Chapter 336: The Ruins of the Great Tree
336 – The Ruins of the Great Tree
Below the giant tree is a huge entrance to a building. The right-hand side of the door still stands, but the left side has crumbled away. Fragments of stone are visible mixed into the surrounding root.
I hesitate for a second, but then lose to my curiosity and approach the door. As I get closer, my partner and I bite through bits of root that clog the path.
I see what looks like a drawing carved into the collapsed door. Using my foreleg, I brush away dirt from the indentations, and clean it by rubbing it with my skin. Part way through I realise that what I’m looking at is writing rather than a drawing. The dirt isn’t completely cleared, and at first I don’t understand what it is I’m looking at.
But, as I look closer, I realise that I recognise the first character. The moment I notice, the inside of my head burns hot.
『あw／g／ntnzえ／ga』
It’s genuine hiragana and Latin letters. A lot of them are unreadable due to damage, and there are some that merely look like hiragana but are slightly different.
Wh-what is this? It looks pretty old, but… Long ago, were there others from Earth like me? It’s a weird arrangement of letters…
I wonder if I’ll understand if I continue through. I get the feeling that this building has something to do with who I am.