Youjo Senki - Volume 1 - Chapter Pr

[chapter] 0 Prologue 

JULY 18, UNIFIED YEAR 1914, SOMEWHERE IN IMPERIAL CAPITAL BERUN 

In the beginning, there was only light. Then came a gentle sensation of floating, a brief repose. There was warmth and a vague restlessness, provoking a desire to lose oneself. Lose oneself? Yes, I’ve forgotten something. But what could it be? What could I have possibly forgotten? 

Before a chance to face such questions came along, it suddenly began shivering. A moment later, its mind registered the cold. A chill that pierced the skin. Such was the nature of a newborn babe’s first brush with the crisp, raw air outside the womb. Not that there was time to realize. 

But the sudden onslaught of alien yet once familiar sensations caused a panic. At the same time, it began writhing in distress, caught up in a violent struggle to breathe. The pain was nearly unbearable as the lungs—the entire body, each and every cell—cried out for oxygen. Unable to remain calm enough for rational thought, all it could do was thrash about. 

The overwhelmed, unresponsive senses ravaged by agony left no option other than flailing in pain. Strangled by these things, it easily lost consciousness. Fully free of the emotions of a human who hadn’t wept in ages, the body sobbed instinctively. 

Awareness faded, and the concept of self grew muddled. Upon awakening, it saw the ashen sky. The world was blurry… Or perhaps that was due to hazy vision? Everything seemed distorted, as if seen through glasses with the wrong prescription. 

Despite having been out of touch with human emotions for so long, even it was unsettled by such clouded eyesight. It was impossible to discern even rough shapes. 

After nearly three years of objective time, having finally begun to regain a sense of self, it was struck with utter confusion. 

What is this? What happened to me? This vessel couldn’t maintain awareness for very long, and the memory of being placed in it had yet to surface. So when its fading consciousness just barely registered an infant’s wails, it found the cries shameful yet failed to understand why. 

Perhaps mature adults didn’t cry, but babies certainly did. Infants were supposed to be protected and given equal opportunities, not despised. Thus, with a deep sense of relief, it relegated the vague shame to a dark corner of its mind, blaming it on the lack of a clear consciousness. 

The next time a hazy sense of comprehension dawned, it was absolutely bewildered, not surprisingly. If memory served correctly, it should have been on a Yamanote train platform. Yet after coming to, it was somehow inside a massive Western-style stone building, getting its mouth wiped by a nun who seemed to be a nursemaid. If this was a hospital, then a safe assumption could be made that there had been some sort of accident. Blurry vision could be explained by injury as well. 

Yet now that its eyes could see clearly in the poor lighting, it could make out nuns in old-fashioned dress. And the inadequate illumination…apparently came from anachronistic gas lamps, unless things were not what they seemed. 

“Tanya, dear, say ‘ahh.’” 

At the same time, it noticed a bizarre lack of electrical appliances nearby. In the civilized society of 2013, here was a room devoid of electronics yet riddled with items long considered antiques. Are they Mennonites or Amish? But…why? What am I doing here with them? 

“Tanya, dear. Tanya!” 

The situation was a difficult one to grasp. The confusion only deepened. 

“Come now. Won’t you open your mouth for me, dear? Tanya?” 

I don’t understand. That was precisely the problem. That was why it hadn’t noticed the spoon the nun held out. But of course. Even if it had, never in a million years would it have dreamed of eating the proffered food. Surely the spoon was meant for this “Tanya, dear.” 

But while all these thoughts were swirling around, the nun finally lost her patience. With a sweet yet stern smile that brooked no argument, she stuffed the spoon into its mouth. 

“You mustn’t be picky, dear. Open up!” 

It was a scoop of vegetables that had been stewed into mush. But that single spoonful also thrust the truth at hitherto uncomprehending “Tanya.” 

Stewed vegetables. That’s all the nun had stuffed into its mouth. But for the person in question, the action only made things more bewildering. In other words, it —I—am Tanya. 

Thus, a cry arose from the depths of its soul: Why? 

AUGUST 14, AD 1971, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

On August 14, 1971, a team of researchers led by Dr. Philip Zimbardo commenced an experiment under a grant received from the United States Department of the Navy’s research institute, the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The planned duration was a mere two weeks. Its objective was to collect rudimentary data on an issue with Marine Corps prisons that the navy was also facing. 

