by Yusuke Kishi
The three of us embraced, kissed, comforted each other and drew strength from each other’s presence.
We headed back to the dock just outside the town of Waterwheel. The place was usually empty, and the fence that ran along the waterway made it the perfect spot for our meeting.
As we untied our boats, a voice called to us from behind.
“Do you have a minute?”
I turned to see a middle-aged man and women standing on the dock. There weren’t many people in Kamisu 66 I had never seen, but these two were completely unfamiliar to me. The woman who had spoken was short and plump and gave off an aura of harmlessness. The man was also slightly chubby and smiled kindly at us.
“You’re Saki Watanabe, right? And Maria Akizuki, and Satoru Asahina?” he said.
“Yes,” we answered confusedly.
“Don’t be so nervous. We would like a few words with you, that’s all.”
Were we going to be eliminated? We glanced at each other, but didn’t know what do to.
“Um…are you from the Board of Education?” Satoru asked bravely.
“No, we’re working under your grandmother.” The plump woman smiled at him.
“Really?” Satoru relaxed.
What was going on? I had never heard anything about Satoru’s grandmother before. The woman saw the confused expression on my and Maria’s face and smiled again.
“Satoru Asahina’s grandmother is Tomiko Asahina, the head of the Ethics Committee.”
Chapter 2
We rode in a windowless houseboat like the one I took to the Temple of Purity. However, this time the boat went by the normal waterways and did not make pointless changes in direction to try to throw off our sense of direction, so I had a rough idea of where we were.
The dock was a normal dock as well. That was a little anticlimactic since I was expecting to be taken outside the Holy Barrier.
I spotted the town hall and library where my parents worked out of the corner of my eye as we headed toward a narrow alley branching off of the town’s main street.
The Ethics Committee was set up just outside the center of Hayring. It looked just like a normal shop until we entered the front gate. I saw a long hallway stretching out before me and realized it was actually a pretty big building.
We arrived at a quiet inner parlor. There was sandalwood incense burning and a scroll depicting winter peonies hanging in the alcove.
Next to a large lacquered table were three deep purple floor cushions lit by the light filtering through the paper windows. We sat down apprehensively.
“Please wait here for a moment,” said the woman escorting us, and slid the door shut.
“What’s going on?” Maria and I asked Satoru in unison.
“You never told us your grandmother was the head of the Ethics Committee.”
“You haven’t been spying on us for her, have you?”
“Hey, wait a sec,” Satoru said, recoiling. “I didn’t know either.”
“Didn’t know what?”
“That my grandmother…I mean Tomiko Asahina was the head of the committee.”
“Liar.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me. How could you not? You’re her grandson.”
“Just hear me out.” Satoru backed away from us so hastily that he fell off the cushion. “You guys didn’t know who the head was either, right?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Unlike with other jobs, the members of the Ethics Committee aren’t public knowledge. The members keep their own identities secret as well.”
“Couldn’t you tell somehow?” Maria asked, still suspicious.
“Not at all,” Satoru said seriously, sitting up cross-legged.
“But she’s your grandmother,” she said obstinately.
“I’m perfectly aware of tha…”
“Excuse me,” a voice came from the other side of the door.
Satoru hurriedly sat back on the cushion. Maria and I also turned and sat down properly.
“Sorry for making you wait.”
The door slid open and the woman from before came in with a tray of teacups. She set them down in front of us along with some snacks.
“We’d like to talk to you individually, so would you please follow me one by one?”
I wondered what would happen if I refused, but of course that wasn’t an option.
“Well then, Saki Watanabe, please come with me.”
I was dying for a drink but had no choice except to follow her out into the hall.
“The man who was supposed talk with you all is Mr. Niimi, the man who was with you earlier. Oh, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Kinomoto. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, giving a quick bow.
“…anyway, when I informed the chairman of your arrival, she asked to speak to you directly instead. So we are going to her office now.”
“Oh, you mean, Satoru’s…Tomiko Asahina?”
“Yes. She’s very kind, so don’t be so nervous.”
There was no point in her saying that. My heart, which had already been beating quite fast, began pounding even more vigorously.
“Excuse me,” Kinomoto bent down on one knee and knocked on the door.
I waited with trepidation.
“Come in,” a clear female voice replied.
The door opened and we entered what appeared to be a drawing room that was twice as large as the parlor we had come from. There was an elegant alcove on the left inside, inside which was an attached study, and opposite it was a set of staggered shelves.
“Bring her in please.” The grey-haired woman seated at the table spoke without looking up.
“As you wish.”
In the middle of the room was a low table similar to the one in the parlor. I sat down on a cushion in front of it.
“Well then, excuse me.” Kinomoto retreated swiftly.
I felt as if I had been abandoned in a cage with a wild animal. My hands and feet were cold and my throat was dry.
