| Spoiler warning! This article contains spoilers from the Light Novel, Anime or the Manga! If you have not read/watched then please do not continue on. You've been warned! |
Overview[]
「Before the Clouds」 —Eye Opener— (「雲の前で」 ("Kumo no Mae de") —Eye Opener—) is the tenth chapter of the twelfth volume of Kino's Journey —the Beautiful World—. It has been adapted to anime form in 2017.
This episode introduces the character Photo and her partner, Sou, as well as features Kino's visit to the aftermath of the events in Amidst the Clouds —Blinder— and the continuation of Photo's journey in Photo's Every Day —the Beautiful Moment—.
Synopsis[]
The story begins with a group of travelers and their slave girl, abused by her owners. She is tasked with helping the women in preparing dinner. She struggles with the work, as she is chained to one of the caravan's trucks.
Two of the travelers discuss Photo's situation between each other - that she had been acquired ten days ago by the caravan as payment for goods that the church - the purchaser of the caravan's goods- would have been unable to pay for otherwise.
It is revealed that the girl is an orphan and was still extremely devout to her faith despite her situation. She states that she did not hate any of the people around her, believing that her position now was due to the Leader of her faith telling her to go see the outside world, resulting in a better life. She comments that this is a test for her future.
The two travelers attempt to reason with her, telling her that she had been sold, and as property of the caravan, she could be hurt or killed with no consequences - she was only alive because she was a slave. However, she still insists that to hate or blame people was a sin, and that people can live lives while loving and respecting one another.
As the meal is served, the slave girl begins to remember that the herbs used in the soup is poisonous, and attempts to tell her masters, but is unable to as they could not hear her. Believing that as she was the one who was unable to inform them, she attempts to also kill herself by ingesting the soup. However, she one of the caravan's children throws a rock at her, causing her to drop the place, essentially saving her life.
The slave's second attempt is cut short as another rock is thrown at her, and she is tied up and gagged as they believe that she is attempting to interrupt their dinner. She begins to scream in anguish until she is knocked out by one of the caravan members, believing that she had gone insane knowing that she would be eventually killed.
When the slave awakens, she sees the caravan members begin to react to the poison from their meal. She finds her way to one of the two travelers that had been talking to her before. He had ingested less of the herb, as he did not like vegetables. He comments on how she had attempted to eat her portion but was stopped.
The slave cries to the man, wishing for him to kill her as she believes she is the reason everyone had died. The man agrees, but tells her that he no longer has the strength to do what she wishes for, and she would need to do it herself. He tells her that he will show her, and for her to come closer towards him.
He removes the collar from the slave, telling her that it would be easier to shoot with it out of the way, and instructs her to hold his gun up and put her finger on the trigger. When she does so, he uses the remainder of his strength to sit up and shoot himself in the stomach.
With the man's death, the slave hears a voice commenting on how everyone was dead and that she was the only survivor. The voice instructs her to head towards one of the trucks, where she finds a small motorrad tucked under a shelf and secured with rope. The motorrad tells her now that everyone else is dead, she was free to do whatever she wanted.
The slave asks the motorrad how she could die, in which he replies that it was simple. He instructs her to just live, as all living creatures eventually die, and that her life would end before she knew it. The motorrad also tells her that her staying alive is better for him too, and teaches her how to drive the truck, but not before suggesting she loot the other two trucks and corpses for valuables and persuaders. He also suggests she find a change of clothes, as there is no one alive any longer to complain.
He asks her for her name, in which she replies that she no longer has one. The motorrad says he will come up with one for her, as she was someone who was just born.
Kino and Hermes arrive at the camp the next afternoon, and stop to inspect the situation. Hermes asks Kino what she sees, and Kino replies that no one is moving.Difference in Media[]
Photo is not tied up during the anime iteration - she is knocked out momentarily by the rock thrown at her instead of being struck by one of the caravan members.
Photo tells Sou that she is not allowed to go inside the trucks in the novel, and needs to walk quite deep into the truck interior to find him, while in the anime, he is right where the canvas opens.
The conversation Photo has with Sou takes place inside the truck in the novel iteration, while they converse around a campfire in the anime.