Volu 3, Chapter 5: Queen’s Move – Part?3
Winkeny left Toatt Mining Town and prowled around without doing anything. After he couldn’t drink any more alcohol, he finally returned to his hideout. It was the sa one that contained all the material on Mokkania.
Winkeny looked at the wall with the photos of Mokkania hanged to it.
“Mokkania, I’m the sa.”
He took down one photograph and called to it.
“I also lost my mom. Just like you.”
Suddenly, his mind felt clear. He understood everything as if struck by lightning.
These feeling were the sa as Mokkania’s. When he was young, at the day he lost Renas, he felt the sa way.
Words ca out flowing from Winkeny’s mouth. Both his mouth and mind could now naturally act the part of Mokkania.
“I am Mokkania. When I was young, I thought the sa as everyone – my life will continue the sa way on and on, forever. The day I will beco an adult will never arrive. I was supposed to keep living together with my mother in that town forever.
I believed that no matter what else in the world may change, only the relationship with my mother will stay the sa.”
While acting as Mokkania, he saw the landscape of his hotown in the back of his mind. It was his first place of residence.
“The strongest and also most kind person in this world was mom. She also thought she would continue protecting forever. One day, as I realized that mom is in fact a very weak and sad person, my ti began moving.
I wanted to help mom. Oh, an Ard Librarian! If I beco that, I will be able to make more money and make it easier for mom. It was a splendid dream. Thus a small wish far removed from reality was born.”
Right – Winkeny joined the Indulging God Cult for his mother’s sake. Mokkania ended up as an Ard Librarian for his mother’s sake. They both possessed the sa feelings.
What did this an? Mokkania’s heart, which was once far from Winkeny, now felt close to him. He felt like he was his best friend – no, as if they were the sa person.
“However, the moving future was stopped. One day, as if the thread of her life was cut off, mom passed away. My dream stopped there, and my ti did as well.”
Winkeny tore a photo off the wall. It was a picture of Mokkania as a teenager.
“Taken back by my father’s house, I started living a different life than before. I received advanced education and training fitting for a noble. However, my dream was frozen and always stayed inside . Without being able to make it co true or give up on it, that dream remained frozen inside of .”
He looked at the teen Mokkania’s photo. Through his noble-like appearance of elegance and innocence, one could take a peek at his loneliness. Winkeny could also understand his feelings at that ti. Even if he and his mother were apart, he thought only about her. This was, again, the sa as Winkeny.
“I beca an Ard Librarian. It was inevitable. First because it was my dream. Also, so I could et mom. I could read mom’s Book in Bantorra Library.
I was unexpectedly excellent. But I wasn’t happy. Talents are not given to those who wish for them.”
Mokkania was given what he didn’t wish for. Winkeny wished for it but wasn’t given it. They were the sa, simply on opposite sides.
“At the beginning it wasn’t a big deal. I only worked at cataloguing the Labyrinth or managing the mines. Bantorra Library was still peaceful then.
However, peace did not last for long. The ti for battle appeared. The massacre of the Guinbex Imperial Army.
I killed a lot of people just as ordered. I couldn’t do anything else. No-one in the world would forgive if I ran away.”
Winkeny picked up a photograph of Renas and looked at it. He started imagining her personality he heard about and Mokkania’s feelings of her.
“However, the mom inside my heart didn’t forgive for killing them. Mom, who hated violence and the oppression of weak people more than anyone, didn’t forgive . Even if there was so legitimate reason, using violence was absolutely unforgivable.
I felt it for the first ti… the fear of working as an Ard Librarian.
And I regretted becoming an Ard Librarian.
I hoped to be judged! But! Nobody blad . On the contrary, I was even thanked. Thank you for killing the bad guys, people said.
I wasn’t even allowed to atone…”
Winkeny took a photo of Mokkania from the ti he confined himself in the Labyrinth.
“Since then, I beca unable to control myself. I stopped coming outside. I was afraid of eting people. I was afraid of normal, powerless people. That’s why I dived underground.
