King of the Island
Cassette tape begins to play.
What the heck are you recording for?
Come on, I just wanted to record some of your singing, Tao. What are you gonna sing next?
Fine, then you have to sing too―[inaudible]
Somebody once said… that God only disappears from this world at sunset.
That’s why loneliness, pain, sadness, and weakness can easily slip into people’s hearts.
If there truly is a God that exists, I want to ask him something. Why was I born? And why have I lived until now?
In this game-like world, devoid of all realism… If there’s no point in living, then shouldn’t there be no point in dying too?
Maybe, if I just keep living… then someday, there won’t be such thing as finding a purpose in life anymore…
Or maybe, I could find something important enough… to devote this empty heart to.
Cassette tape stops.
Look! There it is… The “Monkey’s Cage”…
The escape-proof island prison…
Is that where I’m going to be locked up…?
(The whole island is a prison… Didn’t I play a game a while ago that had the same idea? Talk about realistic fiction.)
(Am I really just stuck in some kind of game realm after all? …If I am, then I seriously wish I could just hit the RESET button and get out of here.)
Line up straight! The name’s Kodama, the chief warden and instructor around here!
I’m gonna be the one kiiiindly getting you around! You’d better get this face memorized!
Starting today, your names are your tag numbers. When you’re called, you respond with respect!
(Tag numbers? Oh… The numbers on our uniforms. Mine’s… 500010.)
Listen up, you scumbags. Those tags of yours have got biometric tech in ‘em. The guards will know everything from where you are to what you’re doing. Don’t stupidly try to take them off, or else you’ll set off an alarm.
Don’t think about escaping either. If any of you touch those big, ginormous walls, system headquarters will get a message telling them who did it. And obviously your chances of even getting on a boat are zero!
Because you’ll be locked out before you even board it!
Tsk, if a ship won’t do then there’s always the ocean…
And don’t even think about trying to swim away! We’ve released a bunch of man-eating sharks into the waters.
The second you dip your toes in, you’re toast! Hahaha!
(So that’s how it is… Looks like breaking out really is impossible…)
Buuut, who knows? If you’re good, then you might get something nice during playtime. That all depends on the amount of effort you put in, though.
Now! I, the kind Chief Warden-sama, will answer just one question for you lot! Alright, No. 500017! If you’ve got something to say, spit it out!
…The tag number 500017 is used to identify me.
Woah~, take a look at 500017’s face. Looks like a doll’s, doesn’t it?
Too bad it’s gonna end up being someone’s prey.
…!
(That face, is that…?!)
Data collection still in progress. There have been no changes in any abnormal values within my current data.
Huh? What are you on about? Well, if you don’t have any questions it’s fine.
Get into your groups and head to your quarters! Dismissed!
Ah! Wait a second, Kinari–I mean, 500017!
No. 500010! What do you think you’re doing? Get to your quarters, now!
…
No. 10, what’d they lock you up for?
Theft…
Don’t lie, a petty crime like that would never get you landed in here. If it did, then that’d make you really unlucky.
Oi, fishies1, go sleep already. If the warden comes here because of your chit-chat then it’ll be a real pain.
(But I really was brought in for theft, though. Actually, I was convicted of something I didn’t even do.)
(Unlucky? You’re telling me. My luck’s been bad since the day I was born.)
(But, the prison’s got a roof. The bed is hard, but it’s still a bed. So it’s not all that bad.)
(Compared to how my life’s been so far, this is actually pretty lucky. Falling asleep to the sound of rolling waves is kinda nice in its own way too…)
That person I saw earlier…500017…he’s definitely the guy I went to school with, right?
This song is for people who’ve died, you know.
Really? The lyrics are pretty heartbreaking.
I think about this kind of thing a lot. There are lots of songs for people who are dead, but there aren’t any songs that are sung from a dead person’s perspective.
Well, you can’t write lyrics when you’re dead, can you?
No, but… I think the dead have something they’d want to say too.
Tao, if you were going to die tomorrow… what would you want to say to those you’d leave behind?
(Why did he… ask me something like that back then…?)
<Attention all inmates, please proceed with your assigned duties immediately. Once again…>
(Looks like I’m on cleaning duty in the courtyard today. I got lucky getting such an easy job.)
If this was a game, there wouldn’t be much EXP to gain from thi… huh?
H-hey, Ki–No, 500017!
?
Looks like we’re in the same crew. I wanted to talk to you… When did you get here?
Incarceration took place yesterday at 6:18:23 PM…
Not that, when did you get to this era…? Actually, do you remember me? I’m Kinouchi Tao, from class.
…
Data processed; however, that name does not exist in my records.
Conversation aggregation is not deemed a priority, disengaging.
Eh, wh–Hey?
What’s wrong with him… Did he lose his memory?
Ohhh! Look who it is, it’s the princess that got here yesterday.
500017? A princess? more like a doll!2 What a cute face. Come sit with me for a bit.
…
(Oh, is he being surrounded by all those big guys?)
C’mon over here. I’ll play with you.
Negative. Currently, completing assigned duties is a far greater priority.
Huh?! The hell’d you say?
H-hang on! You might get caught on the surveillance cameras! Are you really going to gang up on someone for no good reason?
What’s your deal? Aren’t you one of the newbies that got here yesterday too? Do you wanna get roughed up together?!
(N-not good! It’s good that I jumped in to help, but I’m not any good at brawling…)
Hmmm, this isn’t a very pretty view. It’s not easy on the eyes either.
(…! Who’s that?)
Ack! You’re…
Hazing newcomers might be something normal in prisons, but life is too short for that. Time should be spent doing something a little more fun, shouldn’t it?
Tch, if he’s around then things aren’t good for us. Let’s scram.
(…Were we just saved?)
Umm, thank you… very much. Who are you…?
Don’t mention it. Me? I’m Kitakata Raito.
I’m also… the one they call “King” on this island.
Ev3ns opening song “Scarlet Scars” plays, translation can be found here