953 Divided Path (IV)

And it was about nine years after Graph-Zaza succeeded to the presidency.

Zouro-Sung had his head hanging in front of Graph-Zaza.

It's the day after the parents' meeting that year. Zulo-Sung, who was exposed to great sins on the night of the parents' meeting, tied his arms with a rope and was separated from the rest of his family.

This is a room in the house of the branch, no one else.

Graph-Zaza stood on the rug, and Zouro-Sun dropped his shoulders in disappointment.

All sins were uncovered last night.

The Sung family didn't hunt the gibbers. He even desecrated the grace of the forest. He had committed such a great crime in accordance with the code of secrecy agreed upon by the ancestral chief Zatse-Sun.

Certainly, Graph-Zaza also realized that something was wrong with the Sung family. The family of the house were too proud, and the family of the branch looked like the dead. Graph-Zaza was hesitant to swallow up doubts because he still did his job properly and lived a richer life than Zaza - they didn't do their job at all. I lost the pride around the forest, so the Sung family were exposed to it.

(... I couldn't protect Sung's house or get back on the right path)

Graph-Zaza was still trying to protect the Sung family. Raising Zuro-Sung, who is lying with false arrogance, suppresses the bloodline of irresistible Lou, believing that the Sung family is the only absolute patriarch - that's how he intended to do his part.

But the deeds were of no avail.

What the Sung family needed was not asylum, but reprimand. If I had stepped deeper into the inner affairs of the Sung family and tried to get back on the right path, I would have long been exposed to such sins.

(Am I still stepping on my feet while swearing to protect the Sung family?)

Graph-Zaza only stepped into Sung's settlement at the annual parents' meeting and the occasional wedding feast. Visiting the rest of the house without any need was an unusual thing to do around the forest, and Graph-Zaza worked hard to guide Zaza's bloodline.

In the past nine years, my eldest brother and second brother have returned their souls. The only boy left is his youngest brother, Geol-Zaza. I had a lot of trouble trying to get you to know me as a parent, and it was also a day full of pure joy.

I'm sure Graph-Zaza turned away from the Sung family without even noticing it.

Graphic-Zaza had not been able to have solid trust and love, neither for the people of the main house who passed the shore, nor for the people of the branch who looked like the dead.

(So this is... still my sin.)

With that in mind, Graph-Zaza talked to Zuro-Sun.

"From now on, I will lead the family as a new chief.... let me show you what you couldn't do."

Zulo-Sung did not answer anything.

Zouro-Sung will soon be hanged for all his sins.

At that time, I would wave my sword with this hand - Graph-Zaza was so determined.

"I will not dispose of you until I have settled with the nobles of Genos. Until then, chew your sins."

Leaving such words behind, Graph-Zaza left Zuro-Sun.

Zulo-Sung didn't say anything until the end.

◇

Various transformations followed.

Zats-sung escaped with Tae-sung and attacked a merchant company headed for Sims - Zats-sung was captured and returned his soul in the castle town. Escaped even further, Tae-sun returned his soul in the stadium town. Moreover, the merchant group going to Sims was a ploy to burn out the sinners of the Sung family.

It finally came to an end, and it seemed that the time for the execution would finally come for the last great sinner, Zulo-Sung - but it was no longer necessary. The noble Cycleus of Genos insisted on handing over the humans of the Sun family to the castle town.

"Maybe they're thinking about restoring the Sung family to their chieftaincy again."

And it came to pass that Asta of the house of Pharaoh lived in the house of Pharaoh, the exotic Kamamoto.

But that's what Jamil-Ray, the daughter of Zuro-Sun, once said. For Zulu-Sung, the daughter of her first partner, Zulu-Sung, was almost afraid and avoided.

Graph-Zaza, who has become the new chief of the clan, is it difficult for the Cycleus to hope that the Sun family will have a chieftaincy - otherwise, they will kill all the people in the main house and seal their mouths - Yamil-Ray said so.

Whatever it is, we cannot listen to Cycleus' offer. We have already punished those who live in the main house, except Zouro-Sung, who should be dealt with as a great sinner near the forest.

