To be honest, Hermes,
the country we're heading to now isn't very well...
no, it's rather poorly received among travelers.
Really?
I've heard some things about it.
Like, "They're cold toward outsiders."
"They're just unkind and disagreeable."
"When travelers come through, they close up shop or claim to be sold out."
"They only serve bad food."
"Be careful they don't overcharge you."
"I don't even want to go near there again."
And, "I hope that country disappears sooner rather than later."
Yet you're still going, Kino?
There are plenty of other roads to take.
That's exactly why I'm going.
I'm curious what kind of country makes them say all that.
The scenery is beautiful.
Yeah, but we can't tell what the people living there are like from up here.
True.
Let's go, then.
This country might leave such strong memories that we never forget it.
I hope so.
Kind Country
How many days are you planing to stay?
Three.
So I was hoping to stay until the day after tomorrow.
Thank you for coming all this way to our country.
We welcome your visit with all our hearts.
Open the gate!
You don't need to inspect me?
Or search my belongings?
No need.
Unless you've committed a crime,
that would be rude.
Did we go the wrong way?
No, I'm sure of that.
It's a traveler!
Welcome!
Thanks for coming!
We're so glad you came.
Go let everyone know!
It's a different country.
This has to be a completely different country!
That's not possible... I don't think.
Thank you very much.
I didn't expect such a grand welcome, so I'm a little surprised.
Um... May I ask something?
Is there a hotel with a shower that's not too expensive in this area?
Preferably one with space to park a single motorrad.
The inn near my house is cheap, and the food's good, too.
I know of a good place, too.
Why don't they try the place where we stayed?
How about the one on the corner?
The traveler's looking for an inn!
That's what we are!
Hello, traveler.
I'm Sakura.
Hello. I'm Kino.
This is my partner, Hermes.
Hello.
My parents run a hotel.
It's right over there.
I'm sure you'll like it.
How about it?
Then could you lead the way?
Yeah, if you'd please.
Of course!
Welcome to our country!
Come play sometime, traveler!
Hey, Kino?
You're always welcome!
Kino's a very nice name. It's short and has a nice ring to it.
Have a good time!
Thanks. I thought the same myself long ago.
Long ago?
And now?
I still do.
It's a good name.
But Sakura's a nice name, too.
What does it mean?
It's the name of a flower.
A pretty pink flower that blooms in spring.
Oh?
But my friends often tease me over it, calling me "Okra" or "Sockura."
I hate it.
What's wrong, Kino?
Nothing.
It's not something I can really explain.
We have a guest!
Welcome to our inn.
This is my father and my mother,
the proprietor and manager of this hotel.
They also serve as tour guides for the area.
And I'm in training to follow in their footsteps.
What room would be best?
Is the first-floor room with the wide door available?
Yes.
I'll show them to it!
It's awfully different from the rumors.
Very good.
I'll get the key ready for you.
I'm surprised, too.
How's this room for you?
I'm very satisfied.
Kino, please let me show you around our country.
Thanks. Would you, please?
Where would you like to go first?
Straight down this road?
Yes. The Persuadersmith on South Street is well known for his skills.
Let me see.
Yeah, got it.
Looks like it's quite worn, so I'll take a look at the frame.
If necessary, I'll change out some parts,
so it'll take a day.
I'll come back tomorrow, then.
I'm shocked.
I'm truly shocked.
Live long enough and strange coincidences happen.
Here in this park, we hold plays to teach children about our country's history.
Long, long ago, a persecuted people were driven out of a distant country.
No country will take our people in!
We've long run out of food!
At this rate, our children will die!
Looks like it's already started.
They continued their long, long, aimless journey,
Traveler, come up front!
until one day, when they wandered deep into the woods.
Come on, come on.
Wait, hold on. Excuse me!
Is that the traveler who just joined us?
That's right!
And I'm the tour guide!
How about it, everyone?
It hasn't been long since we started,
so why don't we start over from the beginning?
No, you don't have to.
No complaints here!
Great idea!
Sure!
