Babylon (バビロン)

The story, names, characters, places, locations, and laws in this work are fictitious.

No identification with actual ideas or beliefs is intended.

The call was made from Germany.

Germany?

We're hurrying to pinpoint the exact location.

Is Magase in Germany?

-I knew it. -Two cities announced it at the same time?

It's the G6.

It started in Japan, and spread to Canada, France, the U.S., and now Germany and Italy.

Let's contact the British Embassy. Even if we're too late.

We, the citizens of Germany, follow the policies of our country, comply with its rules,

and believe that it is right to live in a manner that contributes to the public order. But,

personally, I believe that Heidelberg's policy is worth considering.

So are you adopting a position in favor of the suicide law, chancellor?

No. But there is some truth to the suicide law's implication

that morality and the law can change.

Things that were right in the past may not necessarily be right in the future.

Is suicide really a good thing?

Maybe.

There's not enough time to find the answer.

That's the problem.

I wish I could tell you to take your time thinking about it,

but we'll need to make a statement regarding the law at the summit one week later.

You're right.

So the U.S. is still deferring its decision.

President. We're at a turning point right now.

Changes in our value systems are about to result in the creation of new societal norms.

Then the people of Germany must decide for themselves.

Not the government, and not the private sector.

If that decision represents a step forward towards a better future,

then we won't be afraid to choose to adopt the suicide law.

Did Flores really change his mind just because of that voice?

I'm sure of it.

But I heard the voice too, and nothing happened to me.

Who's that?

I haven't seen you for a while, even though we're neighbors.

I'm so ashamed of myself.

I skipped another meeting to come here.

It happened at the funeral for the students

who committed mass suicide in Denver the other day.

I still didn't know the words to say to stop someone considering suicide.

Are you trying to prepare to fight against suicide?

I don't even know if I should fight against it in the first place.

It's going to take some time. That can't be helped. It's a hard problem.

I did some research into what the Bible says.

I believe that it never says that suicide is a sin.

I couldn't find anything that says God intends to punish those who commit suicide.

You've done a lot of research. There's only one related sentence in the Ten Commandments from God:

"Thou shalt not kill."

The rejection of suicide is nothing more than a broad interpretation of this sentence.

Wait!

If we want to go to heaven in the Last Judgment, we must follow the Ten Commandments.

However, the Ten Commandments are nothing more than a broad interpretation of two rules.

"Thou shalt love thy Lord," and--

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor."

If "Thou shalt love thy neighbor" takes precedence over "Thou shalt not kill,"

then killing someone for the purpose of loving your neighbor...

In other words, does that mean that the Ten Commandments support

committing suicide out of love for someone else?

You there! It's dangerous over there! Come back!

It's okay. I'm fine.

Hurry! Come over here!

I'm going to go to my mom's side.

No!

Why?

The authorities said it was okay.

Wait!

God is the one who judges

whether suicide is right or wrong.

However, president, there's one piece of truth I want to tell you.

God loves humankind.

His love

is infinite.

When you die, it's over.

You're right. My memory isn't too clear on this matter,

but I think the moment I decided to adopt the suicide law was right after this call.

Do you remember your impression of that woman?

No. I don't remember.

I see.

Mayor, the girl who gave you the bouquet at the hospice

jumped into the river today.

I heard about it. It's unfortunate.

The suicide law hasn't even been adopted officially yet.

What?

What do you mean?

It's exactly what it sounds like.

What did you say to her?

The authorities said it was okay.

When I was about to leave the facility, she asked me:

"What am I supposed to do after my mother dies?"

That's why I told her this:

"Death is not something to be afraid of. You must accept it."

You said that to a little kid?

How could you say something so cruel to a kid whose mother had collapsed?

Cruel? Maybe that's what you think.

But I'm sure it saved her from her despair.

She made a choice. By choosing death, she restored peace within her heart,

and departed us to be with her mother.

Do you oppose her choice?

Her will?

I don't understand. It was like talking to someone

from a faraway land who speaks a totally different language.

You're not wrong.

Do you understand what he said?

Well, just think calmly about it.

People aren't going to do it just because the government says they're going to allow it.

Saying, "They adopted the suicide law. I'm going to go die now,"

isn't what I'd call a calm decision.

A normal person who weighs the pros against the cons

wouldn't choose to commit suicide.

It's a simple calculation. If a few players from the worst team in the league commit suicide,

then they're never going to be able to beat Milan, since they can't even beat them now.

I'm sure the people are capable of imagining something that simple--

That press conference was horrible.

Claiming that market forces always lead to the appropriate state

is so typical of that economist, Cannavaro. What about the president?

I think he's still thinking about it. But we're almost out of time.

You're right. But if we cut back on the summit to only the main session, we can make some time.

I'm sure that would make the president happy.

Just like a kid who was given more time to play.

In any era, the kids are the ones who are right.

The president is going to find the thing that we are unable to see.

Where's Oliver?

He hasn't come back yet. He's playing basketball.

He's even busier than the president.

It looks like things aren't going well.

With you. Your thinking is stuck, right?

That's right. I'm stuck.

It can't be helped. You're bad at thinking about things.

Well, yeah.

I still can't see it clearly. Maybe I don't have enough information, or--

No.

Why did you do that just now?

I was told to do so. By God.

Alex, let me tell you something. In this world, we never have all the information.

In reality, we always have not enough, or too much.

You'll have to keep putting one foot in front of the other even when you have

too much or too little, and you can't decide.

But it'll be fine. You'll be fine.

God gave you something that's very good.

What is that?

It's your intuition.

Things that catch your eye. Things that make you curious about how they feel.

Things that send a shiver down your spine. Things that make your balls shrink.

You just have to search for those things. If you're next to one, then pick it up.

You don't have to worry about the time.

Keep searching until you're satisfied. Keep thinking as much as you want.

That's what your job is. That's what you're in charge of.

That's the role that only you can play.

That's-- Are you sure that's all I have to do?

Yes. If there's a problem, then Taylor and Edmund will take care of it.

I, Oliver, and the people of the United States will all help you.