The Choice
It was Urnil’s voice. Akasa, who had been washing his face, winced as the icy water made his hands sting.
“Weren’t all practitioners like that?”
[Hmm. Since you’ve only just begun to see the flow of Essence, it’s natural to think so. But I can guarantee you, even in Cellabris, there aren’t many who can manipulate Essence with such finesse. He’s an impressive fellow.]
Urnil added what Akasa had been hoping to hear.
[Well, it doesn’t seem like he’s your enemy.]
“I feel relieved hearing you say that, Urnil.”
[You’re quite the pushover, aren’t you? Careful now, or you’ll end up following just anyone who whispers sweet nothings in your ear.]
“Oh, what is there to worry about? You’re right here to teach me everything.”
[Am I your nanny? Do I look like a nanny to you?]
“I-I’m sorry.”
[And there you go, getting all dejected again... I told you not to do that.]
Akasa smiled faintly at that.
“Come and eat.”
“Coming!”
At the voice calling from afar, Akasa wiped the water from his face as best he could and ran toward the fire. As he sat down, the Sun Ferryman handed him a fish skewered on a tree branch.
The savory, salty aroma stimulated his appetite.
Akasa devoured the fish the Ferryman had offered in an instant.
“There is plenty. Eat slowly.”
Two fish. By the time he was eating the third, Akasa felt a belated sense of awkwardness. While he had been eating, the Ferryman hadn’t touched a single bite, silently continuing to prepare the food for him.
Curious about the face hidden beneath the mask, Akasa couldn’t help but ask.
“Aren’t you going to eat, Ferryman?”
Surely, hadn’t he given away all his food the day before? Seeing Akasa’s concern, the Ferryman spoke softly.
“Practitioners can go a long time without food.”
“Is that so?”
Akasa recalled the practitioners he had seen in the palace. Although he hadn’t been able to see their Essence back then, he remembered them as people who always ate well.
[It’s not a lie, but it’s also hard to take entirely at face value.]
Urnil muttered in the mind of Akasa, who was busy chewing.
[But for now, you can take it as his consideration for a young boy like you.]
On that point, at least, he agreed.
After the brief meal, the Ferryman handed something to Akasa. Staring blankly at the object, Akasa looked at the Ferryman with a confused expression.
“What is this?”
“Sage flower leaves. I found them earlier and plucked them. Chew them thoroughly until the juice comes out, then brush your teeth and rinse your mouth. It’s a bit different from the cleaners used in Cellabris, but it’s a medicinal herb used for similar purposes.”
Akasa ran to the water and did as he was told.
Along with a sharp, stinging sensation, he felt the bitter yet fresh scent unique to the plant. Thinking he had chewed enough, Akasa rinsed his mouth with water.
“Ahhh.”
His mouth felt refreshed and cool. Returning to the site, Akasa simply watched the Ferryman work. There was nothing else for him to do.
The Ferryman didn’t mind Akasa watching as he tidied up the area. He cleared the surrounding grass to prevent sparks from flying and scooped up dirt to cover the spot where the fire had been.
“Asdin. Can we talk for a moment?”
“Yes.”
Akasa braced himself and nodded at the Ferryman’s words. The Ferryman stroked the oar he had propped up diagonally beside him. It was clearly a tool for a specific purpose, but in the hands of the Sun Ferryman, it didn’t look like an ordinary oar at all.
Like the smell of blood Akasa had caught last night, the words the Ferryman brought up hit him hard.
“There was an attack yesterday.”
“An attack...?”
At the mention of an attack, Akasa’s face stiffened.
“They were Exiles. They are everywhere, overflowing the moment you step even a little beyond the borders of a nation. I managed to fend them off yesterday, but knowing your situation, I felt I had to tell you.”
“Ah, I see...”
“I am a Sun Ferryman, Asdin. As long as I am in this trade, I cannot tie myself to any one place. However, as an adult, I also feel a sense of responsibility. If you wish, I can take you to a place I consider the safest, limited to the tributaries I travel.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. It’s a bit of a distance, but there is a temple nearby. A young boy like you could seek refuge there. Of course, only if you want to.”