The participants recruited for this experiment were normal college students of sound mind and body. On the second day, however, the team ran into a serious ethical problem. 

Not only did those who had been assigned to be guards verbally abuse and degrade the ones in the prisoner role, despite the prohibition of such behavior, but also acts of physical violence had become increasingly prevalent. As a result, the team was forced to discontinue the trial only six days after it began. 

This later became known as the Stanford Prison Experiment. Ironically enough, notwithstanding the pitfalls of the project’s dubious morality, the results were replete with implications for the field of psychology. Along with its predecessor, the Milgram Experiment, the Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrated something fundamental about human nature. 

In an isolated space, individuals would submit to power and authority, while those in dominant positions would wield it without restriction. Analysis of this phenomenon, known as “obedience to authority,” yielded shocking results. Surprisingly, this deference had nothing to do with a person’s rationality, sensibility, or personality but was instead the product of remarkable deindividuation triggered by the assignment of roles. 

In other words, the two experiments demonstrated that human behavior was dependent on environment. To put it in extreme terms, the results indicated that anyone could have worked as a guard at Auschwitz, regardless of their individual disposition or moral character. 

In the end, environment played a larger role defining an individual than personal traits. When he learned in university that humans were that sort of creature, it felt right rather than wrong. 

Surely everyone learns as part of compulsory education in elementary school that all people are born equal. Children are taught that they are all equally unique and irreplaceable. But it isn’t hard to find disparities that contradict those familiar maxims. 

Why is the kid sitting in front taller than me? 

Why are some of my classmates good at dodgeball and others aren’t? 

Why can’t the kid next to me solve such a simple problem? 

Why can’t the kids in the back be quiet when the teacher’s talking? 

But in an elementary school environment, children are expected to be “good.” They are told that everyone is different yet special. They are terrified that if they don’t follow etiquette, they will be “bad.” And so the “good kids” strive to avoid becoming “bad.” 

By the time they begin attending cram schools to prepare for entrance exams, the good kids secretly look down on the bad kids and make a point of avoiding them. They will enter a good junior high, followed by a respectable high school, and then a prestigious university. These people are on the fastest track, doing their best within the rules and regulations presented to them. 

In order to remain good in that environment, students have to do exactly as they are told and always meet everyone’s expectations. Just as they are told, they spend day after day hunched over textbooks and reference books, competing with classmates for grades. As they lead such a life, those engaged in the fierce battle of college entrance exams come to view idlers as losers. Within an environment where grades determine everything, it’s only natural for high achievers to hold poor students in contempt. On the other hand, the majority of those successful students don’t consider themselves especially bright. After all, it has long been the case that whenever a regular student shows even a little pride, the truly gifted in their grade put them in their place. 

One student might be having a hard time while the kid next to him is nonchalantly entering the International Physics or International Mathematical Olympiads. It takes more than a little effort to sit shoulder to shoulder in a classroom with geniuses for whom comprehending all the material is a given. Despite the warped perspective, they have a strong enough grasp on reality to diligently pursue their studies. 

Whether they like it or not, all college-bound students know the truth. If they want an income comparable to what their parents possess, they have to attend a good university and get a decent job, at the very least. This group is driven by a strong, youthful desire to succeed. But along with that desire comes the fatal fear of failure. As such, they have no choice but to chain themselves to their desks. 

After struggling in that harsh world, the best students pass the entrance exams for universities worthy of being called “prestigious.” Then the game changes. Many are forced to realize that they have entered a world where people are no longer evaluated by grades but the question What have you achieved? 

Those who can adapt to the sudden paradigm shift and new environment do. Obey the rules. Search for the loopholes. Sneer at the guidelines despite being bound by them. In the end, everyone learns that rules are necessary to make the system run smoothly. 

Freedom without laws means anarchy; laws without freedom means tyranny. So as much as they hate restrictions, they fear unlimited freedom. 

He failed to understand people who came late to class. He couldn’t see the value of people who drank themselves into oblivion. He couldn’t comprehend the sporty types who droned on about the power of the human spirit. 

