On the second morning, Kino woke up at dawn.

Kino left the soundly sleeping Hermes, who was fixed until he’s good as new, inside the room. She went out of the hotel and went into a small public park nearby. There were no clouds in the clear sky. The peak of the towering mountain on the northern side of the town could be seen very well.

Kino performed her usual workout, from simple exercises to her combat skills. Afterwards, she practiced her quick draw with an unloaded Canon.

As Kino was wiping off her sweat, a man who was jogging approached her. He greeted Kino with a smile, and Kino greeted back. The man asked Kino of her impressions of the country.

Kino truthfully answered that it was completely different from the rumors she had heard. The man smiled bitterly upon hearing her answer, “Is that so? It was really terrible in the past, you see.”

The man pointed at Canon and asked if she had it repaired recently. When Kino shook her head, the man told her about a skilled persuader smith at the southern part of the town, and that it would be great if she could check it out. Then he drew a simple map on the ground.

When Kino thanked him,

“As compared to you dropping by our country, it’s not a big deal at all,” the man said and left with a wave of the hand and a smile.


—

“The persuader smith at the southern district? Okay. You know, the park at the southern district is beautiful.”

After breakfast, Kino asked Sakura to be her guide once more, and Sakura readily agreed. When Kino thanked her, Sakura proudly declared,

“It’s the job of a tour guide to make sure that the guests are satisfied.”


—

Just as the day before, the two rode Hermes and headed for the tiny store near the southern walls. With a loud voice, Sakura asked if there was anybody home. After a while, a grumpy-looking old man came out from the interior of the shop.

“I’m closed today… no, I’m closed tomorrow, too. Come back the day after tomorrow.” The persuader smith, who seemed to have been disturbed in the middle of his sleep, said coldly.

“This is Miss Kino. She’s a traveler. She’s going to stay until tomorrow only, so can you please fix her persuader?” Sakura said.

The persuader smith was surprised. “A traveler?”

Sakura nodded. The persuader smith glanced at Kino and asked curtly, “Where is it?”

Kino took out Canon from its holster with a complicated expression. The persuader smith lightly waved his fingers for Kino to hand it over. When he held it, he stared at it with a sharp expression for a while, and muttered,

“…Oh, I see. Let me tinker with this thing, will you?”

The persuader smith demanded Kino to hand over its accessories. Kino thanked him and passed him Canon’s empty cylinders and spare parts.

“The gutter have seen much use, so I’ll have to check the frame. I may have to change parts so it will take a while. Around afternoon, I guess. It’s a good idea to go to the public park for a while. There’s a festival there right now.”

As the persuader smith spoke, he gently took one of the persuaders hanging from the wall. He handed a .45 caliber double-action revolver with a semi-circular clip, as well as several bullets, to Kino.

“This is a replacement. You will have no need for it in this country, but it can serve as a weight. Wear this for a while.”


—

The traveler, motorrad, and girl left the store expressing their gratitude. The old man glimpsed at the hand persuader passed to him. In the empty store, he muttered,

“What a surprise… You’ve lived a long life.”[3]


—

There was a large park in a place not too far away from the shop. Inside, there was a forest with a variety of trees left as they were, as well as a beautiful swamp and pond. There were several simple houses made from wood, where children played.

One corner of the park was made into an open-air theater where a lot of people have gathered.

A play was being held in the theater when Kino, Hermes, and Sakura arrived. Sakura explained that the townspeople performed in this play to teach the children the history of their country.

When Kino said that she has great interest in history, Sakura invited her to watch.

Two humans and one motorrad made their way to the end of the line. When the person before them recognized Kino as the traveler, he offered to vacate his position to let them get ahead. The next person also turned over his position, and the next one also gave up his seat with a smile. After thanking one person after another, Kino, Hermes, and Sakura eventually ended up in a guest seat where they can view the play best.

Kino took the seat somewhat apologetically and propped Hermes on his stand. The play has already started. When Kino was about to catch up to the story, the narrator at the side of the stage suddenly exclaimed.

“W-wait a moment! …Oh, sorry. But hold it! You seated over there, could you be the traveler that arrived yesterday?”

The people on stage and the audience looked at Kino all at once. Sakura stood up and replied, “That’s right! She decided just now that she wanted to see the play! I’m her guide.”

The surrounding adults cheered and clapped their hands for some reason. Even the actors on the stage clapped their hands and hooted. The narrator continued, “Everyone! Since we just started the play, what about doing it from the top for the sake of miss traveler over here? She won’t have a chance to see it again.”

Around the dazed Kino and Hermes, the people could be heard saying things like, ‘No complaints!’ or ‘That’s a good idea!’, and broke into applause once again. A young woman stood up, “Please watch out for my boy’s acting this time, okay?! He’s the third tree from the left side!” She shouted loudly, prompting everyone to laugh.

Kino stood up, looked all around her and bowed.

“All right! It’s decided then!”

