Kino's Journey - Volume 1, Prologue

Prologue: In the Forest・b -Lost in the Forest・b-

And so darkness encroached.

The world, devoid of light.

The moon and the stars, out of sight.

Audible was only the gentle sound of wind wafting through trees, as if adorning the darkness.

"Let's see... It's still just a vague feeling, but..."

Suddenly, the sound of human conversation could be heard. A slightly high-pitched voice, similar to that of a young boy.

"But...?"

A different voice made a questioning statement, as if to press on the matter. Another young-sounding voice, similar to that of a male child.

There was a brief moment of silence, before the first voice quietly spoke up once more. In an expression as if attempting to convince oneself of something, as if giving a soliloquy.

"Sometimes I wonder, am I an insignificant, irredeemable fool? Am I a horrible mess of a human being? I'm not really sure why, but there are times when I feel like I am. There are times when I think that is all I am... But it's during those times that I would find other things, like the world and other people's ways of lives, to be so beautiful and fantastic. I would think, they're so dear to me... that I want to know more and more about them, and I have a feeling that I travel for that purpose."

And then, another brief pause before carrying on,

"I think if I keep on traveling, I'll surely be faced with plenty of sadness and suffering, all the way to the end."

"Hm~m."

"But even so, I still don't think I want to stop. I enjoy doing it, so much that even if it's necessary to hurt or kill others, I would still want to go on. Besides,"

"Besides?"

"I can stop anytime. And that's why I want to keep going, I think."

The first voice spoke with clarity. Then a question followed,

"Did that make any sense?"

"Honestly speaking, I don't really get it."

The other voice gave a response.

"That's also fine, I guess."

"It is?"

"It's possible that I don't really get it myself either. Maybe I'm losing my way. Maybe I'm keeping on traveling in order to understand it better."

"Hm~m."

"Well then, I'm going to sleep now. We still have a long way to go tomorrow. Good night, Hermes."

"Good night, Kino."

In darkness, a rustling of thick cloth could be heard, ceasing before long.


Next Chapter

Table of Contents