I beca a laughingstock. I, who abhorred the powers of the Ard Librarians, could only conduct the job of an Ard Librarian. I was completely cornered.”
Winkeny started thinking. What was Mokkania thinking about while inside his room?
“…I ran away. I threw the present away and ran into the past. I wished I could return to that day when my mom was there.
Ever since the day my “I’m ho” didn’t receive the answer of “welco back”, my ti had stopped.
I wanted to return. To that day.
To the ti my mom was alive…”
Winkeny’s solo performance ca to a close. He placed his hand on the chest to sooth his throbbing heart. His whole body was shaking with the excitent of his understanding Mokkania’s heart.
At that mont, he heard the sound of applause. Winkeny looked back in surprise. A single man stood inside the room for who knows how long. He didn’t sneak inside. He simply opened the door and ca in. Winkeny just didn’t notice him.
“Wonderful. I was completely captivated, Winkeny.”
The man said. Winkeny then called the na of the applauding man.
“The Overseer of Paradise…”
The Overseer of Paradise kept the applause. Winkeny was confused. As soon as he stopped the applause, the man started talking.
“You can also beco an actor.”
Why did he co here? Winkeny wondered. He then saw a gun hanging at his waist. His goal then beca clear.
“You might still be useful for a while.”
However, the Overseer of Paradise didn’t touch his gun. Instead, he took a pen in his hand and scribbled a note.
“Please go there. There is sothing that might be useful for you.”
The note contained an address and a simple map. It was the location of an Indulging God Cult’s laboratory that was a secret even for Winkeny.
Leaving only that behind, the Overseer of Paradise left with a smile on his face.
Shortly thereafter was a battle between the Indulging God Cult and the Ard Librarians. Mokkania didn’t make any appearance there, so of course Winkeny also didn’t.
In the anwhile Winkeny visited the lab. There were always ats’ corpses piled inside. The research topics were insane. Even looking in the researchers’ eyes brought one deep nausea.
Winkeny only loaned one technique which was being researched there. Responding to the request for cooperation, the researchers explained it to him.
“This technique had its hints in the very existence of Book-Eater monsters. When a person dies to beco a Book which is then eaten by a Book-Eater, he can then be revived through the Book-Eater’s body. This is a study of whether or not we can cause that artificially. Ahahaha.”
Winkeny asked them to omit the full details of the research and only heard the thod.
“First, we prepare a single at. It doesn’t even have to be a at, though. Then, we let them drink the water of Argax and rob all of their mories. No mories must remain. Not even how to eat or breathe. But ats would soon die like that. Life-sustaining asures are required. Hahahaha. Ehahahaha.”
“And then?”
“Then, you make them read the Book of the person you wish to revive. You make them read it many tis. Using drugs and hypnotism, you imprint into them that the mories from the Book are their own mories. The human mind has a function to work around any inconsistencies, so it is a surprisingly easy work.”
“And after that?”
“You make the subject drink from Argax again to erase all their inconvenient mories. And that’s it hahahahaha.”
After Winkeny finished hearing the explanation, he brought a Book fragnt out of his pocket. While collecting material on Mokkania, it was sothing he found after looking all around – the Book of Renas Fleur.
“Is it still fine if I only have a fragnt?”
“Absolutely fine. Leave it to us.”
Bursting with laughter, the researcher received the Book.
The plan was simple. By preparing a fake Renas, Mokkania could be persuaded to revolt. The success rate of this persuasion would depend on the performance of the fake Renas. Winkeny might also have to use any possible ans to make the persuasion succeed.
He waited until he could complete making various plans. In about one month, the fake Renas was created.
“You’re a False Man from the Cult, right?”
Given Mokkania’s age, he chose a woman in her mid-forties as the fake Renas. When she looked at Winkeny, she grinned.
“We have given her flawless training. Hahaha, no matter what happens, she will not betray the Cult.”
The researcher laughed.
“Of course.”
Renas also laughed.
“I understand what I need to do even without you explaining. I will persuade Mokkania.”
Renas said, her face full of confidence.
“So you don’t mind it? Mokkania is fundantally a very serious man. If he was asked to betray it will pain him.”
