Vol 9 Chapter 4.3 (1/2)
This is a continuation of PART B.
”What are we supposed to do?” A voice questioned weakly from the crowd. It was a female voice. ”Tell us what we're supposed to do.”
”Keep waiting,” s.h.i.+on answered. ”Wait just a little bit longer, and everything will come to an end. No one has to die anymore.”
Wait, he says.
So we just wait here.
For half an hour or so.
Like a breeze blowing ripples across the surface of a lake, a silent wave spread throughout the crowd. Everyone gradually began to sit down on the spot. People in the square also squatted on the ground, hugging their knees.
”Thank you, everyone.” Still holding the megaphone, s.h.i.+on also spoke to the dumbfounded man before him. ”You, too, Yoming. Wait here.”
Yoming was speechless.
”I'm going ahead.” Nezumi broke into a run, pa.s.sing behind s.h.i.+on.
”How on earth did you....” Yoming murmured as he gazed at s.h.i.+on.
There was no one in front of the mayor's office. The guards had likely fled as well. What used to be the safest and most comfortable place in No. 6 was now highly dangerous territory.
s.h.i.+on knocked on the door.
”Come in,” a calm voice answered through the intercom beside the door.
The door slid aside soundlessly.
The room was warm, tranquil, and luxurious. The mayor was standing in front of a wide writing desk near the wall. He had a smaller frame than what s.h.i.+on had imagined. And he was young.
This man... is the ruler of No. 6.
There was a leather sofa beside the mayor, and another man sat at the end of it. He was wearing a white lab coat. His neck was bent at an odd angle, and his arms dangled lifelessly. His hair had turned white before s.h.i.+on's eyes, and his mouth hung open, having already taken its last breath. A tooth dislodged itself from the man's mouth and landed on the floor.
”Oh....”
A wasp was sitting on the nape of the man's neck, moving its antennae busily.
”It's a newborn,” the mayor whispered. He sounded like someone who was trying not to wake a sleeping baby. ”I had no idea it was living inside his body, either. But I think he was the most surprised. He died without even getting over his astonishment. 'It can't be'―” the mayor smiled faintly. ”Those were his last words. 'It can't be'. Hah, it must be decades since I heard something like that come out of his mouth. He believed that everything in the world could be explained by science.”
”Mayor. Please open the window. We're going to use your balcony.”
”What do you intend to do?”
”We want to speak with Elyurias. We need to meet her, and it's urgent.”
”You kids know about Elyurias?”
”Yes.”
The mayor's gaze s.h.i.+fted from s.h.i.+on to Nezumi.
”Window, you say...” he muttered, and pushed a b.u.t.ton on his desk. The window slowly opened out.
”Nezumi.”
”Yeah.”
Nezumi stepped out onto the balcony. A wind blew up at them, ruffling Nezumi's hair.
A song flowed forth.
O earth, wind, and rain; O heavens, O light
Keep everything here, and
O soul, my heart, O love, my feelings true
And stay
Nezumi's singing was picked up by the wind, and seemed to reach every corner of the square―and every corner of No. 6. The people sat perfectly still and listened in a trance.
It was like a voice that stole the soul away and thieved the heart.
Safu. s.h.i.+on spoke to the girl in his heart. Just once―just once more, lend me your strength. Deliver this song to Elyurias. Safu, please. Lend us your power.
But here I will stay
Please
Please
Safu.
The wind grew stronger. Nezumi staggered.
”Ah!”
Inukas.h.i.+ stood still, rooted to the spot.
”Wh―What the h.e.l.l―”
A golden ring appeared in the sky, squarely in front of Nezumi. The ring shrank until it became a blinding light. The light s.h.i.+mmered as it wavered, and turned into the figure of a wasp.
It has been a while, Singer.
”It really has.” Nezumi turned around and beckoned to s.h.i.+on.
Come closer.
s.h.i.+on stepped out onto the balcony and drew up beside Nezumi. The crowd filling the square looked up all at once.
”Elyurias. Do you mind if I call you by this name?”
As you please. A name given by a human means nothing to me.
”Elyurias. We beg you. We want you to grant us one more chance―just once.”
s.h.i.+on heard the beating of wings. Four transparent wings glimmered as they beat the air.
”Please don't give up on us humans yet. Just once. Give us one more chance, Elyurias.”
Foolish creatures.
You are telling me to believe you?
”Humans are capable of both upholding ideals and succ.u.mbing to corruption. There are those who cling onto their power, and there are those who are pushed along by the majority. But there are those who uphold their ideals, live for others, and continue to fight against their own foolishness, deceit, and arrogance. Elyurias, hear our plea. Believe in us, just once more.”
Is that what you wish for yourself, Singer?
Nezumi gave a slight nod.
As one of the Forest People, you will believe in the residents of No. 6?
”I won't believe the people of No. 6. The only one I believe is him. No―that's not it. It's not that I believe him. It's just―”
Just?
”I want to see what s.h.i.+on will become. I want to see what he's going to build on the ruins of No. 6. I want to see with my own eyes what he'll create.”
You want to see.
”O G.o.d―Forest G.o.d, you yourself aren't omnipotent. You can't see everything. There's no way you could predict whether he'll create a future that's different from No. 6, or follow in its footsteps. It's something to look forward to, isn't it? How far will humans fall? Where would they be able to dig in their heels and resist? See where it'll take them―that's just another way to enjoy it. I think you're jumping the gun if you think humans are hopeless because of a small example like No. 6.”
The tiny infant I remember seems to have grown into an insolent one.
”People grow up. For better or for worse.”
Singer, are you sure? You do not need to keep loathing No. 6?
”No. 6 doesn't exist anymore. You destroyed it. But if No. 6 were to appear here again, I'd hate it with my heart and soul, and wage another war.”
s.h.i.+on.
”Yes.”
I have a message from Safu. She says, ”I leave everything in your hands”.