The narrator declared, and the actors started their preparations. Kino sat on the bench with a flop. “I was so surprised,” she said as she looked at Sakura.

“Same here,” Hermes said.

“Welcome to our country!” Sakura said as the play began.


—

The play explained the history of this country.

A long, long time ago, a group of people was persecuted and chased out of a distant country. They visited many different countries, but couldn’t find a place that would accept them.

After wandering for a long time, they got lost deep inside a forest.

But the blessings of the forest saved the lives of the starving people. They decided to create a new country in this forest, where no one would hate them.

And time passed by like a flowing river.

“And now, here I am. At the head of that current,” Sakura said in a whisper, amidst the applause of the crowd.


—

“Miss traveler, please join us for lunch.”

Kino was overwhelmed with numerous requests like this. In the end, they joined the members of the play in its closing party.

At the barbecue stand in the park, Kino asked if there was anything she could help with, and was given the role of starting the fire. After Kino handled the job in no time, she was then given the task of grilling. After awkwardly wearing the apron handed to her, she skillfully grilled dozens of skewered meat.

Hermes muttered while looking at Kino doing these things. “She actually looks like she’s having fun.”

After the party, Kino looked back at the park one more time, and returned to the persuader smith’s shop.


—

“It’s done.”

The persuader smith lifted his face and stood up from his chair. He took the cloth-covered Canon placed on top of his work table. He looked at Kino with his creased, blue eyes. Then he handed it, still covered, to Kino, grip first.

“It’s a very good persuader. You should treasure it.”

“Thank you very much.”

Kino took it, and to check if it’s working well, she raised the hammer and pulled the trigger several times. Her expression changed.

“I’m surprised…. It’s better than the first time I held it.”

“Is that so,” was the persuader smith’s blunt reply.

“Thank you very much. How much do I owe you?”

“I don’t need any.”

“Huh?”

The persuader smith sat down, looked up at Kino, and asked, “You’re good at persuaders aren’t you, miss traveler?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“There’s something I would like to ask you…”

“Yes?”

“Once there was a remarkable persuader marksman who made her students call her ‘Master’. She was a traveler who would stick her neck into all kinds of trouble. Her skill stood out too much, and various countries would despise, and sometimes thank her for it. …That was a long time ago. If she’s still alive now, she would be quite old.”

“……”

“Miss traveler, do you know of such a person?”

Kino looked at Canon once and put it back to its holster. Then she looked straight at the persuader smith.

“No, I don’t.”

The persuader smith slowly smiled. “I see. Thank you. I don’t need any payment. Moreover…”

He turned his chair around, grabbed a wooden box and held it out to Kino. “I want you to look at this.”

“?”

Upon taking it, Kino opened the box and saw a hand persuader inside.

It was a slim, .22 caliber automatic with a square barrel that has a weight attached underneath.

It was made for a left-handed person, as its safety, slide stop, and magazine catch were all on the right side. Inside the box, there were reserve magazines and parts, a harmonica-shaped silencer and the silencer’s slide lock, a special cleaning kit, holster, and other things.

“What a nice persuader. It’s the first time I’ve seen this type,” Kino said, and the persuader smith nodded.

“It’s called ‘Woodsman’. It’s a .22 caliber model.”

“Oh. It’s such a valuable item.” Kino expressed her admiration and was about to return the box when the persuader smith spoke,

“I want you to use it. Take it.” Kino lifted her face in surprise. The old man explained gently, “A long time ago, when I was still a traveler, this was always on my hip. It protected my life time and again. But I haven’t used it for decades now. I’m already old, and I could no longer travel… but this persuader still has a long way to go. It would be a pity to let it rot along with my body. I want it to go on a journey like before.”

“Is that so… but…”

“Please take it.”

“Um…”

“You’ll take it, won’t you?”

“…But I…”

“You’ll have to take it.”

“……. I understand. I’ll treasure it.”

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on the persuader smith’s face. It was as if he won the lottery. He suddenly stood up and exclaimed, “Yes! I knew it! Come here! I’ll teach you how to use it. I’ll let you tinker with the holster and the grip too. Come!” And then the old man, who did not seem like one at all, almost forcibly dragged Kino to an indoor shooting range.

At the store front, Sakura and Hermes were left alone, dumbfounded.


—

“I’ll have to tell them that we’ll be home late.”

Sakura said and went to a nearby store to borrow a telephone. Kino and Hermes waited at one corner of the street. It has become dark, and the people on the street have thinned down.


“I didn’t think he would let me fire like that,” Kino muttered, holding a bag with a wooden box inside.

The persuader smith did not let Kino go until she fired three hundred rounds. During that time, he remodeled the holster so that it could be worn in the belt at the back. And at last, he sent off Kino, Sakura and Hermes out of the store with a satisfied look.

“Isn’t that great? I had nothing but free time after all,” Hermes snapped back.

