Hyouka V 1 (You Cant Escape - The Niece Of Time).pdf - Hyouka - przemosta

1 - Letter from Benares

Dear Houtaru,

I am currently staying in Benares. Although in Japan this place is commonly

known as Benares, calling it Varanasi is probably more accurate in terms of

pronunciation.

Benares is a great town, Houtarou. This is a town of funeral ceremonies -

after all it has been since a long time ago. It seems like whoever dies here

can ascend directly to heaven. Or am I wrong?

Oh yes, this place is said to be "free from the wheel of reincarnation." What it

means is that dying here is equivalent to becoming an enlightened being in

the Buddhist sense. In China, a long austerity is required to reach this state of

"release". But here you simply pass away and then everything is okay.

Well, that's a pathetic story for the Chinese.

It might be a bit late, but congratulations for being successfully admitted into

high school. It is Kamiyama High School after all, isn't it? What a boring

choice. But congratulations anyway.

As your big-sis, let me give you, someone who has safely become a high

school student, a piece of advice.

Enter the Classics Club.

The Classics Club is a humanities club in Kami-High with a long tradition. Also,

you might already know this, but I also belonged to the club in the past.

I heard this from someone else, but it seems that our tradition-rich club has

had no newcomers for three years and currently has no members at all. If no

one joins the club this year it will be disbanded. As a former member of the

club it is certainly not something I can stand.

However, if there are newcomers in April then the situation will turn out

differently. Houtarou, safeguard the Classics Club, the youth of your big-sis.

For now you can join the club in name only.

Moreover, it's not really that bad of a club. It's particularly great in autumn.

After all, you don't have anything better to do, do you?

I'll call you after reaching New Delhi.

With love,

Tomoe

2 - The Rebirth of the Traditional Classics Club

It's often said that life in high school is rose-coloured. As the year 2000 comes

to an end, the arrival of the day that matches that description as defined by a

Japanese dictionary isn't too far off.

However, that doesn't mean that all high school students would wish for such

a rose-coloured life. Whether it's studying, sports or romance, there will

always be some people who would prefer a grey-coloured life rather than all

that; I know quite a few within my own reckoning. Still, it's quite a lonely way

to live one's life.

Here I was striking up a conversation of such a topic with my old friend

Fukube Satoshi in the classroom filled with the light of the sunset. As always,

Satoshi would carry a smiling face and say, "That's what I thought as well. By

the way, I never knew you were so masochistic."

How unfortunately wrong he was. So I protested, "Are you saying my life is

grey-coloured?"

"Did I say that? But Houtarou, whether it's studying, sports, or what was the

other one? Romance? I don't think you've ever been forward-looking in any of

those."

"I'm not exactly backward-looking either."

"Well, true,"

Satoshi's smile broadened.

"You're just 'saving energy' after all."

I gave my approval to that with a snort. It's fine as long as you understand that

I don't exactly hate getting myself active. I simply dislike wasting energy on

anything bothersome. My style is to save energy for the betterment of the

planet. In other words, "If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, make it

quick."

As I utter my motto, Satoshi would shrug his shoulders as usual.

"Whether it's energy saving or cynicism, it's the same thing, isn't it? Have you

ever heard of instrumentalism [1] ? "

"Nope."

"In short, it means that for a person like you who has no particular interest,

just by observing the fact that you have not joined any club here in Kamiyama

High, the Holy Land of high school club activities, makes you a grey-coloured

person."

"What? Are you saying death from murder is no different from death from

negligence?"

Satoshi answered without hesitation, "From a certain perspective, yeah.

Though it's a different matter completely if you're trying to convince a dead

person that his death is due to your negligence in order to exorcise his soul."

"..."

Cheeky bastard. I once again looked at the person before me. Fukube

Satoshi, my old friend, worthy opponent and deadly rival, is rather short for a

guy. Even as a high school student, he could be mistaken as a feminine-

looking weakling, but he's totally different on the inside. It's quite difficult to

explain just what that difference is ー anyway, he just feels different. Besides

carrying a smile all the time, he's always seen with a drawstring bag, as well

as his trademark cheekiness. He's also a member of the Handicraft Club,

don't ask me why.

Arguing with him is just a waste of energy. I waved my hand to signify the end

of this conversation.

"Yeah, whatever. Just go home already."

"Yeah, you're right. I haven't got any club activities today... maybe I'll go

home."

As Satoshi stretched his waist, he suddenly realized something and looked at

me.

"'Go home already'? That's rare hearing that from you."

Hyouka V 1 (You Cant Escape - The Niece Of Time).pdf

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