Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

"In short, a mistake is a mistake, and you have to accept the punishment."

"Are we going to copy the Dharma again? This is the forty-fourth time this year."

"...In that case, let me think, perhaps I should copy the Ramayana?"

"Ok?"

The eleventh generation David seemed somewhat excited upon hearing this, “Speaking of which, I really like the Ramayana, especially that part: ‘The World-Honored One did what he should have done, and his nobility invited the radiant Vasanta and Kama… Himalayas! Sun, moon and stars, in all directions, the heavens are so vast, praise and joy.’ Ah.”

"Speaking of which, I really like this part too—"

Siddhartha nodded subconsciously.

"That's right. I don't care about the sins of my past life at all. When I saw the description of Vasanta, the god of spring, and the Himalayas in the Ramayana, I felt very peaceful inside, even though I don't know why."

The eleventh generation Davidia revealed a faint smile.

“There are many things and deities I have never seen that I long for, such as Indra, Shiva, Vishnu, the ocean, and the plains. But the only one that brings me such peace of mind is this one.”

"...That's it."

For some reason, Siddhartha laughed when he saw the sinner David in such a state.

"But why is that?"

The eleventh generation Davidia held up the Ramayana, saying, “I suspect that in my past life I was someone who praised Vasenta, the god of spring, and longed for the Himalayas, and was more like the former me than the me who did bad things.”

"I don't agree with that idea."

Siddhartha said with a serious expression, “If you think that is correct, then it is what you are experiencing, and it has nothing to do with what happened in your past life… That’s what I think.”

"..."

Suddenly, the eleventh generation David showed a subtle expression as he looked at Siddhartha. "Is that also 'personal'?"

This guy seems a little happy?

Although he was confused, Siddhartha continued:

"Perhaps this isn't something a guard should say..."

"That's right, that's it."

Thus, Siddhartha and the eleventh generation David became acquainted through books. The two hit it off and even made a pact that if David liked any of the books, Siddhartha could help him borrow them. Gradually, the two became more and more familiar with each other, which led Siddhartha to develop the idea of ​​rescuing the eleventh generation David.

However, the day after the discovery of the 'forbidden book', Siddhartha was informed that because the war was about to spread to the vicinity, all the guards were to return to their respective countries. However, the order to allow the prisoners to seek refuge was not issued. In other words, they were simply left to watch the prisoners die.

Siddhartha remembered that the Brahmin priests and royal advisors always said, "Death is not a sad farewell, but the starting point for the soul to embark on a new journey, so face it with a smile." But he had always been puzzled by this, wondering, "Is it really necessary to feel joy at the passing of a person?"

This confusion reached its peak because of this inaction in the face of death.

Moreover, the great sinner David is right here; how can they just sit by and watch him die like this?

What's strange is that the prison area where the notorious criminal David was imprisoned has always been a place where unauthorized entry is strictly prohibited by various countries. Since the year David was sentenced, there has never been any war here, so the land is extremely desolate and many people have settled here.

Gradually, it became known as the 'evil land,' since most of the inhabitants there were 'lowly people.'

That night.

“David, war is going to happen, you will die…Are you afraid to say this?”

"of course."

"why?"

"After all, I don't want people I know to die, and to be honest, I don't want to die yet."

“David, you still have tens of thousands of years of atonement to live, and you’ve been living like this all this time, with only the ‘vessel’ being different. Even so, why do you still want to live?”

"It's been a long time since I've seen you like this, Siddhartha. It's just like before, trying to test me... But I'm sorry, I can't find a good answer."

The eleventh generation David paused, "But now, for the moment, before fulfilling my promise to you, I think I absolutely cannot bear to die."

Upon hearing this, Siddhartha lowered his head.

“...Davida”.

He certainly remembered the agreement Davidia mentioned; it was a casual remark made when borrowing books, a conversation that required absolutely no attention.

"If we have the chance, we would love to see the Himalayas."

"Then it's a deal."

The former warden of Gautama Warden wrote the following at the end:

'Davida, I've finally become like you, and three Davidas, I'm so sorry... That's all.'

This made Siddhartha determined at that moment. Whether it was his past life or his future life, it didn't matter. I am just the 'I' who is living here and now, and I will live without regrets.

"I will definitely keep my promise."

"That's a given."

The next day, news shocked the entire prison and spread to the surrounding areas—

The notorious criminal David has escaped from prison.

