepared for the party, and then we'll go call on your mother together. Renka would be happy, right?”
”She'll sure be happy!” Lili said ecstatically. ”Mommy likes your m.u.f.fins as much as I do... oh, Cravat!”
”Hm? Cravats?” Karan instinctively glanced at the display case, which had barely anything left inside. She had not sold out; rather, she had not been able to bake a decent amount of pastries or bread in the first place. Her usual supplier had not come. Stores everywhere had closed their doors. She was running low on flour, sugar, b.u.t.ter, and oil. If she continued without replenis.h.i.+ng her stock, she would run out within a few days. Karan had no choice but to close her shop.
The distribution chain was crumbling.
”Lili, I haven't made any cravats,” she said aloud, and realized immediately that Lili was not talking about the pastry. It was Cravat, the small brown mouse.
”―No,” Lili exhaled. Disappointment etched her face. ”I thought I saw Cravat, but it was just me.”
”Do you want to see Cravat, Lili?”
”Yeah. I really like that little mouse. He has such beautiful eyes, and he's so soft and warm when you hold him in your hand. I like him lots and lots. Ma'am, where does Cravat live?”
”Hmm... I wonder where.”
”You don't know either, ma'am?”
”I don't, unfortunately. I have no idea.”
”Oh,” Lili said. ”You know, I really wanna go see Cravat's house. I feel like it would be so much fun. There are probably lots of other little mice beside Cravat, too, right?”
”Hmm, I think you're right. I feel like it would be like that.”
Cravat's destination and his home―that's where my son is.
s.h.i.+on, what are you doing now? How are you doing? Are you with Nezumi? You, Nezumi, and Safu are all alive, right? I can't do anything for you. I know I'm undependable, but these hands don't reach far enough to touch you.
Live, s.h.i.+on. Please cherish your life. Treat your life and the lives of others with compa.s.sion.
Yes, of course. We will not be beaten. No matter how dire the situation, we'll live to meet again.
”Ma'am, I'll get the plates.”
”That would be great, dear. I want you to get the big painted plate at back of the cabinet. There are tea cups and a tea pot that match. Can you find them?”
”I will. Leave it to me!” Lili bounded up to the cabinet on light feet.
Karan placed a hand on her chest, and quietly took several deep breaths.
No matter what, we will survive. We'll reach the end of our lives, not as glorious heroes whose names will remain beyond our time, but as ones who have lived modestly. We'll hold in our hands a life not forced upon us, but a life we decided for ourselves.
That will be our victory.
Right, s.h.i.+on? Right, Nezumi?
Notes
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