You come back again, okay?
Promise me.
I'll be waiting.
Waiting, believing that you'll return.
I'll be waiting…
—It's about time for you to set off.—The black-haired girl says with a smile.
—Indeed.
—You take care out there. Don't eat anything funny and get yourself sick, got it?—She closes her eyes.
—I'll be fine. I'm a tough one.
—The more overconfident you are, the more you'll push yourself and risk getting hurt. Make sure you drink lots and lots of water, okay? Take care not to get heatstroke or sunstroke, okay?
—You worry too much. Relax, I know how to take care of myself on a ship.
—I know, but… you never know what might happen. I want you to be in good health when I see you again…
—...I will be. Though I'll probably keep you waiting for a long time again.
—I'll be waiting. Don't worry about me. I'll be waiting. I promise. I managed to wait a year and a half already, so I can handle this. Come back, okay?
—You have my word.
—Thanks. Safe travels.
I refuse to believe
that he could be dead.
I have to find proof
that somewhere out there,
he's still alive and well.
I have to find him.
I have to prove it…
—We have arrived at our destination, Madam. Though I dearly wish I could assist you in your search… I have things to attend to during our stay.
—No, don't worry yourself. I couldn't possibly impose on you any further.
—Madam… Pauline, you mustn't put yourself in danger. Should anything happen to you, your mother would be devastated…
I wonder if Mom's mad… No, she's probably sad.
Her sorrow as expansive as the Albufera wetlands, as deep as the ocean, into which the sun sets.
And it's all my fault. But…
—Don't worry, I'll be fine! As soon as I have certainty of his well-being, I'll go straight home. Me and him, together.
—Pauline… your lover is–
—I have faith in him. He would never break a promise to me. He's always come back to me, no matter how long it took. A man like that wouldn't just suddenly disappear on me. There's been a mistake, and I have to prove it.
I have to be the one to do it,
because he'll remain gone unless I see it with my own eyes.
—I wonder… who you inherited your stubbornness from.
—What?
—Nothing… An acquaintance of mine lives in this village. I shall be staying with him. I'll let him know about you. He should gladly welcome you into his home.
—Thank you, Orlando. You've been such a big help.
—Pauline. One month. You search for one month, and if you haven't found him… you come home with me. Will you promise me that?
—...Okay.—She looked a bit worried.
—Good. To tell you the truth, I regret bringing you with me. What I should have done is dragged you back home. But I couldn't bear to see you like that, Pauline. It was like I was looking at her, when she was younger.
—Orlando…—She calmed.
—Anyway, one month. Understood?
—Yes. Don't worry, a month will be plenty. I will find him before the month is up.
The sleepy seaside village is on the small side, but, from what I've been told, it used to have a flourishing fishing industry.
Now, though, it's like there's a fog hanging over everything.
That's not too surprising, I suppose.
A few months ago, the village was part of a way for control of the country, and they're now under a different rule than before.
Stripped of their independence and battered by the raging tempest of war…
the people's spirits had been eroded.
And spiritual damage is not so easily mended. Even if they were not physically harmed, there are deep wounds in their hearts.
—It's a lovely village, though. The breeze feels different than it does back home.
Beneath it all, I'm sure the people are actually quite friendly and cheerful.
A long, long time ago, I went on a trip to a land in the south. This country is quite a bit south of mine too.
People blessed with lots of sunlight are bound to be warm at their core.
—Say, Orlando.
—Yes?
—May I take a look around the village?
—I don't see why not. The sun's still up. I'll need some time to catch up with my acquaintance, so I suppose this is as good an opportunity as any. Do you know where to find me, Madam.
—Yes. You go down that way, turn at the second crossroad, follow it straight for a little, cross over to the other side and it's right there! Right?
—...Are you sure you can find it?
—Don't worry!
—A-All right, then. You're planning to stay within the village today, right? I'll see you in a little bit, then. If you get lost, give me a holler.
—Hehe. As much as you may insist otherwise, you really do care, Orlando.
—I feel bad enough as it is. Please don't take advantage of me.
—I think I might take full advantage of this. Thanks! See you in a bit!
…..
—What's he doing out here all alone, I wonder?
"There's no one else around… I wonder if something happened. Would it seem odd if I tried talking to him? Wouldn't want to get labeled as suspicious on my first day here… That's asking for trouble. But…"
The boy stands all alone on the shore, looking somehow precarious.
As though a breeze might whisk him away into a million grains of sand, and if I look away, he won't be there when I turn back.
That's how the boy appears to me.
—Hmmmm. You never know until you try!
"Besides, it's important for me to communicate with the natives! I've got to build trust with the people of this village."
—Let's go!—She approaches him.—Good afternoon! What are you doing out here all alone, little man?
By force of habit, I spoke in my native tongue. How dense can you be, Pauline?
You may have just been talking to Orlando, but that's no excuse!
This isn't your homeland!
But everything's all right. I studied the language, so I should be able to hold a simple conversation!
—Um… you don't need to be afraid of me. My name is Pauline. I'll be staying in your village for a while. Nice to meet you. U-Um? Do you not understand me? Um, uh, uhhh… MY NAME IS PAULINE! WHAT IS YOUR NAME, LITTLE MAN?—She started to talk by syllables.
—Dreadful.
—Wh– Whaaaaaaaat?!
"H-He! He just called me dreadful!"
—That's one hell of an accent you've got. Who are you? A bandit? What are you here for?
—N-N-N-N-N-No! I-I'm not a danbit, I promise!
"I-I stammered!"
—Th-There's no need to be so mean! I put in a pretty good effort, I thought! You could at least compliment me instead!
