Author"s note.

※ Continuing from before, there are depictions of people dying. I"m serious.
Those weak with it, please avoid it etc. at your own discretion.

"Will I understand the language…"

While walking, I voiced my doubt.
I"ve mastered a few languages, but as expected I don"t know about that particular one.
If it"s similar to a language I know I"ll be able to guess enough to talk, but looking at my situation it might be difficult.
―――― In the worst case, this might not be the Earth.
I took a breath, and switched my thinking around.

"I don"t know what in the world will happen, but it might be just right"

The shock of losing Sakura naturally still remains, but my interest has now turned towards the incomprehensible situation I found myself in.
Mentally it"s much easier this way.
I never would have expected a day would come when I would prefer to be abruptly thrown into an unfamiliar place, but it"s only the truth.
I advanced slowly and carefully. And so, I saw a few people gather around what seems to be the entrance to the village.
Although the details are different, the people gathered around the entrance tent are wearing clothing similar to certain traditional clothing of Central Asia that I know.
Everybody seems to be pointing here and saying something. But, unfortunately there"s the previous problem of not understanding the language, and they are too far to make out what they are saying.

"For the time being, they seem to be humans"

Such an impossible to understand situation has occurred. In the worst case, I was prepared to meet with non-human beings, but at a glimpse they look like ordinary humans.
I was relieved from the bottom of my heart that this wasn"t a usual fantasy world.
While getting closer, I raised my hands to demonstrate my lack of hostility. I intended to appeal that I have no weapons, but they all had the same stiff expression. I wonder if I unknowingly did something to displease them.
So many countries, so many customs. I better not think the common sense I developed will apply in a different place. While thinking that I might have done something displeasing, as much as possible I emphasized through a friendly att.i.tude that I"m harmless.
I don"t know where I am now.
No matter how careful I try to be, I should settle down in a place with people. Additionally, I have to gather information afterwards.
When I arrived at the entrance to the village, there were five men and two women hiding behind them. Each man had a large scar on their forehead that"s visible from distance.
They glared at me with vigilance, and shouted something in a language I don"t understand.

Bad. They are talking so I fast I have no idea what they"re saying.
If they talked slightly slower, I might have managed somehow, but this seems like it"ll take quite some time.
Even so, hoping one of the languages I know would work, I tried to convey that I bear no hostility in the words I knew.

It was completely counterproductive. It seems saying words unfamiliar to them further increased their vigilance.
Just in case I"m at a distance where I won"t be attacked, but no matter how I look at it, they"re hostile towards me.

Each of them pointed fingers at me. At that moment, something like a red formation floated behind them.
The hexagram pattern looked like a magic circle I"d only heard about in fairy tales.

"Wa…"

At the same time my instinct deemed it dangerous, from that circle flames gushed out one by one. At once I covered my face.
The flames touched my palm. Thinking that it"s bad I closed my eyes, but I didn"t feel the heat that I"d imagined.

Instead, I heard what sounded like a woman"s cry and hustle and bustle.
Gingerly I opened my eyes.

"Eh… what is… this?"

An unbelievable spectacle unfolded before my eyes.
All the men who had attacked me became covered in flames and burned brightly.
Some writhed, some screamed, another fell on the ground already unable to move.
Besides the man who suffered without even being able to raise a scream a woman raised a shrill cry as if she was screaming in his place.
I couldn"t understand why such a things was happening, and could only stand there petrified.

Perhaps hearing the disturbance, before long many people from inside the village gathered.
Seeing the men covered in flames, some of them turned back towards the village in a panic.
Probably they went to bring water. While I was unable to move and was just motionlessly watching, those who came noticed my existence and stared here.

"It"s, it"s different… I haven"t done anything"

The other woman"s knees had given in and she was still down on the ground when with her utmost effort she reported the situation to a man who came.
While pointing at me, with a face clearly filled with fear the woman frantically pulled the hem of the man"s clothes.
Having heard the woman"s words, although astonished the men again looked at me.
I won"t survive being attacked again. Thinking so, I spoke in a fl.u.s.ter.

"Please wait. I am not a…"

―――― suspicious person. I tried saying that, but before I could, they all began prostrating.
They lowered their heads rubbing them on the ground.
I couldn"t hide my turmoil as they all took the same action.

"Eh… Eeh?"

While shaking, a single man stood up and came towards me.
This time I didn"t sense hostility. While wavering about what to do, he began gesturing something. The body language seems universal. I understood he probably wants me to enter the village.
It"s not like I have a place to go even if I refused.
I didn"t understand well, still I gave a small nod and decided to follow the man who started walking.
By then all five men had already been doused with water and the fires extinguished, but unfortunately not one of them survived.

Seeing the miserable spectacle, I cast down my eyes.
I don"t understand how such a thing happened at all, but I intuitively sensed I was somehow involved in it.
Even if I wasn"t aware, if that"s the truth I am a killer.
… Perhaps I"ll be put on trial from now on.
Maybe I"m now being taken to a place where I"ll be judged.
I thought that… And gave up thinking it"s inevitable.
… I wanted to die anyway.
Rather I felt grateful for being able to atone for my sins with my life, as I"d sought a place to die.
Having noticed that, my mouth warped into a tiny smile.
―――― I didn"t think of escaping at all.
While I was walking with a sense of resignation, I thought that one of them was probably the husband of the woman who raised a piercing cry. This time, she began weeping like she lost her mind. Another man patted the woman"s shoulder to console her, and forcing her to stand up took her to the village first.
Looking at it, I absentmindedly thought.

I understand her feelings.

After all, I experienced similar feelings to her just before.
And yet, who in the world could imagine the positions would be reversed in just a few hours.

"Ha… haha"

Perhaps surprised by me suddenly bursting into laughter, with a twitch of his shoulders the man leading me looked back. I told him to stop that.

"Aah, no… It"s nothing. Don"t worry about it"

I knew he wouldn"t understand my words, but I didn"t care anymore.
I"ll die anyway.
Since it"s like this, I just wish to follow after Sakura as soon as possible.

"Ah… but…"

I noticed a certain possibility.
She"s surely in heaven. But, what about me?
Probably, having taken multiple lives I won"t go to the same place as her.
I"ll fall down to h.e.l.l. Even if I die, I won"t meet her.

―――― This is my punishment.

"… I, see. No matter what, I won"t see you"

I muttered with a feeling of self-mockery.

Even though I just want to meet Sakura.
I felt deep despair that it won"t come true even if I die.