Bad Apples

"Let us say an unusual way. While I was walking along the road this morning, I met a truly strange-looking boy. He had horns like those of the Akani, but the strange thing was that he had a wing made of white flame. When he saw me, he suddenly seemed happy for some reason and thanked me as though I were an old friend. I felt that I had met him before, but I have always had difficulty remembering people's names and faces. When I failed to recognise him, he looked as though he might cry. I truly did not know what to do with him, because I had never seen anyone try to speak to me while knowing who I was. No, perhaps he was simply too foolish to understand the situation.

"In any case, he somehow knew that I could cook and told me that he had received this fish from a blind old woman who lived alone. When she gave him the fish, she told him to give it to someone whose eyes had never seen evil. In his opinion, I was the one who deserved it.

"I laughed then and thought to myself, what on earth had I done to make this person see me that way? Now that I have considered what he said, do you think there is such a thing as coincidence?"

The girl was uncertain what to say.

"The old woman said to give it to someone whose eyes had never seen evil. That is logically impossible, because the meaning of evil changes from one person to another. Anyone unable to see would either be an unthinking child or a blind person. What do you think? Have I convinced you?"

The girl murmured softly:

"I suspect you made all that up just to persuade me, so I will accept your kindness."

The boy took a piece of fish with the spoon, brought some rice with it and began feeding her.

"Mmm. It is delicious and warm. Are fish as pleasing to look at as they are to taste?"

The girl swayed with every mouthful, smiling broadly as she chewed. No matter how the boy looked at her, she seemed like nothing more than a small child enjoying her meal without responsibilities or anything troubling her mind. The sight weighed on his heart, and he said:

"I haven't told you my name yet, have I? I'm Itsuki. Let's just say I am a boy who lives on the street."

The girl laughed a little and answered:

"That makes sense. I cannot imagine anyone reaching this place unless he were homeless and without shelter. The owner of the orchard used to call me Lina, so I suppose that is my name."

"Why do you say it so uncertainly? In any case, how did you end up here? Do you owe that man money, or were you forced to stay here?"

The girl ate the entire plate. When she finished, a broad smile spread across her face, showing how completely satisfied she was. Itsuki took out a handkerchief and began wiping the food from her face.

"Yes, I owe him. When I was lost here, I met him for the first time, and he offered me food, but I refused for the same reason I gave you. He then offered me an apple if I guarded the orchard for him until he returned. That is why I am here."

She spoke of it as though it were ordinary. She did not truly seem to understand the value of a single apple, but she certainly understood that it did not deserve all this. Even so, she was simply trying to keep her agreement with that person. She did not want to betray the trust of someone who had shown her kindness.

The boy understood that perfectly, and he felt irritated with every question he asked.

"You realise that he may be dead by now, at worst. At best, he has forgotten the matter entirely and does not really care about these trees. Above all, you said earlier that no one had come here during the two years you have stayed here. That means your guarding this place is pointless."

"But you came, and you were trying to take some of them. Fortunately, you are a good person, so it is fine this time. Even if what you say might be true, I cannot betray his trust. Is that strange? Is it wrong?"

When Itsuki saw the girl lower her head and sincerely ask from the innocence of a child, he realised that he was trying to make her violate her sound instincts, even if what she was doing had no purpose. He had no right to corrupt that honesty and loyalty merely to avoid a problem.

"There is nothing strange about it, and it is not wrong at all. On the contrary, what you are doing is right. I'm sorry. I was trying to help you by getting rid of your principles. I pitied you because I convinced myself that you were in trouble."

The girl seemed distracted as she considered his words, then replied:

"That is right... that is completely right. I cannot believe you are trying to lecture me after forcing me to eat. What a rude person you are."

She turned her face away to look angry, while secretly pleased that she had finally understood and managed to give the proper reply. As Itsuki gathered his belongings to leave, he felt a little bad that he could do nothing for her. He said:

"Lina, is there anything you would like to have?"

"Something I would like to have? I don't quite understand."

"I mean something you desire. It does not have to be an object. Would you like to go somewhere, for example?"

She thought with a serious expression, as though she had remembered something important. She clasped her hands together and said, with embarrassment showing on her face:

"I would like to eat an apple again."

"An apple? You already guard an apple orchard. Surely you must be sick of them."

The girl's silence after he said this immediately made Itsuki understand why.

"You must be joking. You cannot even feed yourself from it? How have you managed to live here in this condition?"

The girl did not answer. She simply sat on the ground and searched for her stick.

"You realise that if nobody takes them, the apples will eventually spoil and become food for insects. You are simply throwing them away like this."

When the girl found her stick, she answered:

"That will not happen, because I am responsible for distributing the fruit to the poor in the nearby village. So it would be difficult for me to take someone else's share. The owner of the orchard told me to give the poor the entire harvest if he did not return."

"I cannot imagine you being able to walk anywhere alone with those eyes, so how do you harvest all these trees by yourself?"

The girl smiled.

"I do not do anything myself. The trees here are kind enough to do the work for me."