Akasa was delighted. Even though it had only been a few days, the days spent sleeping rough and running from pursuers had been incredibly painful.
However, the words that slipped from Akasa’s mouth were entirely different from his heart.
“But I’m fine, Ferryman. I’m sorry. I cannot go.”
“Why? Do you think it’s a burden to receive help? There is no need to think that at all.”
“I know. I know what kind of heart you have in trying to help me. But I’m fine.”
Akasa answered the Ferryman with a voice that, though slightly trembling, was firm.
“I can survive on my own.”
[Well done, Akasa.]
That was the will of the God.
* * *
‘Take this. Please use it carefully.’
Akasa gripped the sharp knife in his hand tightly. It was the last gift the Ferryman had left him. The blade was sharpened to a keen edge, and it was sturdy enough to cut through wood or grass without issue.
‘Take care of this, too.’
It was the dirty, tattered poncho Akasa had picked up on the streets of Cellabris. But when the Ferryman handed it back, it had been washed clean, the grime completely gone. Standing on the bank, watching the boat drift away, Akasa sighed deeply while fiddling with the damp poncho. The Ferryman, perhaps feeling reluctant, turned his masked face toward where Akasa stood several times as he steered the boat.
“Why on earth did you do that, Urnil...?”
[Do you have a complaint?]
“N-no. It’s not a complaint, but... I’m just curious. If I had a place to seek refuge, wouldn’t that be better? I don’t understand why you told me to throw away the opportunity that came to me.”
[Should I tell you simply? Or should I tell you in a complicated way?]
“The simple way, definitely.”
[Because there’s a high probability you’d die if you went.]
“...What?”
A chill ran down his spine. Akasa suddenly wondered if he had been taking the existence of this God too lightly. The way the God discussed the death of his young traveling companion so calmly felt incredibly alien to Akasa.
“Can you explain?”
[It’s simple. Cellabris, so to speak, is a nation with great influence over all the surrounding countries. And it is the duty of every temple to take in and raise children who have nowhere else to go. Among the places a child like you could find, it’s the number one choice. If you seek refuge in such a place, the outcome is obvious. And yet, you wanted to go to a temple in the direction of the tributary you were drifting toward?]
“Ah...”
Akasa was flustered. He had never even considered such a thing.
[Rather, I think it’s a good thing it turned out this way, Akasa. Hartras saved you not as a king of a nation, but as a father. Whether you like it or not, you must now live your life in this world as a person in your own right. It doesn’t necessarily have to start at a temple.]
It was persuasion after the fact, but for that very reason, the words carried even more weight.
[Because I will help you. After all, I am a God, aren’t I?]
At Urnil’s confident words, Akasa felt no small amount of comfort and nodded. Urnil was right.
The Ferryman had also tried to help, but Urnil was the only one who knew Akasa’s situation and could provide the help that truly suited him.
“Then I suppose I must learn how to survive in the forest now.”
[You’re clever, so you’ll do well.]
“Yes. I’ll trust only in you, Urnil.”
The talk was over, so it was time to move. There was much to be done. In the end, the fact that he was a young child left all alone in this remote wilderness hadn’t changed.
[There’s a mountain of things I want to teach you, but let’s start with the basics.]
“Yes. What should I do first?”
Having just eaten, he was full of energy and motivated.
[Try to revive the embers.]
“Embers?”
[It would be nice to find a cave, but unless it rains, shouldn’t you spend the night warmly? Besides, you can’t go through the trouble of starting a fire from scratch every time you move to a new spot.]
“That’s true.”
Akasa, who approached the spot where the Ferryman had covered the bonfire with dirt, looked a bit surprised. Beside the mound of dirt, a piece of firewood that had been half-burned with embers still remaining had been pulled out. Furthermore, it was far enough from the surrounding grass that there was no chance of the fire spreading.
[It seems he left it on purpose. Not that he could have predicted you’d do this.]
“Ah... what a kind person.”
Akasa bowed toward the river, then picked up his knife and scraped together dry grass and twigs. It was his first time starting a fire, but fortunately, he remembered seeing the Ferryman do it yesterday.
