Pathway to Japanese Literature

Professor Naranoki was a specialist in gemology. One evening, to Professor Naranoki’s small house, of the Shell Fire Brothers Company, the Red-Nosed Manager came. “Professor, there’s an order for extremely high-quality opals—might I trouble you to search for them? However, they want only the absolute highest-grade specimens. After all, the client is an extravagant nouveau riche from Greenland; they won’t easily settle for commonplace specimens.” Professor Naranoki held a cigar sideways in his mouth, looked up diagonally at the mica-papered ceiling and listened.

The ceiling covered with mica paper, he looked up obliquely and listened. "I'm terribly sorry to trouble you so often, but what do you say to this?"

Thereupon Professor Naranoki,

He grinned wryly and took his cigar.

“Yeah, I’ll look into it for you. If you want good opals, I should search for rhyolitic glass. I’ll look into it for you. Once I actually set out searching, my feet will surely head straight to where the gems are. And when I go to a mountain where there are gems, my feet strangely won’t move. It’s intuition, you see. Well, that’s precisely why it can be a nuisance sometimes. For example, back in July 1919, when I took on a commission from America’s Giant Arm Company to search for rubies in Burma, sure enough, my feet ended up heading toward the ruby mountain. Then, even after properly finding them, when I try to return, my legs just won’t move. In other words, between me and gemstones, there’s a mysterious attraction at work—the ardent desire of those deeply buried rubies to emerge into sunlight is probably what my leg nerves are sensing. I was actually in quite a bind that time too. It took me eleven hours just to get down from the mountain, you know. But that’s what’s now the Bararage Ruby Mine.”

“Oh dear, what an extraordinary misfortune that must have been.” “But how do you suppose it will proceed?” “Might this time too unfold in such a manner?” “It will most certainly unfold that way.” “However, should I find myself preoccupied—say, utterly exhausted, pursued by wolves, or in a state of heightened nerves—under such circumstances, I might momentarily cease to sense that peculiar attraction.” “Nevertheless, I shall venture forth regardless.” “I’ll return without fail within a fortnight.”

“Then I earnestly entrust this matter to you.” “This is truly a trifling sum, but please regard it as intended for your immediate travel expenses.”

of the Shell Fire Brothers Company, The Red-Nosed Manager,

a mouse-colored envelope,

He took it out from his coat’s inner pocket. “Is that so.”

Professor Naranoki paid no particular heed,

He extended his hand and swept up the envelope,

He threw it into his own coat pocket.

“Then I humbly entrust this matter entirely to your care.”

And then the Red-Nosed Manager of the Shell Fire Brothers Company, The Red-Nosed Manager left.

The next day，someone among you gentlemen， surely at Ueno Station，

wearing an impossibly long overcoat, carrying a strange gray bag-like backpack, seeming to weigh as much as seven kilograms, a splendid large hammer,

They must have seen the gentleman holding it. That was Professor Naranoki.

He had set out to search for gemstones. Due precisely to his departure—Professor Naranoki’s—

It was precisely because he had set out that the thing called camping occurred.

It was precisely three nights of camping that occurred.

First Night of Camping

Around 4:00 PM on April 20th,

The aforementioned Professor Naranoki "Hmm, this river course looks suspicious. Indeed, this river course looks suspicious." while muttering to himself, bent his body deeply with his eyes wide open, scrutinizing the gravel at his feet, like a rabbit bouncing lightly, climbed up the western bank of the Kuzumaru River.

He climbed up the large riverbed. Both sides were exceedingly precipitous mountains. Professor Naranoki proceeded ever onward upstream.

But finally, the day set.

The mountains on both sides, ignoring Professor Naranoki’s determined efforts,

The mountains steadily and rapidly darkened into night. Above them, a face faintly emerged.

The distant snow-capped mountain range, glowed a desolate silver,

A palm-shaped black cloud drifted back and forth above them.

And then on a narrow wild plain along the riverbank,

Flickering red wildfires crept,

A white bird that closely resembled a hawk sliced sharply through the wind. Professor Naranoki paid no heed to such things.

He still tried to continue endlessly upstream along the river.

However, night finally came. By now even the riverbed stones you couldn’t tell whether they were red or black.

"This won’t do. It's already night. I’d better get some sleep. Tonight, after quite a long time, I’ll be sleeping out in the pleasant open air. Good idea, good idea! Maybe I should sleep on the grass. While dried grass would certainly be good for that, if a wildfire were to catch me while I slept, there’d be no arguing with it. Alright, alright, I’ll sleep on this rock. It’s practically a bed. Hmm, it’s really soft. This is a fine bed!"

The rock was actually soft and moreover was white like a bedsheet.

However, when Professor Naranoki,

He stretched out his arm and removed his backpack,

He bent his elbow while still wearing his coat, when he flopped down,

White powder clung to the back of his coat. It had completely covered it.

Of course, the professor was unaware of this. Even if he had known about it,

he was not one to hastily leap up in alarm.

The water of that vast riverbed,

It roared as it flowed near the opposite shore, In the faint bluish-purple light of the sky,

The mountains stood black and looming massively.

Professor Naranoki gazed at them while lying still,

He began muttering to himself again. "Ah, those are volcanic necks. Volcanic necks. Volcanic necks. No doubt."

At this, Professor Naranoki, feeling quite pleased with himself, lying on his back and waving his hands,

he began delivering a lecture on volcanic necks.