The girl raised her stick and tapped it lightly against the ground. The branches began to move and twist. Every tree began picking its fruit and gathering it in one place. The beautiful sight left Itsuki speechless and made him realise that even the trees had begun to love the girl and obey her commands.

"It is not only the trees. Even the animals will help me carry the apples."

A herd of deer appeared from every direction. They began gathering piles of apples with their broad antlers and placing them in small crates. Ropes were tied to the crates so that the deer could carry them on their backs.

"What is happening here exactly? How did you manage to do that?"

The girl looked serious as she asked again, and she answered simply:

"I just asked them. Is that strange?"

"As far as I know, I do not think any sane person talks to trees."

After several minutes, the trees had finished harvesting. The deer stood waiting for directions, loaded with crates of apples on either side of their bodies. One deer lowered itself beneath the little girl, and she climbed onto its back and whispered to it.

The deer led the herd towards the edge of the forest while Itsuki walked beside them carrying a crate of apples. Questions turned over in his head.

However I look at her, she is only a human girl. Since she has no eyes, it is impossible for her to be a user of Logos, one of the names for the Yin and the Yang. And yet she truly spoke with the trees. Why am I even thinking about this? It is not as though anything will change if I learn the reason.

At the edge of the King's Garden stood a small village overlooking a small lake. Its houses were dilapidated, and short grass had overrun its streets. The only inhabitants Itsuki could see were the elderly and the infirm, making the village resemble a care home or an exile for those who were no longer useful to society.

As soon as the people saw the herd of deer approaching, the weariness and despair vanished from their faces. They began calling to one another to welcome the little girl.

"Little Lina has come again. She's brought apples again."

Lina climbed down from the deer and lined the people up in front of her to give each of them their share, while Itsuki stood at a distance and watched quietly.

What he saw was entirely different from what he had expected.

The elderly did not seem to need food, nor did they appear to be in poor financial condition. Even so, they gathered around her like flies. When he saw their smiles and heard their laughter, he understood what was happening here.

The old people had simply been rotting slowly in this abandoned place. With no one to care for them or take an interest in them, they had lost the will to live. Then, two years earlier, a kind girl had visited the village and given each of them an apple filled with love and tenderness, with a gentle smile on her face. She had melted the ice around their hearts. At some point, the child had become a beloved granddaughter to everyone in the village.

They gathered around her, playing with her and teasing her to ease their own loneliness and hers, and to keep her company in the darkness. They convinced her that they were poor and needed the apples she gave them.

At regular intervals, one of them tried to persuade her to eat with them. Another tried to give her a pair of shoes that fit. Someone else offered her a dress with a straw hat. While they tried to spoil her, the girl only said, "Thank you, but I cannot take them."

After several hours, the deer left the village and headed towards their home in the forest.

The girl sat with the elderly and chatted with them. They teased and played with her as a way of thanking her. A short while later, she said goodbye and headed towards the exit with the help of an old man holding her hand. At the gate, she told him that she could return alone from there. The old man went back, still somewhat worried because she was blind.

At that moment, Itsuki took her hand.

They began walking along the grassy path.

The girl spoke with concern in her voice.

"When you suddenly disappeared, I was afraid that something serious had happened to you. Where were you all this time?"

"Actually, despite my handsome appearance, I have never been popular with ordinary people. So I try to avoid mixing with them without a reason."

"When you describe yourself as handsome, it sounds rather disgusting."

The girl said this while trying to free her hand from his.

"I was not trying to praise myself. I was only stating the truth."

"That makes you even worse. But I did not expect you to be this shy. There must be many kinds of thieves in the world."

Itsuki tightened his grip on her hand, making the girl twist in pain.

"I'll hit you!"

The girl replied while laughing and shedding tears from the pain.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry."

The boy groaned and continued walking, letting go of her hand. After a few steps, he said:

"If I bought apples for you, you wouldn't accept them, would you?"

"Huh? I don't understand."

The boy stopped and looked at her.

"I doubt you would accept them, so what do you think? Would you like to get a job and earn money to buy apples?"

The girl smiled and said eagerly:

"Are you finally going to teach me the methods of stealing and the skills of concealment?"

Itsuki replied irritably:

"No. But why are you so excited to learn something like that?"

"Because I have to become stronger to protect the orchard. The best way to deal with thieves is to know their methods."

"You say that as though there is something to steal in that place. In any case, I know someone who can help you find work. Would you like to go?"

For once, the girl did not directly object. She fidgeted and said:

"But I cannot leave the place at the moment."

The boy smiled.

"A short holiday will be fine. There is nothing to steal at present, is there? Stop complaining and let us go."

The girl tried to refuse, but she desperately wanted to taste an apple, so she gave in when Itsuki lifted her and seated her on his shoulders. He said:

"Once you finish your work, I will make you an apple pie with the money you earn. But first, hold on tightly, because I am going to run for a little while. The place is a little far away."

The girl held on tightly as Itsuki ran quickly through the green fields towards his next destination.