“Well, sorry for keeping you waiting. But this time, it’s not my fault.”

“Hmph.”

Kino lightly lifted the bag. “What will I do with this?”

“Aren’t you gonna use it? After all that trouble.”

“Simple to say. I wonder what Master would tell me if she sees me wearing a .22 caliber automatic?”

“She won’t say anything. She’ll shoot at you.”

“……”

“If she sees you. It’s okay as long as she doesn’t,” Hermes said without a care.

“You know, I always have this feeling that she would see me,” Kino said.

“My condolences, then… By the way, why did you tell him you didn’t know about Master?” Hermes asked.

Kino answered honestly, “Master told me to answer that way in case someone asked about her…”

“Oh I see. It’s for your protection,” Hermes said in admiration. Kino mused to no one in particular,

“I wonder what that person did in the past?”


—

Sakura came back.

“Miss Kino, I told my mom we’ll be late for dinner.”

“Thanks. Then, shall we go home?”

As Kino was about to start Hermes’ engine, “Wait,” Sakura interrupted, “Miss Kino, Hermes. Before we go home, there’s a place I would like to take you to. I won’t have any other chance. Is that okay?”

“Yes, I don’t mind. What about you Hermes?”

“It’s fine. What kind of place?”

“It’s a very wonderful place!” was Sakura’s only answer.


—

“Amazing.”

“Pretty!”

Upon opening the door, Kino and Hermes exclaimed in admiration at the same time. Kino, Hermes and Sakura stood at the topmost part of the wall. Sakura guided them to the workers’ cabin beneath the walls, and rode the cargo elevator.

It was deep red.

The sun that has just set dyed the sky a deep red. It was a strong hue, almost transparent.

From afar, the line of peaks could be seen clearly. The sky began beyond it.

“This is my favorite place. I believe it’s the most wonderful place in the world. Someday, if customers come, I will definitely guide them here. You are the first ones.”

“It’s an honor,” Kino said as she kicked down Hermes’ stand.

For a while, the two people and motorrad remained standing, gazing at the red sky.

Then Sakura broke the silence. “I want to follow my father and mother’s footsteps, and become a great hotel manager and tour guide…. I wonder if I’ll become one?”

“You will. No, you already are a wonderful tour guide. I’ve had lots of fun these two days,” Kino said with a smile.

“I agree. A wonderful country like this deserves a wonderful tour guide like you,” Hermes slightly put on airs. Sakura was a bit surprised, and replied awkwardly,

“Ehehe. Thank you, Miss Kino, Hermes.”

Kino sat on the walls and looked up at Sakura.

Sakura remained standing facing the evening sun, and told them, “I want to learn more, and become a wonderful tour guide. I want more and more travelers to come to this country where I was born, and create wonderful memories together for them to take home.” Then the girl looked at Kino with a carefree smile, “Isn’t it wonderful to be able to do that?”

Without removing her gaze from Sakura, Kino smiled and nodded several times. “Yeah. It’s such a wonderful job.”

Then she set her eyes on the red sky once more.


—

They returned to the hotel, and Kino ate dinner with Sakura. Hermes was in the room, asleep. After the delicious meal, Sakura’s mother came with tea and cakes. When she asked if Sakura had been a trouble for them,

“Not at all. On the contrary, we had so much fun.” Sakura smiled a bit proudly, and asked Kino,

“Say Miss Kino. Do you have painful or hard times during your travels?”

Kino nodded, “There are, once in a while.”

“Did you ever want to quit?” Sakura fixed her gaze at Kino, who was drinking her tea.

“Nope, I would still continue.”

“Is that because you believe it is something you have to do?”

Kino shook her head to Sakura’s question, and answered, “It’s because it’s what I want to do.”

With a satisfied smile, Sakura lifted her mug to her lips. After two gulps, she changed the topic by asking, “Miss Kino. During your travels, haven’t you met a wonderful person, the person who is destined for you?”

Kino was slightly taken aback, and with a sour face, “Nope, too bad. However, there were a lot who ran away after seeing my persuader.”

The two laughed. Soon Sakura’s parents came, having finished their work. They sat beside Sakura. Her mother suggested, “Sakura, you can go on a journey if you like.”

“Eh?” Sakura, surprised, looked at her parents’ face.

“Just like Miss Kino, you could go around places, see different things, and study. After that, you can become a tour guide here. When we saw Kino, we thought learning that way isn’t a bad idea.”

“Really…?”

“What do you think?”

Sakura was slightly troubled for a while, but soon shook her head and smiled. “No. I’m not going anywhere. I will study here, and become the number one tour guide here. That is my dream! Besides, I already have wonderful teachers here, right? Father, Mother.”

The two looked at each other. “I see… That’s good too. In a while, you will surpass us and we will be left with nothing to do, huh?” The mother asked, and her daughter quickly replied.

“You bet!”

And the family laughed in joy.

Kino gazed at them, as if she was witnessing something from a different world.