“Gentlemen, to put it plainly, a volcanic neck is a thick rod of rock protruding just a neck’s length from the earth’s crust.” “That neck itself constitutes an entire mountain.” “Yes.” “It forms a mountain.” “Hmph.” “If you ask how such peculiar formations came to be—that’s perfectly straightforward.” “Yes—imagine a volcano here.” “It erupts lava.” “This lava ascends from deep within the crust as a massive column.” “As the volcano gradually weakens, its fiery core cools completely.” “The lava column solidifies.” “Then over eons, wind and water erode the volcano away.” “Until finally—whittled down bit by bit—the upper layers vanish entirely, leaving only that hardened lava pillar barely intact.” “This pillar typically protrudes just its neck-like portion to form a solitary peak.” “That is what we call a volcanic neck.” “Ah! Marvelous! So this—all this—is but dream-mist... mist... mist... mist... mist...” And indeed—those mouse-gray volcanic necks—those very mouse-gray necks standing in perfect ranks, now exchanging knowing glances, now striking solitary poses toward the heavens—proved most diverting. “Heh.”

Indeed, that was exactly the case—the four black peaks ahead were the four brothers’ volcanic necks, gradually pushing up from the ground.

Gradually, they pushed up from the ground.

Professor Naranoki’s jubilation was positively outrageous. “Ah! These must be the four Rakushan brothers. Now I get it! They are the four Rakushan brothers. There, there.”

As if on command, the volcanic necks

they had pushed up to chest level,

[They] stood lined up and soared high into the sky. The rightmost one was

Undoubtedly Rakushan First Son his jet-black hair disheveled his large eyes glaring fiercely toward the sky he kept gaping his mouth open and shut repeatedly He seemed to be shouting something, but

That voice couldn’t be heard at all.

The second from the right was

Undoubtedly, this was Rakushan Second Son. He slept with his long jaw resting on both hands. Next came Rakushan Third Son, blinking his gentle eyes restlessly. The far left one was Rakushan Fourth Son, the youngest, raising his dreamlike black eyes.

Rakushan Fourth Son gazed fixedly at the eastern plateau. When Professor Naranoki tried to get a better look at the four brothers by sitting up, suddenly Rakushan First Son roared like thunder: “What are you dawdling for? Crush everything! Burn it all! Shatter it to pieces! Hurry up and do it!”

Professor Naranoki was startled, hurriedly lay back down again, and even went so far as to feign sleep with snoring.

He stealthily continued watching with a sidelong glance. However, that previous roar didn’t seem to have been directed at the Professor either. For Rakushan First Son was

he remained facing the sky

he indeed continued his thunderous roaring. “What are you all dawdling for?!” “Crush it! Crush it! Blast it away!” “Blast it away!” “Spew fire violently!” “Prepare the lava!” “Lava!” “Hurry up.” “Damn it!” “How long are you going to keep dawdling?!” “Prepare the lava!” “It’s already been two million years!” “Make ash rain down! Make ash rain down!” “Why aren’t you preparing faster?”

The quiet Rakushan Third Son

The quiet Rakushan Third Son calmed his brother and spoke thus.

“Brother. “Please rest a little.” “Isn’t this such a quiet evening?” The elder brother paid no heed and shouted again. “Blow away half the Earth!” “Clash stones against each other in the sky and cause roiling purple sheet lightning.” “Make thunder roar from jet-black ash clouds.” “Hah! You spineless cowards!” “Make it rain down, make it rain down! Drown the sea in glittering lava!” “Use the bubbles rising from the sea to blot out the sun! Make every last creature from surviving elephants down to the lowliest insects breathe in ash! Hah! You beasts! What are you dawdling for?”

The young Rakushan Fourth Son

He smiled and began to calm his brother. “Big Brother, please don’t get so worked up.” “Mr. Ihatobu is laughing again in the sky over there.”

Then this time, he muttered in a low voice. "I wish I had a silver crown like that too."

Even Rakushan’s violent First Son

Even Rakushan’s violent First Son calmed down a bit and looked at his brother. “Well alright then. You just prepare properly and attain Ihatobu’s status in the next eruption. “You’ll get to decorate nine months out of twelve with that crown.”

The young Rakushan Fourth Son

He paid no heed to his elder brother's words, gazing through starlight at the distant eastern cloud-covered plateau as he muttered nostalgically: "I can't see Ms. Himuka tonight. That jet-black cloud fellow is truly a nasty one—for four days now, he's been hiding Ms. Himuka and Ms. Himuka's mother under his mantle. I wonder if I should erupt once and blast that fellow away."

The Rakushan Third Son

He smiled slightly and spoke to his younger brother. “He’s very angry, isn’t he? What’s wrong with him?” “Yeah.” “That eastern cloud guy?” “He’s making rain tonight. Ms. Himuka’s serpentine kimono must be soaked through as well.” “Brother. Ms. Himuka is truly beautiful, isn’t she? Brother. The other day, I threw some dogtooth violets from here for her. I gave white kobushi flowers to Ms. Himuka’s mother. Then the west wind silently carried them away for me.”

“Is that so? “Hah! “Fine then. “That cloud’ll clear by tomorrow morning. “When the sun rises, Ms. Himuka’ll come wearing her brand-new dazzling blue kimono and greet you first thing for sure. “That’s already set in stone.”

“But Brother.” “I wonder what kind of flowers I should give her this time.” “There aren’t any flowers left where I am anymore.”

“Well, I have primroses where I am. I’ll give them to you.” “Thank you, Brother.” “Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting?”

The volatile Rakushan First Son blew his gold-dust roar high into the night sky.

He blew it high into the night sky. “What’s this ‘Himuka’?” “Himuka.” Himuka refers to that mountain girl over there. You weakling! “Haven’t I told you time and again to quit messing around with that thing?” “After all, we were born from fire—we’re nothing like those pale water-bred weaklings!”