Moreover, it is suspected that the Psychologists are working secretly for a great sin. Zatsu-Sung and Tae-sun are even suspected of complicity in your sins.

Graph-Zaza was left feeling pretty stunned.

The sins committed by the Sung family made me feel so bad about myself and my loved ones.

"Shouldn't we abandon this land?

That's what Graph-Zaza once said.

I wanted to throw away the sins of the Sung family and the nobles of Genos who made the Sun family commit sins - and all their sins that could not be stopped.

Of course, it was to be subdued by other chiefs and parents. Graph-Zaza herself understood that it was the same way to escape and that it was the way to cause great suffering to many of her compatriots.

However, Graph-Zaza never uttered such a word with a careless feeling.

If the Lord of Genos had been as inferior as Cycleus, he could hardly be called a monarch. If we were to preserve the pride of the people around the forest, we should not avoid bearing any hardship - that was the truth of Graph-Zaza.

So first, we have to settle with Cycleus.

For that reason, the graph-zazazas headed for the castle town.

And the night before that, the people heading for the castle town were gathered in Lou's settlement. Because the other chiefs said that the man who comes to the meeting tomorrow should not speak of the delicious meal brought by Asta of the house of Pharaoh.

"Zutz-Sung tried to gain power and wealth in the wrong way. Then the sons of the house shall know again with their own souls the deeds of the house of Pharaoh, which seeketh to gain strength and wealth in the right way.

Donda-Lou, one of the tribal chiefs, said so.

A hunter with black and brown hair, with great temperament. He inherited the seat of Lou's head of household several years before Graph-Zaza. Graph-Zaza must have correctly succeeded in his aspirations from the red-haired hunter he saw when he was young. Though as brave as the hunters of the north, the depths of their elderly minds seemed to hide behind them.

"If so, shouldn't we share the same thoughts when we come to the meeting? The sins of the Sung family are also our sins that we have missed."

It was Dali-Sauti, the other chief of the clan, who said so.

This is the opposite of Donda-Lou, and it seems like there is a decisive temper in it, with deposition and depth of mind that resembles youth. When I was my age, Graph-Zaza was secretly impressed that my eyes were growing to look at the bigger picture.

Anyway - that night, a lot of people gathered at the Lou house.

And the chief of the tribe, and the families of the house of Sun, and the blood of Lou, and the parents of Fou and Baim, and the families of the house of Pharaoh. The number of people rose to more than 30.

This number of people can't fit in the house, so rugs are brought out to the settlement square. And the lights were set on fire like a feast, and dinner was to be eaten out.

Beyond Graph-Zaza are the Sung family. Among them, Zouro-Sun, Diga and Dodd were brought from the northern settlement by Graph-Zaza himself.

About a month after all the fates had changed in the parents' council - during which time Zulo-Sung had been trapped in a northern settlement. Diga and Dodd were working on restoring the house Zat-Sung burned down to atone for his escape from Dom's settlement, but Zuro-Sung was trapped in his bed from morning to night.

During that period, Zouro-Sun was exhausted.

The flesh suddenly fell off, causing the skin to loosen on the face and arms. Graph = I don't usually think it's the same age as Zaza. It's an old man who has lost all hope.

Graph-Zaza has barely spoken to Zuro-Sun this past month. At best, I asked him if he had anything to hide. Also, Zouro-Sun did not try to speak any other words.

Is the soul dead before the flesh? It should have been called a living corpse, less alive than those of the Sung clan.

"Zulo-Sung.... and Digger and Dodd, too."

After dinner had begun, Asta from Fa's house, who had a large wooden dish, approached us.

Zouro-Sung and the others don't even look up. Asta of the house of Fa, who had placed a wooden dish on the rug, looked around Zouro-Sung with his eyes filled with solid light.

"... would you please eat my food, Zulo-Sung?

Zuro-Sung and the others have not yet mastered any dishes.

