Poisoned Soil — entry VIII. Strategy in Common, pressure in Japanese.
The meeting had ended an hour ago. The basement still held the after-pressure of too many decisions and insufficient sleep.
Shiya remained because systems were still settling. Hiyori remained to inspect load-bearing points after everyone else had mistaken the meeting for over.
「ギスは構造 を引 き延 ばしている。」 — Gis is stretching the structure.
「勇敢 に。」 — Bravely.
「それはたいてい、高 くつくという意味 でもある。」 — That is often another word for expensively.
They used Common for logistics until Hiyori said Reyneese’s name.
That was when the language changed. Not dramatically. The way a blade changes angle.
「彼女 は盤面 に乗 せるには柔 らかすぎる。」 — She is too soft to place on the board directly.
「柔 らかいんじゃない。しなやかなだけ。」 — Not soft. Flexible.
Hiyori conceded the precision.
In Common, people defaulted to kind and missed the structure. Japanese put the distinction exactly where it belonged.
「それでも、中心 に近 づきすぎると、全体 の判断 が鈍 る。」 — Even so, if she gets too near the center, judgment across the structure dulls.
“You mean people become protective,” Shiya said in Common.
“I mean systems become compromised.”
“You mean people.”
“I said what I meant.”
「人 を勘定 に入 れない構造 は、最初 から欠陥 よ。」 — Any structure that does not account for people is defective from the beginning.
Hiyori’s eyes flashed. Approval and irritation were roommates in her.
“When we do this,” Hiyori said, “the room changes.”
「皆 、私 たちが正確 でいることに気 づくから。」 — Because everyone can tell we are being exact.
「秘密 というより、橋 ね。」 — Less a secret than a bridge.
「橋 であり、境界 でもある。」 — A bridge. And also a border.
“We will need both,” Hiyori said.
「同 じ言葉 を話 すことと、同 じ場所 に立 つことは違 う。でも、橋 は必要 よ。」 — Speaking the same language is not standing in the same place. But the bridge is still necessary.