Interspecies Exchange, Part I
Is the creature standing right in front of me a human? But no matter how much he thought about it, it couldn't be. Yet, if there was even a single possibility... Could it be a human who came to this island and settled down before we arrived? Did their descendants adapt to the island over generations, gradually changing into this?
But even if that were the case, something was deeply off. Just look at that crudely imitated campfire and the rudimentary shelter. It was like a baby copying and learning from knowledge it had never encountered before. Would people who settled here really lack such basic knowledge? That made no sense. These are essential survival skills. Would they really fail to pass them down to their descendants, letting the technology die out? Absolutely not.
If so, then this creature has absolutely no relation to humanity, yet evolved into a similar form. Just as countless beasts in this world all walk on four legs. Just as completely different creatures like humans, dogs, and cats all share two eyes, two ears, one nose, and one mouth. It's not impossible. A beast evolving over a vast stretch of time to resemble a human. With so many look-alike creatures in this world, it makes no sense that there wouldn't be one that resembles humans.
But still... actually seeing a beast that resembled a human with his own eyes felt entirely different. As Chester's mind whirled and his eyes shook while staring at the creature, the young Island Owner did something. Watching the action, Chester let out a soft groan. "My God."
Chester was utterly speechless as he watched the young Island Owner pick up a piece of fruit, take a careful bite, and then show him the bite mark to prove it was safe to eat. He knew beasts had ways of communicating, but this was on a completely different level. To attempt communication with an entirely different species, to possess the cultural refinement to prepare food and flowers as a gesture of goodwill, and to have the intelligence to clearly convey intentions through gestures and actions upon realizing they didn't share a language? This went far beyond merely resembling a human. They are building a civilization.
Why would they need the capacity to interact with others who did not share their language or views? It meant that among this creature and its kind, they had established a proper, civilized society built on dialogue and emotional exchange, rather than a savage one ruled solely by the law of the jungle.
"..." Chester drove his machete into the ground. Moving slowly so as not to startle the creature, he reached out and accepted the fruit and flowers. He slowly brought one of the fruits to his mouth, carefully chewing and swallowing it just as the creature had done. A thick, intense sweetness burst across his tongue. ...This is actually good. The texture is close to an apple. It tastes like rich honey balanced with the mild, refreshing tartness of a lemon.
When Chester took another bite, the creature grinned, tossing the rest of its own half-eaten fruit into its mouth and crunching down. It eats the seeds and all. Having swallowed its food, the creature watched Chester continue to eat, then took a step forward. Startled, Chester almost instinctively recoiled, but knowing that showing overt wariness or fear might provoke an unpredictable reaction, he took a step forward as well.
As Chester closed the distance, the young Island Owner extended a hand, folding its thumb, index, and middle fingers while keeping only its ring and pinky fingers extended. Just as throwing is the most powerful weapon of a human lacking proper armaments, the most devastating strength of the Island Owners lay in their ability to throw. Thus, the thumb, index, and middle fingers—which generate the power for throwing—were equivalent to the fangs, claws, or horns of other beasts. They were weapons. When they wished to offer friendship, they tucked away these three weapons, extending only their ring and pinky fingers.
"..." Chester stared at the extended hand before mimicking the gesture and reaching out. The young Island Owner smiled, linking its ring and pinky fingers with Chester's. Because of the massive disparity in their sizes, the creature's fingers completely enveloped Chester's hand as they linked.
Just as Chester marveled at the creature's intellect and cultural behavior, the young Island Owner was equally impressed by Chester's capabilities. Making all sorts of strange things out of random debris was impressive enough, but what truly astounded the creature was Chester's ability to summon and freely control a "small sun." Furthermore, up close, this human was vastly different from the others of his kind who had climbed to the peak in the past.
First, there was the physical appearance. The humans who had climbed to the peak before had been so emaciated they looked like walking skeletons, but this one was healthy, packed with solid flesh and muscle. Then, there was the intellect. The other beasts of the island often struggled to understand the Island Owners' intentions, making it difficult to manage them and the island itself. But the creature before him was different. With just a brief gesture, he understood the meaning. He was incredibly smart.
Is it because they are physically weak? They possessed many things his own kind lacked. The small sun was one thing, but the various detachable "claws" they carried around were also fascinating. While his own kind gathered piles of leaves to make soft beds to sleep on, these creatures had created things far more advanced.