The same is true not only of the three sinners, but also of the others who have redeemed themselves for their sins. Yamil-Ray, Mida, Oula, Zwei - they were also watching Zouro-Sung with eyes commensurate with their temperament.

"... I'm sure you've heard the words of Donda-Lou."

Graph-Zaza said so.

"In order to atone for the sins of your father and grandfather, Zatsu-Sung, we stand up against a nobleman named Cycleus. Don't you have the pride and belief to be so ashamed of your past?

Diga, once his eldest brother, squeezes out his voice, "Ooh... I'm..."

But it didn't last any longer.

"Zzz-sung betrayed us, and hid in us, and bewitched the Genos. Regardless of how we do it, Asta at this façade's house is so dedicated to connecting with Genos, who was disturbed by Zatsusung. Therefore, Donda-Lou thought that you should also talk about the food Asta is selling in the post town.... are you going to let me tell you this, and you're going to decide who you don't know?

"Wait a minute, Graph-Zaza. If you ask me like that, anyone will atrophy."

Asta of Fa's house interrupted Graph-Zaza's words.

Those black eyes stare at Graph-Zaza in a very sorry way.

"Even if you force yourself to eat, the food is not delicious. Let's have some fun anyway."

Graph = A word that Zaza doesn't understand.

However, the eyes of Asta of Fa's house also had a very sincere shine.

It was this pale boy who uncovered the sins of the Sung family.

By doing so, Zouro-Sun will soon return his soul. Perhaps this weak turn felt responsible for it.

(... we should feel responsible for not being able to discern such sins)

Graph-Zaza swallowed such thoughts along with fruit liquor.

Afterwards, Yamil-Ray and the young children of the Lou family gathered together to feed Zuro-Sung.

Diga bursts into tears, and Dodd stirs up the contents of the wooden dish like a hungry beast.

In the meantime, only Zouro-Sun was vain.

While I was rinsing the soup dish, I didn't see anything in my eyes. I wonder if there is no joy in the dead to be fed that day.

(He should return his soul to his mother's forest as soon as possible)

Graphic-Zaza was thinking like that, listening distantly to the sights of the scene.

(We can no longer save Zulo-Sung's soul. Only Mother Forest can do it. When he is held by the arms of the Mother Forest, he will finally be free from all sins and suffering.)

A new figure approached us.

The eldest of the house of Lou, and the head of the house of Pharaoh. The eldest broke his knee in front of Zuro-Sun while the female head of household supported him.

"... may I disturb you for a moment...?

The eldest of the Lou family began to speak quietly.

About seventy years ago, the Gazette family of chiefs was destroyed, and the Sung family took over the throne - how fine the parents of the Sung family at that time were - and Zatsu-Sung, their son, got off the road a lot -

The eldest told him various stories.

Then, there seemed to be a slight shake in Zouro-Sun's starved eyes.

He lay his hand on Zuro-Sun's hand, and the eldest spoke further.

It was the chief of Gaze who was not able to establish the right relationship with the nobles of Genos at first.

The Sung family, which inherited the seat of chief from Gazette, also had no choice but to follow the wrong path.

Zatsu-Sung, who inherited the seat of chief from his father, decided that this was the wrong path - further down the road.

Then it's time to get back on the right track.

The new Chiefs and their compatriots around the forest will clear up the Sung family's carelessness.

That's what the eldest said.

"My father Zats was terrified...."

And - at last, Zulo-Sung opened his mouth.

Tears are floating in the eyes that were empty.

Graph-Zaza took a breath and heard the words.

"But besides the path opened by my father Zats, I couldn't find a way... either Zaza or Dom's family could walk this way and get a new life without giving in to the nobles... I had no choice but to believe the words of my father Zats... otherwise we would all be destroyed by the Lou family..."

"Ah... the fate of dozens of blood tribes living in Sung's settlement has been influenced by one of your actions... I used to be the head of the family, so I'm going to get used to it..."

The eldest looked somewhere far away and said so.

"But there's nothing left on your shoulders anymore... the existence of a precious family, the existence of a blood clan that has sinned with you, is carried by everyone else... so why don't you take on that presence with everyone and find the way that you think is the most right..."