He stood so the wind would blow to the side, then placed the twigs and dry grass on top of the firewood. He lowered his face and blew. As the acrid smoke drifted away and the fire took hold, Akasa kept adding dry grass until it caught on the twigs. Then, after a moment, the embers that had remained only on the surface of the firewood gained momentum and began to blaze.
“I did it!”
Akasa exclaimed, his face brightening.
[Add a few more twigs, then move to where I tell you.]
Akasa did as Urnil said. Urnil led Akasa to a rocky ledge a short distance away.
[Let’s take the vines and large leaves here and go back. Watch the blade.]
“Yes.”
The blade the Ferryman had given him was so sharp that he could cut through the thick vines without difficulty just by pressing against them. As Akasa walked, holding the knife in one arm and the vines and large leaves in the other, Urnil spoke once more.
[Wait, Akasa. Look at the bottom right.]
In the spot where Akasa turned his gaze, there lay a tree branch that was perfect to use as a walking stick.
“Should I pick that up, too?”
[Yes.]
“Why are we suddenly picking these things up?”
[We’re going to make a torch.]
“A torch?”
[Because there’s nothing better for transporting fire. You can use it in an emergency, too. While a blade is more effective against people, fire is more effective against animals. It would be good to learn how to make one while you have the chance. Fortunately, we’ve gathered all the useful materials.]
“Aha.”
Akasa answered readily and returned to the fire with the collected materials. Urnil explained it slowly so Akasa could understand.
[First, wrap the large leaves around the end of the branch. This is called a Water-Oil Vine, and as the name suggests, it’s a plant that grows in areas with plenty of water. The inside is packed with oil.]
“There’s oil inside the grass?”
[Did you know that the villages and nations near Cellabris developed around rivers?]
“Yes.”
[This plant made a huge contribution to that. It’s edible oil, and it can also be used for lamps.]
Akasa listened to Urnil’s story as if it were fascinating and continued his work. He wrapped the grass around the torch and tied it with the vines he had cut.
[Water-Oil vine is famous for being tough. Under normal circumstances, it’s best to wrap the grass for a few days when making a torch to let the oil soak in slowly. But we aren’t in a situation where we have that luxury.]
“Are we using it right away?”
[Not right now, but a little later. We’ll stop by to check the fire every now and then. For today, assume we’ll be moving constantly. Just take your knife.]
Soon, Akasa left to explore the surroundings as Urnil had said. The day was long, and the forest, where even human footprints were hard to find, was a silent ark of the wild.
“You said the Ferryman fought the Exiles yesterday.”
[He did.]
“Are they still around here?”
[Since the Sun Ferryman said he dealt with them once, it should be enough that you don’t have to worry about what’s behind you.]
“Are they such dangerous people?”
[They are people sensitive to violence. They are the type to pay back what they’ve suffered tenfold. But conversely, they also adapt easily to truly excessive violence. I don’t know if the Ferryman is there, but you’re still just a child, aren’t you?]
“Hearing you say that makes me a bit scared.”
[It’s not necessarily like that. I’m here, aren’t I?]
It was a truly reassuring thing to hear.
Akasa moved into terrain that became increasingly undulating. Then, he tilted his head at a strange sense of déjà vu.
“The terrain starts going up and down from here? It feels strangely familiar...”
[That’s because the desert border used to be much wider. These are the remnants of sand dunes.]
Only a moment later did Akasa understand the meaning of those words.
“Cellabris was even wider than this now?”
[When Essence spread into the world, it caused the greatest changes from the edges of the desert. As time passed, the greenery became so dense that I believe they intentionally reduced the borders.]
Like this, Urnil told Akasa interesting stories about the past in a way that didn’t ruin the tension. Whenever that happened, Akasa felt his fatigue vanish and vitality return to his steps.
After exploring for about an hour like that, Akasa stopped dead in his tracks at Urnil’s words.
[Stop for a moment, Akasa.]
“What’s the matter?”
[100 paces to your right. Do you see the big tree?]
“Yes.”
[Go behind it.]
Akasa moved, feeling puzzled. And soon, he understood why Urnil had told him to move.