The next day, that is, the morning of the third day since Kino entered the country. Kino did not wake up with the dawn like usual.

The sun was already high in the sky when Hermes woke up on his own, and was quite surprised upon finding Kino still in bed. He then let out a loud voice and Kino woke up.

Kino quickly jumped up from the bed. She looked at the sun out of the window, shock painted all over her face.

“What’s wrong, Kino?” Hermes asked, but with an expression saying that she herself doesn’t know, Kino muttered,

“Strange… Maybe there’s something wrong with my body today?”

—

“Miss Kino, there’s a wedding nearby, do you want to watch?”

After eating her late breakfast, Sakura came to take the dishes away and asked.

Kino readily agreed, and returned to the room to take Hermes along. Together with Sakura, they headed to a nearby church-like building. Since it was not too far, she just pushed Hermes.

Beyond the crowd, the bride and groom stood, wearing clothing with muted colors.

They were young. Both looked only in their late teens.

“They sure get married young,” Hermes noted.

“Normally, people get married after they’re twenty. It’s strange,” Sakura answered.

The couple raised up a big bag onto a platform. The female guests rushed up in front. Sakura explained quickly.

“Together, they will throw lots of small bags to the guests. Mixed among those bags are a few containing a single tree seed. The number of bags containing tree seeds is the same as the number of children the couple wanted to have. A legend goes that a person who greets the next morning with those seeds in her hands will become the next happy bride.” While explaining, Sakura also looked like she wanted to participate. Kino noticed, and offered,

“Then let me also look for them. Two heads are better than one.”

Sakura asked in surprise. “Is that okay?”

“It’s all right. Let’s go.”

The two joined in with the crowd of women.

“Hmph.” When the neglected Hermes grumbled to himself, the couple shouted out,

“We would like to have five children!”

Then together, they started to distribute the small bags. They threw one after the other, and the female guests frantically gathered the falling bags. They opened them, and when they found out that it was not the one they were looking for, they threw them near the other guests.

As Sakura searched just as desperately, Kino took her hand and pulled her out of the crowd.

“Here.” Inside the bag Kino held out to her was a single big seed.

“Wow! …But how did you find one so easily?” Sakura asked in amazement.

“I’ve always been lucky,” Kino said coolly.

“…Can I really have it?” Sakura asked to confirm, and Kino answered.

“Of course. It may not be enough to thank you for being our guide.”

Sakura shook her head. “That’s not true! I’ve never had one until now. I’ve always wanted it. Thank you very much, Miss Kino!”

“You’re welcome.”

Kino said to Sakura, who was embracing the bag affectionately.

—

When they returned to the hotel, several unarmed soldiers were standing in front of it. They looked at Kino, and saluted when they arrived.

“Miss traveler, it’s time for you to prepare for your departure,” one of them instructed.

Kino considered for a while, and asked casually, “Um, can’t I stay for one or two more days?”

Sakura looked up at Kino’s face in shock, and Hermes asked loudly, “Wha-! K-Kino, what’s wrong with you?!”

“Nothing… You don’t have to act that surprised.”

Without changing their stiff countenance, “…I’m sorry, but when you came in, you declared only three days. It’s a rule…. Please make your preparations immediately.”


—

Kino reluctantly began her preparations.

She refilled fuel nearby, and bought portable rations. The shopkeeper was a middle-aged lady with a stern expression, but when she asked for the price of the items, her answer each time was, “It’s free.”

“Is that all right?” Kino asked in disbelief.

“Of course. Because you’re a traveler, overcharging is a problem. In exchange, please tell other travelers about this store. Tell them to shop here. If they buy in other places, they’ll get bad luck,” the woman said and gave a not-so-charming wink.

Kino and Hermes returned to the hotel, and quickly arranged their luggage. Sakura, her parents, and the aforementioned soldiers were all waiting for her at the front desk.

“If you’re going to camp out on the western side, you should go to that mountain spur. Before that, there is a danger of falling rocks. Moreover, the road afterwards will be downhill,” Sakura’s father described. “Indeed, that’s a good place. There’s also a small swamp nearby, and the scenery is fabulous,” the soldiers added, and drew her a simple map.

“Here take this.” Sakura handed Kino two bundles. Sakura’s mother explained, “It’s our country’s traditional picnic food. Sakura helped me make it. You can eat the small package in the evening, and this one in the morning. It will hold out for a day.”

Kino received the bundles, and faced all of the people gathered there.

“I’m truly grateful for everything.” Then she held out her hand to Sakura and gripped the tiny hand, “Thank you. I’ve really had wonderful memories here.”

Sakura squeezed the hand tightly,

“You’re welcome.”

—

Kino, who was now wearing her coat, and the luggage-laden Hermes, were in the plaza in front of the western gates. A large crowd has gathered in it, this time to bid farewell to the traveler.

For the last time, Kino faced the residents. “Everyone, thank you very much. I have been to many different places, but this is the first time I have received so much kindness.”

Everyone there smiled, and clapped their hands on impulse.

