A long, long time ago, there was a village on whose western outskirts stood a cave. In its innermost depths was a demon who, like ice, had neither blood or tears.
Man
Spare me...please, I beg you. Don’t kill me...
(The man cries, scrabbling at thick strands of long golden hair wrapped around his neck.)
No one who entered the cave ever came out again.
Demon
...not him either...
(The man lies dead upon the cave floor.)
Demon
Who in the world has the Teardrop Jewel?
(He senses something.)
Demon
Another human prey draws near.
This time, too, I will taste the terror of death in full. And then I shall find the purest Teardrop Jewel in this world.
(A young man stands before the cave.)
Young Man
Ah. I’m here.
(He steps inside.)
Young Man
It’s marvelously vast.
(He sees skulls and bones lying on the cave floor and stops. A lock of hair curls towards him.)
In this cave—
(Thick strands of hair grab him around the middle and lift him into the air.)
Young Man
Huh?
Woah!
Young Man
—lives the demon who, like ice, has neither blood nor tears.
No one who has walked into this cave has ever returned.
Demon
So you came, human.
(The young man, dangling in midair, sees the demon, his arms and lower half encased in ice.
Young Man
—Th...the Ice Demon!!
(He smiles.)
Young Man
Wow—
Demon
Eh?
Young Man
So you really do exist!
Demon
Wh...what is with this human?
Until now those who came—
Man, Flashback
Mon...Monster!
Demon
—just seeing me was enough to convulse their faces with terror.
Isn’t this guy afraid at all!
(The young man grins at the demon)
Young Man
Wow, the real thing! So cool!
Demon
What is the matter with him?
Demon
Hey, you!
Young Man
Nice to meet you. I’m “Ishuca”.
Demon
Shut up!! I don’t need to know your name. Look beneath you!!
Ishuca
“Beneath”?
(It’s a long way down.)
Demon
Well?
Demon
This is generally where humans begin to tremble.
(The cave floor is covered with skulls and bones.)
Demon
Understand now? You will suffer the same fate as those who came before.
Ishuca
...those people were...
Demon
They were enough to fill my stomach.
Demon
Oh yes, be very afraid.
Ishuca
...are you hungry?
Demon
He really shouldn’t say that.
Ishuca
...I’m sorry. I didn’t bring anything with me.
Demon
Hasn’t he heard a single thing I said!
...What the hell is with this human? Is he such a fool? A simpleton?
Demon
...you! Aren’t you scared at all?
Ishuca
Huh?
(Cool, I’m in the air!)
Demon
Listen!! Humans are most afraid when they hear the word “death”.
Ishuca
Yes...I think that’s true, but
(Ishuca smiles.)
I’m not really afraid of dying.
Demon
...well, that’s troublesome.
Ishuca
Huh? Troublesome? Why is it troublesome?
Demon
...when humans are about to die, they cry in terror; I’m searching for the Teardrop Jewel!
Ishuca
What is that?
Demon
You don’t know?! It’s the mystical stone which will grant any wish!! (Anyway, don’t ask in that asinine voice!)
Ishuca
“Grant any wish?”
(Didn’t hear.)
Demon
...that’s right.
(Given up.)
Demon
The purest teardrop in this world
Will become the jewel that grants but one wish.
Demon
That’s what I’m searching for.
Ishuca
...but...what is a “purest teardrop”? What does that mean? (Does something like that exist?)
Demon
Well, I’m going to find out.
Demon
The purest teardrop in the world is probably what is shed by humans in the depths of their despair in the moment before they die. When they tremble in fear and sorrow at the thought of their death, when they despair—the last tear they shed in the moment before death—I’m certain that that is a human’s purest teardrop. That’s why I seek tears shed in terror.
Ishuca
...wow—that’s amazing! You sure know a lot, don’t you! You’re really smart.
Demon
...this airhead...
Demon
How disappointing...
Ishuca
And then? When you’ve found the teardrop, then what?
Demon
Damn you, listen to people properly when they talk to you! Didn’t I say that the Teardrop Jewel will grant a wish!!
(Ishuca smiles.)
Ishuca
What do you wish for?
Demon
...you...
What do you think when you look at this state I’m in! (You can guess, can’t you?) I’m going to break this damned annoying ice curse! I can’t use my arms or legs.
Ishuca
Ice?! This...doesn’t melt?
Demon
If it melted I wouldn’t be suffering like this!
Demon
It’s been decades already, huh?
Priest, flashback
...give it up, Blood. You’ll never break this ice curse.
If you never think of anything other than yourself, this ice will never dissolve. In a little while here you will be an adult.
Demon
That damned Buddhist priest used his powers on me.
What’s so bad about thinking only about myself? (Dammit, my stomach is growling.) Is there a demon who lives for someone else!
Ishuca
...what about...a fire? Wouldn’t the heat melt the ice?
Demon
It won’t!