But when he encountered the Chicago school 1 and saw how these works applied rationality to the relationship between rules and freedom, he was ecstatic. After all, it meant that he could stay on track as long as he played by the rules. He managed to exude the appearance of a diligent university student while hiding the fact that he was a nerd. In essence, that’s what it meant to be free within the confines of the rules. 

As far as friends were concerned, he enjoyed hanging around with his high school buddies as well as a bunch of kindred spirits he met in college. This was his moratorium until he went out into the world, although he still made sure to improve himself and develop connections. Naturally, he invested in his human capital by acquiring language skills and culture to a point. That plus his educational background, according to the theory of signaling, would project society’s ideal of a “good college student.” 

Surprisingly, what people like him needed wasn’t actually talent; the most important thing was looking good on paper. In other words, recruiters preferred someone who passed the company’s exam with flying colors, came from a prestigious school, and was a familiar face to the interviewers. It was for precisely that reason that the headwind of the recession’s employment slump didn’t particularly blow against him. 

After all, he was on his mark at a different starting line compared to everyone else. In truth, he had the advantage—this contest was completely rigged. From the get-go, it was only natural to visit alumni who came from the same alma mater. In fact, he’d gone so far as to accept invitations to grab a few drinks with the recruiters from human resources. 

Now just imagine if someone on the employment side attended the same junior and senior high or was a graduate of his college. They would offer guidance about what qualities recruiters looked for at such and such company and how to present himself in the interviews. 

As long as he combined his various connections and did decently in the interviews, he would have nothing to worry about. If he wasn’t too picky, he could get a job that put food on the table for sure. By obediently doing whatever he was told, he became a societal gear that performed well at a steady pace. Somewhere along the line, he began to view himself as a mature adult in that work setting. 

Job satisfaction? Individuality? Creativity? He was a cog in society, and he could assert that the content of his work didn’t matter as long as he received fair compensation. From the company’s perspective, the ideal employee was required to complete assignments promptly while maintaining a level of quality appropriate to their salary. Adhering to the company’s philosophy in all things, the ideal employee would take initiative and search for ways to turn a profit. It wasn’t terribly difficult for him to adapt to life as a slave to corporate logic. 

Heartless? Robotic? Callous? Impersonal? Concerns of that nature only troubled him in the very beginning. He was terrified of people who howled ingloriously or resorted to violence; it wasn’t possible for him to comprehend such disgraceful behavior. But with time, he acclimated. It was just like school. 

Humans are creatures designed to adapt to change. When it comes down to it, conforming to the environment means assuming one’s assigned role—a guard acts like a guard, and a prisoner acts like a prisoner. The days passed uneventfully, alternating between work and hobbies. Naturally, work progressed efficiently. Following company directives and avoiding mistakes as much as possible were important to not let work cut into precious free time. 

Consequently, by the time he entered his thirties, he not only was close to matching his parents’ income, but also had most definitely gotten on the promotion track. He was highly regarded for his devotion to the company and loyalty to the executives, and he climbed the advancement ladder in the human resources department. He even received a touchstone award as a section manager. 

Yes, that’s right. I had an important job. There is absolutely no reason—none whatsoever—for a nun to stuff a spoonful of boiled vegetables down my throat. I’m being quite the gentleman, not even screaming at the top of my lungs to demand what right you have to call me “Tanya, dear.” 

Growing impatient, he attempted to stand in order to launch his “why me” tirade. That was when it hit him. His head throbbed as unpleasant memories suddenly surfaced. 

FEBRUARY 22, AD 2013, TOKYO, JAPAN 

“Why? Why me?!” 

Why? It’s obviously because your cost performance is abysmal! On top of that, you’ve been absent quite a lot. And as another nail in the coffin, I have a report from your direct supervisor claiming that you’ve taken out multiple cash advance loans of who knows how much. Plus, you adamantly refuse to see the occupational physician at every turn. In conclusion, it’s clear that you’re becoming a costly employee. More importantly, we can’t have you causing some sort of scandal and marring the company’s good name. 

I’d love to ask you, Is there any reason we should keep you on board? But due to certain laws, I must conceal such sentiments deep within my heart and respond with as much tact as possible. 

