01x17 - I Could Make a Lot of Money with This Book... Maybe

[bunniefuu]

EPISODE 17: I COULD MAKE A LOT
OF MONEY WITH THIS BOOK... MAYBE

It's not enough.

This isn't nearly enough
to cure my fear of death.

ORB: ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH

These are from my father?

They're all that could be brought back.

Were you able to draw the map, Draka?

Chief.

Here. It should be accurate.

Oh my, this is amazing.

Thank you, as always.

Now will you hear what I have to say?

You won't take "next time"
for an answer, will you?

No, you promised to listen
in exchange for my work.

Very well.

There should be more efficient ways
for us to earn money.

At present, we divide
our profits equally among the tribe.

That leads some people to be lazy.

To prevent that,

those who contribute more
should be rewarded.

In fact, they could even get all of it!

If we distribute less, the sense
of urgency will accelerate competition,

and the whole tribe will benefit.

- We can--
- Draka.

Huh?

I am always grateful for your efforts.

No one else thinks as much
about the village's future as you.

And you have such a sharp memory!

You can draw maps
of abandoned villages after one trip.

We rely on those maps
to safely retrieve discarded fabrics,

and our division of labor
transforms them into new products.

Rather than let each person
work on their own,

we can improve efficiency and quality

by assigning specialized tasks.

It was your idea, wasn't it?

Thanks to that, we don't have to rely on
risky acts like stealing or hunting.

The village has already benefited plenty.

We're all grateful to you.

Things still aren't efficient enough.

There must be other products or skills
that can be more uniform!

Those are what I want to find!

Draka,

I told you, the village
has already benefited plenty.

We must not be greedy.

Why do we need more than we have?

Our profits are a gift from God.

It's only natural
that they be shared equally.

You must love your neighbor more.

Why?

Because those are God's teachings.

It's not enough.

Huh? What did you say?

You need more money?

You're a contributor.

I'm happy to loan you money
from our treasury at any time.

Although I don't know why
you are in such desperate need of it.

For peace of mind.

Peace... of mind?

Forget it. It's nothing.

I don't need the loan.

If you'll excuse me...

Uncle, I brought your dinner.

Oh, it's you, Draka.

Thank you for looking after
this frail old man.

What's that? Did you steal wine again?

Don't say it like that!

These belong to everyone, right?

You mustn't bully me.

My body has fallen prey to disease,

and I'll soon depart this world.

Can't you overlook a minor drinking habit?

You've been saying that for years,
and you haven't died yet.

Well, that's...

You used to be much more sincere.

How did you end up like this?

Well, putting that aside,

I want to ask your opinion
about something.

What?

If we had individual competition,

I think we could increase profits
for the entire tribe.

How about it?

Well, I suppose it's possible.

In that case--

Even so, I'm against it.

Not because it defies God's teachings,

but because it will destroy our unity.

Our population is too small
for competition.

But that's no reason
to grow bigger either.

It's true that with more people,
we could stimulate competition,

but it also means more disparity.

That will lead to conflict.

Such an idea

offers no salvation for the weak.

Freedom without morals is mere chaos.

So it's a no, huh?

Now, now. There's no need to get upset.

You are intelligent,
and you have a bright future.

So you say, but sometimes I worry.

Could it be that I'm destined

to live my whole life here, as I am?

Don't worry.

You have conviction.

One day, that conviction
will show you the way.

Your time hasn't come yet.

Right. I'll choose to believe that.

Do you always come here to cry?

Uncle...

Come back.

Everyone is worried
because you disappear every morning.

We're a community.
You can't act on your own.

Did they tell you to say that?

I'm your only living relative, after all.

Then you can go home.

I'll be back soon.

I can't allow that.

You'll just do the same thing tomorrow.

Why do you cry when morning comes?

You really don't know?

Because morning is when Father died.

That may be, but why here?

You can cry in your tent.

You don't understand that either?!

Obviously, it's out of concern!

Concern for what?

For everyone!

Everyone says that Father went to heaven.

If they see me cry,
it's like saying God's will was a lie!

I see. I think I understand.

In that case, I'll teach you
three magic spells

that will cure your worries.

However, you can't tell anyone.

Huh?

Doesn't that go against God's teachings?

The first

is that God doesn't exist.

What?

There's actually no evidence God exists.

Well, you could say
that not knowing for sure

is what makes us "believers."

However, not believing in God

is an advantage
because it gives you more choices.

So from now on,
you need not concern yourself with God.

Don't let God take
certain things from you,

such as control of your emotions
and your reason to live.

Instead, believe that your pain
is the world's pain.

Starting tomorrow, don't hesitate
to be sad in front of the others.

If you understand,
I'll move on to the second.

Think.

Learn your letters
and read all the books you can.

Not so you can show off,

but so you can think.

Find the connections between
bits of information that seem unrelated.

Transform mere information
into knowledge you can use.

That process is where the truth lies.

The truth?

Yes.

With that, you'll have the courage
to stand your ground

and the will to leap forward.

If you continue thinking
in a world with no God,

then one day, the third spell
will naturally reveal itself.

That's conviction.

Conviction?

Yes.

Conviction will allow you
to conquer your fear and stop crying.

For example, my conviction

is to survive, even if it means
abandoning my convictions.

Isn't that a little weird?

Oh, that's what we call a contradiction.

