Chapter 14 Stars? Stars.
So, the simple question right now is, does Hei really have no money at all? From all the bandits and danger beasts Hei has killed on the way to the capital, it is natural for him to accumulate some savings. Logically speaking, is it really wise to give out all your money at the entrance gate?
Of course not.
Did Hei lie to Tatsumi? The answer is positive. Why did he lie to a naïve boy that is completely broke in this unfamiliar environment? Does he have any conscious?
That is an interesting question.
The reason is simple: Hei does not care. An artificial human being does understanding the concepts of kindness and share, but understanding does not mean pursuing. Strictly speaking, the relationship between Hei and Tatsumi was never that of mutualism. Analyzing what Hei has done to Tatsumi and what Tatsumi has done to Hei, Hei was completely using the innocent boy as a distraction from his own criminal records. The relationship can be described as something between commensalism and parasitism. For humans, this relationship can be easily classified as disgusting or just purely evil, but Hei does not give a crap.
It was Tatsumi's idea to buy the blond lady a drink, it was Tatsumi who wanted to join the military, it was Tatsumi's money, and it was Tatsumi's naivety that caused him his own properties.
Hei is the empire's Most Wanted; therefore, it would be extremely hard for him to establish a stable income source in the capital itself. Even though it can be done with his supernatural thinking skills, it is always safe to have a financial backup before he does anything.
As a result, why would Hei pay for Tatsumi's little misfortune? He has enough trouble himself.
"So, Hei, let's just rest here tonight. We will come up with something tomorrow, right?"
Passing over a thick overcoat to the man in front of him, Tatsumi decides to lean against the statue in the Central Square.
"I guess I will just have to try the military again tomorrow…" Holding up his head, the boy murmurs quietly to himself.
"Not worthwhile."
Taking over Tatsumi's overcoat, Hei also leans on the side of the statue. Perhaps as appreciation, Hei continues to answer Tatsumi's inner struggle.
"High chance of fatality, hard work, and no promise of retirement benefits. If you would like to gather financial aid to your village, it would be easier to start a trading business. With your hunting skills, merchants will be very willing to accept your partnership. Furthermore, as a freelancer, you can have absolute control over your choice of action, lowering the chance of fatality, the time span of unending workload, and the possibility of no financial savings after retirement."
"No, no, no, Hei, I think you misunderstood my intentions. The heavy taxation from the capital is depriving everything my village has to offer. What I want is political power, and being a high-ranking officer will probably grant me the chance to change the heavy taxes…"
"So many stars."
Maybe Hei was not listening to Tatsumi from the first place, but it was his instincts that cut the young boy's statement off.
Tatsumi drops his baggage onto the ground, dumbfounded.
Due to the fact that Hei took off his glasses just now, Tatsumi can clearly see Hei's eyes without any obstacles. From his experience, Tatsumi can tell that pair of dark eyes are definitely expressing something. Is it contentment? Is it confusion? Is it loneliness? It is really hard to tell. Maybe it is a mixture of all three, but perhaps even Hei himself cannot answer that question.
"Stars?" Turning his head again, Tatsumi looks up to the night sky. "So many" is definitely exaggerating. Only about six to seven loosely packed stars can be clearly seen in the middle of the night.
…
"Is that a lot? Wow, Hei, you really have no idea about stars, do you?" Feeling that he finally knows something Hei does not, Tatsumi puts on his refreshing smile again, "In my village, you can see layers after layers of shining stars like a mattress covering the universe. It is really beautiful."
"Your village is a good place."
…
Stunned. Completely stunned. Is that admiration Tatsumi is hearing? Admiration from this emotionless and analytical Hei? To Tatsumi, this sentence is earth-shattering and heaven-breaking, and a cold shiver quickly sneaks up his spine… Hei can be really, really scary when he is showing… emotions.
Wait, emotions? What?
No way.
No way.
…
"Um… I can show you one day when you visit my village…" Trying desperately to hold himself in one piece, Tatsumi decides to give a neutral response from that shocking statement.
"Oh?"
Eyeing the boy for a brief second, Hei turns his head toward the small group of stars again.
The quivering wind brings alongside the coolness of the night. Standing in the middle of the Central Square, Hei's mind is undergoing something that he does not understand.
"Why am I expressing a positive attitude toward an inanimate object? In fact, why am I expressing a positive attitude toward anything?"
Putting on his glasses slowly, Hei focus on the stars once again.
"What an incompetent reaction."