Even if you bring the fire close—or whatever you do—it won’t melt the ice, since it’s harder than diamond. It wouldn’t even scratch it!
Ishuca
I see... That’s...too bad... So what should I do?
Demon
—he... Doesn’t he understand his own peril?
(Arrow pointing to Ishuca: The captured victim who is now on the brink of being eaten (killed).)
(Arrow pointing to the demon: And the one who did the capturing.)
Ishuca
Hmm, I guess it can’t be dissolved, huh—
Demon
You should be worrying about yourself! (I am a demon, after all.)
Demon
...how much of an airhead can he be?
Ishuca
Ah!! Hey, hey.
Demon
...what?
Ishuca
Don’t you get frostbite? Are you okay?
(Completely in earnest.)
Demon
Why would I? (How many times do I have to tell you that I’m a demon?!!)
Demon
Pheh...he’s a lunatic!
Demon
...talking to you makes my head hurt.
(He sets Ishuca down on the floor.)
Demon
I shouldn’t have anything to do with him.
I’ll just eat him quickly.
Ishuca
Oh, hey, what should I call you?
Demon
He’s not afraid of death, so he can’t shed the Teardrop Jewel. He’s useless.
Demon
...Blood.
Ishuca
Blood? Oh, okay. You said that you were hungry, right?
Blood
What? (You really shouldn’t say that.)
Ishuca
Just wait for a moment.
Blood
HUH?
Ishuca
I saw some fruit that looked good at the mouth of the cave!I’ll pick some for you, so wait there!
(Ishuca turns and runs out of the cave.)
Blood
Eh?
Blood
Pick some, he said...why...
Blood
He...he ran away!! (Right from under my nose.)
I...I can’t believe it! I was fooled by such a simple trick!!
Am I a fool? He’s not coming back!!
...I underestimated him. He pretended to be an idiot airhead, but as a matter of fact he’s pretty clever, isn’t he!
...what a fiasco!! ...a tasty-looking guy after such a long time—young...soft-looking hair, white skin...and his face wasn’t bad either.
Blood
Damn it!
Ishuca
Blood! I’m back!
(A grinning Ishuca, “big catch”, is back with two branches full of berries. Blood is speechless.)
Ishuca
Here, they look good, don’t they? (They’re big, too.)
(Ishuca climbs onto a rock outcropping so he can face Blood. Blood is still speechless.)
Ishuca
Here... (What a convenient rock.) You can’t put out your hand, right? Here. (Open.)
Blood
Is...is he an idiot?!
(The berries finished, Ishuca is asleep on the rock.)
Blood
...he is an idiot.
Why did he bring food back for a demon? He got away, didn’t he?! (It was a perfect escape!!) For someone who may possibly eat him.
And now he’s asleep?! He’s sleeping in front of a demon!! (As if he were in a shrine! Perfectly within range of my hair!)
(There’s about 3 meters between them.)
Ishuca, Flashback
I’ve been walking since morning, so I’m a bit tired. I’m going to take a nap—Good night, Blood!
Blood
What “good night”! (I don’t sleep)
Blood
Defenseless and careless...(He’s drooling.)
Not afraid of anything—a strange guy.
Airhead. Dunce. ...I don’t get him. (I really don’t understand him.)
...
I guess I won’t kill him.
—is what he said, but he’s not pleased about it.
Blood
’Cause if I eat him I’ll be tainted with his stupidity. Right, killing a defenseless guy like him would be boring!
(Blood closes his eyes.)
...oh well, until the next...until the next victim comes I’ll kill some time.
(The next morning, he startles awake.)
Ishuca
Ah, good morning, Blood!
Blood
?! I...
Ishuca
So I guess demon people really do sleep too, huh—
Blood
I feel asleep?! (In front of a human....)
Ishuca
...what’s wrong?
Blood
When I’m by myself I’ve never slept!!
Blood
Oh, nothing...
Blood
Well, it’s not like my life is in danger from him.
Ishuca
Ah, hey Blood, is it okay if I touch you?
Blood
Huh?
(Ishuca reaches out and touches Blood’s neck.)
Ishuca
Oh! I guess your body really is cold. It’s bad for your circulation...
Blood
...I’ve somehow already gotten used to this airhead’s chattering.
Blood
...you...
Ishuca
It’s Ishuca!
Blood
...Ishuca...do you understand that I’m a demon?
Ishuca
Huh? Yeah. Oh...does your blood possibly not flow?
Blood
...dunno, it’s never flowed, I guess.
Ishuca
Hmm...ah, speaking of which, my grandmother who passed away always said that “in the cave there is a demon with neither blood nor tears, so don’t go near it.” (But you’re not the Ice Demon, you’re the demon in the ice, right?)
Blood
Huh, so I’ve become famous, hmm?
Ishuca
Yup!
Blood
...oh no! Now I’m actually making conversation!!
...but why did he come into this cave? He could’ve gotten out. And a while ago I was asleep, too. ...somehow, it’s as though...