But what do you expect from a magic spell?

Anyway, if you understand,
stay in your tent starting tomorrow.

God doesn't exist.

Think.

Then you'll gain conviction.

Father died while out plundering.

This money is all he left behind.

Think.

Why did Father die?

What is this money saying to me?

What is it trying to tell me?

Father had to go plundering

because that's how we survive.

If we had more money,

he wouldn't have needed to take that risk.

If we had more money,

Father would still be alive.

Without money, I'll be unhappy.

Without money, I'll be weak.

That's it.

I have to earn money

until the fear is gone from my heart.

That was Father's message.

That's my conviction.

I have to keep thinking

of ways to earn money.

Ah, my moment of bliss.

Huh?

This way.

No one has been here for a long time.

Are you sure it's here?

I'm certain.

On a previous patrol,
we discovered a basement room.

It had a stockpile of fine wine!

I was told to report it to you, Bishop.

Hey, who are you?

Oh, uh, I'm...

From your appearance, you must be a nomad.

This territory belongs to me.

Vulgar scum.

Arrest him!

P-Please wait!

I'll give you all this wine.

I've spent years building this stockpile,

but it's yours!

So please, spare me.

Fine. I'll take it.

Now arrest him.

B-But...

Bishop! We found trespassers outside.

We're in pursuit. There are three!

You b*stard. What's your plan?

You've got it wrong. I'm here alone.

I'd be in trouble
if the other villagers knew.

Restrain him.
We'll take him to the hangman.

Wait...

I have no choice.

Huh?

Even if you put me in the dungeon,

there's no benefit to you, right?

I'll give you something
more valuable instead.

What's that?

A young woman.

So please, let me go.

Fine. I accept.

Thank you very much.

This doesn't mean I believe you.

Tell us where the village is.

If you break your promise,
the villagers will face the consequences.

Don't worry.

I promise to bring her to you.

W-We let the intruders escape,

Bishop Antoni...

It's fine. They're not important.

Let them be.

I think this one offers us a lot more.

ORB: ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH

Orb.

Draka, I have something
important to tell you.

For a long time, I've been pondering

whether to entrust you with something.

However, my body has grown
weaker than ever lately.

You may not believe me,

but I really think my time is at hand.

And after much thinking,

I've decided to entrust it to you.

What is this about?

I can't tell you the details here.

But I can promise you this.

It's something that will change your fate.

The rest is up to you.

You'll need to prepare yourself.

I'm ready!

Take me there.

They're not here yet?

Okay, wait in that house over there.

I have to wait for the time to come.

Uh... okay.

Blood?

Huh?

A book?

ORB: ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH
CHAPTER THREE

"Heaven and earth are not separate,
hierarchical realms."

"Everything is unified
under a single order."

"Humankind shall be freed
from life in a lowly, corrupt realm."

"Freed by heliocentrism,
the movement of the Earth."

W-What the heck is this book?

There's no mistake.

I've just seen something incredible.

Then again...

For such a bold topic,
the writing is pretty simplistic.

Rather than theory,

it focuses on the cultural impact
of heliocentrism.

Most books are either
about religion or academic subjects.

But this one is neither.

It seems to be the author's own thoughts.

And it ends by praising God
for creating the Earth.

It's certainly provocative.

But it's not just the content
that excites me.

What I sense right now
is a bigger question.

I can feel it

ever so faintly.

I feel that I could make
a lot of money with this book.

Think.

Let's start from square one.

To make a lot of money,

a product needs to be widely accepted.

But what does it mean to be accepted?

Historically, the thing
most accepted by people

is probably God.

So why are people
so willing to accept God?

Most likely it's because...
they're all afraid.

Whether it's the future or the afterlife,
people fear the unknown or uncertain.

To find salvation from that,

they turn to God as an absolute,
immovable presence.

But I remember
what my uncle told me back then.

There is no God.

If that is true,

it's merely that God
is the only choice available.

Could there be an alternative way
to soothe our fears?

Instead of prayers
that may or may not be answered,

what if pleasure could be
a more certain way to soothe fear?

People surely prefer things
that are easily understood.

One day, we may find excitement
in accessible forms of pleasure.

And if...

If books could be that source...

I could make a lot of money
with this book... maybe.

Plus, right now...

No, ever since I was born,

people have grown suspicious
of the way the Church dominates our lives.

A book that can fundamentally change
the way people think

might be accepted.

The book's content
and the Church's wavering authority...

Those two things are in place. What else?

What do I do about production?

Publish it in manuscript form?

No, that would take
too much time and effort.

I need something else.

Some technique that will ease production.

No, wait.

In the first place,

couldn't this book already be famous?

Now that I think about it, it probably is.

It could be that I didn't know of it.

What's gotten into me?

Besides, who wrote this
in the first place?

When was it written?

It doesn't say.

In fact, the absence of names
in the text is almost eerie.

Is it because it's dangerous?

So why does it say this at the end?

"When it becomes safe to do so,

give ten percent
of the profits to Potocki."

They even wrote his address.

Who could he be?

It doesn't seem like he's the author.

Draka! Come here.

Huh?

Uncle! Listen to this!

I found something interesting...

Huh? Who are they?

Is this her?

Yes.

You're right. She could draw a good price.

Is this what you meant
by changing my fate?

Forgive me.

I'll do anything to survive.