Tatakau Shisho

Volume 9, Chapter 4: The Singer and a Certain Boy – Part?1

Among those who have lived in the Paradise Era there was a certain rumor. Gossip about a certain girl.

This was about two years before everyone started speaking about the battle between Ruruta Coozancoona and the Beasts of the Final Chapter as the main topic. Even before that there were people to know of her. But she was first spoken of in rumors around that time.

People kept fighting every day to avoid the destruction of the world. They fought to assemble the seven Memorial Weapons and in order to be Eaten by Ruruta and become part of his strength. It was a world where fighting was everything and all other things were deemed worthless.

And there was a single girl who lived as if she was from a completely different period. Such rumors were quietly transmitted between people.

An old woman was walking in the road. The bag she was holding swayed like a sick person loitering around. She was out of breath. She carried sand iron excavated from the mines but her bag was stuffed full of it. Beyond the road was the capital of Meliot where Ruruta Coozancoona resided. Behind her was the small village where the old woman lived. She was carrying the iron to supply to the kingdom all by herself.

She as well once underwent the Magic Deliberation so that she could be Eaten by Ruruta and honed her powers. However, she was deemed to be useless to Ruruta as she had no talent and was ordered to do chores. Her job was to bring iron that would be used by Ruruta and those who fought for him.

“Aaah…”

The sun stopped ascending and began setting down. There was no way she could reach the kingdom by tomorrow’s sunset like this. If she misses the deadline she would be whipped again. No, maybe she would be killed. Anyone who was useless to Ruruta had no value.

She was hungry and her eyes were blurry. She hadn’t eaten for three days. Almost all of the youths spent their days in Magic Deliberation. Therefore, there were not enough workers in the fields and the production of food was extremely reduced. The ones who were sacrificed at such times were the weak and useless just like that old woman.

Her bag was heavy and her legs couldn’t move. Never mind stepping ahead, she just stumbled. She collapsed on the road. The bag ripped open and the iron sand scattered around.

She was exhausted. At this rate she wanted to die. With no energy to even stand up, she just stayed collapsed. She could feel death was creeping up on her.

She started thinking. Even if Ruruta saves the world, no one will save me. Her life only consisted of getting hurt and tired. Why did she have to live with such painful feelings? Just as she thought this, a voice suddenly called out to her.

“…No, even so, please keep living.”

As the old woman raised her eyes, she could see a girl standing next to her. She had no idea when she had showed up there.

She stared at the girl. She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She wore simple loose clothing which was almost never seen during that time period, the feathers of a rooster in her hair, and a small quartz necklace. She had long, braided hair that spilled on her back. Her hair was colored dark blonde, but a single bang of hair in the front was instead colored a vivid purplish-red.

“…Even if it’s hard, please keep on living. That is my wish.”

Saying this, the red-purple girl lowered the bag from her back. She took out a cloth bundle from her pocket and showed it to the old woman. Inside it were boiled lily roots. The old woman received them as if in a trance and ate greedily.

“…They will become your power if only a little.”

The red-purple girl said in a low and calm voice. The old woman certainly could feel her stomach slightly swelling. However, on the contrary, the little food took whatever was left of her energy. There were plenty of cases where giving someone who was starving and about to die a little food became fatal for them. The girl acted with something in contrast to what she wanted to accomplish.

“…Please live. I don’t know about tomorrow, but at least for today.”

The red-purple girl spoke in a pained voice. However, the old woman shook her head.

“Thank you, but it’s already useless. I want to die already. Please don’t make me feel any more pain.”

“…Is that so…”

The old woman then recalled. When had she heard about this? About this girl who appeared in front of those who were hurt, who were exhausted, who were on the verge of death.

She always appeared from somewhere and then disappeared somewhere. Although she only spoke little, her words were brimming full of affection, and she looked like a calm saint. And she came to bestow charity and comfort upon those who were weary and hurt.

She was the Purple Singer, or the Healing Singer. Her name unknown by anyone, the girl was named that among people.

It truly was the girl in front of her.

“…I can’t make you stand up or save your life. I can only comfort you a little.”

“That is enough. If you can heal this suffering if only a little bit…”

The girl sat in front of the old woman. She hugged her head as if she was a loving mother.

“…I am going to sing a song of healing for you.”

The girl’s hand turned the old woman back to her. Then, gently pounding on it, she began a rhythm. She began singing in accordance to that rhythm.

