No6_Volume6_9ave.pdf

NO. 6 | Asano Atsuko

Volume 6

Where did you come from? Where were you born?

CHAPTER 1

'Twere best not know myself

To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.

Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!

- Macbeth Act II Scene II

He heard the sound of the wind. It was a dry, sorrowful sound.

It can't be...

Shion stopped his feet, and blinked slowly. It was dark. Even when his eyes were

accustomed to darkness, the gloom only reflected into his eyes as gloom, and was entirely

painted black. And of course, there was no wind blowing.

Here, they were at the bottom of the earth.

A place in the bosom of No. 6―precisely, a place of darkness. The basement of the

Correctional Facility. Of course there would be no wind blowing. There was no way he could

have even heard its sound. Yet he had definitely heard a high-pitched whistling. It was for a

mere instant, but he had heard it.

It wasn't a sound he had heard before in No. 6, where he had been living only a short

while ago. It wasn't a breeze that gently shook the abundant canopies, nor was it something that

wafted the sweet fragrance of flowers to him. It was―

The wind of the ruins.

It was the cry of the wind that whistled through the remains of the dilapidated hotel in a

corner of the West Block. It was a cold wind. Every time he felt it against his body, he

remembered feeling like he'd been chilled to the marrow of his bones. And indeed, people like

the elderly who collapsed on the road, unable to move, or children who had been depleted of

energy from starvation, were whipped by this frigid wind and eventually froze to death. It was

a cruel and ruthless winter wind.

But he missed it.

He yearned many times more for the chilling wind that swept through the ruins over the

gentle, harmless breezes in No. 6.

What was Inukashi doing now? Was he simmering leftovers in the big pot, briskly

making food for his dogs? Was he busy tallying up his earnings for the day? Inukashi, with his

tan skin, ink-black hair and wiry body.

He had left a baby in Inukashi's care. He had thrust a small infant boy upon him against

his will.

Cut the crap, Shion. I'm operating a business here, my hotel. I'm not running a non-profit

orphanage.

Shion could imagine his face, scowling in disgust.

Sorry, Inukashi. I didn't have anyone else to depend on. I had no other choice but to

NO. 6 | Asano Atsuko

Volume 6

cling and beg for your help.

Tsk.

Inukashi clicked his tongue.

Pain in the ass wherever you go, aren't ya? Fine, I'll take it. Even I have the heart to feel a bit of

compassion. But it's a tiny one, and even a dog would turn its nose up at it. No choice, though. This

baby's someone my own dog has risked its life to protect. I can't just throw him away.... Look at me, I'm a

pushover. Makes me sick of myself, even.

Inukashi, my gratitude.

Doesn't make me happy one bit to have any of your gratitude. Doesn't give me any gain. Shion,

I'll take the baby for now. Got it? Only for now. You better come pick him up. You decided to take this

guy in. You gotta raise him. Understand? You better come pick...

"Shion."

Nezumi turned around, and called his name. He could clearly see the pair of lustrous

grey eyes. Even in this darkness, Nezumi's eyes both sucked light in, and released it. Or― Shion

let his thoughts wander.

Or could I still render those eyes, even if there was no light, even if I was in complete darkness

without a single ray to illuminate my way?

"Don't stop walking. Keep right behind me."

"Oh―right. Sorry, I was spaced out a bit."

"Spaced out?"

"I thought I heard the wind blowing. Like the wind that used to blow against Inukashi's

ruins... I know I'm just hearing things, but―Nezumi."

"Hm?"

"I wonder what Inukashi's doing right now."

Nezumi blinked. Shion could make him out catching a breath.

"You've got guts."

"Huh?"

"Not just anyone can space out in a situation like this. There are probably tons of people

who go into shock from nerves, but to be able to hear the wind blowing, or casually think about

other people―that's colossal. The amount of guts you have probably puts you in ranks with the

gods. You will let me worship you every day, won't you, once in the morning and in the

evening?"

"Are you being sarcastic?" Shion said flatly.