Of course, most of the things the humans made were useless to the physically robust Island Owners. They had no need for axes when they could easily snap trees with their bare hands, nor did they need shelters to shield themselves from the scorching sun or freezing cold, thanks to their thick fur. But some things were genuinely useful. Especially that small sun. If I can learn how to make that small sun and bring it back, I will be revered as the greatest warrior of all!
Granted, the humans were currently using a talisman to summon the small sun, but they had been using it long before he ever gave them that talisman, meaning they had another way to create it. The young Island Owner desperately wanted to learn that secret. Releasing Chester's fingers, the young Island Owner offered a brief nod of farewell and vanished into the brush.
"What on earth was that?" Chester muttered to himself. Meanwhile, having retreated a safe distance, the young Island Owner pondered. He wanted that small sun. If so, what could he offer them in exchange for it? As he sat in the trees, lightly swaying his tail in deep thought, it was clear he had no intention of taking back the talisman he had given them as a blessing.
By the time Chester returned, Monia was already preparing to go out and look for him with Ant, worried by how long his exploration was taking. "Monia, I'm back." "Chester! What took you so long?" "...I met the 'person' who dropped the Matchlock Lighter back there. Shall I explain over dinner?" "Yes!"
During dinner, Chester picked up a flat stone from the lakeshore and used another pebble to draw diagrams as he explained. He started with the crude imitations of campfires and shelters, detailed the conclusions he had drawn from the size of those traces and the indentations on the Matchlock Lighter, and finally described the young Island Owner who had appeared. By the time he finished explaining how they had engaged in a sort of cultural exchange, Monia's eyes were spinning as she struggled to process it all.
"Uh, wait, so, um... what you're saying is, that is... whew!" It was far too complex for Monia, whose critical thinking skills were somewhat lacking compared to the average person, to easily grasp. A beast that had adapted and evolved to resemble a human? They had built a civilization? And one of them had actually approached him for a cultural exchange?
As part of her noble education, Monia had studied religion since childhood. She had learned everything from superficial doctrines and dogmas to the history of the church, and the complex, behind-the-scenes relationships between the faith, the kingdom, and the nobility—secrets commoners could never dream of knowing. Humans were the only beings in this world permitted to resemble the gods. They were the children of the gods. Having been raised on a religious worldview steeped in absolute human supremacy, Monia found Chester—who casually asked what was so strange about a beast resembling a human—utterly extraordinary. How could he even think like that, let alone accept it so easily?
"Chester." "Yeah?" "Aren't you... well, shocked? To find out that humans aren't the only ones?" "Well, I never believed in gods or religion to begin with." "Eek! A-a devil worshiper?!" "No, not that."
Chester swept his hand out, gesturing to the vast wilderness around them. "Nothing in this world lives entirely on its own. Even a simple stone lives by helping something else. To us, it's just a pebble rolling on the ground, but to the insects and tiny creatures hiding beneath it, it's an irreplaceable sanctuary."
Chester sliced into a fish with his claw knife. "You think I'm amazing, but even I couldn't survive here without you." "Ah. Heh, hehe." Perhaps because the words had slipped out naturally as part of his explanation, Chester didn't seem embarrassed and kept talking. Monia, on the other hand, squirmed with sheer delight.
"That's just how the world is. Could some grand, almighty, and completely unique being really create a world like this?" Chester picked up a piece of the filleted fish, gently blowing on the steaming meat to cool it down. "If such a being did exist, they'd probably be a pathetic sort who doesn't even know how to live alongside others." With that, Chester held out the fish. Monia reflexively opened her mouth and took the bite he offered.
"..." "See? When you look at it that way, the existence of another creature that resembles us isn't really that shocking, is it?" Monia chewed and swallowed the fish, appearing to ponder his words for a moment. Then, she reached out and wrapped her arm around Chester's. "Oh." She slid her hand down to his, intertwining her fingers tightly with his. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she murmured, "It's too complicated. Thinking about it just makes my head hurt."
"Hey, I told you to start thinking for yourself." "I only need Chester, so I don't care about the gods or the truth of the world." Monia tilted her head slightly from his shoulder, looking up at him with a bright smile. Meeting her gaze from so close, Chester's face flushed red, and he quickly looked away. Seeing his reaction, Monia beamed and clung even tighter to the sturdy arm of the man she loved.