The girl’s mouth did not move; it was fixed in the position as if she was pronouncing “eh”. The tune and the quality of her voice didn’t change either. It was far removed from what people of later ages would come to know, but it was a song nevertheless.

The girl communicated her intention itself through sound. Her songs were not made of mere sounds, but were a kind of Magic. Her songs permeated the skins of all listeners and echoed directly in their hearts.

The song that expressed beauty through sounds and the volume of one’s voice was created after the Age of Paradise. It was more like the girl was playing an instrument when compared to that age.

The old woman once again recalled something different. There was once a clan of Singers in the world. They were no longer anywhere even when she was a child, though. They went around the world, sang all kinds of songs, and brought happiness to people.

The girl’s song permeated the old woman.

‘Be relieved.’

This intent echoed in her heart. She could feel that the girl was wishing for her to relax. Her heart was filling with this wish. For the first time since she was a child – no, since she was born, she had no worries and gained true relaxation.

‘Be relieved.’

Listening to this song, the old woman closed her eyes.

Two hours later, a carrier from the royal capital discovered the old woman. Although she seemed to have starved to death, her face looked truly peaceful.

The same time the woman’s corpse had been discovered the girl was inside a forest far away from there. She sat inside a cave that seemed as if it had been dug by a bear. Her stomach growled.

The lily roots she had given the old woman were the very last she held on to. What would she do about eating today? The girl sighed while holding her stomach. If the woman had at least been carrying wheat she could have taken that… When was the last time she ate wheat porridge? I want to eat something, thought the girl.

She picked up the flowers blooming inside the cave, chewed them and sucked their nectars. She did so and then forced herself to swallow. This will confuse my hunger, she thought.

The girl’s name was Nieniu. She had no last name; the clan known as the Singers never had any last names. When she named herself she would call herself the Singer Nieniu or even the Healing Singer Nieniu.

According to rumors, Nieniu would appear out of nowhere like the wind. She had a saint-like heart, compassionate words, and she was said to give people far and wide charity and salvation.

However, in reality she wasn’t as wonderful as that. She lived inside a cavern in the forest. She was greatly worried about her food from day to day and would shiver from the cold of the night dew every day.

She would appear out of nowhere because she usually hid herself. She would appear after making sure there were no people around, and as soon as her business was over she would vanish. She had a reason not to appear in front of people.

She appeared to give charity only during the times she had something to give. She rarely gave out food like she did today.

Her appearing to be so mystical was only an illusion.

She spoke so little only because she was bad at conveying words.

She was as calm as a saint only because she was already used to people’s death and suffering.

Essentially she was just a normal girl. If she were to hear the rumors circulating in the streets she would’ve probably laughed.

“…Once again I was unable to save her.”

Nieniu mumbled. She was thinking about the old woman she had sung to earlier. All she could do was heal the suffering of death. If she came out earlier she might have even been able to save her life. She was assaulted by regret and a sense of powerlessness.

“…If I don’t work harder, plenty more people will die…”

Nieniu gazed at the setting sun while muttering. Then, while pounding on her knees to acquire the beat, she started practicing her song.

The Healing Singer Nieniu. She had the power to heal anyone who could hear her. She used this power to help people who were hurt.

In this era, people of her age were obliged to undergo the Magic Deliberation for Ruruta’s sake. To help him gain the power to save the world.

However, she had not polished any abilities to fight. It wasn’t because she had no talent; it wasn’t because she ran away due to suffering; she refused to fight for Ruruta out of her own volition.

She believed that her duty was not to obtain fighting power. It was healing people who were hurt and making them happy.

Inside the forest, Nieniu was able to escape her hunger by finding grapevines and edible wild grass. If she became even hungrier than that then she wouldn’t be able to even sing. Also, while eating she was luckily able to find several rabbits and caught them. With this she would be able to not worry about food for four or five days.

As she cut the rabbit’s flesh using a stone knife, a sudden sadness like a small wave hit her heart. Nieniu dropped the knife, strained her ears and looked around. Her purple lock of hair swayed despite there being no wind.

‘Someone… please help me…’

“…Someone’s calling.”

Nieniu muttered and began looking for the owner of the voice in her mind.

She had, in addition to her powers as a Singer, a Magic Right she possessed from birth. This power was symbolized by her purplish forelocks. When they swayed she could perceive the hearts of other people. It was of the same kind as the power of Thought Sharing developed later, but she couldn’t transmit anything and instead specialized in reading the feelings of others.

