Solnus 7. Signals, Ivory Tower in Woodland, like Plato's Academy in Sacred Groove, Burakumin (Outcast People) and Buriki kan no Barakku (Barrack of Tin Cans), Hello World!

5741 days, or 15 years, 8 months, and 2-3 weeks before The Circumadversum Omatsuri, one late afternoon.

Professor Kimura and John Anatole Holland had finished their early supper. Now the two of them were back in Professor Kimura's SUV. For a few seconds, Holland glanced again at the tin cans in the middle and rear of the car. He wondered, "Cans... Is that related to Professor Starwood's changing tastes in drinks and food?"

Holland wanted to ask more directly about the things that were bothering him. However, judging by Professor Kimura's facial expression and body language, Holland felt that if he asked Professor Kimura, his senior would not answer clearly. Holland chose to wait a few minutes, seeing if Professor Kimura would reveal the truth himself.

While Holland was silent, his hands were actively moving. He was operating his cell phone. He noticed that the SUV was passing a military base.

Holland remained silent until Professor Kimura's car turned onto a small road. At that moment, Holland noticed that his cell phone's signal seemed to be interfering. He then decided to explore the surrounding scenery.

On either side of the road, only tall trees obscured the view. After about 140 meters, a barrier appeared. There was a guard post with black tinted glass beside the barrier, but no guards appeared to come out to inspect Professor Kimura's SUV.

After a few seconds, the barrier opened automatically, and Professor Kimura's silver car moved again. It was at that moment that Professor Kimura spoke up, "You can see this is a remote place, Joho-san. You can see for yourself, right?"

Holland, pleased that Professor Kimura had finally spoken, replied briefly, "Yes."

Professor Kimura asked, "This is a place that fits my surname. It's full of trees. You probably already know what I mean."

Holland replied briefly, "Yes." Holland certainly already knew that Hoshimu Kimura's name is written as 木邸 星夢.

The surname "Kimura" is written with the kanji characters "木邸." The kanji 木, read as "ki," means "tree, wood, or a musical instrument made of wood." Meanwhile, the kanji 邸, read as "mura," means "mansion or residence."

The kanji 木, which refers to a wooden musical instrument, is the term for the "eight tones of the ancient Chinese musical system." This ancient Chinese system classified musical instruments not by the number of notes in the scale, but by the materials they were made from. Wood was one of the materials, with the other seven being bamboo, earth, gold, gourd, leather, stone, and thread.

Meanwhile, the given name "Hoshimu" is written with the kanji "星夢." The kanji 星, read as "hoshi," means "star." Meanwhile, the kanji 夢, read as "mu," means "dream, vision, or illusion."

The nickname "Starwood" that Holland gave Professor Kimura comes from the professor's given name and surname. Star comes from the kanji 星 in the given name. Wood comes from the kanji 木 in the surname.

Professor Kimura spoke again, still talking about his name. "I think this place will also suit my given name."

The four wheels of the silver SUV had stopped. The vehicle was now facing a large building that looked like half a huge drum lying horizontally. The curves of the building served as both the roof and the walls.

Professor Kimura had not yet invited Holland to get out of the car. He explained, “This is my current workplace. From now on, I might work here for the next dozen years, maybe even decades; maybe I’ll work here until I retire. Maybe this is the place that will make my dream come true.”

Holland nodded and asked, “So, those tin cans you brought are the equipment for this facility?”

“That’s right,” said Professor Kimura. He immediately asked, “Joho-san, I’m asking you, would you like it if I offered you a job here too?”

Holland shrugged with a smile. He replied, “If it’s because this place is remote compared to my current laboratory, that’s fine. I think as academics and researchers, we’re prepared if we have to work on sequestered land in the middle of a grove woodland.”

Professor Kimura remained silent, not responding, merely staring at Holland as if asking him to elaborate.

Holland, seemingly telepathically aware of Professor Kimura's thoughts, continued, "I think as researchers, we must ultimately accept that we must enter the Ivory Tower no matter what. Whether it's an Ivory Tower in the middle of a metropolis or an Ivory Tower in a remote location."

Professor Kimura remained silent. Holland spoke again, "Just like when Plato founded the Academy outside the Athenian polis, near a sacred grove called Hekkademia. It's like that, Professor Starwood."

Professor Kimura remained silent, signaling with his body language that he still wanted Holland to speak.

Holland shrugged his pale shoulders and spoke again, “Okay, Professor Starwood. Would I want to work in a place like this? It also depends on my remuneration, because realistically, I also have to save for my retirement. It also depends on the holidays I get. For example, if I don't get time off around Christmas and New Year's, it wouldn't be a problem if I could take time off during the Matsuri period or during "good holidays" like a solar eclipse. Of course, it also depends on what kind of project I have to work on here.”

Professor Kimura finally smiled. He said, “Joho-san, I'm sure you remember my conversation with you about Burakumin.”

Holland replied, “Yes, I do. "Burakumin" is a derogatory term for a marginalized social group in Japan. The outcasts. From the kanji, burakumin literally means “people of the village" or "people of the hamlet.”

Professor Kimura smiled and asked, “And these things I'm carrying behind me?”

Holland answered in both English and Japanese, “Tin cans. Buriki kan.”

Professor Kimura smiled and said, “Right. You can probably guess that I'm probably going to say this: Maybe working here, you’ll feel like an outcast. This is the place I call Buriki kan no Barakku. Barrack of Tin Cans.”

Holland certainly understood that “Barakku” is a loanword from the English word “barrack.” But he didn’t express that or anything else he was thinking. Holland remained silent.

Professor Kimura smiled again and offered a guess, “I thought you’d be curious and enthusiastic about this.”

Holland remained silent, and Professor Kimura took the opportunity to speak again, “As for the salary, I’m sure you’ll be satisfied. Then you’ll also find out what kind of programs will be running here. I’ll take you to see what’s inside this Buriki kan no Barraku.”

Holland nodded.

Meanwhile, Professor Kimura reached for a device in his shirt pocket. It was about the size of a regular cell phone. He turned it on, tapped the screen with both hands, and entered a password. Then, he pressed his left thumb against the screen. He then brought his face close to the device.

One wouldn't have to be as clever as Professor Kimura or Holland to guess that Professor Kimura was performing a procedure to unlock his research building. The professor's steps produced the desired result. The device worked properly, as evidenced by the opening of the building door. Professor Kimura started the car again, allowing the silver SUV to enter the building.

Holland glanced quickly at what was inside the building. Holland frowned as he saw what was inside, or more precisely, what was on the floor. The interior of the building appeared empty, with not much visible. However, part of the floor opened inward.

Professor Kimura commented, "Hello, World! Hello, Groundwork!"