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墨書 Inktalez
On that day, another soul arrived.
"Ferry fee, one gold coin," I said, extending my hand in a routine manner.
"Eh? Um..."
The newly arrived soul displayed a bewildered expression, then proceeded to search through all the pockets of their clothing, only to find them completely empty.
"That... I, I don't have any money," he said meekly.
"Perhaps there has been a delay in the support from your family. You can wait here for now," I withdrew my hand and comforted him in a familiar, gentle tone.
"That, that...," he lowered his head and hesitated. "I, I don't have any relatives to support me."
"In that case, you can return to the world, collect enough supplies from unregistered support, convert them into coins, and then come back to take the ship," I offered the solution as usual.
"But I, I..." He timidly lowered his head and twisted his fingers. "I can't grab hold of..."
I remained speechless and silently stared at him for a while.
"…or would you be willing to stay here for a hundred years in exchange for a chance to board the ship for free?"
Upon hearing this, he stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
"What? Wait a hundred years? That's so long! Can't we make an exception?"
"...I'm sorry, but that's the rule," I replied calmly.
He immediately wilted, then turned away with a dejected expression, just as he locked eyes with the deceased sitting beside the stone pile.
The deceased was momentarily taken aback, but then offered a gentle smile to the newcomer.
"Hello."
"Hello, you... " The newcomer timidly responded, looking around nervously, as if trying to find a place to stay undisturbed.
"Do you want to cross the river?" he pointed to the dark river ahead.
"Y-yes..." the newcomer replied, his lips trembling. "But... I don't have any money..."
"I see..." He turned to gaze at the misty River of Oblivion. "Are you eager to cross the river? Don't you want to stay here?"
"If we could leave, who would want to stay here? Besides, we have to stay for a hundred years! What a joke!" The newcomer couldn't help but exclaim in exasperation.
"Is that so..." He narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold coin, handing it to the newcomer. "Well then, take this."
"Huh?" The newcomer looked at the gold coin with disbelief, eyes widening. "C-Can I really have this?"
"Okay," he nodded with a smile. "It was given to me by someone else anyway, and I'm not in a hurry to cross the river, so I'll give it to you first."
"Th-thank you!" The newcomer exclaimed with joy as he took the gold coin and immediately rushed towards me. "I-I have money now! I-I can cross the river!"
I silently watched the gold coin he held high in his hand, an inexplicable emotion lingering in my heart.
After a moment, I quietly reached out to take the coin, gestured for the newcomer to board the boat, and picked up the pole, guiding the vessel slowly into the River of Hades as I always did.
"Why should I give it to him?"
Returning to the riverbank, I maintained a calm demeanor and asked him nonchalantly,
"Uh?" He looked at me with a puzzled expression at first, then suddenly understood. "Oh, you mean that gold coin?"
"Why give it to him?"
He laughed indifferently. "I don't need it anyway."
"Not needed?" I looked at him in confusion.
"After all, I have no intention of boarding the ship," he said lazily as he stretched. "Since the other party doesn't want to stay here and I have no desire to leave, that gold coin can be put to good use and serve its purpose, wouldn't that be just right?"
"...What if one day you suddenly want to take a boat?"
"Hmm? Oh, it doesn't matter. There will always be a way to solve it," he replied with a carefree smile. "Besides, even if I run out of gold coins, as long as I stay here for a hundred years, I can still take a boat, right?"
I was at a loss and unable to refute.
Yes, his argument is correct, so why do I still feel a strange, stifling sensation in my chest that won't dissipate?
After struggling for a while, I sighed silently.
Forget it... It's not my business anyway, so I don't need to care so much.
"Speaking of which, I have a question," he suddenly raised his hand to ask.
"What question?" I looked at him calmly.
"Why wouldn't you suggest that those deceased without ferry fees directly ask the more affluent spirits for gold coins? Wouldn't that be faster?" He tilted his head in confusion.
In response, I couldn't help but furrow my brows.
"That's not a good method..."
"How so?" he asked. "Regardless of the method used, the most important thing is to be able to successfully cross the river with the gold coins, isn't it?"
"First of all, it is rare for the deceased to possess multiple gold coins, and not everyone is willing to share with others. Some would rather see their excess coins turn to ashes than give them to someone else. Therefore, instead of waiting for others to be charitable, it would be better to take action oneself. Furthermore..." I hesitated, unsure whether I should continue.
"And then?" He looked at me with confusion.
I took a deep breath and softly said, "...Furthermore, what is obtained from others ultimately does not belong to oneself."
"What do you mean?"
I turned my gaze toward the slowly swirling gray mist ahead, gathering my thoughts once more.
"The fare I collect for the ferry will be returned to the other side upon arrival; that is the rule. However, if the coins are given as charity, they will turn to ashes once we reach the other side." I stared blankly at my empty palms. "Even though one can still board the ferry, in the end, they gain nothing... I don't know if there is any meaning in this, but... I feel that it is because they have given up their chance to prove themselves, so..."
After listening, I saw his expression become very complicated.
"Are you saying... that I thought I did a good thing, but actually indirectly harmed the person just now?"
"Awfully regretful, I don't know." I couldn't help but bitterly laugh. "However, no matter the outcome, since he himself chose to accept your gift, it can be considered a guide of fate."
"...So, did you really want me to take that gold coin and use it to cross the river when you asked me to put it away at first?"
I looked up at him and met his bewildered gaze.
After a long silence, I calmly said in a low voice:
"That's just a suggestion after all. Whether to use it or not, it's up to you."
He hesitated to speak, as if wanting to say something, but in the end chose to close his lips, turning everything into a silent sigh, saying nothing at all.
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