Sakura squeezed her small body in front of the crowd and gave a springy bow. “Miss Kino, Hermes. Thank you very much for staying with us. Next time you visit, please come together with a nice person for your honeymoon. I’ll reserve the best room for you,” Sakura offered like a brilliant hotel manager.

Kino smiled. “Sure. See you again someday.”

The crowd’s cheers gushed forth.

“See you again someday!” Sakura said as she waved her little hand, and Kino returned a smile.

Then Kino pushed Hermes out of the inner gates. She didn’t look back even once.

When she has passed through the outer gates, Kino started Hermes’ engine. The soldiers sent her off.

“Please be careful,” the soldiers said. Kino faced them, took off her hat, and bowed. After she was saluted, she launched Hermes off.

The soldiers did not loosen their stances until the motorrad was out of sight.

—

“Kino? That’s rare of you to want to stay for more than three days.”

Hermes talked to Kino as they rode through the forest.

“Yeah, I was surprised with myself too,” Kino said and dropped the gear. Then she continued. “But this may be for the best. If I had stayed any longer, I may have wanted to stay some more, and eventually, I wouldn’t be able to will myself to leave.”

“…You’re really saying some strange things today. Oh, right, haven’t you heard? It may be an omen for a calamity.”

“How rude,” Kino said with a light laugh.

Hermes turned solemn. “It’s a great country, isn’t it?”

Kino nodded. “It was really fun.”

They ran for a while, and Hermes spoke as if he recalled something. “It was totally different from the rumors.”

“Yeah.”

“I wonder why?” Hermes asked.

“Who knows. I was worried about it at first, but I stopped caring along the way,” Kino said, and a satisfied smile appeared beneath her goggles. Then she continued.

“If other travelers ask me what kind of place it is, I will tell them that it is a very welcoming and kind country.”

—

They rode until it was evening, and arrived at a mountain spur. It was the place Sakura’s father and the soldiers were referring to. Kino decided to camp out there.
She passed over a rope between Hermes and a tree, and stretched a tarp above it to protect against the rain. She spread out a blanket and placed her sleeping bag under it.

She opened the small package Sakura gave her. Inside it was a well-roasted wild bird. Kino ate it all up.

She boiled water drawn from the swamp and made tea. While holding her cup, Kino looked at the eastern scenery.

The moon gradually ascended from the ridges of the mountain, dimly illuminating the forest. Several clusters of artificial lights could be seen from afar. It was Sakura’s country.

Kino lightly lifted her cup to a toast.

After finishing her tea, Kino entrusted the watch to Hermes. Then she crawled in the sleeping bag with her jacket and boots still on.


—

When the full moon has reached its highest,

Kino stirred from inside the sleeping bag, and quickly rose up. Hermes asked, “Kino? What’s wrong? There’s nothing suspicious. There are no animals nearby. The weather also seems nice.”

“I couldn’t sleep…” Kino crawled out of the sleeping bag and stood beside Hermes.

“Is it because you woke up late today?”

“No, that’s not it.” Kino asserted, her expression stiffening.

“I have a bad feeling…. I have this strange, grating sensation.”

Kino slowly extracted Canon from its holster. Hermes looked on nervously, “W-what?” he asked. Kino did not answer, and looked alertly around her. Hermes also surveyed the surroundings for some reason.

The sky’s light purple gradated to a white towards the moon. From afar, the silhouette of the lined-up black peaks could be clearly seen. The tiny
clusters of light at the ground were from some people in Sakura’s country who were staying up late.

Kino’s expression was like that of a novice soldier about to ambush the enemy.

“There’s nothing. Don’t worry too much.” Just as he tried to appease Kino, the ground began to shake weakly. A low rumbling sound echoed.

A dark mass rose up from the towering mountain on the northern side. It was like a gigantic cumulo-nimbus cloud in mid-summer, slowly swelling out. Except that under the moonlight, it had a thick gray hue, and it was born from the mountain.

When it has swelled to its maximum size, the edge began to crumble and roll. While the low rumbles resounded, it lapped up the slope downwards with an intense speed. From Kino’s point of view, it was from left to right.

The molten mass eventually engulfed the tiny lights.

“What…? What is that?!” Kino shouted, pointing Canon’s barrel towards it. Hermes explained absent-mindedly,

“If my memory serves me right, it’s a volcanic eruption.”

“A what?” Kino turned around and asked. Hermes spoke with a tone of a professor,

“Volcanic ash and pumice stone spouted out at high temperatures, flowing down a mountain surface at high speeds. A pyrotechnic show.”[4]

“…You mean a pyroclastic flow?!”

“Yeah, that’s it!” Hermes said and fell silent.

The pyroclastic flow surged towards the valley. Kino spoke as she looked at the vanishing lights. “If I go there now, will I be able to do anything?”

“No,” Hermes answered in a flash.

“……”

“The temperature of that flow is nearly a thousand degrees Celsius. A person would die before he knows it. The blood in their whole bodies would boil, and they will die from shock. Everyone’s dead. No one had time to escape. Even if you go there, there’s nothing you could do, Kino. You will just die,” Hermes calmly explained to the dumbfounded Kino.

“……”

Amidst the low rumbles, Kino flopped down right where she stood.