Therefore, all the kingdoms and people living in the land of Bharata were united under a command from the Brahman holy land:

"Now begin a full-scale search across the land of Bharata. The great sinner Devaya and his accomplice, the sinner Siddhartha of the Shakya clan, are to be killed as a last resort."

Thus, the arresting teams came in overwhelming numbers, with everyone attempting to capture the notorious criminal Davidia.

A few days later, the eleventh generation, David and Siddhartha, were on their way to the Himalayas.

They walked for a while, then sat down, then walked a while longer, then sat down again. After being pecked by birds that came down to search for nectar, they started walking again. Davidia followed Siddhartha silently, staggering around.

The lawn was wet with morning dew, and a light mist was drifting in.

As they approached a forest, the sound of flowing water made the eleventh generation David turn back to look at the path they had come from.

Far from the prison, and far from the road he had come by, several dirt roads wound their way forward. There was no decent road ahead of him where he now stood. Eleventh David turned toward the ridge again, a wave of emotion washing over him.

Along the way, the two evaded countless people who tried to capture them.

He felt that he would never turn back, which made the silver-haired youth both happy and lonely, and a gentle smile naturally appeared on his face.

"It's getting dark soon, let's spend the night in the forest."

"We're almost out of the forest, how about we go out and spend the night?"

"also."

Then, I saw it—

The majestic peaks soar into the clouds, their summits perpetually covered with thick snow, pure white as jade, reflecting the moonlight and shimmering with a dim silver glow.

It was a snow-white mountain covered in pristine white snow, with massive, thick rocks, as magnificent as the world itself.

Although it is not the actual Himalayas, it has a similar grandeur, full of tranquility and solemnity, as if time has stood still here, and only endless purity and vast whiteness remain between heaven and earth.

"The real Himalayas... must look like this..."

"This can be considered part of fulfilling the agreement..."

“Although there are some differences, it is enough. I am extremely grateful to you, Siddhartha.”

The eleventh generation, David, raised his head and looked at Siddhartha.

"No, I couldn't have gotten here by myself. If I were alone, I probably wouldn't have done this at all. Before that, I just felt a sense of unease because my world has always been like this. But then I found the notes of the prison warden of the Shakya clan. He wrote these words at the end: 'David, in the end I have become like you. And the other three Davids, I am very sorry.'"

"From what you've said, Warden Gautama seems to be a very good person, but..."

The eleventh generation Davidia shook his head slightly, "But you misspoke just now, you said 'three' instead..."

“I’m not mistaken, he was definitely speaking to ‘the three of them’.”

With his back to the eleventh generation, David, Siddhartha spoke with unwavering conviction: “He said, ‘You have become like David,’ and I have become like him too, because I have come to the same conclusion.”

In the crisp, cool air, a gentle breeze occasionally stirs up a few snowflakes, which drift lightly in the air like twinkling stardust, and in the distance, the faint sound of glaciers cracking can be heard.

"Like Gautama back then, he came to the conclusion that 'after the Battle of Kushinagar, the gods disappeared from the world and their past lives did not exist.'"

But in the next instant, soldiers appeared from all sides to arrest the two, and judging by their numbers, it was more like they had been ambushed than discovered.

"You've really caused quite a stir. Luckily, a Brahmin who knows the power of Maya used his power to mark your location..."

Maya, a name synonymous with mystery, can be seen from a later perspective as the magic of the divine age.

As the crowd gradually gathered, Siddhartha showed no fear. Instead, a resolute look appeared in his eyes, and he shouted loudly:

Do you really believe in reincarnation or anything like that?!

"The poor are reborn as the poor, the rich as the rich, the lowly as the lowly, and the noble as the noble, all because of the sins of their past lives that have altered their birth. Is it really the true Dharma to arbitrarily change the things of the majority?"

"I see you don't understand at all. You call yourself a Kshatriya? Oh, I forgot, you've become a guard. You must be a lowly fellow."

The leading Brahmin waved his hand, and all the people he brought with him were also Brahmins. "Faith, whether right or wrong, doesn't matter. Only what is necessary for this world is essential and true."

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"For the great sinner Devya, this was a reasonable sacrifice, from the past to the present and even the future, all for 'you,' 'the eleventh great sinner Devya died because he was caught up in the war,' and I also want to thank you, Siddhartha, for moving in the direction we expect."

In other words, the impending war was launched solely to kill the eleventh generation of David, and Siddhartha's assistance in David's escape was in line with their wishes.