Ishuca
Blood, when I die, so it’s okay for you to eat me.
Blood
...that’s the first time I’ve met any idiot who’d say that.
Ishuca
Eh?! Really?! Huh? Shouldn’t I say it?
Blood
You don’t usually say something like that!
...you should value your own body at least a little bit! Are you an idiot!
Ishuca
...Blood, you’re very kind, aren’t you.
Blood
WHAT?!
That’s not... You...you only say that because you’re an IDIOT! You’re misunderstanding.
Ishuca
Ahahah, that’s true! It’s true, isn’t it. Thanks!
Ah...that’s right...
(Ishuca suddenly puts his arms around Blood.)
Your body really shouldn’t be so cold—? I’ll warm it up.
Blood
...look, how many times do I have to tell you that I’m a demon!! (I’m fine!! So stop being so close to me!)
Ishuca
Maybe I’ll melt the ice!
Blood
Do you see it melting, idiot!
Ishuca
But it’s a little warmer, right?
Blood
...well—
Ishuca
I’m glad I met you, Blood. (Yup.)
Blood
WHAT? (What are you talking about?)
Ishuca
You’re a demon, but you’re really kind.
Blood
Look, I am not kind...
Ishuca
So it’s okay for you to eat me.
I really like you.
(Ishuca suddenly clutches at Blood’s hair.)
Blood
Hey? Don’t suddenly grab...
Ishuca
Oh...ow...ow...
Blood
...Ishuca?
Hey, what’s wrong? Where does it hurt? (What’s with you all of a sudden?)
Ishuca
Oh, ahahah...sorry.
I...came to die.
I have a heart disease that can’t be cured anymore. I don’t have any family, and I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone. (Though it’s not really rare in my village.)
Blood
...then...you came here...?
Blood
Alone? To die? So that he would not be a bother to anyone?
Ishuca
Yeah. That’s why—that’s why I’m not afraid of dying anymore.
I’m sorry. That’s why I can’t cry the Teardrop Jewel you’re searching for.
Oh, but I can keep you warm a little longer!
Blood
...Ishuca.
(Ishuca’s arms go limp, and he begins to fall backward.)
Blood
Ishuca!!
Blood
He’s falling!
(With a great cracking sound the ice splinters and Blood catches Ishuca with a badly-scraped hand.)
The ice—
(His entire body breaks free, and he lands on the ground with Ishuca in his arms.)
...why did the ice...no, now’s not the time to think about that.
Blood
Ishuca?! Hey!!
Blood
His body is still warm!
Blood
Hold on!! Ishuca! Hey!!
Blood
His heart has already stopped.
Blood
What the...is he an idiot...
Blood
Even though his body was this close to death he didn’t want to worry anyone. Even at the very end.
Ishuca, flashback
I’m sorry. That’s why I can’t cry the Teardrop Jewel you’re searching for.
Blood
...that’s not really...you...you...
(A single tear flows down Blood’s cheek and begins to glow as it falls into his blood-streaked hand.)
—It is the Teardrop Jewel which grants but one wish, sought for so long by the Ice Demon with neither blood nor tears...
(Outside the cave, it is a beautiful day. Blood has cut his hair.)
Ishuca
...I...I really don’t have a pulse... Huh...? Wh...why?! Why don’t I have a pulse?!
Blood
Who knows?
(Arrow pointing at Blood: the hair was cut because it was a pain in the butt.)
Blood
Somehow I can’t say it.
I, the Ice Demon who terrorized these parts, shed tears for him.
Ishuca
Eh—? Eh—? Wh-why don’t have I have a pulse—?!
Blood
And somehow the Teardrop Jewel that I’ve been searching for all this time—
Ishuca
Woah, I really don’t have one. Then I’m a zombie—!
Blood
And futhermore!! I ended up saving the life of a human!!
Ishuca
Hah!! ...so then I’m now one of the demons?!
Blood
And while we’re at it for some reason I’m self-conscious around him. Around Ishuca.
Ishuca
...can I go with you?
I don’t know how I became like this, but I guess I’m a zombie. I can’t go back to the village like this. (It’s splendid being a demon person—)
...would it be bad if I came with you?
...oh!! My body is totally fine now! If I’m ever a bother to you, you can eat me. If you’re hungry, you can eat me.
Blood
I can eat you?
Ishuca
...yeah. I don’t mind being eaten by you.
Blood
...I see.
(He grabs Ishuca suddenly with an arm around his neck and kisses him.)
Ishuca
...huh?
(Blood releases him after a moment, and Ishuca blushes.)
Ishuca
Eh? ...Blood, when you said “e...eat”...that’s what you meant?!
Blood
...let’s go.
(Arrow pointing at Ishuca: the one who just now said things like “eat all of me, etc.”.)
Here the tale of the Ice Demon ends, and the tale of the Two Demons begins.