１９
We got through the market that made me suffer so much in the blink of an eye. The people run out and Saine lets go of me. The moment his warmth disappeared, an unknown feeling ran through my chest. It felt lonely yet relieved, a very strange sensation.
We leave the town and enter the vacant land. I thought nothing when I saw it before, but my way of thinking changes now that I know how this town is structured.
The vacant land had the width of 3 houses of the residential area. It’s not a place that was naturally created, but is clearly made into a regulated area. As if drawn with a ruler, it was spread with equal width.
[Does this place mean anything?]
[It will become a residence once the population has increased.]
I see. I strike my hands together with a *pon*.
[A long time ago, there were houses here.]
[Is that so?]
So it’s not that they assumed that the population will increase so they opened it, but because the population decreased so the houses were destroyed and it turned into vacant land. Were they not able to make a vacant land inside the town so they made it outside?
[There were people living here 200 years ago. But they were attacked by monsters and the people in this area were killed.] (TN: That really escalated very quickly.)
The wind runs through us with a *byuu*. My body shivered from the cold wind.
[Don’t leave the town. Got it?]
I honestly nod my head this time.
The width of the vacant land fits 3 houses. It has always been like that for a long, long, long time. Surrounding the town’s circumference, up until behind me.
If these 3-house-sized vacant lands go on as if surrounding the town,I wonder just how many people have died? In this place.
I crouch down, gently touch the soil, and then I put my hands together.
I wonder, what do monsters look like? Would it be like being killed by a wild beast? Were they killed by their fangs and claws? If it was an instant death then it would at least be salvation. If they suffered from half-baked wounds and died, there will be resentments left on this soil.
May you rest in peace. I pray that you didn’t suffer on your death. May you reincarnate. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in this world or in our world. I pray that you be reborn in happiness.
Saine calls out to me who is putting my hands together.
[What are you doing?]
[ I was paying my respects.]
When I said that, he tilted his head with a puzzled expression.
[There’s no God on the earth, you know?]
[That’s not it, it’s for the people who died.]
[What’s the point of praying to those who are dead? People are humans, they’re not God.
My point isn’t getting through to him. Is it the difference in religion?
[What becomes of the people who die here?]
[They return to the earth.]
[And after that?]
[….. Won’t they become fertilizer?] (TN: Bruh~)
My head slumps down at his reply.
Uuuh. How realistic.
[Now that you mention it, what kind of God does this world have?]
Saine surveyed the surroundings after I asked and picked up a wooden rod that was lying by his feet.
[It’s this.]
[……. That’s a rod, you know?]
[Chinbou-sama.]
[Chinbou-sama?]
Saine laughed and poked at his own cr*tch.
[Chinbou-sama.]
I understood what he was trying to say and I ended up unconsciously turning my eyes away. In a world full of only men, feelings aren’t important.