"Why, never," Nezumi said. "I haven't got the courage to smart-mouth a god. I'm

genuinely impressed. But―"

Shion was grabbed by the arm. It hurt. He felt Nezumi's fingers digging into him. He

knew how much strength those fingers held, despite how slender and almost delicate-looking

they were. So many times Nezumi had clenched his arm, making him wince in pain. So many

times he had grabbed his arm and pulled him up. Again and again, countless times―from

death to life, from despair to hope, from fiction to reality, Shion had been able to crawl up and

out thanks to these fingers.

"From now on, be a bit more of an earthly coward. Don't give a damn about Inukashi.

Only think about protecting yourself."

NO. 6 | Asano Atsuko

Volume 6

"Got it."

"―Do you really get it?"

"I do―probably."

"Probably, huh. Nothing reassures me less." Nezumi gave a sudden laugh. It was small,

but it was lighthearted and filled with mirth. "Look at the conversation we're having, in this

place, in this situation. The epitome of flippancy, I think, both you and me. Maybe I'd be able to

join the gods if I hang around you more."

Then his tone suddenly changed, into one that was heavy and severe. His fingertips dug

in with even more force.

"No matter what happens, don't stray from me. Keep up with your own strength. I told

you before. I won't say it again."

Shion nodded. Nezumi turned his back and resumed walking, either having seen or felt

the slight inclination of Shion's head in reply. The figure before him wouldn't turn back around

as easily. Shion knew that well, too.

If he wasn't desperate enough to live, if he didn't greedily latch onto life, then Nezumi

would not turn to him.

Nezumi would never revere a flippant and unobservant god. Shion inhaled a breath of

darkness, and placed his foot forward.

A small path continued up a slight slope in the crack between the boulders. It was just

wide enough for an adult to get through. It might even be narrower than the former

passageway, cased in concrete with small light bulbs at equal intervals. It wasn't a long journey,

but twists and turns made it that much harder to walk through.

But at least―

Shion wiped his sweat with the back of his hand.

But at least it doesn't smell like blood here.

The air was absent of the bloody stench that had filled the other passageway. There were

no screams or groans of the dozens of people dying―being murdered.

There was only darkness.

Even if this were only to last for a short moment; even if there was a reality beyond

Shion's imagination waiting for him beyond the darkness, as it had always done, he would not

have to breathe the stench of people being unfairly and pitilessly obliterated.

He was grateful. As if he had encountered an oasis in a desert―he was grateful.

You're naive.

He chewed his bottom lip.

Nezumi didn't even have to tell him. He was so very much naive.

I just can't smell it. I just can't hear it. I just can't see because of the wall that divides us.

But it's still happening right beside me.

The reality that dozens of people―including newborns―were being unfairly and

pitilessly obliterated, still existed on the same stretch of land that Shion stood on, right here,

right now.

Just because he couldn't smell it, just because he couldn't hear, just because he didn't see,

didn't mean that it didn't exist. Just because he had arrived at an oasis, it didn't mean the desert

NO. 6 | Asano Atsuko

Volume 6

had disappeared.

I'm naive; I'm idealistic. He couldn't help but make excuses. He couldn't help but try to

forget the wrath he had felt when he had witnessed the brutality. He wanted to avert his eyes

from grisly things. He was trying to curl up and lend himself fully to the comfort of falling into

an ignorant slumber.

I am naive. And I am weak.

He traced the rocky wall with his hand, and did his best to keep up with Nezumi.

What was important right now was to follow him. And I've always followed him. He had

walked down a nighttime path for the first time in the West Block. He had torn through it, even.

If it weren't for that experience, he would probably not be able to walk through the oppressive

darkness now that seemed to crush his very eyeballs.

In that sense, I've toughened up a bit, he told himself. Believe. You've got your own kind of

strength stored up inside you. Believe yourself wholeheartedly. It was easy to fall back to self-loathing,

and wallow in defeat―but it was meaningless. Believing yourself was strength. With this

strength as fuel, as a weapon, one could overcome innumerable difficulties.

