Chapter 59 - 5-10
The murals of the Holy Saisha Church in Koroi were in the midst of a whirlwind of enthusiasm. The priest dealt with the surging waves of people immediately. He created pathways with ropes and signs, guiding the flow of movement so that everyone could see the entire interior of the church, and placed offering boxes at the entrance and exit. Thanks to these measures, the sightseers were processed one after another, and the church finally emerged from its temporary chaos.Amidst this, there appeared someone who, out of an obsession with the murals, ignored the pathways and took up a position, settling into one of the church chairs.One day, the priest, who had come to the hall after finishing his duties, found a figure crouching in one of the chairs lined up with discipline. The figure prayed fervently with their face cast down, and occasionally cast a glance at the murals, only to immediately return to praying with an air of single-minded devotion."You were here yesterday as well, were you not?" the priest approached and greeted them.The one who looked up was a young woman. She appeared to be at an age that could be called a girl.Though tanned, she was not a Southerner. She seemed to have Eastern features, yet she did not seem to be an Easterner either. Her face was well-featured."Do you feel something in that painting?""Priest-sama."The female believer had eyes that looked as if she were about to burst into tears.Wondering what was the matter, the priest sat in the adjacent chair."Priest-sama. I... I am terrified of that painting," she said in a small voice."There is nothing to be afraid of, is there?""That person is looking at me. When I look at that painting, my eyes meet that person's. When our eyes meet, not only my body, but even my heart trembles.""Calm yourself, young lady," the priest narrowed his eyes at the girl's sensitivity. "Listen, that is a painting. It is merely a painting. It is just paint. A statue is just stone, and a tiled mural is nothing more than a collection of tiles. Do we not fear and revere only the Tenshu? Not the paint."The foreign girl looked at the painting again with a timid expression."That is... exactly as you say, Priest-sama. However, the feeling of terror does not go away. Is he not looking this way?""Perhaps you have a secret that you do not wish to be seen?"The girl looked down and shook her head. "I think it is wrong that the painting is depicted so vividly."The priest laughed. "That is what one calls misplaced resentment.""But, is it truly permissible to express the honorable face of the Savior Prophet so blatantly? Is it not too audacious?""No, young lady. As I said before, it is merely a painting. After all, it is a painting," the priest said, intending to reassure her. "The painter who drew it is also a Roma believer. The light of Roma shines universally across the world, reaching even the far North. There is a country called Siddim, and a man who came across the sea from there painted it.""Siddim?""Are you familiar with it?""It is my mother's country. I was born between a Siddim mother and a Kosa father. Is that Siddim painter still in this city?"—I would like to meet him.That is what the girl said. Though he felt something peculiar about the part where her father was a Kosa, the priest generously told her about Ludo Matinee. She was an admirable daughter."What will you do upon meeting him?""Of course, I shall question him as to what intentions he had in painting such a picture," the girl stood up, a light resembling fighting spirit dwelling in her eyes. "Thank you, Priest-sama. I am sure I can have a wonderful conversation with someone who came from my mother's country."
After Kohal, baptismal name Marvel, who was heading toward Master Banja's mansion, was dragged into the Siddim Convent in the Valley of Siddim, what happened to her? Kohal was pushed down into a dried-up well in the church courtyard.It was a depth where it would not have been strange to die from the impact of the fall. The bottom of the well was a steep slope. Fine sand had accumulated diagonally. Without being able to recover her posture, Kohal slid down to the very bottom along with the sand.The area was a space just large enough to be in a half-crouch.Even at the bottom of the earth, light reached faintly, making the sandy slope glitter white.Climbing this was surely impossible.Wind blew in from somewhere, kicking up the sand that had carried Kohal. By the power of the wind, the sand seemed to naturally gather back toward the well.Kohal searched for the source of the wind by touch. It would have been good if she had fire, but everything other than the clothes she wore had been taken away. She found several side-holes. The wind seemed to blow in from there. However, they were holes so small that Kohal's fist would not fit.Thinking there might be other side-holes, she searched over time. Apparently, there was one hole that Kohal's body could fit into. It was narrow enough that her shoulders and hips barely fit. She had to advance by crawling.Kohal courageously lowered her body. There was anxiety, but there was also another conviction. This, in essence, was the purpose of this thing. She did not know why, but she was now being tested for her courage. The fact that there was wind meant there was air, and it also meant it connected to the outside.The narrow tunnel seemed to be made of stones assembled in squares. Because it was pitch black, she could not tell clearly. It was a world of sensation. She confirmed the dense darkness that expanded infinitely by touching it. She carved out the darkness into squares with the sensation of her hands. The tunnel soon hit a branching point that seemed to be a T-junction. Kohal had heard stories of ruins called underground labyrinths, and she remembered them. For a while, she did only breathed. She thought of tearing off a piece of her sleeve to leave as a marker, but she did not execute it.Even if this was a labyrinth, as long as she remembered where and in which direction she had proceeded, there would be no problem. It should be possible as long as her heart was not captured by the fear of being crushed, the fear of being buried alive.She decided not to consider the exhaustion of her physical strength or the dryness of her throat. She would traverse every branch by crawling. It was such a tedious construction. There was no way it could have been built spaciously. She could tour everything while she still had strength.Kohal had underestimated the passion of the ancient people. Even if ancient passions dried up over time and became covered in dust, their husks remained like bones turned to stone, revealing an unexpected scale.
