Like any other country, this one was surrounded by round and tall gray walls. Other than the wall not having seams on its material, there was nothing strange about its appearance.
Except that this country…]
...It's coming towards us.
[Kino stared, stupefied, at the country that suddenly appeared amidst the scenery in the east.
Beyond the trees, the top of the walls went in and out of view. It was slowly but steadily drawing near. In other words, it was going towards Kino’s direction. The tremors were becoming stronger.]
[He finds himself by the country with Kino. The gate, which served as the entrance to the country, opened before them and became a slope. Because it was thick and massive, the top of the door sank into the ground. Beyond it was a passage; a hill road climbing into the country.
A small car appeared, descending the hill road. It ran accompanied only with the gentle hum of its motor, with a lone man riding inside. He was wearing a white shirt and necktie with a light green work jacket on top. The man in his forties looked like a good-natured person in all respects.]
Hello, traveler! ...Or should I say, travelers?
[Waving a little at Kino, Hermes, and Pink.]
I am this country’s immigration inspector. I am also the tour guide, police officer, and so on. In our country, government workers are given a variety of posts, you see.
[They begin driving up, up, up into the country itself, the tour guide (etc.) explaining as they go.]
“And that over there is the nuclear power reactor. The large quantity of steam the reactor produces moves the generator, and the electric power generated moves the country and also serves as our energy supply.”
[Kino was seated in the passenger seat while Hermes was riding on the car’s loading platform. The car was parked on a wide road, surrounded with a glass-walled interior. The minute vibrations accompanied with low hums continued.
The guide pointed to a group of monitors installed above the glass panes. Shown in the monitors were people working beside the gigantic equipment, completely covered with full-body clothing.]
“That machine works on its own, and the people here have almost nothing left to do. We only have to observe. The fuel placed in this container is guaranteed to last for several hundred years, so we don’t even need spares. The important thing is to maintain and clean the caterpillars and the engines. Now, let’s proceed.”
Since when did everyone start living here?
“You’re asking for the country’s history, eh? The truth is we don’t fully understand as well. As to whether someone found this migration apparatus and chose to live here instead of in a country, or whether our ancestors lived in it since ages past; we could no longer remember. It’s a mystery, but we really don’t mind not knowing about it.”
Do you really have to move around all the time? Can’t you settle down once you found some good land?
“First, there’s the question of the nuclear power reactor. Once stopped, restarting it will take some time. If we stop moving for a long amount of time, the excess amount of temperature and energy will accumulate. To protect ourselves against this, we spend the energy by making the caterpillar be constantly on the move. For instance, letting it move at about the speed of a walking person. The other reason is the same as a traveler’s —— to see a variety of sceneries; sceneries that change. We have grown fond of this, so we continue to migrate. In other words, all of our citizens are travelers.”
I see… that’s a good thing. Is your route decided?
“No. We continue to roam around this enormous continent. Occasionally, we would be on a desert or a prairie, and at times, we would be running along a dangerous slope, prepared for the inconvenience it will give us. We rarely come across the same place twice, and even if we did, it will probably not be within anyone’s lifetime. We will probably never settle in a single place for eternity.”
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
What do you mean, Hermes?
You'll see it soon.
[As for 'it...'
‘It’ was a country.
Like any other country, this one was surrounded by round and tall gray walls. Other than the wall not having seams on its material, there was nothing strange about its appearance.
Except that this country…]
...It's coming towards us.
[Kino stared, stupefied, at the country that suddenly appeared amidst the scenery in the east.
Beyond the trees, the top of the walls went in and out of view. It was slowly but steadily drawing near. In other words, it was going towards Kino’s direction. The tremors were becoming stronger.]
The mystery's solved.
No doubt… Well, what is that thing?
A country, isn’t it obvious?
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
You know... that might not be a bad idea.
Wait, really?!
Yeah. I can see if they're willing to take passengers. It's a country, after all.
Huh? Huh?!
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
[Pulling their goggles over their eyes and preparing to climb onto Hermes.]
Do you want me to signal you if it's safe to visit?
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Surely this will go well.]
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
[...Pink's gonna check if he can skip ahead a bit with the book because walking's hard.]
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
A small car appeared, descending the hill road. It ran accompanied only with the gentle hum of its motor, with a lone man riding inside. He was wearing a white shirt and necktie with a light green work jacket on top. The man in his forties looked like a good-natured person in all respects.]
Hello, traveler! ...Or should I say, travelers?
[Waving a little at Kino, Hermes, and Pink.]
I am this country’s immigration inspector. I am also the tour guide, police officer, and so on. In our country, government workers are given a variety of posts, you see.
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
"It's just enough busyness, I think. Anyway, how many days were you planning to stay with us?"
About five to ten days.
"Good, good. You can load up your motorrad on the loading platform."
[He gestures to his car, and Kino thanks him before going to wheel Hermes onto the platform.]
"And you, young man?"
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
[He gestures to the car before moving to assist Kino with strapping Hermes onto the loading platform.]
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
“And that over there is the nuclear power reactor. The large quantity of steam the reactor produces moves the generator, and the electric power generated moves the country and also serves as our energy supply.”
[Kino was seated in the passenger seat while Hermes was riding on the car’s loading platform. The car was parked on a wide road, surrounded with a glass-walled interior. The minute vibrations accompanied with low hums continued.
The guide pointed to a group of monitors installed above the glass panes. Shown in the monitors were people working beside the gigantic equipment, completely covered with full-body clothing.]
“That machine works on its own, and the people here have almost nothing left to do. We only have to observe. The fuel placed in this container is guaranteed to last for several hundred years, so we don’t even need spares. The important thing is to maintain and clean the caterpillars and the engines. Now, let’s proceed.”
Since when did everyone start living here?
“You’re asking for the country’s history, eh? The truth is we don’t fully understand as well. As to whether someone found this migration apparatus and chose to live here instead of in a country, or whether our ancestors lived in it since ages past; we could no longer remember. It’s a mystery, but we really don’t mind not knowing about it.”
Do you really have to move around all the time? Can’t you settle down once you found some good land?
“First, there’s the question of the nuclear power reactor. Once stopped, restarting it will take some time. If we stop moving for a long amount of time, the excess amount of temperature and energy will accumulate. To protect ourselves against this, we spend the energy by making the caterpillar be constantly on the move. For instance, letting it move at about the speed of a walking person. The other reason is the same as a traveler’s —— to see a variety of sceneries; sceneries that change. We have grown fond of this, so we continue to migrate. In other words, all of our citizens are travelers.”
I see… that’s a good thing. Is your route decided?
“No. We continue to roam around this enormous continent. Occasionally, we would be on a desert or a prairie, and at times, we would be running along a dangerous slope, prepared for the inconvenience it will give us. We rarely come across the same place twice, and even if we did, it will probably not be within anyone’s lifetime. We will probably never settle in a single place for eternity.”
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─
Re: “A Troublesome Land” ─Leave Only Footsteps!─