Gun.
It had been so long the word almost felt unfamiliar.
Child: Haha!
The child forms a gun with his thumb and forefinger, then flicks the "barrel" upward to blow away imaginary smoke.
Child: Sophia! Why are you standing up?
Child: I shot you. You're dead!
Unable to get a response, the child stomps in frustration.
Child: Cheater! I'm never playing with you again!
It had been a thing fit only for a childhood game,
back when "death" was still too distant a concept for her to grasp.
Sophia: ...
She silently tightens her grip on the ruler in her hand.
The irrational number beside her is shouting.
Diggers: Gun! Gun! Gun!
From his reaction, it seems as if the gun hadn't just touched his toe,
but instead fell from several stories above, hitting him on the head. There is no other way to explain his current state.
Diggers: Oh, no! &*%￥# …
Sophia: ...
She loosens her grip on the ruler.
Diggers: Look at it.
He takes a deep breath and crouches down next to the gun.
Diggers: This will bring Bad Civilization to the island.
Diggers: If you ever see something like this on the shore again, make sure you—
He lifts his foot.
Diggers: Kick it far away!
Diggers: Ow—!!!
The gun flies off, and Diggers clutches his foot, howling in pain.
Diggers: Sophia, did it make it to the sea?
Sophia: It's approximately 10 meters away from you.
Diggers: What?!
Diggers: Fine, I just need to throw it farther, or …
Diggers: Destroy it!
Sophia: <speed=0.27>@
A mysterious arcanum glow flickers on the surface of the sea as he looks at Sophia in disbelief.
Diggers: Why?
She doesn't offer an answer.
Sophia: Sorry.
Diggers: Don't you believe in "peace and love"?
Sophia: In order to protect the peace on the island, I cannot let you touch that gun.
He falls into the water, with both mouth and nose filled by the salty wash of the sea.
A faint murmuring sound.
Manus Follower I: His head must've been smashed in by that redhead.
The man looks worried.
Manus Follower I: I had wanted to copy his math homework.
Manus Follower II: Don't copy ... too many mistakes.
Manus Follower I: Oh, his eyes have opened.
His strange, exaggerated shouts make Diggers's head hurt all the more.
Manus Follower II: Quiet.
The woman hands Diggers a glass of water wordlessly.
The water is cold, matching the chilly appearance of the woman despite her generosity.
Diggers: Thank you.
Manus Follower II: There's ... no need for that.
Diggers: ...
Manus Follower I: Did you find any escape routes?
Manus Follower I: According to our previous surveys, occasionally, modern industrial products wash up on the island's shores. Therefore, there must be a normal human civilization on the other side of the sea.
Manus Follower I: Diggers, tell me, is our hypothesis correct?
Manus Follower I: You were spotted by that redhead while searching for an escape route.
Manus Follower I: Then, it seems you two had a fierce battle, and you narrowly got away, right?
It took him a moment to grasp what his companion was saying.
Diggers: Oh, yeah, actually, I found a gun on the beach.
Manus Follower I: A gun?!
The follower's eyes light up.
Diggers: Don't get too excited. It's useless now.
Manus Follower I: Alright, did you learn anything else useful?
Manus Follower I: The local geography, habits, and most importantly, their duty roster, if they even have one.
Diggers thinks for a moment, then smiles.
Diggers: The sunset there is beautiful. You really ought to go see it for yourselves.
Manus Follower I: ...
Manus Follower I: Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have sent an artist to scout.