As a result, for three days, Kohal crawled around like a snake, wandering the underground labyrinth.Whenever she came upon a slightly wider place, she bent her knees and elbows to promote blood circulation, and if she found a sharp protrusion in the tunnel's stone wall, she rubbed her sandy, itchy head against it. As for physical pleasure, the only act was this scratching of the itch. Kohal's head soon became covered in wounds. The clothes she wore were quickly torn, and her elbows and knees pained.The reason she could remain active for three days was that she found a spot where water droplets dripped on the first day.Kohal pressed her tongue against the seam of the stone wall where water seeped out and licked it.Once a certain amount of moisture returned to her throat, she would head back to exploration with the emotionless eyes of a snake once more. Not once did she lose herself to fear. Rather, the world of only touch made Kohal's thoughts vivid. What she had to do was decided. To crawl. It was a world where that was the only thing she could do.When that continued for three days, her body was naturally sluggish. However, it was not to the point where she could not move.She should be able to move for another two days even without eating, and she was far from despair. Kohal still had a sharp spirit.As she proceeded through an unexplored tunnel, her field of vision flashed. It blatantly illuminated the stone walls that had been absolute until then, exposing the reality that they were nothing but old stones. The light was solemn, seeping in with aggression. Kohal closed her eyes and proceeded. She felt as if the light also seeped into her skin. At the very least, light possessed the power to pass through eyelids.Like an animal, Kohal proceeded.Suddenly, countless hands dragged Kohal out of the hole. The sound of water echoed noisily. She endured the glare and opened her eyes. Her eyes pained, and tears fell."Congratulations."They were women wearing white clothes. There were four or five of them. They repeated, congratulations, congratulations.It seemed to be inside a cave. In the distance, there was a cave entrance glowing white. The piercing, noisy sound seemed to be the flow of a spring. Kohal's tattered clothes were stripped away by the women. Furthermore, she was immersed in water. Someone's hands were washing her lower body, which was covered in filth. With a vision distorted by tears, she looked around.There was a woman with green eyes."Congratulations, Marvel Boony."The woman spoke. It was the face of a woman teary with emotion. Kohal was also shedding tears, but the primary cause was that the light was too bright. The inside of her chest was cold. She could still do it. She had leeway. The women in white clothes who welcomed Kohal here believed that Kohal had exceeded her limits and had miraculously survived by the skin of her teeth.There was a discrepancy in the surge of emotion. Kohal was a Kosa who had lived primarily on meat and animal milk. She had more physical strength than they thought. However, Kohal thought she would keep this discrepancy in consciousness a secret within herself.—This will become a weapon someday.She felt that way."Congratulations, congratulations."The green-eyed woman said. Somehow, she resembled her mother.
