Kaalaa Baunaa: How is everything now?
Ms. Sherjah: Well, it's going smooth. The young people and tourists left as soon as I persuaded them. Only the old and the children are left here. It's not that easy for them to move, and ...
Ajar: Hey, you promised to give me half of it! Now what, the boss cannot keep her own promise?
Kanjira: Humph! I do most messenger work! More food for more work!
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Ms. Sherjah: These kids were abandoned and driven away by humans. I'm glad to see Kanjira get along with them.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa looks down at the astrolabe in her hand.
Kaalaa Baunaa: If she could enjoy a life like this ...
Ms. Sherjah: ...?
Kaalaa Baunaa: No. Nothing.
Kaalaa Baunaa chuckles. There's a faraway look on her face.
Kaalaa Baunaa: You just reminded me of my mother.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Sherjah, perhaps people like you are the key to saving all of us.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I just observed it again. The figures are showing a grim picture. Luckily, I've worked out the specific range of damage.
She draws quite a large circle on the map.
Kaalaa Baunaa: As long as we can get out of this radius, there will be no casualties.
Kaalaa Baunaa: As for other losses ... they are beyond my ability to cover.
Matilda: Emm.
Matilda: The airship of the Foundation is on the way. At least our water supply is secured for now.
Matilda: But the problem is, in such a distance ...
She draws a straight line on the map lightly.
Kaalaa Baunaa: The distance ... Even if we follow the straight line, it is impossible for us, with the elders and the children, to get out of it within hours.
Matilda: Err, why! We are getting so close to success.
Matilda: If only we could go underground ...
Shamane: Underground? Wait!
Shamane: I remember my old man told me about an emergency tunnel leading to the forest on the mountain. Its entrance is right here, beneath the floor of this very room.
Kaalaa Baunaa: A tunnel?
Shamane: He told me this, hoping that one day I will take over his responsibility to look after the village. If I remember it correctly, that forest, which is also the exit of this tunnel, is right outside the impact area.
He taps on a spot outside the marked range with his rough finger.
Kaalaa Baunaa: That's great. In the tunnel, even if we don't make it to the forest in time, we can still avoid the damage.
Shamane: But, but ...
He scratches his beard, hissing in embarrassment.
Shamane: The problem is there's a gate to the tunnel. Now, just for the record, I'm only quoting my old man.
Shamane: "It is a gate which only opens to the leader who has earned his people's trust."
Matilda: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Kanjira: Oh, "Open Sesame!" We is going real treasure hunting this time.
Out of the silence, only the naive child is excited.
Shamane: Oh, well. My father's version was hardly as exciting as "Open Sesame"! I didn't believe him even as a child!
Shamane: I tried to open it by force many times. Well, it never worked!
Shamane: If my old man was telling the truth, things would be problematic for us …
Shamane: Because I don't think I can get that gate open! Firstly, I've never wanted to be a leader, and speaking of "the people's trust" ... How do you think those cursing old men in the yard will feel about me?
Kaalaa Baunaa: Emm.
Kaalaa Baunaa listens to "those cursing old men" for a while. She cannot contradict what he says.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Even so ...
She taps on the map, thinking.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: We will open that gate.
She looks up at Shamane. He is standing in silence and has a blank look on his face.
Shamane: ...?
Kaalaa Baunaa: Even if we have to smash it with our bare fists.
Shamane: ...
Shamane: I'm not sure if you were being sarcastic.
She doesn't give a clear answer. Instead, her eyes flit back to the map.
Kaalaa Baunaa: It's the best way in the current situation.
On the porch in front of the house, there is a loose floorboard.
Under it, they see some wooden stairs, which appear to be the entrance of a tunnel.
Ms. Sherjah: Watch your steps.
One after another, they slowly go down the stairs.
The gray and yellow stone gate has a pattern of an elephant raising its front feet in the middle. It is as immovable as a real elephant.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Matilda: So the spell Shamane told us is truly useless.
Shamane: Hahaha, what did I say? This is never the gate for me to open.
Shamane gives them an embarrassed smile. Behind him, the criticism comes as expected.
Takal: Tsk, I knew we shouldn't have counted on you, Sharma boy. You can't even protect your own family. How are you supposed to protect others?
Villager 2: May the gods listen to my prayer and send us another guide ...
Shamane: ...
Oh, here they come again! The complaints Shamane has heard so many times. Those familiar syllables make him almost—nostalgic.
Kanjira: ...
Kanjira is tapping a foot faster and faster—it's getting hard for her to suppress the anger.
Takal: After dealing with humans all these years, we are already ...
Kanjira: ...
Kanjira: You!
Kanjira: SHUT UP YOUR MOUTHS!!
Shamane: ...!
Villagers: ...!
The crowd instantly falls into silence.
The spell of "nostalgia" is broken. Shamane lowers his head, surprised by her irritation.
Kanjira: All you talk about is protect, family, and stuff. Give me a break!
Kanjira: And YOU!
Shamane: Emm? Me?
Shamane points at his own nose, brought up short.
Kanjira: Yes, you!
Shamane: W-what about me?
Kanjira throws back her head and glares at him.