“…Where are you…? Somewhere close?”

Nieniu searched for the owner of these thoughts. They shouldn’t be too far. She also knew their direction. Nieniu took the jute bag from the cave, slung it on her back and ran in the forest.

When the sun set the forest was dangerous, but she kept running without minding it. She wasn’t so powerful, but she had also mastered bodily reinforcement Magic. A girl wouldn’t be able to live in the forest by herself otherwise.

The power to perceive feelings she had from birth. The power of a Singer as well as bodily reinforcement Magic. She was young yet she was able to obtain these three types of Magic. She probably had considerable talent. If she had used her talent for Ruruta she might have become some kind of warrior. However, she had no intention of doing so.

Nieniu ran inside the forest for several hours. She arrived at a relatively large village that was about one day of walking from the royal capital. The possessor of the thoughts she could feel was supposed to be around there. She didn’t enter the village but conceal herself behind some rocks.

“…Not good, I’m too close to the capital.”

Nieniu muttered. She had a reason to avoid the capital where Ruruta lived: if she enters the royal capital she would definitely not leave it alive. Even getting close was dangerous. To the extent that she wanted to avoid even coming within one day of walking to the capital.

However, a hurt person was calling her. And she had the mission to save such people. Nieniu sharpened her sixth sense.

‘Help me… it hurts… it hurts!”

The voice of distress came from far away. It probably came from the other side of the village. Nieniu started moving in a large circle around the outer circumference of the village. She couldn’t set foot inside of it.

On the right she could see inside the village. Young people gathered in the village square. Some of them sat down with their eyes closed, mumbling something. They were conducting the Magic Deliberation. There were people who exchanged blows with large swords or sent balls of flames and light spheres at rocks to blow them away. It was a common sight of that age.

All excellent warriors would gather at the capital and spend their days in training for battle. However, those who were inferior in their talent or abilities underwent training in villages in the vicinity while doing odd jobs and farm work. Just like the people of that village.

And those who weren’t warriors, like the woman she had met yesterday, lived in even further away villages and spent their days being exploited.

The warriors in the capital, the warriors not from the capital, and non-warriors. There was a harsh class discrimination, and those of a lower class had to obey the ones above them. The only way to rise above was to become stronger and become more useful to Ruruta.

This was the system of humanity’s warriors devised by the current king of Meliot, Vooekisal.

Nieniu moved away from the village as much as possible. If she ever gets found out by the villagers she would be in trouble. Nieniu, who did neither Magic Deliberation nor farming, would be a target for disdain and even hatred.

She took an even larger walk around the village and arrived at its other end.

“…Uh…”

There, she saw an ugly sight.

A girl who looked to be about fifteen years old was tied to a tree with rope. Wooden stakes were stabbed into her knee and body. Her wounds were shallow, but they must have been incredibly painful.

The ones throwing the wooden stakes were four boys. Every time they threw them, the boys would laugh and the girl would listlessly raise a shriek.

“Serves you right, you worm.”

“I’ll hit you properly next time.”

The boy threw yet another stake. It hit the ear of the girl called a worm. She gave a piercing cry and the boys burst in laughter.

Being called a worm was an insult directed at those who didn’t possess the will to fight.

Apparently, about 10 years ago the king of Meliot Vooekisal made a public speech.

“We are not weeds to be harvested. Neither are we worms to be stomped. We are people with power and the will to fight.

Those who do not intend to fight are, regardless of their human forms, mere worms!”

From that time forth people who were weak or lacked the intent to fight were called worms.

“Hey, don’t dodge it! Get stabbed!”

Even Nieniu could imagine what happened to the girl. She was probably whining. Was she unable to endure some harsh training or had she broken her body during it?

Seeing that, the boys enjoyed blaming, tormenting and hurting the girl.

If someone were to try stopping them, they would probably say the following: Giving your utmost efforts for Ruruta is natural. Then punishing the worms that can’t do that is just as natural.

That was however only outwardly; they simply enjoyed oppressing people. And what they said was sound reasoning in this age.

Nieniu couldn’t stop them. If she tried to, she would be the one with stakes thrown at her next. No, she might end up in an even worse position.

However, her heart ached for the girl who cried herself dry. Her purple lock of hair told her of the girl’s pain and suffering.

That’s enough. Thinking this, Nieniu jumped out.

“…Stop it already.”

As to not make them angry, she spoke to the boys in a voice she wasn’t sure if they’d heard. Angry looks that indicated she spoiled their fun were directed at Nieniu.