“Saki Watanabe? Mizuho-chan’s daughter,” the grey-haired woman said. 13
Apart from the lines around her mouth, she had no other wrinkles and looked younger than I expected.
“Yes.”
“Don’t be so nervous. I’m Tomiko Asahina. I hear you’re good friends with Satoru.”
She stood up gracefully and came over to sit with her back to the alcove. She wore a delicately patterned silver-grey outfit that matched her hair.
“Satoru…Satoru-san and I have been friends since we were little.”
“I see,” she smiled.
She appeared to be in her mid-sixties. With her large eyes and shapely features, she must have been very beautiful in her youth.
“Just as I thought. You have wonderful eyes. They’re full of light.”
People often complimented my eyes. Probably because there was nothing else to compliment. I also often heard them say that there’s light in them, but then again, people who have no light in their eyes are usually dead.
“Thank you.”
“I’ve always wanted to talk with you at least once.”
She didn’t seem to be saying this out of mere politeness. I was confused.
“Why?”
“Because you will someday succeed me.”
My jaw dropped. I couldn’t think of a response.
“Surprised? This isn’t a half-baked idea or a joke though.”
“But…there’s no way I’m fit for the role.”
“Hohoho. That’s what Mizuho-chan said too. Like mother like daughter.”
“Did you know my mother?” I asked, leaning forward.
Although I had been extremely nervous earlier, Tomiko Asahina had a special way of making you drop your defenses and open up to her.
“Yes, very well. Ever since she was born,” she said in a voice that went right to the depths of my heart. “Mizuho-chan has a special knack for leading people. She’s doing an excellent job as librarian. But my position requ
ires more than that. And it’s something no one but you have.”
“But…why me? I’m still a student, and my grades aren’t that good.”
“Grades? You mean your cantus? You’re not interested in being someone like Shisei are you?”
“Well…even if I wanted to, I couldn’t.”
“Your aptitude for cantus is not the only thing tested in school. There’s also the personality index. It’s something we never let the students know about.”
“Personality index?”
Tomiko smiled, revealing teeth unnaturally white for her age. “In every era, what is demanded of a great leader is not some special ability but their personality index.”
All at once, I felt everything become lighter. Until then, I had been oppressed by all the things I felt inferior about.
“Do you mean things like their intelligence, or sensitivity, or leadership skills?” I asked fervently.
But Tomiko shook her head gracefully. “No, It has nothing to do with intelligence. Or sensitivity. And leadership abilities are acquired through various social experiences.”
“Then…?”
“The personality index is a number that indicates a person’s stability. It is their ability to maintain a grasp on themself and carry on without breaking down no matter what kind of unexpected situation or psychological crisis occurs. That is the most important quality in a leader.”
Somehow that didn’t make me particularly happy. I recalled Maria saying that I was strong. Didn’t that just mean that I was insensitive?
“So my score is high?”
“Yes, wonderfully so. Possibly the best in the history of the Academy.” Suddenly a sharp look came into her eyes. “But that’s not all. The most remarkable thing is even after all of you discovered the truth, there was no permanent decline in your score.”
I felt the blood rush to my face. “What are you referring to…?”
“From the false minoshiro, you learned the blood-stained history of our society, and the thin ice of peace upon which we now tread. After you returned, we subjected you to a thorough psychological assessment and monitored your subsequent behavior. Your personality index stabilized in a remarkably short amount of time after the initial shock. The other four took much longer to return to normal.”
So after learning the truth, we had been observed like guinea pigs. Although I had expected that to some degree, it was still a huge blow to me.
“Could it be…you had it planned out since the beginning?”
“Hardly.” The kind expression returned to Tomiko’s face. “We’d never take such a big risk. All we knew was that you were planning to break the rules. But catching a false minoshiro…a library terminal from the previous era, nobody could have predicted that.”
Was that true? I couldn’t bring myself to trust her completely.
“So the results of the test…”
“No. To be able to shoulder the fate of all the people as their highest leader, one needs to have a broad mind and nerves of steel when faced with the truth. You have both.”
Broad-minded was a convenient phrase. Anyone could accept something beautiful. The important thing was to be able to calmly accept the dirty and ugly things as well.
“We broke the rules and learned what we weren’t supposed to. Why weren’t we disposed of?”
Even though my tone had suddenly become accusing, Tomiko did not seem to mind.
“I understand what you’re trying to say. This isn’t an excuse, but whether or not you are disposed of isn’t under our jurisdiction. That belongs to the Board of Education.”
“Their chairman is Hiromi-chan. You know her, right? She’s always been a worrier. I can’t help but feel that her worrying has been even worse lately.”
Hiromi-chan…I had heard that Hiromi Torigai was on the Board of Education, but never knew she was the chairman. She was my mother’s good friend and I remember her often staying over for dinner. She seemed to be an introverted person, with a small, skinny build, and a voice almost too quiet to hear. So she had the power to dictate the life or death of any of the students, and frequently made these coldhearted decisions? I couldn’t believe it.
