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Kino's Journey Volume 1 Chapter 1 Part 1
Kino's Journey - Volume 1, Chapter 1
The Country Where One Perceives Others' Pain -I See You.-
A brown line stretched through the sea of green.
It was a path of simple packed dirt, running straight eastward. All around it was knee-high grass as far as the eye can see, swaying gently as if to show passage of the wind. Near or far, not a single tree to be seen.
In the middle of the road, a single motorrad (Note: Two-wheeled vehicle. Refers to only ones that cannot fly) was running. A slightly dirty bag was fastened to the carrier on its rear.
The motorrad roared in engine sound as it ran with considerable speed, but occasionally it would wane to the left or right. Each time, the rider would steer the handle in a panic, with body slanted, straightening it back to the path.
The rider had a slender figure. Wearing a black jacket, waist wrapped in a thick belt. Strapped to the belt were multiple pouches, and on its backside was a hand persuader holster (Note: Persuaders are firearms. In this case, a handgun). Inside it was an automatic-type persuader, grip pointed upwards.
On the rider's right thigh was another holster; inserted in it was a revolver-type hand persuader. So as to not have it slide out, its hammer was tied down by the short string that extended from the holster.
The rider's hat was similar to that of an aviator's, brimmed only on its front and attached with ear flaps on its sides for protection against cold. They were held down by the band of the goggles, with the parts sticking out fluttering violently in the wind. But on the contrary, the hat itself was protected from being blown away by wind pressure.
Under the goggles was a youthful face. Large eyes and features gave a tough impression, but right now that face was wearing an expression of fatigue.
The motorrad spoke to its rider.
"Seriously, I don't know what you're thinking right now, Kino. You have food, so you should just eat."
The rider, one who was referred to as Kino, replied.
"With a country already in sight, I just can't bring myself to eat portable rations."
Beyond the road they were proceeding down, a vague image of a town's outer wall could be seen.
"Besides, survival foods are things for eating as a last resort."
At that moment, the front wheel hit a bump in the road, throwing the motorrad off-balance once more. Kino corrected it in a panic.
"Uwah!"
"Sorry, Hermes."
Kino throttled down slightly. The motorrad, referred to as Hermes, grumbled.
"Jeez. We don't even know if that country is going to have food or not. What do you plan to do if it's deserted?"
"Let's see, when that time comes..."
"When that time comes?"
"Then that time comes."
===
Reaching the outer wall, Kino brought Hermes to a standstill. In front of the rampart was a moat, with a drawbridge extending across.
Noticing a small building just before the bridge, Kino dismounted. Hermes staggered immediately, making Kino realize that the kickstand had yet to be dropped down. Unable to hold Hermes up due to lack of energy, both of them collapsed to the left side just like that.
"Oh, the horror! To think the mighty Kino has fallen over. Now, hurry and get me up, c'mon!"
Hermes, now lying down to the side, spoke in a genuinely astounded tone. Kino immediately raised Hermes up, but stopped in the middle of the movement.
"What's up?"
Hermes asked. Kino answered in a thin voice.
"Hungry, no energy..."
"And that's why I told you to eat when you're supposed to... Listen up, Kino, I already told you many times that riding motorrads is a sport. Not on the level of bicycles, but quite a lot of your energy will be drained just by riding along. You'll run out of strength before you know it, and your mind will go all numb. When that happens, you won't even be able to do normally mundane tasks. As a result, you'll easily make mistakes which leads to accidents... Hello? Kino, you listening?"
===
There was nobody in the building.
Instead, a large vending machine-like apparatus was there. It activated the moment Kino entered, asking several simple questions then almost immediately granting clearance to enter the country. The drawbridge lowered.
"Now that was quick."
Hermes, leaned on the kickstand, said as Kino returned.
"It's strange."
Kino mounted and started the engine.
"What is?"
"There wasn't a single person in there. Just a machine."
Kino took off with Hermes, crossing the bridge.
"Maybe we won't be seeing anyone when we get into town either."
Hermes said jokingly.
And those words proved to be true.
===
"You ate?"
"I ate."
Kino answered with satisfaction, returning to Hermes who had been parked in front of the building.
"Anyone in there?"
"No one."
Kino gave a short response, mounted Hermes, then looked around.
There was a single paved road, with several one-story buildings erected on both sides. The building Kino just came out from had a sign saying "restaurant".