“Who’s that?”

The boys did not listen to her. They started throwing stakes at her. One stabbed her shoulder and she felt a sharp pain.

“…That’s enough, right? Stop with that.”

“Shuddup.”

However, at the next instant a voice of restraint came from the opposite side of Nieniu.

“What’re you doing, Fina?”

The one to come there was a blonde boy. He had a bronze sword hanging from the sash of his simple tunic. Since in this era metal was precious, having a sword was proof of him being a warrior of a high position. He was probably the executive who managed the warrior candidates of the village.

The boys who have thrown the wooden stakes faltered. In the meanwhile, Nieniu released the bound girl – apparently called Fina – and removed the stakes from her.

“You came, Megg.”

The wounded Fina called the name of the boy who arrived there.

“You all go back to your Magic Deliberation. How can you lose focus like this?”

The boys obeyed his words and went back to the village square. Fina sighed in relief at having been saved. Nieniu who had rescued her felt the same.

“Are you not hurt?”

The boy called Megg spoke to Fina. As far as Nieniu could see, she had wounds here and there but none of them were serious. If they had kept going they might have stabbed her eye or throat, however.

“Megg… thank you… for saving me.”

“If you’re not injured, go back to the Magic Deliberation quickly. If your wounds are serious though, I will especially allow you to rest for today only.”

“G-got it.”

When Megg spoke to her so coldly she replied with even more of a frightened voice than from the boys threw stakes at her.

“You the woman there, treat her. Once that’s done, immediately get out of the village.”

Megg looked at Nieniu for the first time. She nodded wordlessly.

“Megg, this person saved me.”

Fina tried protecting her. Regardless Megg approached Nieniu.

“You worm…”

He spat at her while she was treating Fina. It hit her cheek. Without paying it any heed, she sucked out a sharp thorn from Fina’s wound.

“I will only be thankful for you saving Fina. But I can’t stand looking at worms.”

Saying this, Megg returned to the village square.

“Umm… you…”

Fina wiped off the spit from Nieniu’s face.

“…Nothing to do about it. He’s right and I’m wrong.”

Being kind was no virtue in this age. Being useful for Ruruta was everything. Since she wasn’t useful, Nieniu couldn’t make any complaints. Having it end with merely spit was fortunate.

Nieniu didn’t know much first aid. She only pulled out the thorns, washed the wounds with water and wrapped them with cloth. She carefully treated Fina, taking her time. Suddenly Nieniu noticed the girl was crying.

“…What’s wrong?”

“I’ve always wanted to meet the Purple Singer. But I never thought I would be able to.”

Fina clung to Nieniu.

“Thinking that the Purple Singer would even save someone like me…”

Nieniu nodded and put a hand on Fina’s shoulder.

“…Please let me sing for you.”

Saying so, Nieniu began singing. While she sang Fina’s heart was transmitted to her.

Her body was weak by nature, and even if she was able to undergo the Magic Deliberation she couldn’t endure any training. She was always being scorned by Megg, her parents and other friends. Although she had to get strong, she simply wasn’t able to. Because she was weak there was no one to save her. While singing, Nieniu was able to perceive her thoughts.

Weak people were worthless. That was the absolute truth of that age. It was impossible to overturn it.

However, Nieniu alone tried to revolt against it. Since no one but herself could forgive her, she simply had to forgive herself.

Nieniu put her feelings into her song.

It’s fine not becoming strong. I will still save you even so.

It’s fine being weak. I will still forgive you even so.

Since you can only be yourself, I will approve of you as you are.

Nieniu’s mind was transmitted to Fina through the song. She clung to Nieniu and wept. It was the first time someone had ever forgiven her.

Even after the song was over she still clung to Nieniu, crying.

After she was exhausted of crying, Fina rose up. She had to go back to training. Nieniu had to leave as well.

“Thank you, Purple Singer. But please tell me something.”

“…What is it?”

“Why are you doing all this?”

There were various meanings to that question. Why was she going around saving people? How could she keep doing this despite falling into danger and receiving humiliation? And, since one had to fight alongside Ruruta, why did she not do so?

“…I can’t answer it well.”

Just as the question had all sorts of meanings, so did her answer. She couldn’t reply in short.

“…I believe I have to do it. Also, that it’s natural to do so.”

“I can’t understand.”

“…Yeah, but it’s fine. Let us meet again.”

Saying this, Nieniu left.