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LotteryAuthor: Kikuchi Kan
| Original Title | 入れ札 |
|---|---|
| Author | 菊池 寛 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the mist-shrouded mountains between Jōshū and Shinshū, a band of weary outlaws gathers at dawn. Led by the scarred and formidable Kunisada Chūji, they’ve narrowly escaped a brutal clash with authorities, their loyalty tested by exhaustion and hunger. Tensions simmer between grizzled veterans like Kurōsuke, clinging to faded glory, and brash youths like Asatarō, eager to prove their worth. When Chūji declares he’ll venture alone to Shinshū, refusing to risk his men further, the group erupts into chaos. A lottery is proposed to select three companions—a decision meant to ensure fairness but exposing hidden rivalries and desperation. As votes are cast, alliances fracture: pride clashes with pragmatism, and whispered betrayals surface. The chosen few march onward with Chūji, while those left behind grapple with shame and resentment. Amid autumn winds scattering discarded ballots, one man’s unraveling reveals the cost of honor in a world where survival trumps brotherhood. Secrets linger like the mountain fog—who rigged the vote? What fate awaits the abandoned?—as the curtain falls on broken bonds and unspoken regrets. |
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