“The Ethics Committee is the highest authority in the district, but we usually don’t interfere with the Board of Education’s decisions. You guys were the exception. I asked them not to dispose of you.”
“Because of Satoru?”
“No. I would never let personal sentiments get in the way of such an important matter. You were the reason. You are indispensable for the future of the towns.”
So we had almost been murdered. Somehow even knowing that didn’t disturb me.
But what was the real reason we had been spared? It was hard to accept, but was it really because I was as important as Tomiko said? No one had ever said anything like this to me before, so I was completely confused. I wondered if it was possible that they couldn’t easily kill off the head librarian’s daughter. …but if that was the case, then my sister should have been spared too.
“But don’t think badly of Hiromi-chan and her people. They’re driven by a sort of paranoia.”
“Paranoia…?”
Did possessing the power to end the lives of others cause abnormalities in their mind?
“Hm. Perhaps that was a bad choice of words. I have the same fears too.”
“Fears of what?”
Tomiko looked surprised. “Isn’t it obvious? There are only two things in this world we really have to fear. Fiends and karma demons.”
I was speechless. The two nursery-tales I had heard again and again as a child came to mind.
“But Hiromi has never seen a fiend or karma demon. Unlike me. That’s why I always say they’re simply driven by paranoia.”
“So you’ve actually…”
“Yes, I’ve seen them. Up close and personal too. Would you like to hear about it?”
“Yes.”
Tomiko closed her eyes for a moment and began speaking softly.
Records detail the exploits of close to thirty fiends throughout the world. Apart from two, all have been boys. I think this shows that no matter how much we try, we can’t break the curse that is male aggression.
This student was also a boy. Unfortunately I can no longer remember his name. Although this happened a long time ago, I can still remember every detail, just not the name. That’s always seemed strange to me. Maybe there was some reason I wanted to forget it.
Although there’s also a detailed file on the incident in the library, only the initials YK remain. We don’t even know which letter represents the given name and which represents the surname. We’re not sure why it was written like that, but one explanation was that the old Japanese laws were temporarily revived during the transitional period before the Code of Ethics was enacted. And in it, the 61st article of the youth protection act that was in effect… Well, that doesn’t matter now.
Anyway, we call that child K.
At the time, K was a first year student at Leadership Academy. Leadership Academy is the predecessor to the current Sage Academy. He had just turned thirteen. …that’s right, he was a year younger than you are now.
In the beginning K appeared to be a completely average, inconspicuous student. The first sign of his abnormalities came from the Rorschach test that all new students took. The test is no longer given, but it entails having the student look at an inkblot made from a folded sheet of paper and analyzing their personality from the images associated with the blot.
Based on his answers, it was determined that K was habitually under an unusually large amount of stress. But it was unclear what the stressors were. On the other hand, all of the associations he made with the inkblots were unusually violent. It was likely that the desire for destruction and murder was deeply entrenched in his subconscious. For some reason, his abnormalities were not taken seriously at the time; even his test results raised no concerns until they were reexamined after the incident.
K’s abno
rmality became apparent as he learned to master his cantus at Leadership Academy.
His ability to manipulate his cantus was average, or just below average. But in situations where normal students struggled, K seemed to come alive. There aren’t any specific examples, but in various competitions where there was the possibility of injuring other people, K continued to use his cantus completely without hesitation.
K’s homeroom teacher quickly noticed this behavior and brought it before the Board of Education multiple times, saying that they should take precautionary measures. But no effective measures were taken. There were a number of reasons for this.
First, the previous appearance of a fiend was over 80 years ago, and the memories of that incident had been largely forgotten. The sense of danger was dulled. Second, K’s mother was known as an outspoken member of the town council. At the time, everything was decided by the town council, so it was extremely difficult to pass any extreme measures on the school. Third, the bureaucratic bodies governing the schools had a widespread policy of peace-at-any-price. Though historically, it’s questionable whether there was ever a time when this policy was not in effect.
And fourth, there were no effective mechanisms to deal with such a situation at the time.
So in the end, nothing was done except to give K regular counseling. He was not dealt with, and was allowed to continue while they watched from the sidelines.
Then one day, seven months after he entered school, it finally occurred.
Tomiko looked up at the ceiling and sighed deeply. Then she stood up and went over a small cupboard and brought out a teapot and two cups. She poured hot water from a kettle on the table and started making tea.
I drank the fragrant tea and waited for her to continue.
To tell the truth, only a few records of the incident remain. In particular, the beginning of the incident is almost entirely unknown. What started it? What was the sequence of events that led to so much destruction? All of this is left up to speculation, but it did happen. Over a thousand lives were lost, that was the grave reality of the situation.