The Rakushan Fourth Son dejectedly hung his head, but the quiet elder brother calmed the eldest brother for his younger sibling’s sake.

He calmed the eldest brother for his younger brother’s sake.

“Brother, Ms. Himuka’s lineage is noble. She was born from fire—a splendid olivine gabbro.”

The Rakushan First Son became even more enraged, let out a magnificent gold-dust roar, and sent it up like fire. “I know.” “Himuka is olivine gabbro.” “She was born from fire.” “That’s all well and good.” “But if that’s the case, when exactly did she ever stage a spectacular eruption like ours?” “She was ascending all the way to the surface but got tired and quit halfway.” “Now, thanks to the earth’s crust creeping upward and the wind and air, they stand shoulder to shoulder with us—but by origin, they’re fundamentally different from us in how they came to be.” “You lot still don’t properly grasp our work.” “Our work is this: in the deepest bowels of the earth’s crust, we collect magma melted to utter exhaustion and steam crushed like ancient cotton under pressure. Then, when the moment comes, we tear apart a massive black mountain chunk into smithereens and burst forth.”

Compacting smoke and fire, we hurl them into the sky. Colliding stone against stone, we generate lightning. Gathering a million thunderbolts, we make the ground rumble. Just then—as if Professor Naranoki had heard my roar—he startled and shook his head unsteadily. Ha ha ha.

“Mountains and seas alike are all buried in thick ash. It becomes as flat as an athletic field. Our souls may dance only upon that hot ash. You see? Everyone’s already in an uproar. Now then, when that smoke settles and the air clears beautifully, what do we do? We’ve grown so tall we practically reach the sky, wearing crowns of silver or platinum as if nothing ever happened, standing there perfectly composed.”

The Rakushan Third Son

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke. “Brother, I simply cannot abide such things.” “I do not wish to bury my surroundings in hot ash just to tower alone above all else.” “Water and air are always trying to make the ground flat, you see.” “And they themselves will always flow ever downward—I believe that approach is truer than yours.”

The volatile Rakushan First Son At that moment laughed a glittering laugh, his form sparkling as he did so. (I’d never witnessed such a bizarre manner of laughing—never seen anything like it— how astonishing... utterly magnificent.)

Professor Naranoki thought.

The volatile Rakushan First Son After glowing for quite some time,

Finally calmed down, he spoke thus.

“Water and air, huh? They come from morning till night right by our ears, yammering about world peace and chipping away at your arrogance or whatever, sneaking around every day grinding us down—but it’s all a complete lie. From what I gather, they sneak off to coasts with fluffy black soil and beautiful green fields—pretending not to notice a thing—digging ditches here, building moats there. Honestly, it’s downright appalling, they say. It isn’t worth talking about or anything, I tell you.”

The Rakushan Third Son also

The Rakushan Third Son also burst into loud laughter. “Brother. Somehow, such forced, sarcastic, theatrical lines don’t suit you at all.” However, the Rakushan First Son Contrary to expectations, he didn’t even fly into a rage.

Glittering, he roared loudly,

He laughed and laughed and laughed. The deluge of laughter flowed through the sky, going far, far to the south and rumbled like half-awake thunder. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s stop with these petty arguments that don’t suit our style anymore.” “We’ve done wrong by our father.” “Father apparently had nine glaciers.” “At that time, this whole area was apparently covered in snow and ice, home to polar bears, arctic foxes, and all sorts of creatures.” “Father passed away when I was born.”

Suddenly, Rakushan's youngest son shouted. “Fire’s burning. “Fire’s burning. “Big Brother. “Big Brother. “Look! “It’s spreading more and more.”

Rakushan First Son shouted in surprise.

“Lava, at the ready!” “Make the ash fall! Hah! Damn it! What’s this—a wildfire?!”

At that voice, the Rakushan Second Son— startled and opened his eyes, [he] raised his long jaw, [he]—as if riveted—

He stared at the wildfire for a while.

“Did someone do this?” “Who is it? Who is it, at this hour?” “What’s this—a wildfire?!” “Sweeping the ground’s grit with a swish—there’s no use for such efforts.”

Then the Rakushan First Son laughed with a somewhat mean-spirited air, waved his hands in a flapping manner, and shouted: “Stone! Fire!” “Lava!” “At the ready!” “Hmph.”

He shouted.

The foolish Rakushan Second Son was immediately roped into the commotion and began to panic, flushing red in the face as he called out, “Hey Bro, let’s give a bark.”

he said.

The brother laughed,

“Even if you bark once now—for hundreds of thousands of years, you’ve been snoring away. Even so—do you still have some strength left after all?” The lazy younger brother spoke but a single word. “None.” he answered. Then once more, he placed his long jaw on his arm, He fell soundly, soundly asleep.

The quiet Rakushan Third Son

The quiet Rakushan Third Son said to the Rakushan Fourth Son, “The sky has lightened up considerably. Tomorrow morning will surely be clear.” “Hmm, there aren’t any hawks out tonight.” The older brother laughed and tested the younger brother.

“I wonder if the hawk chicks got burned in that wildfire earlier.” The younger brother answered wisely. “The hawk chicks’ feathers have already grown quite sturdy. Moreover, since they’re quite strong, they must have escaped without getting burned.”

The older brother laughed pleasantly. “In that case—good enough. Now then—we older brothers shall rest properly.” “That Professor Naranoki fellow is sleeping soundly too.” “He’s been watching our dreams since earlier, you know.”