The green-eyed woman was called "Goryo-sama" by the other women.She was over thirty with a slender build and hair the color of ginger. She seemed to hold a high rank in the Siddim Convent.After emerging from the underground labyrinth, Kohal was taken to another cave. She was given food and slept on a straw futon inside the cave. The next morning, Goryo-sama came and told Kohal."I recognize your admission into the Siddim Convent. There are those who die in that labyrinth."Thinking that was possible, Kohal nodded."Three days is on the longer side. Not the longest, however. The shortest was four hours. The one who achieved that was your mother, Meira-sama."If that story was true, her mother must have crawled the shortest distance, Kohal thought. If one walked, would it take an hour? That meant one could return to the Valley of Siddim in an hour."This is a forbidden land called the Valley of Cats. It is not a place to be visited, nor is it a place one can wander into by mistake. I understand your thoughts, Marvel, but you cannot escape from here.""Goryo-sama, or whatever. I didn't want to join the Siddim Convent. I just wanted to see it.""Once you see it, you cannot return. There are many such things, Marvel. Since you are here, you might as well see everything."Goryo-sama said she would assign a guide to her. "Revere her as your teacher."Goryo-sama left with a smile remaining.
The guide called herself Rivet. She had pitch-black skin and was taller than a man. Atop absurdly long legs sat a sturdy pelvis. Her stomach was tightened with muscle, and her breasts were large. She had not a single hair. It was not that she shaved them, but that they apparently did not grow.Her eyes were glaringly large, making her look like a skull."I am more of a witness than a guide. I will simply train Marvel and watch over her future," Rivet said. "I will answer questions, but there are cases where I will not. There are many things I do not know, and there are things I know but will not tell.""What do I do here?""You will learn three things. First, the method of surviving. Second, the method of killing bad people in order to survive. Third, the method of killing bad people in order to make the world better.""I learn how to kill people?"The old woman in black clothes who had captured Kohal at the church in the Valley of Siddim had certainly said something like that. It was absurd."You can use a bow and arrow.""That's right. Since I likely did the slaughter of livestock, I can use a small knife too. Also, I can ride a horse.""What are 'bad people'?""That's right. To distinguish bad people, you will also learn the teachings of Roma. But first, it starts with the method of surviving. Let us go to the fields. I will teach you how to grow crops."At the bottom of the Valley of Cats, there was a modest field. It seemed that when the rainy season came, the river at the bottom of the valley flooded, and the fields were washed away every year. It seemed meaningless, but a dozen or so women were wielding farming tools. Only women lived in this forbidden valley.About a hundred or so nuns wearing white clothes lived in caves opened in the cliffs on both sides of the valley. Whether the caves were artificial or natural, she did not know. In any case, there were countless of them. There were vast caverns, and there were caves connected internally. There were also many small side-holes.Everyone brought wooden boards into a suitable cavern to make a bed, and slept and woke wrapped in furs or blankets. They installed stoves assembled from stone near the cave entrances and did their cooking.The races were varied. There were many Northerners and Westerners."That is because Roma believers are numerous in the North and West," Rivet said.Among the orphans taken in by the church, girls with aptitude were brought to this convent, so it was said."Why?""To have them learn techniques and serve the Tenshu.""Techniques for killing people. Why do they want to kill so much?"Rivet did not laugh aloud. She always lowered the corners of her eyes sadly and floated something like a smile at the corners of her mouth."It is not that we kill people for pleasure. Originally, humans should not kill humans. We are the only ones permitted to do so. We are permitted by the Tenshu to take life, and are commanded to take life."Everything about life here, starting with how to till the fields, was taught to her by Rivet. Other than that, she was taught languages. Starting with the Enagamo language, she was taught high Southern, low Coastal, inland Southern, the languages of the Western nations, and Northern Siddim. She was made to read the Roma scriptures in various languages. Additionally, she learned martial arts using a staff. Surprisingly for Kohal, she was poor at martial arts and better at studying."Your memory seems good. Well, you are a Kosa."When she asked what that meant, Rivet's whip would fly. Recently, her manner of speech was also corrected. "What does that mean, please?""It is the same in my homeland of Futsuria."It was said that ethnic groups who raise livestock on vast, empty lands tend to develop their memory. If they do not memorize landscapes