Zulo-Sung continued to eat the gibbon meat from the wooden plate, spilling tears.

Graph-Zaza secretly breathes and speaks as a chief.

"... let me ask you one last question, Zulo-Sung. You really didn't know that Zatsu-Sung and the others committed a terrible crime in town, did you?... tell the truth to the pride of the people around the forest."

"I didn't know... no, I was surprised that my father Zazz brought a lot of bronze from nowhere... but I was terrified, and I couldn't really ask where it came from..."

"Your sin is the weakness of its roots, Zuro-Sung."

Graph-Zaza was badly hungry by the wipe and grabbed the guinea pig meat on the plate. Graph-Zaza was the one who hadn't eaten anything until now.

The gibbon meat was wrapped in strange skins, but it was thrown into my mouth without care.

Certainly, the taste that I had never imagined before spread into my mouth - but no matter what, Graph-Zaza repeated the words.

"You feared Zats-sung, your father, the Lou family, the nobles of Genos - and finally even Zaza and Dom, your family. It is the weakness of the people near the forest. I think it's a shame for my life to call a vulnerable person like you a chief."

…………

"... but if you had Zatsusung, or half the warmth of his eldest sister, Zatsusung might have wanted to reveal all the great sins to you and make you inherit them. Then more blood would have flowed to Genos."

Zuro-Sun still won't answer.

But his eyes were alive. Graph-Zaza was able to believe that his words had indeed reached Zuro-Sun's heart.

"Your weakness was not often forgiven as a people near the forest - but it is ironic that its weakness helped to stop Zatsu-Sung's obsession and grievances... or perhaps it was also the forest's guide."

Graph-Zaza was in the mood of rejuvenating over twenty years old.

Even the first time I spoke to Zuro-Sun, Graph-Zaza was stunned by his fragile roots and was forced to teach them.

Like that night, Zulo-Sung looked weak.

Towards Zuro-Sun, Graph-Zaza tried to deliver the words with his heart.

"Whatever it is, I will execute you only after I have settled with the nobles. Until the very last moment when you return your soul to the forest, you will live as the people of the forest."

Zulo-Sung is pouring tears.

Graph-Zaza first saw Zulo-Sung's tears - perhaps in a time when he was forced to lose his first partner and have a new wedding.

Yamil-Ray, whose first partner gave birth to him, has also grown so much. At some point, those years had passed.

(If we had been more deeply bonded at that time... would there have been a different path?)

Graph-Zaza was caught up in that thought.

But I can't go back in time and start my life over. If I went the wrong way, I had no choice but to find a new way forward.

Zouro-Sung kept crying like he wanted to wash away his long, false life.

◇

And the day of parting has come.

It was about half a month after the great sin of the Earl of Turan was uncovered.

All sins were exposed in the day.

The great sinners of the Earl of Turan, Cycleus and Sil 'el, were also taken captive and punished commensurate with their sins.

And Zulo-Sung also lay down on Genos.

If you were judged correctly by the laws of Genos, could you tell the world that the others were not guilty - so Zulo-Sung chose to be judged by the laws of Genos.

As a result, Zuro-Sun was sentenced to 10 years' hard labour.

It is a punishment that is more painful than death, that it is given only to the sinners who are not sufficient even for death. If you were a normal person, you would be forced to live so harshly that you would return your soul in less than five years.

The Marquis of Genos, Marquis Martin, licked Zulo-Sung, wondering if it would be easier for his fellow countrymen to hang their heads around the forest.

But Zulo-Sung did not try to reverse his resolve, saying that if he were allowed to return to the forest after ten years, that would be the best hope.

If you want to atone for the sins of the forest, you can return your soul by the forest. Since sin should only be borne by the person, it would not have affected other people.

But Zulo-Sung wanted more punishment. I wanted to be judged by the laws of the kingdom so that Genos and the people of the kingdom could enjoy not only the settlements around the forest.