Then Rakushan Fourth Son gave a sly chuckle and said, “In that case，I’ll give them a good scare.” Rakushan Third Son， “Stop it，stop it! Don’t play pranks.”

[The Rakushan Third Son] tried to stop him, but

The mischievous younger brother paid no heed to this, stuck out a large, long, glowing tongue,

He licked Professor Naranoki’s forehead with a slurp.

Professor Naranoki was terribly startled, Even so, laughing, he opened his eyes. He shuddered sharply from the cold.

Before he knew it, the sky had completely cleared, As if the entire expanse was twinkling with stars,

Four jet-black volcanic necks had exactly regained their original forms, stood motionless in a row.

Camping: Second Night

Our dear Professor Naranoki

wearing that long overcoat bathed his back fully in the setting sun,

He appeared thoroughly exhausted, often as if biting at the air while letting out big yawns, walking briskly along the flat Kumaide Highway.

Suddenly, on the right side of the road, a desolate, large quarry gaped open and spread out.

The quarry gaped open and spread out before him. The professor cleared his throat.

As he entered inside,

He picked up a triangular stone fragment. "Hmm, hornblende granite here too," he muttered. Muttering to himself, he studied it intently. Looking around, he saw the quarry—

The stonecutters seemed to have returned home,

A small bamboo grass hut

A small bamboo grass hut sat lonely in a corner.

"This works nicely. Perfect. Imagine standing at someone’s gate saying ‘Good evening! I’m a traveler caught out after dark—’ ‘Please let me stay tonight.’ ‘I’ve brought my own food, no need for any preparations’—ugh, even thinking about that routine makes me sick. So I’ll bed down here tonight." Professor Naranoki adjusted his large round spectacles

adjusted his spectacles slightly and smirked

He entered the hut. On the earthen floor were four stone fragments— they served as a hearth, and beside them some firewood was also piled there.

Professor Naranoki struck a match, built a fire, and then took out some biscuits, munching away on them and jotting things down in his notebook. He spent some time like this, finally stoked the fire vigorously, and flopped down onto the straw. In the middle of the night, Professor Naranoki—"Brr, it’s cold!"—even as he spoke, suddenly bolted upright and looked around,

The firewood had already burned out. It had become nothing but cold ashes.

Professor Naranoki hurriedly added firewood. The fire began burning red and cheerfully. Professor Naranoki spread his chest and warmed himself thoroughly. Then he stepped outside for a moment. The Twentieth-Day Moon hung in the east. The air was colder than water,

Professor Naranoki stamped his feet for a while. Then put a cigarette in his mouth and struck a match. "Hmm, it's truly quiet. Still three and a half hours until dawn."

Muttering to himself, he entered the hut.

while gazing vacantly at the campfire

he lay down on the straw

folding his hands over his head He began to doze off.

Suddenly, near the area below his head,

He heard small voices conversing. “Don’t push your elbows out like that. You’ll make my side develop a strain.” “Oh, what a strange thing to say. When exactly did I push anything?” “You’re shoving so hard! Honestly—have you absorbed so much moisture lately that you’ve expanded this much?” “Oh, could that really be about me? Couldn’t it be you? You’ve been trying to press down on me with your head lately.”

Professor Naranoki opened his eyes wide.

He sat up and looked around, but no one seemed to be there. The voices gradually grew louder.

“What’s so terrible? You’re the one who’s changed lately—maybe you’ve gotten a bit puffed up and turned downright mean-spirited.” “Well now, are you really the one to criticize me for stretching my limbs a little? Just think back 102,000 years.”

“What does some hundred thousand years ago matter?” “It’s from even earlier! Hundreds of thousands, millions, tens of millions—have you forgotten that time from fifteen million years ago?” “Surely you haven’t forgotten that, have you?” “If you hadn’t forgotten, how could you possibly push against my side with your elbow like this now?”

Upon hearing these words, He was utterly astonished. They really do have excellent memories. What? Have you forgotten that time from fifteen million years ago? Surely you couldn't have forgotten... Hmm. I'm utterly impressed by this—who on earth are you? What strangely clever fellows these are.

Professor Naranoki slowly rose up again

He looked around but found nothing.

The voices grew even louder. "That may be true—you are my senior. But what does that matter?" "What do you mean it doesn’t matter? When I finally completed my skeletal structure and personality and breathed a sigh of relief, what kind of noise do you think you made right at my feet? That’s how it was."

“Pardon me, Honburen-sama—I too should like to extend myself slightly here.” “If you would be so kind—pray allow me to take hold at the very tip of your honorable foothold for but a moment.” “Well now—those were precisely your words.”

Professor Naranoki clapped his hands. "Hah! I see now. One must be Honburen-sama and another Hornblende. So who's their counterpart? I couldn't figure it out. But heh—this was fascinating. At last today's debate had begun. Yes—this is exactly why camping never loses its charm." Professor Naranoki prepared a fresh cigarette.

He took out a cigarette and lit a match.

The voices grew even louder. However, no matter how loud they grew, At best, they were like a mosquito’s marching song. “That may indeed be true, but how did you respond to it? ‘No, that’s out of the question! Please consult with someone else,’ you dismissed it so grandly.” “Oh, well, never mind that.” “Even so, you went ahead and latched onto the tip of my foot without a care.” “Well, do you really think that was possible?” “Though I suppose a certain someone managed it.”

“Don’t get snide with me.” “I didn’t latch onto you.” “Your foot was right at the head of my skeletal structure.” “I consulted Jikko-san, who formed way before you.” “Even now, I’m looking after Jikko-san with the greatest care.”