“You’ve already failed to complete your PIP twice. The company gave you a perfectly reasonable order to attend PIP completion training, but you refused. And you have numerous unexcused absences.” False courtesy? That’s just fine. It’s not prohibited by law. This is a for-profit corporation, not a charity for the societally inept. “That said, as you’ve contributed to our company for such a long time, I believe a voluntary resignation, rather than a disciplinary dismissal, would better serve both our interests.” 

While this may be a huge waste of time, it’s still part of the job description. 

“I’ve never had to go on client visits before! How the hell does that count as training?!” 

“It combats deteriorating work results by helping supervisors understand sales representatives and find ways to improve their managerial practices. With that in mind, we felt it was necessary for you to undergo this training.” 

Even if it’s all in a day’s work, this is still tiring. It’s an utter pain to deal with this endless parade of weeping and wailing employees who try to cling to us. If you think crying will change things, go for it. In some parts of the business world, that’s a valid tactic, but if you think it’ll work after calling me things like a “heartless monster,” “boss’s pet,” or “cyborg,” you’ve got another think coming. 

I’ve always known that I wasn’t the best. Unable to compete with the geniuses and unable to match the gifted through hard work and dedication, my personality has grown utterly warped. I’m a mess of convoluted complexes. 

Truly benevolent people are awe-inspiring. As far as hypocrisy is concerned, I have what society as a whole deems to be a healthy level, but knowing I’m insincere makes me scoff all the more. 

Despite being self-aware about this—how ghastly I am—I still harbor the arrogant belief that I’m superior to the inept fool wailing before me. At least as far as cost performance is concerned, I’ve maintained superior results. So even though restructuring departments assigned for consolidation through layoffs is a pain, I take it seriously. From here, I should shoot straight up the ladder and land in the chair for director of human resources. 

My life should have been fairly smooth sailing. 

…Should have been. 

After reflecting to that point, a rather unpleasant event resurfaces. 

It’s said that humans are political animals by nature, but apparently the type of humans who get pink slips are animals who prioritize primal emotions over logic or commonly accepted taboos. When you get down to it, aren’t there more people who, unlike the “good” academic elite, act out their impulses? The director specifically warned me to watch my back at the station, but I couldn’t see what he was getting at. 

Wham! Something slams into me. I fall from the platform in bizarre slow motion. The moment I see the train, my consciousness cuts off. 

When I wake up, I encounter an unspeakable injustice. 

“Are you really living creatures of flesh and blood?” 

“Sorry, who are you?” 

An elderly man taken straight out of a cookie-cutter novel heaves a heavy sigh as he observes me. It has to be one of three possible explanations: 

I miraculously survived, and a doctor is examining me, but I’m unable to perceive it correctly. In other words, it’s possible either my eyes or my brain have suffered serious trauma. 

I’m dying, and this is either a delusion or a hallucination. Maybe my life is flashing before my eyes. 

I’ve woken up in the real world after mistaking a dream for reality. I could still be half-asleep. 

“…The whole lot of you have the most twisted personalities. What a bunch of nonsense in that head of yours!” 

Did he just read my mind? If he did, that’s an extremely indecent and unwelcome violation of my privacy, as well as an intrusion on confidential matters. 

“I certainly did. But it’s disgusting, reading the minds of uncompassionate disbelievers.” 

“Well, what do you know…? I never dreamed the devil was real.” 

“You come up with the craziest ideas!” 

Only God or the devil is capable of defying universal laws. If God existed, he wouldn’t ignore all the injustice in the world. Thus, this world lacks a God. Therefore, Being X before me is the devil. I rest my case. 

“…Are you disbelievers trying to work your Creator to death?” 

“You disbelievers”? In the plural. Which means he’s referring to others along with me. Should I take comfort in the fact that I’m not alone? Hard to say. While I don’t specifically hate myself, I don’t particularly love me, either. 

“I mean deranged souls like yours! They’re everywhere these days. Why aren’t you attaining enlightenment as humanity advances? Don’t you want deliverance from your earthly bondage?” 

“I suspect this is simply the result of that social progress.” 