that look the same no matter where they look, they get lost. If they lose sight of the place to return to on the vast land, they might die. Therefore, a habit of hammering the slight undulations of the land and the impressions of trees into their heads had formed."Marvel, you probably distinguish and remember sheep one by one by their faces, right?"Kohal nodded. Sheep were the precious property of the Kosa. If one did not remember, one suffered a loss."The people who till the fields cannot do that. Though they have the wisdom to set up fences and separate the sheep."She did chores around her person in the morning, and in the afternoon, she did study and training with Rivet.In the evening, while heat still remained in the air, she bathed in the river at the bottom of the valley. The convent was strict about keeping the body clean. For example, if a traveling man wandered into this forbidden valley and saw young, beautiful women naked in the open, splashing water on each other, he would doubt his eyes.In this valley, there were such fantastical, hazy scenes.Kohal did not yet have a sense of reality regarding life in the valley.Speaking of being naked, Kohal was also taught the means to conquer sexuality.In the cavern where Kohal slept and woke, Rivet also slept. When night came, Rivet would reach out, saying things like "Let me hold you."At first, she thought it was to soften the cold. Or perhaps a special custom of Southerners. However, while receiving Rivet's gentle caresses, the atmosphere became sweet, and eventually, they became a relationship where they exchanged kisses, rubbed their skin together, and used their tongues.Except for a part that remained cold and solidified in a corner of her chest, Kohal's whole body and soul became head over heels for Rivet. Rivet would whisper in her ear. The most beautiful one in this valley is Marvel. Marvel's skin is like sweet sugar candy. Everyone harbors filthy desires for you. I am a lucky one. The whispering continued until Kohal was entranced. Kohal took those whispers seriously.Therefore, she became a jealous woman who would throw a tantrum just because Rivet spoke with another woman."Marvel, I want to teach you the method of manipulating people with the power of sex," Rivet said one night, about half a year after coming to the Valley of Cats."I know. But I've fallen in love with you.""Is that so. I am struggling because I cannot grasp the core of Marvel's heart. But well—"This might be the limit between women, Rivet said."Shall we go to Torsi? Even as soon as tomorrow."Torsi was explained to be the name of the nearest city from here.If it is a city, the Valley of Siddim should be closer, Kohal thought, but the convent likely wanted to keep that hidden. They remained silent.
It was her first time leaving the valley. Outside the valley was a wasteland with only stone, red clay, and meager shrubs. It took two and a half days to reach the city of Torsi. Even under the scorching sun, Kohal and Rivet continued to walk without taking breaks. There were no roads, and they finally saw not a single human figure. This area likely also belonged to the forbidden land.It was not a particularly large city. Even so, a city was a rarity for Kohal.As for what she was made to do here, it was prostitution.She washed her body at a public bath, and when late night came, she was guided to a dim shack lit by candles. She was instructed to wait, and while she waited, Rivet brought a middle-aged man with a potbelly. The middle-aged man looked visibly timid."This is Sister Marvel—"As Rivet began some sort of introduction, the man knelt while panting."P-please spare me.""Do you not find her to your liking?""No, far from it. She is too good for me. It is not that, but I cannot possibly commit the act of violating a nun, I am terrified; I will be struck by divine punishment.""It is not violating. I want you to help in offering this girl's virginity to the Tenshu."It seemed this devout man was to perform Kohal's defloration.After Rivet's long persuasion, the middle-aged man became naked and lay on his back on the bed in the center of the shack. Told by Rivet, Kohal also became naked. After that, it was practical training. She was instructed to rub here, lick there, and so on, performing various hideous things and being made to take shameful postures. The middle-aged man, with a face that looked as if he were about to cry, broke Kohal's hymen.When the act ended and while Rivet saw the man out, Kohal was dazed. Before it began, she had thought, If I just try it boldly, it probably won't be that much of a deal, but before she knew it, tears were tracing her cheeks."Oh," Rivet peered into her face."It was unexpectedly painful..." Kohal turned her face away."It seems the core of your heart has broken. That is fine, Marvel."—That cannot be.The core is not broken. As proof, there is a certain man's name pushing up against Kohal's chest.The name of the man she spent her early childhood with was pushing up to her throat."It's okay, Marvel."Suppressing herself, she swallowed the man's name.Instead, Kohal pressed her head against Rivet's large breasts and cried for a while.