Professor Naranoki laughed delightedly. “Ha ha ha! So Jikko-san refers to magnetite, huh? I’ve got it now—the one you’re quarreling with is Biotite.” “Come to think of it, there must be a piece of granite around here somewhere. The minerals inside it are chattering away.”

Sure enough, beneath Professor Naranoki's head lay about the size of a Chinese six-sen silver coin a fragment of granite was lying there.

Professor Naranoki grinned even more broadly. “Is that so? “In that case, fine by me.” “A thankless wretch like you should just turn to clay already!” “Oh, you’ve put a curse on me.” “I’m not backing down either.” “Come on, a [something] like you—”

“Please wait a moment. What in the world have you all been fighting about since earlier?” Two new voices began to be heard clearly together. “Mr. Orthoclase. Please don’t interfere. It’s just that I can’t make heads or tails of this guy here.” “Mr. Twin. Please don’t interfere either. It’s just that this guy here is so damn ungrateful.” “Ah,” Professor Naranoki muttered with delight, “the twin crystal Orthoclase has intervened to mediate. This is truly fascinating.”

Professor Naranoki warmed his hands over the campfire. He said joyfully, grinning from ear to ear.

Two voices were heard again.

“Now, quiet down. Haven’t we endured—truly endured—bound tightly together through such an immensely long time in that pitch-black darkness? Withstood both the violent pressure from all around and that splendidly intense heat? Didn’t we all hold ourselves back from nearly going mad when overwhelmed by that heat and force?” “That’s right—absolutely true,” came the reply. “But tell me—is it truly good when someone leans on others through hardship only to envy them once relieved?”

“What did you say?”

“Wait, wait, just wait a moment. All right? And now we’ve finally seen the sun, haven’t we? That sun we’re seeing now is nothing like what we heard about from the conglomerate back when we were buried deep in the earth—isn’t it a world of difference?” “Yes, that’s already quite different. In the conglomerate’s account, they said the sun was bright red and the sky was brown, but now that we look, the sun is pure white and the sky is deep blue. That one was lying.”

The twins’ voices were heard again. “Well now, but perhaps when that Mr. Conglomerate was mere gravel long ago, he truly did see a brown sky.” “Is that so? In any case, both telling lies and repaying kindness with spite are equally wicked deeds.” “What’s that? Are you talking about me? Very well then—I’m prepared! Let’s duel! A duel!”

“Now, wait.” “Ah, how happy we were when we saw that sun.” “How we must have shouted!” “We didn’t know what fifteen million years of light meant.” “Back then, the steel hammer went clang clang right through our heads, you know.” “In the distance, someone was shouting, ‘Ah, you all will finally emerge into the sunlight!’—and already we were trying to figure out which of us would merge with whom and which would have to part.” “We had no idea at all, you know.” “We all kept shouting ‘Goodbye, goodbye,’ you know.” “Then suddenly, everything lit up all at once, and we went flying up into the sky, you know.” “At that time, I think I saw something red glowing outside the sun, you know.”

“I saw that too.” “I saw it too, you know. What do you think that was?” The professor laughed again. “That’s clearly a spark from the tip of a chisel.” “It must have gone ‘snap’.” “And it must have been hot.” However, as for the professor’s voice—

The professor’s voice did not reach the wretched minerals.

“Then what will become of us from now on?”

The twins’ voices were heard again. “Well, it doesn’t seem like there’s anything particularly pleasant ahead for us.” “I heard this before from the conglomerate, but it seems if we stay like this, we’ll either be buried back in the earth or just end up separated into sand or clay.” “Even if we stay inside this little hut, we won’t find any security.” “Whether we’re inside or out, once just two thousand years pass, we’ll all end up the same way anyway.”

Professor Naranoki was completely astonished.

“Truly quite philosophical, weren’t they. “Whether they stayed inside this hut or out—once a mere two thousand years passed—they’d just turn into grains of clay or sand. Truly philosophical indeed.” At that moment came a sudden crackling.

Then Biotite started crying.

“Aah! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It huuurts!” “Mr. Biotite! What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” “We have to call Mr. Plađo right away!” “Ah! So ‘Mr. Plađo’ refers to plagioclase—since he’s pale, that’s why he’s their doctor.”

Professor Naranoki muttered and strained his ears. “Mr. Plađo! Mr. Plađo!” “Mr. Plađo!” “Coming!” “Mr. Biotite is suffering from severe abdominal pain.” “Please examine him quickly.” “Coming! No, there’s nothing particularly worrying.” “He must have caught a cold.”

“Ah! So when these guys catch a cold, their stomachs hurt. That must be weathering.”

Professor Naranoki removed his glasses. He wiped them with a half-width cloth and muttered. “Mr. Plađo! “Please hurry! “I’ve just passed out.” “Coming! “I’m gradually turning that way now.” “There we go.” “Yes, yes.” “Now this… I see.” “Hmm.” “Let me check your pulse now.” “Next, your tongue... Ah, looks good.” “And he says the preparatory surface of the eighteenth cleavage plane hurts.” “Ah, I see. Hmm... No, understood.” “This illness is truly dangerous, I must say.” “Moreover, your body has been suffering from chronic chlorosis since our time in the earth’s depths and has significantly softened, so I must say there’s truly no hope of recovery.”

The patient whimpered.

“Doctor! What is my illness? When will I die?” “Well, while patients need not know their diagnosis, this is early-stage lepidolite disease—one of what we call wind diseases. As they say, colds breed all maladies. Now, your second inquiry concerned lifespan? Indeed, even at maximum, it shan’t endure ten thousand years. Regrettably, it shan’t endure ten thousand years.”