From the top!
Thank you very much.
All right, that settles it!
Long, long ago, a persecuted people were driven out of a distant country.
No country will take our people in!
We've long run out of food!
At this rate, our children will die!
They continued their long, long, aimless journey,
until one day, when they wandered deep into the woods.
Mommy, I'm scared!
I can't walk anymore!
Just hang in there a little longer.
But we have nothing left to give the children...
Look! There's fruit falling from these trees!
You're right! Looking closely, there are animals here, too!
But while the forest seemed frightening, its bounty was rich,
and it saved the lives of the starving people.
What a beautiful forest!
There's no one here who hates us!
No one will throw stones and chase us out!
Let's live here!
Yes, let's build our country here!
After deciding to make this forest their permanent home,
they built a beautiful, bountiful country.
Countless time has passed since then,
and now I'm here today.
At the forefront of that flow.
Kino, you're a good cook!
You certainly have skill.
It looks delicious.
Kino, just grill it, okay?
No seasoning!
I know.
Use this.
We wouldn't want your clothes getting dirty.
Thank you very much.
It looks great on you, Kino!
Looks like you're having fun.
Hermes, you awake?
Once I eat breakfast, we're going shopping.
We'll go pick up Cannon, too.
I'm shocked.
It's better than when I first got my hands on it.
That so?
How much do I owe you?
Keep it.
I'd like to ask you something.
Yes?
Long ago, there was an expert Persuader user
who forced all her students to call her "Master."
She was a traveler who went around from country to country
poking her nose into trouble, earning both spite and gratitude.
It was quite a long time ago.
Do you know anything about her?
No, I don't.
All right. Also...
This guy was called the Woodsman when it was born.
I'd like you to use it, traveler.
Huh?
It protected me countless times when I used to travel.
But I haven't used it in decades.
I've gotten old now, and I can't travel anymore.
This guy's still usable.
I'd hate to see him waste away with me.
I want to let him travel like he used to in the old days.
You'll take him, won't you?
All right. I'll gladly use it.
Good!
That's the spirit!
Follow me.
Gotta fire some test shots first!
I'll show you how to handle its quirks.
We'll need to adjust the grip and holster, too.
Come on!
Oh, Kino!
I've been dying of boredom out here.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Let's head back now.
Please wait a moment, Kino, Hermes.
There's a place I'd like to show you before we go back.
It's amazing!
Pretty.
This is my favorite spot.
I think it's the nicest place in town.
I always promised myself I'd show it to our guests if we ever had any,
and you two are the first!
I'm honored.
In the future, I'll inherit the inn from my mother and father,
and I want to be a great manager and tour guide.
You think I can?
I know you can.
No, you already are a great tour guide.
I've enjoyed these past two days very much.
Same here.
Such a lovely country deserves a lovely tour guide like you.
Thanks!
I want to learn more and more about all kinds of things
so I can become a better and better tour guide!
I hope lots and lots of travelers visit this country I was born in,
and I hope they leave with lots and lots of wonderful, unforgettable memories.
Don't you think being able to help make that happen is wonderful?
Yeah.
It's a very lovely job.
Hey, Kino.
Do you ever encounter hardships or things you hate on your travels?
I do. From time to time.
Does it make you want to stop?
No, I still keep going despite that.
Is that because you believe it's something you should do?
It's because it's something I know I want to do.
Hey, Sakura.
If you'd like, you can set out on a journey, too.
Huh?
You could go around to different places, like Kino.
It wouldn't be too late to become a guide after that.
You think so?
No, I'm not going anywhere.
I'm going to study here and become the best tour guide here.
That's my dream, after all.
I see.
That's lovely, too.
Then I guess we might find ourselves with some free time not too long from now.
Exactly!
Kino's Journey
Kino, here it is.
They're getting married awfully young.
Normally people don't get married until after they're 20.
This is unusual.
What are they doing?
The bride and groom are going to throw lots of little bags.
One of the bags contains one tree seed for each child they'd like to have.