Along the roadside were spacious walkways, with streetlights...
The Country Where One Perceives Others' Pain -I See You.-
A brown line stretched through the sea of green.
It was a path of simple packed dirt, running straight eastward. All around it was knee-high grass as far as the eye can see, swaying gently as if to show passage of the wind. Near or far, not a single tree to be seen.
In the middle of the road, a single motorrad (Note: Two-wheeled vehicle. Refers to only ones that cannot fly) was running. A slightly dirty bag was fastened to the carrier on its rear.
The motorrad roared in engine sound as it ran with considerable speed, but occasionally it would wane to the left or right. Each time, the rider would steer the handle in a panic, with body slanted, straightening it back to the path.
The rider had a slender figure. Wearing a black jacket, waist wrapped in a thick belt. Strapped to the belt were multiple pouches, and on its backside was a hand persuader holster (Note: Persuaders are firearms. In this case, a handgun). Inside it was an automatic-type persuader, grip pointed upwards.
On the rider's right thigh was another holster; inserted in it was a revolver-type hand persuader. So as to not have it slide out, its hammer was tied down by the short string that extended from the holster.
The rider's hat was similar to that of an aviator's, brimmed only on its front and attached with ear flaps on its sides for protection against cold. They were held down by the band of the goggles, with the parts sticking out fluttering violently in the wind. But on the contrary, the hat itself was protected from being blown away by wind pressure.
Under the goggles was a youthful face. Large eyes and features gave a tough impression, but right now that face was wearing an expression of fatigue.
The motorrad spoke to its rider.
"Seriously, I don't know what you're thinking right now, Kino. You have food, so you should just eat."
The rider, one who was referred to as Kino, replied.
"With a country already in sight, I just can't bring myself to eat portable rations."
Beyond the road they were proceeding down, a vague image of a town's outer wall could be seen.
"Besides, survival foods are things for eating as a last resort."
At that moment, the front wheel hit a bump in the road, throwing the motorrad off-balance once more. Kino corrected it in a panic.
"Uwah!"
"Sorry, Hermes."
Kino throttled down slightly. The motorrad, referred to as Hermes, grumbled.
"Jeez. We don't even know if that country is going to have food or not. What do you plan to do if it's deserted?"
"Let's see, when that time comes..."
"When that time comes?"
"Then that time comes."
===
Reaching the outer wall, Kino brought Hermes to a standstill. In front of the rampart was a moat, with a drawbridge extending across.
Noticing a small building just before the bridge, Kino dismounted. Hermes staggered immediately, making Kino realize that the kickstand had yet to be dropped down. Unable to hold Hermes up due to lack of energy, both of them collapsed to the left side just like that.
"Oh, the horror! To think the mighty Kino has fallen over. Now, hurry and get me up, c'mon!"
Hermes, now lying down to the side, spoke in a genuinely astounded tone. Kino immediately raised Hermes up, but stopped in the middle of the movement.
"What's up?"
Hermes asked. Kino answered in a thin voice.
"Hungry, no energy..."
"And that's why I told you to eat when you're supposed to... Listen up, Kino, I already told you many times that riding motorrads is a sport. Not on the level of bicycles, but quite a lot of your energy will be drained just by riding along. You'll run out of strength before you know it, and your mind will go all numb. When that happens, you won't even be able to do normally mundane tasks. As a result, you'll easily make mistakes which leads to accidents... Hello? Kino, you listening?"
===
There was nobody in the building.
Instead, a large vending machine-like apparatus was there. It activated the moment Kino entered, asking several simple questions then almost immediately granting clearance to enter the country. The drawbridge lowered.
"Now that was quick."
Hermes, leaned on the kickstand, said as Kino returned.
"It's strange."
Kino mounted and started the engine.
"What is?"
"There wasn't a single person in there. Just a machine."
Kino took off with Hermes, crossing the bridge.
"Maybe we won't be seeing anyone when we get into town either."
Hermes said jokingly.
And those words proved to be true.
===
"You ate?"
"I ate."
Kino answered with satisfaction, returning to Hermes who had been parked in front of the building.
"Anyone in there?"
"No one."
Kino gave a short response, mounted Hermes, then looked around.
There was a single paved road, with several one-story buildings erected on both sides. The building Kino just came out from had a sign saying "restaurant".
Along the roadside were spacious walkways, with streetlights...