“Aah! That Hornblende guy’s curse took effect.”

“No, no. That’s not the case. Indeed, contracting wind disease and turning into soil is truly a fate none of us can escape. Truly.” “Ah, Mr. Plađo. What treatment should I receive to recover?” “Now, crying like that is the worst thing you could do. Twisting your body and creating gaps in cleavage planes and their preparatory surfaces is even worse. If you’re exposed to wind, it will bring about the end of your illness. If you’re exposed to sunlight, your condition will intensify. If exposed to frost, your condition will advance. If exposed to dew, your condition will progress thusly. If exposed to snow, your symptoms will deteriorate. Remaining still is even worse. Rather than that—ah—it would be better to close your mind’s eye and resign yourself to contemplation. What is this thing we fear called death? What is its essence? Standing at life-and-death’s rocky precipice—strange… Wait, strange… No, this won’t do—it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—”

“Mr. Plađo, Mr. Plađo, pull yourself together.” “What on earth has happened to you?” “Hmm, I too, hmm, am among those with wind disease, hmm, hmm.” “You must be in pain—this has truly become a pitiable situation.”

“Hmm, hmm—no, it’s not painful.” “Hmm.” “Is there some treatment you could provide?” “Hmm, hmm… The truth is, I too had contracted kaolin disease from beneath the ground, hmm… Mr. Orthoclase, Mr. Orthoclase.” “Hmm… Now I shall disclose it to you.” “You too have exactly the same illness as I do.” “Hmm.” “Ah… So it was indeed as I feared?” “Truly, truly, truly, really, really—ow, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.”

Then came Hornblende’s voice.

“What a terribly nervous person.” “Then those who aren’t sick are just me and Mr. Quartz.” “Hmm hmm—that Hornblen shares Biotite’s affliction.” “Ah! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!”

“Oh dear, oh dear, everyone is so terribly weak.” “The healthy one is me alone.” “Hmm, hmm—it’s a pity about Mr. Quartz too, but gas from hollow combustion is the cause. Hmm.” “Hmm.” “Ah! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!” "—ttt.” “What a terrible doctor.” “A quack of a Chinese medicine doctor, huh?” “So everyone’s finally weathering away, I guess.”

Professor Naranoki once again began to

[He] put his tobacco in his mouth and smirked.

Beneath his ear lay the minerals,

The minerals were shouting in unison. “Ah! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It—ttt.”

Everyone’s voices gradually grew softer. At last，they fell completely silent. “Hmm… Have they all died？ Or have I just stopped hearing them？” “Or perhaps I’ve simply stopped hearing them？”

Professor Naranoki took a fragment of granite and picked it up in his hand to examine it intently.

He flicked it with a snap to the opposite corner. He then added a log to the fire.

By then, it was already dawn. Professor Naranoki took from his backpack two packs of rolled tobacco and, in gratitude for the log, placed them on the straw.

He shouldered his backpack and left the hut.

The quarry walls were completely white, Only on their western faces

Moonlight was reflected.

Third Night of Camping

(I really was a bit reckless in how I accepted this job.) To promise to find opals so splendid they'd astonish some Greenland nouveau riche within two weeks—that really was reckless. Coming to a deserted coast like this and walking around pensively in the evening makes me feel utterly pathetic about how I went around telling half-baked lies to those red-nosed fellows in Tokyo's city center. Just look at how gloomy this shale is! I'm really getting sick of it all. What's more, the sea's turned dark and I still haven't come across any rhyolitic glass. And tonight I still have to camp out again. Two nights of camping are one thing, but three nights straight is downright unbearable. But ah well—it can't be helped. (As long as I have biscuits left, walking and camping out—and if I get to see some interesting dreams—that makes it all worthwhile.)

That familiar Professor Naranoki

with both hands thrust into his backpack, arching his back slightly, deep in thought while the mouse-gray hues of dusk washed by shale’s waves

He was striding along the coast. The sea had darkened utterly, only the faintly white crests of the waves in a line looking like some kind of beast. At last resigning himself that walking today would be futile, realizing it was futile, the professor resigned himself

He came to an abrupt halt on a rock. For some time—the black sea surface and the cloud floating opposite that looked like a rotten potato—

He had been gazing, but then from his pocket—

He took out his tobacco and lit it.

Then he spun around sharply. He stared fixedly toward the land. He hurriedly walked that way.

There was a low cliff there. At its base—likely sculpted by surging waves—there lay a small cave.

There was a small cave that seemed to have been carved out. Professor Naranoki smiled and

He entered inside and retrieved his backpack.

Then in pitch darkness, he messily munched on biscuits. All that could be heard was the ceaseless roar of waves in a distant line. "Ha ha—how about this? Once lodging's settled and my stomach's full, camping isn't so bad after all. Alright, I'll have another smoke and turn in. Tomorrow will surely go well. It wouldn't be so bad to see that dream tonight." The cigarette Professor Naranoki was smoking only showed its solitary red glow,

"When I settle down like this, I might as well be a cave bear or some troglodyte. Anyway, time to get some sleep."

In the darkness beyond, the waves thudded dully—nothing more. No birds sang either.

No one came to peer into the cave, and— "Hmph, so this is how it is. Go to sleep, go to sleep." Professor Naranoki soon drifted into a drowsy state. Exhausted as he was, he would sleep and see no dreams.

Before long, the night had completely broken.

The shale continuing from the previous night

The shale glowed with a pale, hazy light. Professor Naranoki was utterly startled,

He hurriedly flew out of the cave.