—

After some time, the surroundings became quiet, and later, the view to the valley became clearer. The moon has inclined to the west, and the sky to the east became paler. Kino had been sitting and gripping Canon in her right hand the whole time. Kino did not say anything, and Hermes did not ask anything.


—

When the night has fully subsided, the sky and the mosaic-colored forest returned to view. However, the country within the valley was now covered by a single ashen color.

Kino stood up. She returned Canon to its holster.

She mutely folded the tarp and collected the blanket and sleeping bag. She took out the big bundle inside the bag.

“Once I finish eating… let’s leave,” Kino said as she sat down near Hermes and opened the bundle. Inside was hard-baked bread and salted meat.

Kino ate everything in silence. Then as she was about to fold the bundle, she noticed a letter and a small package inside.

Kino took out the letter. The address and the sender’s name was written.

“…It’s a letter for us. From Sakura’s mother.”

“Read it,” Hermes urged.

Under the sky that has brightened up considerably, Kino began to read the letter.


—

To Kino and Hermes. To the last travelers to visit our country. By the time you read this letter, we probably are no longer in this world. Our country and our scorched bodies must already be buried underneath ashes. And perhaps you have witnessed it yourselves.

It has been exactly one month since we learned of that mountain’s imminent eruption. From our scientists’ investigation, we knew that a large-scale pyroclastic flow would raze our country. We were left with two choices: to stay or to abandon our homes.

We have made our decision. We chose to stay.

This may seem foolish to a traveler like you. But we were born and raised here. We know nothing of other places or ways of living. Perhaps we were not given a choice in the first place. Even so, we do not bemoan our fate. After that decision, we felt somewhat relieved. We decided to live our remaining days as best as we can. Without cursing our destiny, or feeling hate and sadness, we spent every day to the fullest.

At that moment, we were overcome with surprise. By the time we disappear from this world, there is not a single outsider, that is, a traveler, who would remember us. I’m not sure if you are aware of it, but in the past, our country had acted impudently towards travelers, knowing full well that they were offended by it. We realized that the only memories that will remain of our country, is that of its rude inhabitants.

We vowed since then that if someone visited our country, we will give a heartfelt welcome. We want to leave that person with wonderful memories of our country and its people.

Ironically, no traveler came just when we have decided to change. Perhaps we were cursed by the bad reputation we have built for ourselves. Time silently flowed by. We were about to give up. But when there were only three days left, you came.

In behalf of our country, I receive you with all my heart.

Miss Kino, Hermes. Welcome.

P.S.

I was conflicted on whether I should write to you or not. But I want to tell you about this.

We made this fact known only to adults, to people over twelve years of age. On the day after the eruption, that is, by the time you read this letter, it is Sakura’s twelfth birthday.

Miss Kino. When I saw you getting along well with her, we thought we could entrust her to you, even though it’s painful for us. But last night, that child declared that she wanted to follow our footsteps and become a tour guide in this country. Since that is her dream, we decided to take her along with us, selfish though it may be.

Thank you for reading until the end.

—

“I see. Now everything makes sense,” Hermes said.

Kino contemplated for a while, letter in hand.

Eventually, with a low, almost moaning tone, she muttered.

“Ego… This is ego.”

Hermes spoke softly. “That may be true. But there’s nothing you could do about it anymore. Either way, it’s impossible to travel with two people on board.”

Kino folded the letter and returned it to the envelope.

She took the other, smaller package. Inside was a folded piece of paper and a small bag. For a moment, she thought it resembled the bag she gave to Sakura. When she opened it, the seed was indeed inside.

Kino hurriedly opened the paper and read what was written in it.“

‘Miss Kino. There is no…’”

Kino stopped. Her eyes opened wide and she stiffened. Hermes urged her to read the rest.


—

Miss Kino

There is no reason for me to hold on to this. It is yours.

Please take care. And please do not forget about us.

Sakura

—

Kino took a long breath and looked up to the heavens.

She stayed like this for a while.


—

Eventually, Kino slowly and carefully put away the letter and the bag inside her luggage.

At the same time, Kino took the box she received from the persuader smith. She attached the holster to the belt behind her waist.


She filled the magazines with small bullets. She put some inside her pouch, and one inside Woodsman. She loaded it and locked the safety, then installed it in the holster.

The Woodsman adorned Kino’s back with its barrel inserted in the holster, looking almost bare in a glance.

“Looks great on you,” Hermes said. Kino said nothing, but smiled a little.

Kino strapped the luggage on top of Hermes. When she started Hermes engine, its well-regulated roar resounded through the forest.

Kino wore her coat, put on her hat, and hung her goggles by her neck. The sun was slowly beginning to show itself. It shone vividly on the mix of green, red and yellow. Kino squinted and put her goggles over her eyes. The lens reflected the light, hiding Kino’s expression.

“It’s a great country, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. It was so much fun. …I have no complaints whatsoever.”

Kino straddled Hermes and, “Shall we go?”

“Sure.”

Kino looked back just once, gazing at the gently sloping valley painted with gray. She looked at the country buried underneath the ashes.

Then she looked ahead.

Eventually the motorrad rode away, leaving the place in silence.