—Godawful.
—Th-That's not nice!
—What's a foreigner doing in this remote corner of the world? Sightseeing our little village? Sure got a lot of time on your hands.
—I-I do not! I'm very busy! You're a little obnoxious, aren't you?! You're supposed to treat your elders with RE-SPECT, y'know?!
—Like I gave a damn, lady. You're older, but you're acting way more like a kid than me.
—My name isn't "lady," it's Pauline! PAAAAUL-IIIINE!
—...And? What are you here for?
"Completely ignored!"
—A-Ahem! I am… um, here to look for someone. There are rumors that he was last seen around here. Have you, by chance, seen any other foreigners around?
—Hell if I know.
"Nnnh. He just won't let me in. I've got to befriend him first. Of course he's going to be guarded if I just start throwing questions at him!"
—A-All right… so you haven't seen him. Then why don't you tell me about yourself? What are you doing out here?
—Is that any of your business, lady?
—A boy's out here on the beach all alone. Wouldn't that make you curious? Don't you have any friends?—The boy did not respond.
"Maybe he's one of those kids who doesn't have any?"
—Say, if you don't mind, could we be friends?—She smiled at him.—I'm not really familiar with the area, so it'd be nice to have someone with me! What do you say?
—I don't need any damn friends. And who the hell'd be dumb enough to say, "Sure, I'll be your friend!" to someone they just met?
—H-How are you so jaded?! You need to be more courteous! Kinder to others! Not so antagonistic! I just thought it would be nice if we could talk a bit… That's all I want, really.
—How about you quit being so damn nosy, lady? It just so happens I like being alone. Uggggh, I've got some strange woman ruining my alone time. I'm outta here.
—H-Hey! W-Wait a second! Ahhh… he's gone… This is… This is… going to be really, really hard!
…..
Master… Master?
Ahh, you've returned to me. You suddenly started staring off into the distance.
The mansion's corridor was a horrifically repulsive mess. Splatters of fresh beast blood covered the walls, and there was a repugnant door.
Anyone would be compelled to avert their eyes at the sight.
—What… happened here…?
—I am grateful… that you cannot see… because you would certainly think me a beast… if you were able to see this… Because you cannot see… you do not know what I look like… But I know… Another beast, like me, broke into the mansion…
—Was it–
—I protected you! Did I not?! I protected you! Say that I protected you! That I did this for you!
In his hysteria, Bestia tore down the curtains hanging on the hallway window.
Bloodstained curtains that reeked of dead beast.
—I– I–!
What did he have to be so afraid of, though? He had exterminated the other beast encroaching upon his territory.
I would understand if he had puffed his chest in pride, but far from that, his terror merely intensified.
—Calm down.
The White-Haired Girl extended her hand for Bestia, but even her gentle, lovingly outstretched fingers evoked fear in his eyes.
Instinctively, he feared anything that entered his territory–and then attempted to remove it.
And driven by those instincts, he shoved aside the White-Haired Grl–the one he had said he wanted to protect.
—Ah…!
Being without sight, she had no way of reliably catching her balance, and she fell to the floor with a splash.
For she had landed in the pool of blood left by the beast.
Red seeped into her clothing, slowly spreading through the fabric.
At first, it looked like she had fallen into a puddle of fresh, bright dye but before long, the red darkened into a brownish-black.
—A-Ahh… ahhh… I-I'm sorry… I didn't… No, I…
—It's okay. I'm fine.
—Mnh… nnnnnnnrh…
She embraced the panicking beast, softly whispering "shh, shh" as if trying to calm a crying baby.
Though Bestia was taller and physically stronger, the White-Haired Girl was, emotionally, more stable than he.
—What has you so frightened? Please, tell me. I promise, I will not look down on you, for any reason.
—Mmnnnhhh…
—All I want… is to free you from the depths of your suffering. Sometimes, talking about things… can lighten the burden they place on you. We have the ability to use words, both you and me. With language, the gift God bestowed upon man… we can communicate our feelings with one another. It's all right. Don't be afraid. Talk to me, please.
—Am I… a man? You act… as though I am a man… No, you treat me like one.
—I cannot see you as anything else, as I have said before.
—Only because you cannot see me! You are the only one… who says I am a man. You, who are without sight… But I… I was content with that. You treated me like a man, so I felt as though I had become one. The time I spent with you, I had real peace. I almost… I almost forgot that I was a wretched beast. I no longer sought after prey. Prey… Oh, yes. Before you arrived, I murdered dozens of humans. I didn't want you to know that I was such a sinful creature, leaving a long trail of bodies in my wake. But I thought… I thought that if I didn't show them my strength, if I didn't force them into submission, then I would never find peace! I was drunk with power. I took great pleasure in it… In slaughtering people.
—The fear was so overwhelming… that you turned the act of killing into one of gratification. You did it to protect yourself.
—Are you still not going to condemn me?
—Taking another's life is wrong. Not only does it rob their time on this earth, it inflicts great wounds upon those who care about them. However… I do not regard you as a mere beast, nor as a mere murderer. Something made you the way you are. I am almost certain of it.
—Something…?
—Tell me about yourself. In your words, from your mouth, tell me.
—When I woke up… I was weak, exhausted, emaciated. I couldn't think clearly, or even remember much of anything… I was thirsty, hungry, sore from head to toe. A crowd of people surrounded me.
—You…
—This was a long time ago. Well, not so long as to be described as "long ago," but it is as far back as my past goes. I sought help from the people around me. But my words did not get through to them. The only thing that came from my mouth were feral howls. The scowled at me, and then–