"It's almost time to say goodbye, David. You don't even know why you have to die, but that's enough. All you have now is death."

Thus, the two died so close, not beneath the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas.

"Damn it, where's that forbidden book?! It's just a cover! Where did the original go? Why are these Shakya clan members all so eager to die?!"

Then, the twelfth generation David was discovered not long after and brought back to prison under strict guard.

More than a decade later, when David, the twelfth generation who had grown up in prison, met a lower-caste man who had recently been imprisoned, he whispered these words to him:

“David, do you know that your real father is an enlightened being?”

"...What are you saying?"

"If we're going to talk about your father, we'll inevitably have to go back to what happened hundreds of years ago, Davidia. But that doesn't refer to you, but to the original Davidia who was sentenced to an era's worth of imprisonment. Davidia, do you know yourself? No, do you know why the first Davidia was sentenced to an era's worth of imprisonment?"

"Because 'I' am a great sinner, instigating foreign aggression, murder, and offending Brahmins, is that right? Are you trying to accuse me of not having seriously reflected on my actions?"

"Judging from your reaction, you really don't know anything."

The lower caste man paused. “Davidia did indeed kill many people on this continent; he committed a crime, that’s a fact. But why did he do it? His motives, his thoughts, are now difficult to trace, because all the nations and Brahmins of Bharata have spent centuries burying the records in darkness—”

"The first David was the first person in this land to deny 'the true law,' 'reincarnation,' and 'caste.' He was arrested for this very reason. He and a few others with similar ideas planned and launched an uprising, but it failed."

"However, twenty years ago, before the eleventh generation David died, someone emerged who harbored doubts about the righteousness of his 'caste' doctrine. That person was your father, who claimed that he could attain enlightenment as a 'Buddha'..."

"Shut up!"

The 12th generation Davidia seemed a little irritated. "What exactly do you want to say to me?!"

“Davidia, the ‘caste’ and ‘reincarnation’ that the people of this land believe in do not exist.”

"Are you out of your mind, or are you joking? Please tell me what's so funny about this joke."

“Everything I said is true, David.”

"...Reincarnation is a lie? How could that be! Then why am I here! Doesn't this mean I'm innocent but I've been arrested?!"

"Yes, you're right, Davidia, you're innocent. Please take a look at this notebook."

The number of people active in Bharata who intended to overthrow the caste system was small, but they still spent decades putting their own members in prison for the sake of the twelfth generation Devia, because the biggest victim of the concept of reincarnation was Devia, who was also the child of their deceased leader and could be said to be a symbol of the future.

Indeed, the reason why the eleventh generation David was defined as 'died in war' was that the Brahmins wanted the child of the rebel who almost became 'Buddha' but was killed to become the next great sinner David at birth, which was punishment.

The source of the doubts lies in a long-lost notebook written by a former prison warden. It was thanks to the notebook's widespread circulation that the flames of rebellion continued to burn quietly across the land. The first half of the book seems to be a 'declaration of past lives' impeaching the Brahmins, but it is the latter half, Gautama's autobiography, that truly moved most people.

"David, what were you thinking in the final moments of your short life?"

"People who lose their jobs, are extremely distressed, and are forced to commit crimes are mostly imprisoned for illegal or similar offenses, then released, only to be imprisoned again a few years later, in a vicious cycle."

“The true law of caste states that a person’s life was predetermined at the time of creation. Brahmins and Kshatriyas live in wealth, while the castes after them are poor, living a life of barely enough to eat. There are also untouchables who are not allowed to look others in the eye.”

“The teachings of the true Dharma record the words of Brahman. If that is the case, and if apart from those who are human, the others are non-human, why do they look so similar? Why is the vicious cycle created by humans and why is human destiny like this? A terrible doubt arose in my heart.”

"Just like a tablecloth that has been laid out, something that will be burned red by flames, yes, my suspicion is about fundamentally overturning this world."

“I’d better write it down clearly. This isn’t out of doubt, but because I’m certain it’s a hoax. In the years to come, we must not repeat their tragedy. So, at least I can leave behind my ‘will’.”

“Davidia, I have finally become like you, and the other two Davidias, I am sorry.”

The only emotion that arose in the heart of the twelfth generation David after reading this notebook was 'anger'.

It also became clear that for those who attempted to rebel against the caste system, 'Davidia' was a symbol of anger towards the caste system, a symbol of the order built up so far using faith and represented by 'Brahman'.