Kanjira: You love talking, don't you? Now you go dumb? Humph! Big guy can't defend yourself!
Kanjira: I just don't understand. You feel bad. You say it. Why is you afraid?
Kanjira: You don't owe them!
Kanjira: See?
Kanjira extends a finger at the hushed crowd.
Kanjira: You talk, and you shut them up!
Shamane follows her pointing finger and looks at the familiar faces.
He suddenly realizes that, after all these years, he still remembers each of them clearly.
Shamane: ...
There is no longer anger or disdain in their eyes. They just remain silent and avoid his gaze.
Kanjira: Why don't you do this earlier? We need to focus on the most important thing!
Kanjira: It's "Open Sesame" story!
Kanjira mumbles admiringly.
Kanjira: In the story, only the most smart and wise people can open it! Why do you hesitate now?
Shamane: Haha ...
Shamane laughs, as if she has said something most amusing.
Shamane: Little one, you think I'm the smartest and wisest person?
Kanjira: Er, no.
Shamane: Oh.
His laugh stops.
Kanjira: But why ask me? It is your gate!
Shamane: ...!
Kanjira: My answer don't matter. Their answer don't matter, too. That's why I said you should shut them up!
Kanjira rolls her eyes.
Kanjira: There will be a gate for me, and I will open it my way!
Kanjira: I'm the one to decide how to open my gate. My spell will be longer and cooler than some "Open Sesame."
Kanjira: I'm not jealous you!
She turns her back to him, refusing to cast a look at him.
Shamane: Haha ... sighs Interesting! Looks like Dad was right. I'm not qualified to be a leader.
Shamane: Thanks, kid.
Shamane: Phew!
Shamane: Anyway, times have changed. Forget the spell.
That's his father's gate, his father's path, his father's choice of life, and his father's responsibility.
Shamane: But it is I who am standing here, not him.
He raises his voice.
Shamane: Screw it. I have no idea what my father once promised you. In fact, I have no interest in what your old heads think.
Shamane: Hmm, but what's my own way of opening the gate?
Pick a new spell? Sing a song? Bleat like a goat?
His fist clenches. At this serious, crucial moment, he is strangely relieved by one sudden idea.
Shamane: ...
He doesn't need any implements. He can just do it with his bare hands, figuratively and literally.
Shamane: Hahaha!
Shamane: And the one standing right here right now is me, not another Sharma.
Keep the shoulder loose, stay steady, and engage with the upper arm.
This is his way.
Shamane: That is to say ...
Shamane: Hah!
This is the easiest punch he has ever thrown.
The burden from the past, the pain, and the stress are thrown out of his body at this moment.
Oh! Turns out the gate ...
... is much more fragile than I thought.
It's a quiet night in the forest. A bonfire is lit in a small, open space.
Ajar: "That is to say, I'll smash that door open, even if it takes the other arm of mine!"
Villager 3: Yes! That's what I'm talking about. So cool!
As the stick pokes the bonfire, a clear snap can be heard.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I guess you didn't see that coming?
Shamane: To tell the truth, I had prepared myself to bounce off from that closed gate, like what had happened many times when I was a kid.
Shamane: But, wow, see how I burst it open? That was cool.
He throws a few punches in the air excitedly.
Shamane: Ho! Ho! Ha ...! Ah!
He takes back his fist, content, and casually pokes the fire.
Shamane: So, in the end, my dad was just telling nonsense to a kid.
The flame is dancing in his eyes.
Shamane: Those so-called profound teachings, like one needs "adequate strength" or "a sense of responsibility" ...
Shamane: Those were too abstract for a kid to understand. Ha, that's indeed his style!
Kaalaa Baunaa: But, in the end, the door was opened. That's for sure.
Kaalaa Baunaa: That's a good ending for a story. At least a million times better than mine.
Shamane: Haha, you have a long way to go before reaching the end! But I'd say you're in a much better place now than you were in the beginning.
Shamane: It's good progress. Trust me.
Observed from the top of the mountain, the old village is only as small as half a palm.
Shamane: He who only stays behind a closed door will turn away many things, including a chance to survive.
Kanjira: Alright, alright! Best roast rabbit ever! Ms. Sherjah, you have the first bite!
Kaalaa Baunaa: A person with no family yet radiates the warmth of family to others.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: sighs … If only Kumar had the slightest warmth from someone, maybe such an absurd thing would have never happened.
Shamane: I doubt she's upset about what happened. Maybe she has found herself a good seat to enjoy this dance of Shiva!
Kaalaa Baunaa: That's true. She is the kind of person who always finds herself the best seat to watch the show.
Shamane: But, I'm curious. Tell me, did she say anything bad about me?
Kaalaa Baunaa: That was not a part of our conversation. She just admitted that she was being vindictive.
Kaalaa Baunaa slightly frowns, hoping to find some clues in the chaotic memories.
Kaalaa Baunaa: "Maybe I was being vindictive out of hatred, like you said."
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
She suddenly jumps up, as if she were burned by the bonfire.
Kaalaa Baunaa: "Like you said"?
Kaalaa Baunaa: The Realm can never extract every word I've said. It's theoretically impossible.
Kaalaa Baunaa: How ... Where-where did she hear that part?