In his haste, he nearly dropped his hat. He even tried to press it down. "I’ve completely overslept. Now then, what on earth was I walking for again? Hmm, I can’t quite remember. Certainly, yesterday and the day before, I was diligently walking through deserted places, but… No, I’d been walking from even earlier than that. I’ve been walking for a whole year already! As for the purpose... Hmm, I’ve forgotten! This is bad! There’s no such thing as a scholar traveling without a purpose—there must always be one. Wasn’t it fossils? Hmm—‘Please investigate Tertiary Period humans,’ someone seemed to have said. No, that’s not right—wasn’t it something like: ‘We’ve been commissioned by the museum regarding large Cretaceous reptilian skeletons—might I ask you to search for one?’ That’s how it went, wasn’t it? That’s right, that’s right—no doubt about it."

Now, this here is Cretaceous shale. I was supposed to find it right here. Now I see—it’s finally clear. Alright, search—it’s a dinosaur skeleton. “It’s a dinosaur skeleton.”

The professor’s shadow fell darkly onto the shale. Because he was walking with long strides, it appeared as if dancing.

The sea was terrifyingly blue.

The sky was bluer still than that.

Several torn fragments of cloud They floated there dazzlingly. “Oh, here they are!”

Professor Naranoki shouted out.

The gray shale’s

On the flat, beautiful bedding plane with a diameter of about one meter five-toed footprints

They were deeply embedded and lined up. In places where overlying rocks— hid them—but even the soles’ wrinkles were clearly visible. “Ah, I’ve found it!” “At the end of these footprints, this fellow must’ve fallen and lies fossilized right where it collapsed.” “It’s a huge bone!” “First off, the spine alone must be twenty meters long.” “It’s a huge one!” Professor Naranoki was practically hopping with excitement,

He followed the footprints. The footprints continued on and on, There was no telling how far they went.

Moreover, the sun's rays were ochre.

His legs were very tired.

While he thought it rather strange,

When he abruptly noticed this and stopped,

Somehow, his feet were sinking into something soft— They felt as if they were being sucked into mud. Thinking it was supposed to be hard shale, Professor Naranoki turned around. Then he was utterly astonished. He had been single-mindedly tracking them all along. The huge, toad-shaped footprints Indeed, they continued all the way to the professor’s continued all the way to his feet,

Beyond that point, they seemed to continue even further, but and another thing—what about **the professor’s** the tracks of his custom-made Ginza boots

His own tracks were also trailing along behind.

“This is terrible. The fact that even my footprints sank this deep was rather daunting. But I would still achieve the objective of this inquiry. It was just a bit hard to walk. Well, now that it’s come to this, I’ll chase it down no matter how far it goes!”

Professor Naranoki now strode with even larger strides,

He followed the footprints. The thudding was his heart. The bellows-like rasp was his breathing— he had been so desperately earnest, yet the surroundings had grown eerily still as well. Professor Naranoki suddenly looked toward the water’s edge.

The waves had completely calmed.

Certainly until just moments ago— the waves that had been surging、roaring、and crashing— had completely stilled before he knew it.

"This is strange." "And on top of that - isn't it sweltering?"

Professor Naranoki looked up at the sky.

The sun hung like a ripened apple, and everything around glowed an unnatural red. "It’s turned into thoroughly foul weather," he thought. "And yet this sun burns too crimson. Some volcano must have erupted somewhere. That fine ash is surely mingling with upper atmospheric currents to shroud the Earth. But no matter—it won’t hinder my pursuit. At the end of these tracks lies that colossal reptile’s bone sprawled in wait. I’ll document this site. Just one more step."

Professor Naranoki now mustered his momentum, He followed the footprints. However, before long, the mudflat protruded like a cape.

The mudflat protruded like a cape.

Alright, let me try turning here once. Right on the other side lies the bone. However, depending on how things go, it might not be there anymore. If it isn't there right away, I can just follow a bit further. That's all there is to it.

Professor Naranoki smiled contentedly

He stopped and took out a rolled cigarette,

He struck a match and exhaled smoke.

Then he deliberately grimaced. He very nonchalantly strode with large strides, He proceeded to round the cape.

But lo and behold—the renowned Professor Naranoki was frozen in place as if nailed there.

He came to a halt as if nailed in place. His eyes opened wide and emptily. His knees stiffened and soon began to tremble. The cigarette too had fallen into the mud at some point. Under the blue sky, on the muddy beach ahead,

the owner of those footprints Colossal, utterly colossal Mr. Brontosaurus stretching out its unnervingly slender and elongated neck was drinking water at the shore's edge. A rough, eighteen-meter-long brontosaurus with mouse-colored hide drew in its short, thick legs writhed its disgustingly long neck made its small red eyes gleam was slurping down water. Due to the overwhelming situation, Professor Naranoki

His head had gone completely numb. "What in the world is happening? Have I come to the Mesozoic Era? Has the Mesozoic Era come to me? Ah, either way it amounts to the same thing. Anyway, there's a brontosaurus over there—if I so much as look its way, it'll come charging. Whether I'm a professor or a fish—it makes no difference. Don't look. Don't look. I'll slip back as quietly as possible now. Please, just for a little while—don't turn this way."

Now, Professor Naranoki stealthily stepped back step by step

He fled back the way he had come.

His eyes were fixed on the brontosaurus.

That hand gently pressed against the air. And then the brontosaurus’s thick tail first disappeared, then next, the mountain-like torso vanished. Finally, it stuck out its black tongue, [it] was noisily slurping down water. Once that snake-like head had vanished, the professor had first been saved, he abruptly turned toward the direction from which he had come. He even resolutely followed those footprints.