The fake Renas looked at him dubiously, not understanding what he said.
“The Cult’s teachings take precedence over anything else. I don’t care about such a trivial thing.”
She really was thoroughly educated. It was troubleso. He couldn’t find any similarities to the gentle Renas no matter how he looked at her.
“Is there a gun sowhere around here?”
Winkeny asked the researchers.
“Yes, here you go.”
Renas handed Winkeny a gun that was used to dispose of useless ats. Receiving it, he shot and killed her.
“Remake her.”
After saying this to the researchers, Winkeny left the room.
“…Isn’t she too young?”
The second fake Renas was lying down in front of them. The researcher asked him. This ti Winkeny himself chose the at.
“She’s good enough.”
Winkeny concluded.
“Is it really fine to not subject her to the Cult’s teachings?”
“Absolutely nothing is required.”
Winkeny affird again.
“But like this she would be a re copy. What are you going to do with that?”
“…It doesn’t matter. I’m simply going to give Mokkania a present.”
“…”
The researcher looked at Winkeny with unbelieving eyes. He couldn’t possibly understand what Winkeny was thinking about.
Before long the promised ti ca. Accompanied by Renas, Winkeny headed for Bantorra Library on a boat. He claid to be Mokkania’s friend and soone who cooperated with the Ard Librarians.
Locolo should have landed earlier. They were going to et again after the beginning of the operation.
“Winkeny-san. Why is Mokkania inside the Labyrinth?”
Renas asked him during their journey. Winkeny put his finger to her lips and whispered in her ears.
“Please don’t lower your guard. There’s still danger. For the Library, for Mokkania, and for us. Speak of the fact you are Mokkania’s mother only when with him.”
If he would talk of the plan with Renas it will all be for nothing. He didn’t even tell the plan to his ally. He wouldn’t be able to understand even if he told him. Only Winkeny, who continually chased after Mokkania, could understand it.
Infiltrating into the Library was hard. If Noloty Malche hadn’t drank from Argax, or if another person had seen them infiltrating, it would all be over. Almost the entire plan was left for luck, and they succeeded.
Winkeny was convinced luck was on their side.
He brought Renas, and knocked on Mokkania’s door.
Although he t Mokkania for the first ti, he felt nostalgic seeing his face. He started talking to him.
“I’m Winkeny, a warrior from the Indulging God Cult. I ca here to give you your mother.”
Mokkania’s face was contorted in surprise. Rather than in response to hearing the na of the Indulging God Cult, that facial expression ca about by the astonishnt of hearing about his mother and seeing the form of Renas standing behind Winkeny.
Winkeny understood Mokkania’s feelings as if they were in his hands. While confused, he was also drawn to her. On the one hand she didn’t have his mother’s features that he could never forget, and on the other hand was the expression of joy on Renas’s face at their reunion. It couldn’t be helped that they both overlapped.
Winkeny waited for Mokkania’s response. It was expected to an unbelievable degree.
“Mom is… supposed to be dead.”
Winkeny imdiately said,
“She didn’t die. Until now, she was held captive by the Indulging God Cult.”
“That can’t be.”
Just when Mokkania was trying to say sothing, Renas dropped her cane and ran up to him.
She put her hand around his stomach. Then, she raised it to his chest, and finally to his face.
“I can’t believe you’ve grown this big…”
“….Mom?”
“I can’t believe it. You really are Mokkania… Unbelievable. My little Mokkania has…”
“Mom… I…”
Mokkania referred to Renas as “mom”. These were already involuntary words. Winkeny imdiately spoke.
“Renas-san lost her mories because of Argax. She only rembers you as a child.”
“…Mokkania. This is just unbelievable. Hey, Mokkania. Do you still think of as your mother even now?”
While still confused, Mokkania nodded.
“I can’t tell like that, Mokkania. Say it with words.”
“…Yes, mom.”
Winkeny stopped himself from laughing. He endured the urge to dance around in happiness.
“I’ll wait here for a while. Rena-san, Mokkania, go inside.”