It must have been driven by the feeling that the old family and the people of Sun's branch could correctly reconnect with the outside world.

Zulo-Sung was able to regain his soul as a forest people at the end.

Then, after the punishment of Zuro-Sun was decreed, Graph-Zaza brought only the men of the host toward the castle.

Zulo-Sung will soon be transferred to the King's capital in the west. They will carve the guilty man's stamp there and bring him to his rightful place.

Before that, Graph-Zaza pleaded that she wanted to have just one word. Marquis Martin accepted the offer to Falcon.

Donda-Lou and Dari-Sauti also told me to leave everything to Graph-Zaza. They, who were not originally blood relatives, no longer had the words to say to Zuro-Sun, so it was not necessary to accompany them until they took a break from the hunter's work.

"I've been expecting you. Graph of the chief near the forest = Hall of Zaza.... please come here."

Walk through the stone building with the soldiers. It was the most gloomy and darkest place in the castle town I've ever seen.

"Visiting hours are set at an additional half of the quarter. Please be brief."

"I don't know how much time it is, but I'm counting to 100, and I just need to know how much time I have."

Eventually, Graph-Zaza and the others were guided to a door that seemed sturdy.

A soldier who was on watch opened the door silently. The other side was darker than the corridor.

"We're keeping it here. I'll let you know when it's time."

Only Graph-Zaza stepped through the door, leaving the soldiers and the crowd behind.

With the door closed behind you, Graph-Zaza is only three steps ahead. In front of him was a wall of stone, and a square window was cut at the height of his face.

"... Zulo-Sung, I'm here to deliver my last words."

Graph-Zaza calls out and Zouro-Sun's face appears beyond the window.

The loose face had a powerless smile on it.

"Graph-Zaza... you're really here... to help me with my errands..."

"Hmm. I'm just checking to make sure you haven't changed your mind in about half a month."

Zulo-Sung had a very calm expression.

It's a faint look, but that's the face of Zuro-Sun.

"I haven't changed my mind, so there's nothing to worry about... I'll survive ten years and let you atone for this sin... but I don't really know how much punishment I'll atone for my sins... I beg you to do the rest..."

"When you get back in ten years, I'll make sure you know me.... if I return my soul, my son will do his part."

"After ten years, I'll count to fifty again... but if I can, I want to see you again alive..."

"Hmm. It's the Mother Forest that sets it."

Graph-Zaza twisted down various thoughts swirling in her chest and tried to return the snails.

"Now, back to the woods. In the last ten years, chew on your sins."

"Ah... wait... at the end, I'd like to thank you..."

"Thank you? I can't thank you enough."

"Hmm... as a people around the forest, you may have just spoken a very natural word... but that word resounded heavily to me, who was already filthy of my soul..."

Zulo-Sung's black eyes are slightly tearing.

"The eldest of the Lou family, the head of the Fa family, and the words of Yamil didn't shake my heart... but the last thing that stabbed me was the Graph-Zaza... so I want to thank you..."

"Don't repeat words in vain. What did I say?

"Until the very last moment when you returned your soul to the woods, you lived as a people near the woods..."

That was the word that came out the night before the great sinners of the Earl of Turan were confronted.

The sigh of that night, the heat of the scorching fire, and the flavour and aroma of the strange dish passed through Graph-Zaza's heart in an instant.

"I chewed the words many times... so I was able to consolidate my readiness... to atone for my sins for my family, for the blood that led me to the wrong path, and for all my compatriots around the forest..."

"That's... natural as the people around the forest."

"Hmm... you've been strong and right since we first met... and I want to get strong and right souls like Graph-Zaza..."

That said, Zulo-Sung smiled like a toddler.

"Ten years from now... I hope to see you again..."

Graph-Zaza turned his back on Zouro-Sun, turning his back.

And I told him just one word, pushing and killing all kinds of emotions.

Come back alive.

Graph-Zaza left the dark stone room.

Say thank you to the soldiers and step out to the outside world.

Graph-Zaza's brain smiled with a face Zulo-Sung, a 16-year-old boy, had never seen before.