Chapter 374. [The World's Most Equal Village]
"What do you mean?"
I thought I explained it properly yesterday.
Besides, they’re not stupid.
For example, I’m not great at identifying plants, but after being taught repeatedly, I’ve improved a little.
So was it just too hard for the kids to learn?
"That’s not it, either."
During the lecture, some young adults joined in out of curiosity.
But even they... none of them seemed to remember the numbers.
"What on earth is going on?"I had no idea.
I was utterly confused.
‘Girl, fine—? ——?’
Apparently, I must have been making a really strange face.
The local woman I lived with... Mama, looked concerned and asked me what was wrong.
On impulse, I asked her,
"'Everyone' 'numbers' 'remember,' 'no'... 'why'?"
‘...Come.’
Mama seemed to understand my clumsy words.
She led me to the edge of the settlement.
‘Sit.’
When I sat down, she sat next to me.
Looking over the settlement, she spoke in a gentle voice, as if trying to teach me something.
‘Everyone, the same.’
"?!"
I tilted my head, not understanding.
She gestured to different villagers one by one and said.
‘Make medicine, make medicine, make medicine.’
"——"
‘Hunt prey, hunt prey, hunt prey.’
"...Are you saying everyone can do the same things?"
I had noticed it before.
The people in this village didn’t divide tasks.
There were exceptions, like injuries, but—
Even Mama wasn’t a specialized healer or doctor.
Anyone in this tribe could do the same things.
That’s why the Secret Service woman had been placed in another house— and why everyone hunted their own prey.
Even the women and children.
That’s why I was taught how to hunt, too.
‘Eat, the same.’
In this village, food was shared equally among everyone.
There was no expectation of receiving anything in return.
But still, they were particular about one thing.
It was the same with fish.
Everything was divided in equal portions.
‘Things, the same.’
Here, they didn’t have the habit of returning things to their "owner."
Even the spear used during a hunt didn’t belong to anyone specifically.
Could it be that everything in this village was shared?
If so, it made sense why a watch had been left lying around.
If the concept of individual "ownership" didn’t exist...
There would be no concept of "stealing" or fear of it, either.
"Could it be...?"
I started to realize the common thread running through it all.
Then Mama spoke.
‘——Smart, the same.’
So that’s it, isn’t it?!
I became certain. In this place—
"Everything is ‘equal’. Food, possessions, and even—knowledge."
What on earth had I been doing?
I finally understood the discomfort I’d felt during the "quiz".
They were deliberately giving the wrong answers to the numbers.
"Haha... when you think about it, of course."
If they truly didn’t know numbers, they wouldn’t have known what was funny.
After all, they wouldn’t even know whether something was right or wrong.
But in reality, whenever someone got a number wrong, everyone laughed at the same time.
In other words... they all actually knew the numbers.
"I... I’m so embarrassed! Thinking I was going to ‘teach’ them!"
Despite everything I said, deep down, I must have thought I was superior to them.
That they were behind, and I was ahead.
But maybe I couldn’t help it.
I’ve lived my whole life in a competitive society.
Who would’ve thought... even knowledge, even intelligence, could be made equal?
"I never even considered it."
Being superior is a good thing.
That’s what I’d always believed.
But that’s not how they see it.
To them, being "the same" is the best thing.
That’s why they deliberately make mistakes with numbers— or even forget them altogether.
‘One, strength, strong one bad. Everyone, strength, weak good.’
Mama said it.
If one person holds power, it’s bad.
If everyone is weak, that’s good.
What if a physically strong man started hoarding food?
With high-nutrition meals, he’d become even stronger.
What if someone acquired a powerful tool and kept it for themselves?
They might use its "power" to dominate others.
And then...
"Knowledge is power too."
If just one person had special knowledge or skills, their value would inevitably increase.
Eventually, wealth would concentrate in that person’s hands.
Power leads to wealth, wealth creates classes, and classes breed inequality.
That’s why this tribe chose to abandon power.
If no one has power, there’s no fighting.
That’s their survival strategy.
"...I never imagined such a method existed."
I was reminded of Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles.
The idea that abandoning power leads to peace.
They’re the same.
If threatened by external enemies, they’re incredibly vulnerable.
But if there are no external threats—or no contact with the outside world at all—
It’s the least wasteful, most peaceful, and most optimal choice.
‘Everyone, same, one, good—’
Mama said it.
"Everyone being the same is the best thing."
In Japan, we’re taught, "Everyone’s different, and that’s what makes us good."
But here, it was the complete opposite.
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