Rawls’s theory of justice 2 is absolutely wonderful, but actually applying it is unrealistic. Humans have already been divided into the haves and the have-nots. It might be interesting as a hypothetical proposal, but in reality, people can’t give up what they have for the sake of others. Isn’t it natural to pursue material gain in this life rather than worry about the future? Even so, what does it matter? 

If I’m dead, what’s going to happen to my soul? Let’s discuss this constructively. What really matters is what comes next. 

“I’ll just throw you back into the cycle of life and death—you’re getting reborn,” replies the self-proclaimed God, Being X. The answer the stranger gives is quite simple. Ah, I bet he’s fulfilling his duty to explain. Yes, work is not something to be taken lightly. I can appreciate the importance of assuming responsibility and acting in compliance with the law. Like it or not, as a member of society—of an organization—I should probably indicate that I understand how we’re to proceed. 

“Very well. In that case, go ahead and do your thing.” 

For starters, I plan on doing a better job of watching my back in my next life. I’ve learned that there are two types of people, rational and irrational, so I’ll undoubtedly need to revisit behavioral economics. 

“…Ugh! I’ve had it.” 

But the words he whispers under his breath leave me perplexed. 

“Huh?” 

“Can’t you guys get your acts together? Far be it from any of you to attain enlightenment and break free from the cycle when you lack so much as a shred of faith!” he complains, making this awkward for me. 

Quite honestly, I have no idea what this Being X (self-proclaimed God) is so mad about. I realize elderly folks can be quick-tempered, but when someone who appears to hold a fairly senior position flies into a blind rage, they can be hard to read. If this were an anime, you could write it off as a gag, but in the real world, you rarely get that luxury. 

“Humans these days have strayed too far from the universal laws! They can’t tell right from wrong!” 

Geez! Being X can preach all he wants about universal laws, but I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. And if these laws really do exist, it’s annoying that he didn’t give notice beforehand. He’s asking for too much if he expects people to adhere to laws they’ve never seen, let alone consented to. I can’t comprehend something that hasn’t been put into words. To my knowledge, I’ve yet to develop telepathic powers. 

“I gave you the Ten Commandments, you know!!” 

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Honor thy father and thy mother. 

Thou shalt not kill. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

Thou shalt not steal. 

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s property. 

The commandments suddenly flow into my mind via telepathy or something, but…uh…well…damn. See, I was born in a polytheistic region of the world, where we’re used to letting things slide as “religious tolerance.” So I’m honestly not sure how to react to someone bringing up the commandments. For the record, I happen to honor my parents, and I’ve never killed anyone. But I am biologically male. Certain sexual instincts are programmed into me. I can’t do anything about those. It’d be another story if I had handled the programming, but I didn’t. 

“I’ll regret that as long as I live!” 

Just how long does God live? I’m mildly intrigued, if only from a purely academic perspective. Unsurprising, given my inquisitiveness and curiosity. 

I’ve never fought the desire or impulse to murder someone. Sure, it’s refreshing whenever I nail a head shot in an FPS, but that doesn’t make me any more bloodthirsty than the next guy. I’m pro–animal rights; I’m pretty sure that at the very least, I’ve taken posters to support a movement trying to decrease the catch-and-kill programs of various shelters. 

“So you didn’t dirty your hands, but you still derived pleasure from the act of killing, didn’t you?!” 

I’ve never stolen anything, borne false witness against another, or had the joy of winning a married woman’s heart. Above all else, I’ve gone through life as an upright, honest person. I fulfilled my duties at work and adhered to the law, and I can’t recall ever actively defying the prescribed conduct for a human being. If I had been sent to war, maybe I would have received a revelation from God while parachuting that I should dedicate my life to farming shrimp. Unfortunately, my experience serving in the military was limited to online games. 

“Have it your way! If you won’t repent, I’ll have no choice but to impose a fitting punishment on you!” 

I’d like to think these false accusations can only go so far. And why me? But as a rule of thumb, I know it’s never wise to let things pan out on their own. 

“Wait a moment if you will.” 

“Stuff it!” 

…I wish you wouldn’t lose your temper. If you’re claiming to be the Supreme Being (even if you’re not doing a very good job at it), I wish you were a bit more mentally mature. I suppose you could even keep the disguise. This one lawyer acquaintance of mine comes across as two completely different people depending on whether he’s in court or online. The man even has a full social life! While I don’t expect you to reach his level of perfection, you could try a bit harder… 

“I’m already overworked managing seven billion souls!” 