If he just kept fleeing, then soon—

Waves were crashing against the shore, the sky was no longer red, the footprints were no longer sinking into the mud. He walked across the hard shale.

On the cliff was also last evening’s cave.

If he could just reach that point, he would be safe. Such dangerous expeditions—he’d quit after this one. Have refusals sent to the museum too. Right in the heart of Tokyo, spinning tall tales for the red-nosed crowd would suffice.

Such was the general plan. And that too was a plan as swift as lightning. However, Professor Naranoki once again jerked to a halt. His knees had already begun clattering uncontrollably. Behold—from the direction the Professor had come— the muddy bank lay utterly blanketed— a teeming brontosaurus mob. They were packed so densely they turned everything black. Ones stretching their long necks toward the sky, ones slowly bobbing their necks up and down, ones dashing hurriedly into the water— it was truly a seething, swarming mass.

“This is bad. I’ve been completely outmaneuvered. Now I’m really going to get eaten. The title of Professor will disappear along with me. The brontosauruses are too terrible. They’re in front and they’re behind. Well, the only thing left to rely on is this cape. If I climb up there, will I be saved or not? Depending on how things go, maybe the Holocene Epoch of the Cenozoic Era will come rushing to my rescue. Come on, now there’s only this cape left!”

The professor quietly ascended the cape. A bizarre hybrid tree—as if crossbred from a mushroom and an Asunaro— thickly overgrew the cliff in tangled profusion. And what was truly fortunate was

There was no Brontosaurus there.

But even after going to all that trouble to climb up, the surrounding scenery wasn’t particularly appealing,

Both to the right and left of the cape The muddy shore was already completely covered with Brontosauruses. It was truly a tangled, swarming mass. In the water, like black swans, raising their heads to swim twisting their necks sharply around

The sheer repulsiveness and terror of it all. The professor had already closed his eyes.

However before he knew it Professor Naranoki his nose tip was snorting he noticed it was warm "It's finally here—I'm going to be eaten." The Professor resigned himself and opened his eyes A square two shaku in size The jet-black face of the Brontosaurus slid right up to his very eyes Its eyes were red like ripened fruit Its neck extended tremendously toward the opposite— to its dull gray rough-textured torso It stretched on seamlessly like a pipe The Professor let out a metallic clang He'd been devoured—no he'd awakened

He awakened. The cave was still pitch dark, and likely it wasn’t even midnight yet.

Then Professor Naranoki gave a small cough to clear his throat.

Since it still seemed like thunder and lightning were present, he peered intently through the darkness.

Outside, there was indeed the sound of waves. "Oh." "Making a fool of me." "No way I can sleep now." "It’s freezing..."

He took out tobacco again. He lit it.

Professor Naranoki was a specialist in gemology.

That small house of Professor Naranoki’s of Shell Fire Brothers Company

The Red-Nosed Manager arrived. “Professor, I came flying over at once since it was your letter.” “You’ve returned extraordinarily early.” “Did you happen to find any of the very finest specimens? You must understand – given that our client is an impossibly wealthy nouveau riche from Greenland – he simply won’t consent to commonplace goods.”

Professor Naranoki placed a cigar sideways in his mouth, the mica-papered ceiling

he said while looking askance. “Yeah, I found them. Once I head into the mountains, I absolutely never fail to find anything—after all, every last gemstone comes flocking to me of its own accord.” “No, precisely because of that, this time I was utterly at my wit’s end.” “Especially since your order was for relatively soft opals.” “When I entered that mountain, all the opals came gritty and flocking to me—they just wouldn’t let go no matter what.” “Those are all your precious opals—the ones that blaze like fire.” “Of course I wanted to pack every last one into my backpack exactly as desired, but that would’ve left me completely immobilized—pity about that—so I just picked out the very best ones from the lot.”

“Ah, that’s certainly most splendid indeed. However, might I inquire as to which portion constitutes those you have brought back? Might I humbly request a brief inspection?” “Ah, I’ll show you. But since they’re such splendid ones, I’m thinking they might’ve already clouded over completely depending on how things went. After all, there’s no gem as unreliable as opal. Today they’re shining like a rainbow. Tomorrow they’ll have turned into plain white stones. Today they’re round and beautiful. Tomorrow they’ll shatter into pieces. That’s them, huh? The fragile ones. But let’s just open it and see. This backpack here.”

“I see.” Shell Fire Brothers Company’s

The red-nosed manager While gulping and holding his breath, was staring at the professor’s hands. Professor Naranoki very casually

He opened the backpack and turned it upside down. Low-grade glass opals About thirty of them tumbled out.

“Professor, this is unacceptable! “Professor, this—this is utterly unreasonable!”

Professor Naranoki flew into a rage.

“What’s unreasonable? That’s not my concern! I’ve endured terrible hardships. Returning the travel expenses should settle it. Take them! Get out, get out!”

Professor Naranoki from his coat pocket

the mouse-gray, crumpled envelope took it out and immediately hurled it. “Professor, this is unacceptable! “This is too much!”

Shell Fire Brothers Company’s

The Red-Nosed Manager said as he swiftly snatched the bag of travel expenses and threw it into the inner pocket of his coat.

“Get out, get out! And don’t come back.” “Professor, this is unacceptable!” “This is too much!”

Finally, Shell Fire Brothers Company’s

The Red-Nosed Manager departed.

Professor Naranoki held a cigar sideways in his mouth, gazed askance at the mica-paper-covered ceiling, and smiled wryly.