Shion funnelled his concentration into the soles of his feet, and moved forward one step

at a time. He met a light. It was dim. It was gradually beginning to lighten before his eyes.

Nezumi's figure glided into that dim light as he watched from behind. Shion quickened

his pace.

"Oh―" his breath caught in his throat.

They had emerged into a spacious chamber. It was much more spacious than where

Nezumi and the sand-coloured man had fought. The ceiling was lofty. It looked almost three

storeys high. The same rugged boulders jutted out from all around.

This place is a naturally-occurring series of caves, huge and complex. Nezumi had told him.

Then this must be a chamber that nature had created. Candles were lit here and there in the

crevices, and they were not the only thing: lamplight also winked in some places. They were all

dim, but warm, sources of light. They were beautiful, too―like small flame-coloured flowers

blooming in the alcoves of rock.

Alcoves?

Shion squinted. He baited his breath, and squinted as hard as he could. He baited his

breath more.

A shadow moved.

One, two, three, four.... They were not mice; those were not small animals. Numerous

shadows were moving around. They stood on two legs, and were whispering to each other. On

two legs, whispering....

Humans!

The lump he had swallowed stuck in his throat. His heart raced.

Humans. There are humans here. They're peering out at us from the alcoves. Humans. If he

squinted even more, he could see a large cavern yawning its large mouth from behind the lit

candles in the crevices. So there were tunnels even further on inside these caves. The people had

probably crawled out from there.

Shion couldn't make out each individual figure with his eyesight, but he could tell that

they varied in height and build.

NO. 6 | Asano Atsuko

Volume 6

Were there men and women, both adults and children? All of them identically leaned

forward, and were gazing down upon them. Shion felt like he could see each person's eyes

glinting dully if he stared long enough.

"Nezumi, these people..."

"Who do you think they are?"

"Oh―survivors. They must be people like us, who've managed to escape the execution

grounds."

"Wrong." Nezumi shook his head. It was a languid gesture, unusual for him. "They've

lived here way before that."

"Way before... what do you mean?"

"You'll see in a bit."

'You'll see in a bit'―I guess you're right.

You will see. As long as you have the will and the strength.

Shion clenched his fist. It was easy to question. He had always been asking questions up

until now. He had always instantly, so easily, begged Nezumi for the right answer without

trying to decode the reality that appeared before his eyes.

It won't work anymore.

He would find the answer himself. He would grasp it. He would decode it. Other people

were other people, even someone as close as Nezumi. He would not be able to render the truth

if he kept leaning on other people's words. He would not be able to face off with a reality that

surpassed his imagination. He would not be able to stay equals with Nezumi.

He had to render it himself.

Nezumi dropped his gaze from Shion. His grey eyes clouded over. Clearing it away with

a blink, Nezumi swept his hand aside in a smooth gesture. It was a graceful move unique to

him.

"Look, isn't it spectacular? Everyone has turned out for the welcoming parade."

"Famous even in a place like this, aren't you?"

"―Idiot. Shion, this is your welcoming."

"Mine?"

"You're the spectacle here. It's unheard-of for an outsider to come bursting in. And a No.

6 resident at that."

" Former resident," Shion corrected. "I'm not one anymore. I threw my ID card away a

long time ago. I'm not a citizen of that city."

"Don't get hung up about it. It was just a form of expression."

"I will be hung up," Shion said stubbornly. "It isn't 'just' an expression. I'm not as weak as

you think. I'm not attached to No. 6."

Maybe it was bravado. But Shion squared his shoulders the best he could.

I am weak. My mind and body are all too fragile. But nothing can shake my resolve. Nothing can

confuse my feelings. My resolve to live not within, but outside the city; my feelings of wanting to live

together with you; nothing can shake them, nothing can muddle them.

"Who said you were weak?"

"You always say so."

"Never. You're a superpower. You just overwhelmed me with your brilliance back there.

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