The Bible says, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth.” Admittedly, my knowledge of the matter is limited, but I’m fairly certain mankind has been faithfully obeying this doctrine. I can just see Malthus turning in his grave. You might say that mankind has “multiplied” too much. If you’re going to work in administration, I wish you’d keep track of the orders you issue. Hopefully you won’t get fired after losing the respect of all your subordinates. 

At any rate, seeing as you’re the administrator, you should take full responsibility for what you said. 

“A-all I ever get are you skeptics without a speck of faith! You’re putting me in the red!” 

Honestly, isn’t that a flaw in the business model? 

“I won’t take this from someone who broke his contract! Aren’t you guys the ones who wanted a shot at enlightenment in the first place?” 

You can’t expect me to know unless you notify me. That’s what I really think. It’s common sense to send important documents through certified mail, and really, a contract should be handed over in person. It would have been nice if you had left the contract on a permanent medium, too. 

“You bowed before the laws of God, you know!” 

Uh, the scientific advances these days are almost magical. Overdeveloped science is practically magic. Hooray for natural science! All is right in the world. In our society of abundance, neither a sense of crisis nor devotion will spread without an impending threat. That’s why we desperately cling to things. Unless driven into a corner, people won’t cling to religion. 

“…So in other words, it’s like…that…uh…you know?” 

You say I know, but I’m afraid I won’t until you tell me. 

There’s nothing to be done for the increasingly flippant way I am treating Being X. But not being able to have a conversation is truly frustrating. What can we do about that? At this point, if there were some sort of interpreter service, I’d hire them without too much concern for the fee. 

“You’re driven by lust, you lack faith, and you don’t fear your Creator. Furthermore, you can’t find a moral fiber in your entire body.” 

Objection! I want to shout. I’m not that bad. Based on moral and social norms, I’m not nearly as horrible as you make me out to be! 

“Spare me! You’re all the same, or we wouldn’t turn around and repeat this song and dance every time one of you is reborn!” 

Uh, like I said before, the real problem here is overpopulation. Or, at the very least, it has to do with our lengthening life spans… There’s this thing called average life expectancy. Yes, of course there’s also Malthus’s “An Essay on the Principle of Population.” 3 You haven’t read it? The way we multiply like rats, you must have your hands full. It’s not as though we’re doing anything in particular; I believe a simple analysis will show that your business model is flawed. 

“If the number of believers increased along with the population, things would be fine!” 

Yeah, so there’s the flaw in your business model. All I can say is that you did a sloppy job psychoanalyzing your consumer base. That’s a structural mistake from back in the planning stages. 

“So in your case, you don’t believe it’s because you were a male, living in a world of science, ignorant of war, and unthreatened?” 

…Huh? What? I, uh, think I might have screwed up. 

Okay, let’s calm down. Right now, Being X is as dangerous as the director of human resources was during that mess when another company poached a bunch of our veteran engineers. I understand the situation. And I’ve already considered how to deal with it. 

“So if I remedied that, even the likes of you would awaken to faith?” 

Uh, aren’t you jumping to conclusions? Why don’t you calm down? I’ll admit, I said that overdeveloped science has clouded faith. But, God, please calm down! That’s right, relax. If we could feel the grace of the Lord, that would solve everything. Oh, but of course, I understand. I know all too well how graciously you watch over us, as you are guiding me right now. Yes, I fully understand, so would you be so kind as to lower your hand? And might I add, I’m afraid the part about how I’m ignorant of war was a misunderstanding. 

“Groveling won’t get you anywhere now!” 

Wait, my Lord! Please remember that neither magic nor miracles have been proven real in our world. Anyone who claims to have seen a miracle smells fishier than a fish market. Same with your existence! And for another thing, it doesn’t matter whether you’re male or female. It’s obvious that both genders have sexual desire! 

“Enough already. You’ve made your case. Anyway, I’m gonna try this out.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“I’m going to test this on you!!!!” 

So, yeah… That about sums up the memory. I wish I could forget it.