After the quake blind willow, sleeping woman dance dance dance

hear the voice,
” Tamaru said. “The man I talked with on 
the phone was insistent about that. If they lose the voice, it could be the end of the 
religion. What hearing the voice actually means, I have no idea. But that’s what the 
man said. Does this mean that the child inside you is the 
one who hears the voice
?” 
Aomame laid a gentle hand on her abdomen. Maza 
and
dohta, she thought to 
herself. 
The moons can’t hear about this
. 
“I’m not—really sure,” Aomame said, carefully choosing her words. “But I can’t 
think of any other reason they would need me.” 
“But why would this child have that kind of special power?” 
“I don’t know.” 
In exchange for his life, maybe Leader entrusted his successor to 
me
, she thought. 
In order to accomplish that, on that stormy night he might have 
temporarily opened the circuits where worlds intersect, and joined Tengo and me as 
one
. 
Tamaru went on. “No matter who the father of that child is, or whatever abilities 
that child may or may not have when it’s born, you have no intention of negotiating 
with the cult, correct? You don’t care what they give you in exchange. Even if they 
solve all the riddles you’ve been wondering about.” 
“I’ll never do it,” Aomame said. 
“Despite your intentions, they may take 
what they want
by force. By any means 
necessary,” Tamaru said. “Plus, you have a weak spot: Tengo Kawana. Perhaps the 
only weak spot you have, but it’s a big one. When they discover that, that’s where 
they’ll focus their attack.” 
Tamaru was right. Tengo was both her reason for living and her Achilles’ heel. 
Tamaru went on. “It’s too dangerous for you to stay there any longer. You need to 
move to a more secure location before they figure out the connection between you 
and Tengo.” 
“There are no more secure places in 
this world
,” Aomame said. 
Tamaru mulled over her opinion. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said quietly. 
“First, I have to see Tengo. Until that happens, I can’t leave here. No matter how 
dangerous it might be.” 
“What are you going to do when you see him?” 
“I know what I need to do.” 
Tamaru was silent for a moment. “You’re crystal clear on that?” 
“I don’t know if it will work out, but I know what I have to do. I’m crystal clear on 
that, yes.” 
“But you’re not planning on telling me what it involves.” 
“I’m sorry, but I can’t. Not just you, but anybody. If I told anyone about it, at that 
instant it would be disclosed to the whole world.” 
The moons were listening carefully. So were the Little People. And this very room 
she was in. She couldn’t let it out of her heart, not one centimeter. She had to 
surround her heart with a thick wall so nothing could escape. 
On the other end of the line Tamaru was tapping the tip of a ballpoint pen on a 
desk. Aomame could hear the dry, rhythmic noise. It was a lonely sound, lacking any 
resonance. 
“Okay, then let’s get in touch with Tengo Kawana. Before that, though, Madame 
must agree to it. The task I’ve been given is to move you, as soon as possible, to 

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another location. But you said you can’t leave there until you see Tengo. It doesn’t 
look like it will be easy to explain the reason to her. You understand that, right?” 
“It’s very difficult to logically explain the illogical.” 
“Exactly. As difficult as finding a real pearl in a Roppongi oyster bar. But I’ll do 
my best.” 
“Thank you,” Aomame said. 
“What you’re insisting on doesn’t make sense to me, no matter how I look at it. 
Still, the more I talk with you, the more I feel that maybe I can accept it. I wonder 
why.” 
Aomame kept silent. 
“Madame trusts you and believes in you,” Tamaru said, “so if you insist on it that 
much, I can’t see her finding a reason not to let you see Tengo. You and Tengo seem 
to have an unwavering connection to each other.” 
“More than anything in the world,” Aomame said.