Poisoned Soil: Reyneese, From A Distance

Poisoned Soil — entry IX. Reyneese discussed at distance, with no room for sentimentality.

Upper landing. Fog over Gilneas. Shiya looking in exactly one direction.

「あの人ひと のいる方角ほうがく ばかり見み ているのね。」 — You are staring toward her district.

「街まち には方角ほうがく がそう多おお くないもの。」 — The city only has so many directions.

「それでも、あなたはそこを選えら んだ。」 — And yet you found that one.

Shiya did not grant that this deserved offense.

“She is more dangerous than they think,” she said.

Hiyori waited with the expression of someone who had been expecting that sentence said correctly.

Reyneese’s danger wasn’t loud. She was dangerous because she had made continuity into discipline. Because she absorbed fracture without mistaking it for identity. Because she looked at broken people and began building structure around them. People called that kindness. Shiya preferred force.

「お茶ちゃ は偽装ぎそう よ。」 — Tea is camouflage.

That earned the smallest laugh.

「彼女かのじょ の日本語にほんご は？」 — And her Japanese?

「曖昧あいまい さに逃に げそうになる瞬間しゅんかん に、逃に げない。それが聴き こえる。」 — Refusing vagueness the moment she notices herself reaching for it. That is what I hear.

「それ以外いがい は？」 — And beyond that?

「長なが い時間じかん をかけて誤解ごかい されてきた人ひと が、文法ぶんぽう には誤解ごかい されまいとしている。」 — Someone misunderstood by history for a long time, refusing to be misunderstood by syntax as well.

Silence — because it was true.

“You’re fond of her,” Hiyori said.

「違ちが う。」 — No.

“You improve her on purpose.”

「そうね。」 — Yes.

“You notice when her language weakens around subjects that hurt.”

Shiya turned. Full elegance of irritation deployed.

「続つづ けてどうぞ。ほぼ証拠しょうこ が揃そろ ってきているわ。」 — Do continue. You’re nearly building a case.

「彼女かのじょ は優やさ しいんじゃない。継続けいぞく がうまいの。」 — She is not merely kind. She is extraordinarily good at continuity.

「だから人ひと は、壊こわ れたままでも彼女かのじょ の近ちか くにいられる。」 — That is why people can remain broken and still stay near her.