“…Winkeny-san?”
“I don’t want to interrupt the reunion between mother and child.”
He said toward Mokkania.
“Yeah, you can talk to your heart’s content. You’ve been waiting to et her again since forever, right?”
Mokkania took Renas’s hand and led her inside the room.
Mokkania and Renas conversed for a while.
When he ca outside there were tears on his face.
“What are you demands, Indulging God Cult?”
“Before that, I have one question.”
“What is it?”
Winkeny then asked him. It was an astounding question beyond common sense.
“About that fairy tale – the one with the squirrel and the rest in the forest. How does it end?”
How much does this man know? Mokkania was surprised. It was a fairy tale created by Renas, and its ending was lost along with her death. And, in order to check whether she was real, Mokkania asked her about that ending.
Winkeny had expected it all. He was asking to confirm his expectations.
“The fox apologizes to the squirrel and the bear apologizes to the fox. Everyone gathers at the bear’s lair and passes the winter together.”
“What a nice fairy tale.”
Winkeny said and smiled.
“State your demands, Indulging God Cult.”
“I won’t make any demands. Think of it as returning the favor.”
“What?”
“Hamyuts seta’s life and Haiza’s Book should be enough.”
At that mont, Mokkania’s face changed from that of a child reunited with his mother to that of a warrior.
“…Is anything else not good enough?”
He produced ants at his feet. When they tried reaching Winkeny, he transford his body to petroleum.
Mokkania was surprised at his attack not working.
“There’s no use in anything else. Don’t underestimate the Indulging God Cult, Mokkania.”
Mokkania should understand in an instant that attacking him was useless. Then, he would think about taking Renas, retreating and bringing his allies to defeat him. He was a serious man after all.
“If I refuse, what will you do?”
“Not much. I will simply reveal the secret… tell Renas-san that she is fake.”
Winkeny said while surrounded by ants.
“Even if you defeat it will be useless, Mokkania. Everyone knows that your mother is dead and therefore that one is an impostor.”
“…So what?”
“Don’t forget, Mokkania. She is and isn’t Renas. Does she really have nothing to do with you?”
“…So what. She’s my mom.”
“What will she think when she knows the truth? First of all she would feel hatred. She would hate the ones who took her mory and made her into the person known as Renas. Obviously, she would hate and the Indulging God Cult.”
Winkeny glided on the floor.
“And who will she hate then?”
Winkeny got around Mokkania and said with a whisper.
“You, Mokkania.”
“Why?!”
“You don’t know, Mokkania? For whom was this done for? Everything was done for your sake.”
“But…”
“If you don’t believe it’s fine. Call your comrades and kill . You will know what happens after that.”
Mokkania hesitated. Winkeny then dealt a final blow.
“If you want to remain with your mother, follow . If you want to let your mother remain as she is.”
This was Winkeny’s plan. In exchange for Hamyuts’s life, he would give Mokkania ti to spend with his mother.
It was an unlikely plan. He got too little in return compared to the demands. However, Winkeny believed in his plan. Only he, who examined Mokkania exhaustively, could understand. Even if no-one else would believe in it, only he would understand. The plan was successful.
Mokkania should have wished for it – to throw everything away.
To retrieve his lost past.
To once again hear “welco back” in reply to his “I’m ho”.
“Do you want to lose your mother again?”
A long silence passed between them.
Eventually, Mokkania spoke in a voice that sounded like he was moaning in agony.
“Where’s Hamyuts seta right now?”
Winkeny’s life had blood at that instant. He grabbed the black queen in his hands.
***
Ants were still carrying the Book fragnt around. Still afflicted by Ireia’s curse of ti, they were walking slowly as if frozen.
Then, the ant walking at the front stopped. In front of its eyes stood a large steel wall. Their master didn’t let them know about the existence of this wall. They touched around it with their small bodies. They wasted their efforts trying to find a path.
This was the partition wall activated by Mattalast to shut in the Labyrinth. There wasn’t any gap for the ants to pass through.
Their feet have stopped in a corner of the Labyrinth no-one knew about.
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