It's said that the person who wakes the next morning
with those seeds will become the next happy bride.
Should I try with you?
Two's better than one.
You'll do that?
Sure. Let's go.
We want...
Five children!
Here you go.
Good luck's the one thing I've always had.
I've never managed to get one before.
I've always wanted to, though.
Thank you, Kino!
You're welcome.
Kino, Hermes.
Could you please start preparing to leave?
Um, could we stay for another day or two?
Whoa! Kino, what's wrong with you?
Nothing. I just kind of...
Is it that shocking?
Unfortunately, you told us you'd only be staying for three days when you entered.
I must ask that you quickly prepare to leave. Those are the rules.
If you're heading west, there's a good place to camp out at the ridge.
Any closer and than that and you risk rocks falling on you.
That's right.
Be sure you reach the top of the ridge before you stop to rest.
Kino, take these.
Eat the small one tonight,
and the large one for breakfast in the morning.
Thank you very much.
I'm grateful to all of you.
It's my first time experiencing such a kind, enjoyable country.
Kino, Hermes.
Thank you very much for staying here.
Thank you.
I made a lot of wonderful memories.
You're welcome.
Well, see you again someday!
See you again someday!
Kino...
That's rare.
You don't usually ask to stay for more than three days.
Yeah, I'm plenty surprised at myself, too.
That was a nice country.
It was lots of fun.
Completely different from the rumors.
Yeah.
I wonder why.
Who knows?
I was curious at first,
but it stopped mattering after a while.
Kino, what's wrong?
I just have a bad feeling.
Like... my mouth feels really dry.
Wh-What?
There's nothing there.
Sure you're not overthinking it?
What?
What is that?!
If my memory serves me, that's a pyroclastic flow.
It's a burst of high-temperature volcanic ash and pumice
that flow down the mountain at high speeds.
It's a corruption.
An eruption?
Yeah, that.
Is there anything I could do if I went there now?
Nope.
A pyroclastic flow's close to 1,000 degrees Celsius.
People melt in an instant.
They're probably all already dead.
There was no time for them to escape.
So there's nothing you can do, either.
You'd only die if you went.
Let's leave after we eat.
It's a letter. From Sakura's mother.
Read it.
"To Kino and Hermes:
By the time you read this letter,
we will no longer be a part of this world.
One month ago,
we learned that a large-scale pyroclastic flow would hit our country.
We only had two options to choose from..."
Abandon our country or stay.
We made our choice
and decided to stay.
Perhaps this choice seems foolish to a traveler like yourself.
But this is where we were born and raised.
We don't know any other lands.
We don't know any other way to live.
So rather than curse our fate, resent it, or grieve it,
we chose to live our last days to the fullest.
Now, you may not know this,
but up until now, our country has been very disrespectful toward travelers.
We realized that our people would be forever remembered for our rudeness.
We decided we wanted the memories that people kept of our country
to be wonderful ones.
However, perhaps our ill repute had cursed us.
We stopped seeing any travelers at all.
Then, with just three days left, you arrived.
On behalf of our country, we welcomed you from the bottom of our hearts.
Kino, Hermes, thank you for coming.
P.S. Only the adults knew about this.
Sakura knew nothing.
We'd hoped to coax you into taking her with you.
But last night, she told us she wanted to inherit the inn.
That it was her dream.
So we'll be taking her with us.
I see. So that's why.
Makes sense.
Hermes...
Care to guess what I'm thinking right now?
Go ahead.
I'm thinking...
I'm lucky they didn't coax me to take Sakura with me.
I'm relieved.
I bet.
That's egotistical.
That's egotistical of me.
Maybe so.
But there's nothing you can do now.
Either way, the two of you couldn't both ride me.
"Kino, this is..."
Read it.
"This is..."
This is pointless for me to hold on to.
You can have it.
Take care, and don't forget about us.
Sakura.
Yeah, looks good on you.
What a nice country that was.
Yeah, it was very enjoyable.
Not a thing to complain about.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Kind Country
Country of Adults
Country of Adults.