Though Rivet was gentle, the prostitution training did not end with that.For a month after that, various men came to Kohal's bed. Kohal had a knack for it. No matter the man, in the end, they scattered grey mucus outside of Kohal's body.What she learned about men was that simple stimulation could be effective regarding their functions. The delicate part was the fantasy in their brains. She stimulated that fantasy with words and attitudes, fanned it, sometimes intentionally teased them, mocked them, or praised them. They all finished as if howling.It was the fruit of Rivet's education."You've become quite good."Rivet seemed to be listening from outside the shack. Or perhaps there was a peephole."With this, Marvel can earn money in places where men are. She can steal things from men. She can approach men quickly.""In order to kill them?"Rivet smiled sadly. "Finally, let us do a simple test."The place she was brought to was a tavern.Upon entering the shop where incense smoke drifted, Rivet gestured with her chin toward a table in the back."Try sleeping with the youngest man over there. If you can do that, you pass."It seemed like a simple test. Kohal approached the table in the back and sat in a chair brazenly, saying, "Let me drink." There were three men together, all pleasantly drunk. Targeting the youngest man, she flirted under the table, letting him touch her thigh, or touching him in return."I'll be waiting in the back alley."Seeing the right moment, she whispered into the target's ear and left the shop alone. Rivet's figure was not there.While waiting in the back of the tavern where no one passed, the man came.With a somewhat nervous expression, he took Kohal's arm and tried to lead her into a pitch-black alley. Kohal resisted."Money.""Ah, right."Gold coins were pressed into her hand by the man. Upon entering the alley where the tavern's lights did not reach, a faint shadow was visible. It was a man's shadow."Young lady, you've been doing as you please in our city, haven't you?"It was the man who had been with the target. Turning around, along with the young man, there was another man. It seemed that after Kohal left the shop, the three of them had signaled to each other.It probably took about twenty minutes until the three of them released their desires into Kohal's body. The men warned Kohal to leave the city, spat on her, and departed.As she tidied her clothes and started walking toward the shack, Rivet chased after her."Well, it's not a perfect score, but you pass.""I did what I had to do. How would I have gotten a perfect score?""Let's see. It would have been better if you could have killed all three without letting even a 'u' of a moan escape. Marvel probably could have killed one or two. But you didn't. If you did, this would have been found by me."Rivet took a knife out of her pocket and showed it to Kohal.Kohal gasped and put her hand near the stomach area of the tunic she was wearing. It was gone. It was the knife one of the men had possessed. In the gap where they were absorbed in Kohal, she had pulled it from the belt. Even though she had hidden it against her bare skin."While Marvel was fixing her clothes, I was right behind her." Rivet smiled with sad eyes. "What did Marvel intend to do by bringing this into the Valley of Cats?"Kohal stopped her feet and glared at Rivet."Marvel still doesn't understand. She is trying to escape the valley. Even though it is the safest place in the whole world.""I don't want to become a murderer.""Then what did you intend to do with this knife?""That is—""Marvel still lacks the strength to live. You know, Marvel. I want to become your comrade. I think it's fine to become your ally and carry out the job of a witness. But Marvel is still insufficient in strength. So, without losing your temper, train for now. In my estimation, Marvel will become stronger than Meira-sama.""What will I become by getting strong?""You will become free. You will become able to do anything. Marvel, you have something you want to do. Or a man you want to meet. If you want to go meet him, become strong. In the Siddim Convent, there is no other way of escape."Rivet extended her long arm to Kohal, turning her palm upward.Kohal hesitated, but timidly overlapped her own hand."Quite good. I like that way of deceiving. But that's not it. Hand over the gold coins."Kohal clicked her tongue and handed the gold coins to the guide.
It was a year and a half after that, in the great Southern city of Koroi.Kohal, baptismal name Marvel, who stood before Master Banja's mansion, was suddenly tapped on the shoulder. Turning around, it was a tall woman who hid her bald head with a hood."Is it Rivet?""I'm disappointed, Marvel.""Why? I did it well.""The assassination test went quite far. Though killing Master Tam's wife was a deduction.""That was—""Besides, you shouldn't have any business with Master Banja.""There is a painter who drew the painting of the Holy Saisha Church. I want to see his face, at least."You didn't come here to play, Rivet said. "All targets are dealt with. We are withdrawing."Kohal had no choice but to follow Rivet, who had started walking. Having enjoyed this city, it was painful to return to the wasteland."Does Marvel like paintings?""No.""Then why did you visit the painter?""Not for any particular reason. I just thought that someday, I would end up going to Northern Siddim."Rivet said nothing, walking while bathed in the sunset.Kohal had noticed. Having come to this city, she had gained wisdom. For some reason, the Roma Church was siding with the Kosa. The reason they threw the mercenaries of Southern Koroi into chaos was to aid the movements of Kosa.If Koroi falls, the North is next.Kohal is a daughter of Kosa. Now that her father Sinkuk has become the Great King, that person must surely have been promoted to general. Thinking of that, her heart danced.